History of Bluetooth technology

Bluetooth history

Bluetooth takes its name from a character in history called Harald Bluetooth. He was born in 910AD and the Bluetooth concept takes his name because in 940AD he had the ability to Unite two warring countries, Denmark and Norway. It was because of the uniting of two countries by Harald Bluetooth that the founders of Bluetooth technology took his name for the principle of uniting two components to work together remotely. The use of Bluetooth technology has the ability of linking the different technologies like , computers, mobile phones, printers, headsets etc.

The first to try and discover a way to provide low cost, low power interfaces was a company called Ericsson Mobile Communications. First explorations took place in 1994 to wirelessly connect computers to mobile phones. In 1998, Lund Switzerland saw the formation of like minded companies who united into an association called the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). Coming from different backgrounds the group included market leaders in laptop manufacturing, the cell phone industry and digital signal processing. These companies where Ericsson, IBM, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, Intel, Toshiba, and Agere. These companies now promote development and research into the technology of Bluetooth.

Ericsson Mobile Platforms had two employees Jaap Haartsen and Sven Mattisson which developed the Bluetooth specifications. Developed in Scandinavia Bluetooth technology is able to unite different components from different industries such as computing, cell phones and automotive markets. Based on a frequency hopping spread spectrum it is a wireless technology that combines and simplifies multiple forms of communication into a common secure available radio signal.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group made a firm commitment to have Bluetooth technology installed in various devices and by 2002 Bluetooth technology was installed in PC’s, notebooks, desktop computers and over 100 million mobile phones had the technology as well as millions of other communications devices.

Bluetooth definition?

Bluetooth is a wireless communications network which operates on a short-range radio frequency. Bluetooth technology has the ability to has the ability to be used on any equipment that has its built in features and can exchange information between various device like mobile phones and computers. Using a short wave narrow bandwidth it uses low power and therefore is medically safe to use, it is also a scientifically sound system with excellent security.

Devices have to be compatible and anyone wanting to use it will have to have Bluetooth profiles to be able to connect to one another. Once the profiles are enabled you should be able to use such things as hands free headsets with mobile phones, and wireless networking and communications which use printers, keyboards and a mouse.

Versions of Bluetooth

Improved features and more benefits have seen Bluetooth improve and change since version 1.0 in 1998 which had many teething problems, like most technology. The lack of devices able to communicate with each other was one of the problems.

Version 1.1 saw great improvements and it became a truly operable product with devices being able to communicate properly.

Version 1.2 had many new features, great extra benefits and vast improvement with voice quality, backward compatibility and was in general a better all round product.

Version2.0 improved even more with features and quality and now version 3.0 is able to communicate with several devices using a Bluetooth master device in which the slave can become the master at any given time. Master devices use there ability and can swiftly switch from one device to another.

One other technology that is similar is Wi-Fi but it uses a different operating system although the operating range is greater with Wi-Fi. However Bluetooth is cheaper to run than the more expensive Wi-Fi hardware. One big advantage Bluetooth has is its ease of setting it up between many devices, its better security and its automated system. Wi-Fi is more complicated to set up and needs to have devices configured to set up shared resources which are more for Ethernet networking. Bluetooth is more powerful and has better connections whilst Wi-Fi is better suited for operating larger networks. 

Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or higher is required to operate Bluetooth on a computer. If you run an Apple computer it has been supported by Bluetooth technology since 2002. Nearly all computers now have Bluetooth installed but if not then if your computer has Windows XP with Service pack 2 then a device called a dongle can be purchased. The dongle device allows various devices to communicate with your computer.

Bluetooth is now the world wide wireless standard and has a bright future. In the future High quality audio and video data will have a much higher quality as Bluetooth improves and the alternative for transporting Bluetooth profile data is MAC PHY. Automatic configuration will be carried out by using Topology Management, and broadcast channelling, which will enable Bluetooth in other devises. The chain reaction is already in progress and as more components use Bluetooth technology, manufacturers of electronics will jump on the band wagon and become increasingly eager to make their products compatible. While other technology may go Bluetooth is here for the long term.