The difference between Bluetooth 3.0 and 4.0. Development of wireless technology
Recently, the number of users of mobile gadgets has increased significantly, which means that a large number of different technical issues remain dark horses for novice users. One of these nuances is Bluetooth versions.
Despite the fact that the compatibility of Bluetooth versions is at a fairly high level, situations still sometimes occur in which it becomes impossible to pair two devices. And the point here is precisely in the protocols, and not in the profiles. And in order to justify the above-mentioned impossibility, you first need to understand what the difference is between these two concepts.
A protocol is a set of instructions through which various information is transmitted. It is he who sets the order, operating frequency and duration of operation of one or another component. And profiles are additional add-ons that allow you to operate with information of a certain type. For example, A2DP is a profile that allows a Bluetooth module to work with stereo sound, where during pairing the codecs that will be used are also agreed upon.
If you look at it from a global perspective, the version of the protocols matters more than the significance of the profile. If both devices have the same protocol version, then they will have access to all the standard functions and capabilities that the module supports. But with profiles everything is different. Since they are added optionally, in order for them to be used and work, they will need to be present in both gadgets. If only one Bluetooth module supports the required profile, it will not be used during data transfer.
Many users are interested in the question of how to find out the bluetooth version. There are several ways to do this, but the easiest way is to read the device specification. But it is much more important to understand what is hidden behind these numbers.
How to find out the Bluetooth version: Video
Technical data of various protocols
This description will not contain the most complete list of protocol versions, but only the most significant for the entire technology as a whole. And, of course, it’s worth starting with the very first one, which was created almost two decades ago almost two decades ago - in 1998, by the partner group SIG or Special Interested Group. The primary development was established by the then Swedish company Ericsson 4 years before entering the market. As a result of successful research, a worthy analogue of wired technology was created and named after the Danish king of the Viking northerners, Harald the First Bluetooth.
The first version had amazing compatibility between devices from different manufacturers. The speed was tiny, and the range was clearly not up to the established standard. If it were not for prompt attempts to refine the technology, the whole idea could have sunk into oblivion. And the professional qualities of the workers did not disappoint, because soon version 1.1 was released, and then 1.2, which became the pinnacle of the evolution of the first generation modules. The general compatibility was raised to a fairly high level, the range of action was set to an honest ten meters, the transmission speed was made simply sky-high - 721 Kbps, theoretically, of course.
Version 2.1
The second generation made a revolution, but it was version 2.1 that became the guiding light that is still used today. Many entry-level and middle-class devices use this particular variation of the Bluetooth module. The main focus was on speed, and the solution was the EDR add-on. It was thanks to it that it became possible to transmit at speeds close to 3 Mbit/s, and the level of energy consumption was reduced five times. Of course, various profiles and add-ons have appeared, including the ability to distribute network access.
Third version
The high-speed specification 3.0 had much in common with Wi-Fi, but was not directly compatible with it, and the use of SLI technology, by which two Bluetooth modules were connected into one system, made it possible to increase the transfer speed to 24 Mbit/s. Moreover, when moving large files, a higher-speed, but also energy-consuming protocol was used, and for small files it was very economical.
Hardly any technology has been predicted to die more often than Bluetooth. At the same time, it is impossible not to recognize the idea of wireless communication as quite successful: version Bluetooth 1.0 appeared on the market more than 15 years ago, and Bluetooth has never been used in so many devices as it is now. All thanks to the version Bluetooth 4.0, which now, however, seems quite slow.
Upgrade to 4.1
One billion Bluetooth devices are sold every year. But there are still few gadgets with Bluetooth 4.1. At the moment, the Huawei TalkBand B1 smart bracelet has been announced. Many modern chipsets, such as those in the OnePlus smartphone, will also be upgraded to 4.1.
Replaces Bluetooth Low Energy(or Bluetooth Smart) - battery saving version. In this case, the range of action is limited to 10 m, and the data transfer rate is 1 Mbit/s, but no more than 10 mA is consumed during transmission.
And now comes the next stage: the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, which includes more than 8,000 companies, is preparing a version specification. Of course, you shouldn't expect any revolutionary changes, but mobile device users can expect some important innovations. CHIP decided to clarify some technical issues.
Most of the innovations in Bluetooth 4.1 relate to interference protection. Bluetooth is now a standard component of smartphones and tablets; LTE modules will soon begin to be introduced into these devices.
Unfortunately, Bluetooth uses the unlicensed 2.45 GHz frequency band (along with 2.6 GHz), as well as the LTE band in Russia and other countries. This may lead to mutual interference (see diagram). The problem is that the user has no influence on the LTE signal.
Bluetooth developers were required to do certain things to avoid interference. And that's exactly what was done in the new version.
To minimize interference, Bluetooth 4.1 will have a built-in LTE band filter. If an LTE transmitter interferes with data transmitted via Bluetooth, Bluetooth 4.1 will respond immediately
The LTE module sending and receiving data interferes with Bluetooth operation. In version 4.0, losses reached 75% of packets. Bluetooth version 4.1 is not as sensitive to interference from LTE. A noise filter protects the radio module. In difficult cases, the channel is automatically switched.
The so-called Bluetooth 4.1 adaptive switching system will search for another channel where there is less interference, transmitting and receiving data on a different frequency. While with Bluetooth 4.0 LTE causes interference 75% of the time, with Bluetooth 4.1 this figure drops to 25%.
Reception and transmission of data without interference
Devices with Bluetooth Low Energy are especially popular now. Especially for this power saving mode, version 4.1 has a new data transfer method that extends battery life.
Bluetooth users have learned from hard experience about the problem of disconnected connections. It often happened that if the user went to another room, the connection was interrupted. After that, I had to configure the connection manually.
Fewer disconnections with new Bluetooth
If two Bluetooth devices move out of range, the connection will be lost. With Bluetooth 4.0, devices must return within 30 seconds to connect automatically. In version 4.1 this time increases to three minutes.
With Bluetooth 4.1, manufacturers can set fixed intervals so that the user does not have to set up a new connection every time after disconnecting. Bluetooth 4.1 can work with an interrupted connection for up to three minutes - previously this figure was no more than 30 seconds.
The fact that you don't have to be connected to a computer to use Bluetooth is demonstrated by an innovation designed specifically for 3D glasses that work in conjunction with a TV. Typically, this required connecting to multiple devices at once, so the picture on TVs often lagged. Everything should work better now.
Contactless Slave Broadcast in Bluetooth 4.1 is the second new feature that 3D movie fans will benefit from. The Bluetooth connection is only in one direction, the TV sends data at fixed intervals, the 3D glasses receive data but do not send any response connections to the TV.
Flexible connections with Bluetooth 4.1
The Bluetooth 4.1 connection architecture operates according to the Master-Slave principle. One device acts as a master, and the second as a slave. All devices can operate both as masters and slaves.
Thus, data from a fitness bracelet or heart rate monitor can now be transferred directly to a smartphone, which will then analyze it. Previously, direct interaction between a fitness bracelet and a smartphone was impossible.
Two benefits of upgrading Bluetooth: First, you don't have to worry about compatibility. Bluetooth 4.0 and Bluetooth 4.1 are completely compatible. A new chip for Bluetooth 4.1 is also not needed. Bluetooth 4.1 will be available via Bluetooth 4.0 firmware update.
Experts also predict that Bluetooth 4.1 will support IPv6. Now this is not the case. Since the new version of Bluetooth fully supports IPv6, all Bluetooth devices will be assigned an IP address and will be accessible over the Internet. So we can say that the Bluetooth revolution has already begun.
Bluetooth in comparison
Bluetooth has been around for 15 years, with new versions coming out every two years. Version 4.0 introduced a low-power profile. Since its predecessors do not have it, the 4.0 and 4.1 protocols are not backward compatible. In 4.1 it is planned to work using the IPv6 protocol.
| Bluetooth 4.0 | Bluetooth 3.0 | Bluetooth 2.x | Bluetooth 1.x | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base speed | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s |
| Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) | 3 Mbit/s | 3 Mbit/s | 3 Mbit/s | 3 Mbit/s | No |
| High Speed | 54 Mbit/s | 54 Mbit/s | 54 Mbit/s | No | No |
| Range (max./min. power) | 100 m/10 m | 100 m/10 m | 100 m/no | 100 m/no | 100 m/no |
| Low Power Mode | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Dual profile (simultaneous role as Slave and Master) | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| IPv6 support | getting ready | No | No | No | No |
| NFC pairing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| 128-bit AES encryption | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Photos in the article: manufacturing companies
The need to install a Bluetooth adapter for a computer arises when you need to quickly move information between different devices. For example, between a desktop PC and.
Content:Operating principle and configuration of the Bluetooth adapter for PC
The appearance of most adapters designed for connecting to a computer or laptop (which also rarely support Bluetooth) resembles a small one. Some are even smaller.
And to strengthen the signal on these devices, a small antenna can be installed, adding 2-5 dBi. Built-in Bluetooth adapters are cards that connect inside a PC (usually to a PCI connector) and sometimes provide a wireless connection using technology.
Rice. 2. Manual installation of drivers for an adapter that is not detected automatically.
BlueTooth technology is based on radio communication and allows you to connect two devices to each other almost unnoticed by the user. The advantages of using an adapter are:
The disadvantages of the device include its relatively low speed compared to a wireless Wi-Fi connection. In addition, most models transmit data over a short distance. Although, when purchasing an adapter with an amplifier, you can increase the distance to several tens of meters - a result that is impressive even for.
Device classification
Bluetooth adapters are primarily classified by range:
- old models, class 4, are capable of connecting two devices, the distance between which does not exceed 2–5 meters;
- Class 3 devices provide connections at a distance of 5 to 10 m;
Rice. 3. Standard Class 2 Bluetooth modules with a range of up to 10m.
- Class 2 adapters allow you to connect if the distance between the computer and another gadget does not exceed 50 m;
- the first class, which is equipped with printers, modems and base stations, makes it possible to transfer data within a radius of 100 m from the adapter.
The use of antennas that amplify the signal increases the distance. At the same time, devices of the same class provide connections differently in different conditions. Since both the range and stability of the connection depend not only on the characteristics of the adapter, but also on the configuration of the premises and on the material of the enclosing structures.
Bluetooth adapter capabilities
You can use Bluetooth USB adapters in the following situations:
- to transfer information from a mobile device to a computer or vice versa. This feature is especially useful if there are no devices to connect and if it is impossible to use Wi-Fi for this (a technology that is not supported on older phones);
- for wireless connection of two computers within the range of the Bluetooth adapter;
- for connecting to a computer, digital camera, and other devices.
In most cases, using Bluetooth technology instead of Wi-Fi or cable increases the distance over which connected devices can be located. For example, you can connect two computers in this way, even if they are in adjacent rooms or even apartments.
And if you need to transfer data from an older model mobile phone (with a special cord format for connection, like models or Sony Ericsson), this method may be the only available option. The only alternative is to buy a special cord, the cost is higher than that of an adapter.
Rice. 4. Cable for connecting Sony Ericsson phones to a PC.
- check the presence of the corresponding symbol on the keyboard;
Rice. 5. Keys that allow you to enable the Bluetooth module on your laptop.
- Open device manager and check for the presence of the module. This option is also suitable for a stationary personal computer, although usually their owners already know about the installed boards and adapters.
After confirming the need to purchase a device, they proceed to its selection, focusing on three main parameters. The first is the protocol supported by the adapter. The second is the range of the device. And finally, the third is the price, which is determined by the class, the manufacturer, and protection from external influences.
Selecting a device protocol
The presence of several generations of Bluetooth adapters on sale makes it difficult to choose the right model. Moreover, based on the information on the pages of online stores, it is difficult to navigate which device can be considered new and which is already outdated.
Rice. 6. One of the outdated adapter models that can still be found on sale.
It is worth noting that the data transfer speed, connection stability, and price depend on the adapter protocol. The latest versions, 4.1 and higher, not only allow you to connect any devices without connection problems, but also ensure stable data transfer without interruptions or failures, and even consume less energy.
In addition, when you leave the adapter's coverage area and return to it, the connection is restored automatically. And modern devices can support the connection of several gadgets at the same time.
Range selection
When choosing an adapter, one of the main factors is its range. Taking into account the fact that the increase in range is proportional to the increase in the price of the device, it is not necessary to buy a first-class model, the cost of which is noticeably higher. Especially when it comes to home use, where the distance between devices rarely exceeds 10 meters.
For home and small offices, adapters of class 2 or 3 are suitable, as a rule, they do not have an antenna, and are in the price range of up to 200–300 rubles. For large rooms, it is advisable to choose 1st class models that support protocols 4.0 and 4.1 - in addition to a range of more than 50 meters, they will also provide a speed of at least 3 Mbit/s. Their cost can reach 1000 rubles.
Modifications of adapters with built-in antennas are even more expensive. Most often, they provide two types of wireless communication at the same time - Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Their cost can exceed 2000 rubles, but the functionality is much higher. With the help of such equipment, information will be guaranteed to be transferred to any device - a laptop, a smartphone, or another computer with a built-in adapter and supporting wireless communication technology.
Rice. 7. Bluetooth adapters with a signal-amplifying antenna.
Other selection features
In addition to the range and protocol of the BlueTooth adapter, when choosing, pay attention to such characteristics as:
- computer connection type;
- equipment manufacturer;
- functionality;
- strength;
- price.
The price range is important for those users for whom information transfer speed and range do not matter. To connect devices located in the same room, any device is sufficient, even with protocol 1.2 or 2.0. When constantly transferring large files and a distance exceeding 10–15 meters, it is advisable not to save money, but to purchase an adapter that supports Bluetooth 4.0 or 4.1 transmission technology.
Durability matters if the device is constantly transferred and installed on different computers or laptops. For the same situations, you need to purchase a gadget that connects to a USB port. If the device is intended for use on only one computer, you can choose a model in the form of a built-in board. Moreover, such adapters can also provide...
Popular manufacturers of Bluetooth adapters are 3Com, 4World, Tracer, Broadcom, Atheros and GSM-Support. And among the brands whose assortment is represented by budget models, it is worth noting the Trust and StLab brands.
The compatibility of adapters may also depend on the manufacturer - for example, devices from 3Com are equipped with their own drivers, which are not always detected automatically. Although most models from other companies do not even require configuration.
We choose a bluetooth adapter for the convenience of sharing your PC and digital devices. Functionality of the bluetooth adapter and its range.
A USB bluetooth adapter is a special device that supports the Bluetooth protocol, which allows you to connect your computer, which previously did not support this option, with any device with the appropriate settings to detect it.
This device was designed to allow computers to connect wirelessly to each other, but has now become more affordable and versatile thanks to its smaller size.
Therefore, you can now use it to connect your computer with any device that supports such an innovation.
Bluetooth is now found in phones, laptops, printers and even cameras. All this can receive and transmit information at a short distance from the computer.
Provided that if you still want to buy such an adapter, the only thing you need to decide is at what distance you want to make this connection.
Now these devices are capable of making a high-quality connection within a distance of 10-100 m. This directly depends on the power of the transmitter included in the adapter.
It is also possible to modify adapters that have an external antenna and other devices that allow you to increase the range of reception of a stable signal. The Bluetooth adapter is connected directly to the USB port of the computer.
Using a Bluetooth adapter, it is possible to perform a number of manipulations with a cell phone - you can exchange data between your phone and a computer, make phone book entries available, and also send and receive SMS.
The Bluetooth adapter is different in that it allows you to transfer data at a much higher speed than data cables and IrDA. Most modern phones are equipped with Bluetooth. Therefore, you only need to install the Bluetooth adapter into the system and configure the connection.
With the help of a Bluetooth adapter, your phone can function as a modem. Moreover, the transfer of information will be carried out using the GPRS protocol. The range of Bluetooth adapters can range from 10-150 m.
Models with a larger reception radius are slightly more expensive. Bluetooth adapters are able to guarantee reception even in conditions where there are obstacles between connecting devices.
It should be noted that Bluetooth adapters are used not only to connect a computer and a digital device, but also to establish a connection between a pair of computers. This connection makes it possible to exchange information and participate in a variety of online games.
Considering the decreasing cost of Bluetooth adapters, they are turning into the most attractive accessories for organizing a wireless connection.
Even more technologically advanced, perhaps, is the Wi-Fi protocol.
Reading descriptions of the characteristics of mobile phones, smartphones, tablets and other gadgets, we constantly come across different Bluetooth version numbers - 2.1 + EDR, 3.0, 4.0. How are these protocols different, and do we need the latest version of Bluetooth? To begin with, Bluetooth is a short-range communication protocol. If we compare it with Wi-Fi, its speed is lower and its range is noticeably shorter, but there are also advantages - lower power consumption and faster “pairing” of devices.
Let's move on to version numbers. The first version (1.0) of this protocol was born back in 1998, and is now so outdated that none of the modern devices use this version anymore.
The next version, numbered 1.2, may yet be found in some of today's devices. For example, some cheap Chinese headsets can still work with this version of the protocol. The transmission speed of the Bluetooth 1.2 protocol can reach 721 Kbps, there is already the possibility of quick pairing and there is support for the anonymity of devices on the network. With Bluetooth 1.2, many types of data can be transferred, such as voice, files, service information, etc.
A major change in the Bluetooth protocol was the emergence of EDR - Enhanced Data Rate technology. Thanks to this technology, the exchange speed has increased to 3 Mbit/s (theoretically, but in practice the speed is about 1.5-2 Mbit/s). EDR technology is present in two versions of Bluetooth – 2.0 and 2.1. The difference between these versions is different energy saving technologies. In version 2.1, energy-saving technology (Sniff Subrating) was added, which reduced energy consumption several times. In addition, the security and speed of device identification have been improved, and it is now possible to update the encryption key without breaking the connection. Bluetooth 2.1 is the most common version of the standard. Most devices on the modern market are compatible with this version of the protocol - regular phones, navigators, media centers, wireless mice, headsets and other similar devices usually work with version 2.1 + EDR. So if you are now looking at a diploma on the website http://zachteno.ru/ and at the same time using a wireless Bluetooth mouse, then it most likely uses protocol version 2.1 + EDR.
In 2009, a new Bluetooth 3.0 standard appeared, which contains high-speed (HS, High Speed) data transmission at speeds of up to 24 Mbit/s. In practice, devices with Bluetooth 3.0 + HS have two modules on board at once - Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (with a normal speed of up to 3 Mbit/s) and a module that transmits data via the 802.11 protocol (similar to Wi-Fi), which already provides high speed . However, there is no direct compatibility with Wi-Fi, and the device requires a separate module to work with standard Wi-Fi networks.
In 2010, with the advent of the Bluetooth 4.0 protocol, the main drawback of HS technology, namely relatively high power consumption, was eliminated. Currently, all older smartphones support this version of the Bluetooth protocol. Most new tablet models and many modern ultrabooks and laptops also have a Bluetooth 4.0 chip on board.
Thus, you should focus on a specific version of Bluetooth only in cases where a specific device can fully realize its functions only with a specific protocol. An example of such a device would be some “smart watches” that work in conjunction with a smartphone and display various information received from the smartphone on the screen. Otherwise, most peripherals support Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and older versions of the protocol are not needed for such devices. If you require high-speed data transfer, then instead of supporting Bluetooth 3.0 or 4.0 on your devices, you might want to think about using Wi-Fi, since many modern gadget models support Wi-Fi Direct in which the transfer speed is noticeably higher.
Hardly any technology has been predicted to die more often than Bluetooth. At the same time, it is impossible not to recognize the idea of wireless communication as quite successful: the Bluetooth I.0 version appeared on the market more than 15 years ago, and Bluetooth has never been used in so many devices as it is now. All thanks to Bluetooth 4.0, which now, however, seems quite slow. Bluetooth Low Energy (or Bluetooth Smart) is replacing it - a battery-saving version. In this case, the range of action is limited to 10 m, and the data transfer rate is 1 Mbit/s, but no more than 10 mA is consumed during transmission. And now comes the next stage: the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, which includes more than 8,000 companies, is preparing the specification for Bluetooth 4.1. Of course, you shouldn't expect any revolutionary changes, but mobile device users can expect some important innovations.
Most of the new products are Bluetooth 4.1. refers to interference protection. Bluetooth is now a standard component of smartphones and tablets: soon LTE modules will begin to be introduced into these devices. Unfortunately, Bluetooth uses the unlicensed 2.45 GHz frequency band (along with 2.6 GHz) as well as the LTE band in Russia and other countries. This may cause mutual interference. The problem is that the user has no influence on the LTE signal. Bluetooth was required to do certain things to avoid interference. And that's exactly what was done in the new version. To minimize interference, Bluetooth 4.1 will have a built-in LTE band filter. If an LTE transmitter interferes with data transmitted via Bluetooth, Bluetooth 4.1 will respond immediately. The so-called Bluetooth 4.1 adaptive switching system will search for another channel where there is less interference, transmitting and receiving data on a different frequency. While with Bluetooth 4.0 LTE causes interference 75% of the time, with Bluetooth 4.1 this figure drops to 25%.
Reception and transmission of data without interference
Devices with Bluetooth Low Energy are especially popular now. Especially for this power saving mode, version 4.1 has a new data transfer method that extends battery life. Bluetooth users have learned from hard experience about the problem of disconnected connections. It often happened that if the user went to another room, the connection was interrupted. After that, I had to configure the connection manually. With Bluetooth 4.1, manufacturers can set fixed intervals so that the user does not have to set up a new connection every time after disconnecting. Bluetooth 4.1 can work with an interrupted connection for up to three minutes - previously this figure was no more than 30 seconds. The fact that you don't have to be connected to a computer to use Bluetooth is demonstrated by an innovation designed specifically for 3D glasses that work in conjunction with a TV. Typically, this required connecting to multiple devices at once, so the picture on TVs often lagged. Everything should work better now. Contactless Slave Broadcast in Bluetooth 4.1 is the second new feature that 3D movie fans will benefit from. The Bluetooth connection is only in one direction, the TV sends data at fixed intervals, the 3D glasses receive data but do not send any response connections to the TV.
Flexible connections with Bluetooth 4.1
The Bluetooth 4.1 connection architecture operates according to the Master-Slave principle. One device acts as a master, and the second as a slave. All devices can operate both as masters and slaves. Thus, data from a fitness bracelet or heart rate monitor can now be transferred directly to a smartphone, which will then analyze it. Previously, direct interaction between a fitness bracelet and a smartphone was impossible.
Two benefits of upgrading Bluetooth: First, you don't have to worry about compatibility. Bluetooth 4.0 and Bluetooth 4.1 are completely compatible. A new chip for Bluetooth 4.1 is also not needed. Bluetooth 4.1 will be available via Bluetooth 4.0 firmware update. Experts also predict that Bluetooth 4.1 will support IPv6. Now this is not the case. Since the new version of Bluetooth fully supports IPv6, all Bluetooth devices will be assigned an IP address and will be accessible over the Internet. So we can say that the Bluetooth revolution has already begun.
| Bluetooth 4.1 | Bluetooth 4.0 | Bluetooth 3.0 | Bluetooth 2.x | Bluetooth 1.x | |
| Base speed | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s |
| EDR* | 3 Mbit/s | 3 Mbit/s | 3 Mbit/s | 3 Mbit/s | □ |
| High Speed | 54 Mbit/s | 54 Mbit/s | 54 Mbit/s | □ | □ |
| Range (max./min. power) | 100 m/10 m | 100 m/10 m | 100 m/□ | 100 m/□ | 100 m/□ |
| Low Power Mode | ■ | ■ | □ | □ | □ |
| Dual profile (simultaneous role as Slave and Master) | ■ | □ | □ | □ | □ |
| IPv6 support | getting ready | □ | □ | □ | □ |
| NFC pairing | ■ | ■ | ■ | ■ | □ |
| 128-bit AES encryption | ■ | ■ | □ | □ | □ |
What is Bluetooth and what is it used with? Basics of technology and date of creation
Bluetooth communication is a wireless technology standard for short-range data exchange that uses short-wave microwave radio waves in the ISM range from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz for data exchange between stationary and mobile devices, and the construction of Personal Area Networks (PAN).
The technology was created by telecommunications supplier Ericsson in 1994 and has become such a part of everyday life that it has become impossible to imagine life without it. Including car life. Initially, the new technology was conceived as a wireless alternative to the RS-232 interface of data cables. Using Bluetooth, various devices can be connected, avoiding synchronization problems and without the use of unnecessary wires.
The Bluetooth specification was developed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (Bluetooth SIG), which today has a membership of more than 25,000 companies in the telecommunications, computing, networking and consumer electronics industries.
The rise of Bluetooth began with an agreement reached with IEEE, on the basis of which the Bluetooth specification became part of the IEEE 802.15.1 standard. At this time, a number of patents were obtained that appeared during the development of the technology.
The mystery of the Bluetooth name
"Bluetooth" is an incorrect anglicization of the Scandinavian Blåtand/Blåtann, (Old Norse blátǫnn) which was the nickname of King Harald Bluetooth, who lived in the 10th century. He managed to unite the warring Danish tribes into a single kingdom; according to legend, he also introduced Christianity. Following the example of Harald, who united nations, Bluetooth did the same with protocols, combining them into a single universal standard.
And a little more about the name. The word "blå" in modern Scandinavian languages means "blue", but during the time of the Vikings its second meaning also meant "black". Therefore, most likely, Harald, of course, had a black front tooth, but not blue. And in translation, the Danish Harald Blåtand would be more correctly interpreted as Harald Blacktooth, rather than Harald Bluetooth. This is such a historical inaccuracy.
The idea for the name was proposed in 1997 by Jim Kardash, who developed a system that allowed mobile phones to “talk” to computers. At the time of development, Jim was reading the historical novel Viking Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson, which told the story of the Vikings and King Harald Bluetooth. Thus, the novel influenced the name.
The Bluetooth logo combines the two Scandinavian runes “haglaz” and “berkana”.
1998
Five campaigns form Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG)
Bluetooth SIG welcomes its 400th member by the end of the year
The Bluetooth name gets official status
1999
Bluetooth 1.0 specification released
Bluetooth at SIG hosts first UnPlugFest developer meetup
Bluetooth technology awarded as "Best of Show Technology Award" at COMDEX
2000
The first Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone hits the market
The first PC card appears
Laptop mouse prototype and demonstrated at CeBIT 2000
USB module prototype shown at COMDEX
The first chip to combine radio frequency, baseband, microprocessor functions and Bluetooth wireless communications software
The first headset goes on sale
2001
First printer
First laptop
The first hands-free car kit
The first hands-free with speech recognition
Bluetooth SIG, Inc. formed as a non-profit, non-stock company
2002
First set of keyboard and mouse
First GPS receiver
The number of qualified Bluetooth products was 500 units
IEEE approves 802.15.1 standard for Bluetooth wireless technology
First digital camera
Bluetooth implementation
Bluetooth operates at frequencies from 2400 to 2483.5 MHz (including a tolerance range of 2 MHz in the lower range and 3.5 MHz at the top). Accordingly, as you can see, the operating principle is based on the use of radio waves. Bluetooth radio communication is carried out in the ISM band, which is used in various household appliances and wireless networks.
Bluetooth uses a radio technology called Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS). Bluetooth divides data into packets and transmits each packet over one of the designated 79 channels (operating frequencies). Each channel has a bandwidth of 1 MHz. Bluetooth 4.0 communication uses a 2 MHz bandwidth, which accommodates 40 channels. The first channel starts at 2402 MHz and continues to 2480 MHz in 1 MHz steps. Bluetooth uses frequency hopping spread spectrum method, the carrier frequency of the signal hops 1600 times per second.
The sequence of switching between frequencies for each connection is pseudo-random and is known only to the transmitter and receiver, which synchronously switch from one carrier frequency to another every 625 μs (one time slot). Thus, if several receiver-transmitter pairs operate nearby, they do not interfere with each other. This algorithm is also an integral part of the system for protecting the confidentiality of transmitted information: the transition occurs according to a pseudo-random algorithm and is determined separately for each connection.
Bluetooth versions
Bluetooth 1.0
The first version 1.0 devices had a number of problems. They had mediocre compatibility with third-party equipment. In 1.0 and 1.0B, it was mandatory to transmit the device address (BD_ADDR) at the connection establishment stage, which made it impossible to implement connection anonymity at the protocol level and was the main disadvantage of the version.
Bluetooth 1.1
The very first update 1.1 corrected many of the shortcomings found in version 1.0B. Added: support for unencrypted channels and RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) power level indication.
Bluetooth 1.2
The subsequent update had improvements: Fast connection and discovery. It has become resistant to radio interference thanks to the use of adaptive frequency agility with a spread spectrum. Data transfer rates up to 1 Mbit/s. Enhanced Synchronous Connections (eSCO) appeared, improving the quality of voice transmission in the audio stream. Support for a three-wire UART interface has been added to the Host Controller Interface (HCI). IEEE Standard 802.15.1-2005 has been adopted as a standard.
Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
EDR provides the following benefits: 3x increase in transmission speed to 2.1 Mbps, the ability to establish multiple connections due to the additional bandwidth. Reduced energy consumption due to reduced load.
Bluetooth 2.1
Added technology for advanced request of device characteristics, energy-saving technology Sniff Subrating, which allows you to increase the operating time of the device on a single battery charge by 3-10 times. The updated specification significantly simplifies and speeds up the establishment of communication between two devices, allows you to update the encryption key without breaking the connection
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
In August 2008, Bluetooth SIG introduced version 2.1+EDR. The new Bluetooth edition reduces energy consumption by 5 times, improves data security and makes it easier to recognize and connect Bluetooth devices by reducing the number of steps required.
Bluetooth 3.0+HS
On April 21, 2009, Bluetooth 3.0+HS appeared. The data transfer speed (theoretically) has increased to 24 Mbit/s. A special feature was the addition of AMP (Alternate MAC/PHY), an addition to 802.11 as a high-speed message. Two technologies were provided for AMP: 802.11 and UWB.
Bluetooth 4.0
Four years later, on June 30, 2010, the Bluetooth SIG approved the 4.0 specification. Bluetooth 4.0 included the following protocols: classic Bluetooth, high-speed Bluetooth and Bluetooth low energy.
Bluetooth 4.1
SIG introduced the Bluetooth 4.1 specification at the end of 2013. One of the improvements implemented in the Bluetooth 4.1 specification concerns the collaboration of Bluetooth and fourth generation LTE mobile communications. The standard provides protection against mutual interference by automatically coordinating the transmission of data packets.
Bluetooth 4.2
Bluetooth 4.2 was introduced on December 2, 2014. The standard has been improved in its speed characteristics and information security.
Bluetooth 4.2 adds the ability to directly connect to the Internet. That is, devices with Bluetooth 4.2 support will be able not only to directly interact with each other, but also to connect to the Internet (thanks to support for the IPv6/6LoWPAN protocol) through appropriate access points. The key idea behind the development of the standard is that using Bluetooth it is possible to connect any devices with each other.
In addition to secure and fast communication, Bluetooth 4.2 will also be more energy efficient, all this will shift the trend of recent months towards network connectivity: more and more devices are starting to use Bluetooth for this, which, among other things, has a positive effect on battery life.
2003
First MP3 player with Bluetooth technology
Bluetooth version 1.2 accepted by Bluetooth SIG
Bluetooth product shipments grow to 1 million per week
First approved medical Bluetooth system
2004
SIG adopts Core Specification Version 2.0 Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
Bluetooth technology installed as standard on 250 million devices
Deliveries exceeded 3 million units per week
The first stereo headphones
2005
Product deliveries rose to 5 million chipsets per week
SIG welcomes its 4,000th member
SIG opens its headquarters in Bellevue, Washington, with regional offices in Malmo, Sweden and Hong Kong
SIG launches Profile Testing Suite (PTS) v1.0, a testing and type testing tool developed entirely in-house
2006
First sunglasses
First hours
The first digital photo frame to support Bluetooth
Bluetooth installed on 1 billion devices
Bluetooth device shipments reach 10 million per week
Profile Tuning Suite (PTS) testing becomes a mandatory part of qualifying Bluetooth products
SIG announces it will integrate Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) technology with WiMedia Alliance
2007
First alarm clock radio
First TV
SIG welcomes 8,000 members
Bluetooth SIG CEO, Michael Foley, receives the Telematics Leadership Award
PTS Protocol Viewer is released as part of the recently published version 2.1.1 along with a significantly updated user interface
The most common Bluetooth profiles
To use Bluetooth wireless technology, devices must be able to interpret certain Bluetooth profiles, which are specific to specific application areas and specify common behaviors so that Bluetooth-enabled devices can use to communicate with other Bluetooth devices.
A profile is a set of functions or capabilities available for a specific Bluetooth device.
There is a wide range of Bluetooth profiles that describe different types of applications or device usage scenarios.
List of main profiles approved by Bluetooth SIG with a brief description and purpose:
Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) designed for transmitting music to a wireless headset or other devices.
Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) designed to control standard functions of televisions and high-precision equipment. Allows you to create devices with remote control functions.
Basic Imaging Profile (BIP) designed for sending images between devices. With this profile it is possible to resize an image and convert it to a format supported by the receiving device.
Basic Printing Profile (BPP) with its help it is possible to send text, emails, vCards to a printer. The profile does not require drivers.
Common ISDN Access Profile (CIP) used for device access to an integrated services digital network, ISDN.
Cordless Telephony Profile (CTP) supports wireless telephony.
Device ID Profile (DIP) helps determine the device class, its manufacturer and product version.
Dial-up Networking Profile (DUN) The protocol provides standard access to the Internet or other telephone service via Bluetooth.
Fax Profile (FAX) provides an interface between a mobile or landline telephone, as well as a personal computer on which fax software is installed.
File Transfer Profile (FTP_profile) provides access to the device's file system.
General Audio/Video Distribution Profile (GAVDP) base for A2DP and VDP.
Generic Access Profile (GAP) base for other profiles.
Generic Object Exchange Profile (GOEP) basis for other data transfer profiles, based on OBEX.
Hard Copy Cable Replacement Profile (HCRP) Replacing the cable connection between the device and the printer. The negative side of the profile, which makes it not universal, is the need to install drivers.
Hands-Free Profile (HFP)
Human Interface Device Profile (HID) provides support for devices with HID, which include keyboards, mice, joysticks, etc. A distinctive feature is that it uses a slow channel and operates at reduced power.
Headset Profile (HSP) Used to connect a wireless headset and a telephone.
Intercom Profile (ICP) Provides voice calls between Bluetooth compatible devices.
LAN Access Profile (LAP) provides Bluetooth devices access to LAN, WAN or Internet computer networks through another Bluetooth device that has a physical connection to these networks.
SIM Access Profile (SAP, SIM) allows you to access your phone's SIM card, making it possible to use one SIM card for multiple devices.
Synchronization Profile (SYNCH) allows you to synchronize personal data (PIM).
Video Distribution Profile (VDP) allows you to stream video.
Wireless Application Protocol Bearer (WAPB) protocol for organizing P-to-P (Point-to-Point) connections via Bluetooth.
Hardly any technology has been predicted to die more often than Bluetooth. At the same time, it is impossible not to recognize the idea of wireless communication as quite successful: version Bluetooth 1.0 appeared on the market more than 15 years ago, and Bluetooth has never been used in so many devices as it is now. All thanks to the version Bluetooth 4.0, which now, however, seems quite slow.
Upgrade to 4.1
One billion Bluetooth devices are sold every year. But there are still few gadgets with Bluetooth 4.1. At the moment, the Huawei TalkBand B1 smart bracelet has been announced. Many modern chipsets, such as those in the OnePlus smartphone, will also be upgraded to 4.1.
Replaces Bluetooth Low Energy(or Bluetooth Smart) - battery saving version. In this case, the range of action is limited to 10 m, and the data transfer rate is 1 Mbit/s, but no more than 10 mA is consumed during transmission.
And now comes the next stage: the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, which includes more than 8,000 companies, is preparing a version specification. Of course, you shouldn't expect any revolutionary changes, but mobile device users can expect some important innovations. CHIP decided to clarify some technical issues.
Most of the innovations in Bluetooth 4.1 relate to interference protection. Bluetooth is now a standard component of smartphones and tablets; LTE modules will soon begin to be introduced into these devices.
Unfortunately, Bluetooth uses the unlicensed 2.45 GHz frequency band (along with 2.6 GHz), as well as the LTE band in Russia and other countries. This may lead to mutual interference (see diagram). The problem is that the user has no influence on the LTE signal.
Bluetooth developers were required to do certain things to avoid interference. And that's exactly what was done in the new version.
To minimize interference, Bluetooth 4.1 will have a built-in LTE band filter. If an LTE transmitter interferes with data transmitted via Bluetooth, Bluetooth 4.1 will respond immediately
The LTE module sending and receiving data interferes with Bluetooth operation. In version 4.0, losses reached 75% of packets. Bluetooth version 4.1 is not as sensitive to interference from LTE. A noise filter protects the radio module. In difficult cases, the channel is automatically switched. The so-called Bluetooth 4.1 adaptive switching system will search for another channel where there is less interference, transmitting and receiving data on a different frequency. While with Bluetooth 4.0 LTE causes interference 75% of the time, with Bluetooth 4.1 this figure drops to 25%.
Reception and transmission of data without interference
Devices with Bluetooth Low Energy are especially popular now. Especially for this power saving mode, version 4.1 has a new data transfer method that extends battery life.
Bluetooth users have learned from hard experience about the problem of disconnected connections. It often happened that if the user went to another room, the connection was interrupted. After that, I had to configure the connection manually.
Fewer disconnections with new Bluetooth
If two Bluetooth devices move out of range, the connection will be lost. With Bluetooth 4.0, devices must return within 30 seconds to connect automatically. In version 4.1 this time increases to three minutes.
With Bluetooth 4.1, manufacturers can set fixed intervals so that the user does not have to set up a new connection every time after disconnecting. Bluetooth 4.1 can work with an interrupted connection for up to three minutes - previously this figure was no more than 30 seconds.
The fact that you don't have to be connected to a computer to use Bluetooth is demonstrated by an innovation designed specifically for 3D glasses that work in conjunction with a TV. Typically, this required connecting to multiple devices at once, so the picture on TVs often lagged. Everything should work better now.
Contactless Slave Broadcast in Bluetooth 4.1 is the second new feature that 3D movie fans will benefit from. The Bluetooth connection is only in one direction, the TV sends data at fixed intervals, the 3D glasses receive data but do not send any response connections to the TV.
Flexible connections with Bluetooth 4.1
The Bluetooth 4.1 connection architecture operates according to the Master-Slave principle. One device acts as a master, and the second as a slave. All devices can operate both as masters and slaves.
Thus, data from a fitness bracelet or heart rate monitor can now be transferred directly to a smartphone, which will then analyze it. Previously, direct interaction between a fitness bracelet and a smartphone was impossible.
Two benefits of upgrading Bluetooth: First, you don't have to worry about compatibility. Bluetooth 4.0 and Bluetooth 4.1 are completely compatible. A new chip for Bluetooth 4.1 is also not needed. Bluetooth 4.1 will be available via Bluetooth 4.0 firmware update.
Experts also predict that Bluetooth 4.1 will support IPv6. Now this is not the case. Since the new version of Bluetooth fully supports IPv6, all Bluetooth devices will be assigned an IP address and will be accessible over the Internet. So we can say that the Bluetooth revolution has already begun.
Bluetooth in comparison
Bluetooth has been around for 15 years, with new versions coming out every two years. Version 4.0 introduced a low-power profile. Since its predecessors do not have it, the 4.0 and 4.1 protocols are not backward compatible. In 4.1 it is planned to work using the IPv6 protocol.
| Bluetooth 4.0 | Bluetooth 3.0 | Bluetooth 2.x | Bluetooth 1.x | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base speed | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s | 1 Mbit/s |
| Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) | 3 Mbit/s | 3 Mbit/s | 3 Mbit/s | 3 Mbit/s | No |
| High Speed | 54 Mbit/s | 54 Mbit/s | 54 Mbit/s | No | No |
| Range (max./min. power) | 100 m/10 m | 100 m/10 m | 100 m/no | 100 m/no | 100 m/no |
| Low Power Mode | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Dual profile (simultaneous role as Slave and Master) | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| IPv6 support | getting ready | No | No | No | No |
| NFC pairing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| 128-bit AES encryption | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Photos in the article: manufacturing companies
Bluetooth 5.0 became a reality. Compared to Bluetooth 4.0, the new version has twice the capacity, four times the range and a number of other improvements. Let's look at the advantages of Bluetooth 5.0 over its predecessors, including an example CPU CC2640R2F from Texas Instruments.
The popularity of the Bluetooth 4 protocol version, as well as some of its limitations, became the reasons for the creation of the next Bluetooth 5 specification. The developers set themselves a number of goals: expanding the range, increasing the throughput when sending broadcast packets, improving noise immunity, and so on.
Now that the first devices with Bluetooth 5 have begun to appear, users and developers rightly have questions: which of the previously stated promises have become reality? How much have the range and data transfer speed increased? How did this affect consumption levels? How has the approach to generating broadcast packets changed? What improvements have been made to improve noise immunity? And, of course, the main question is - is there backward compatibility between Bluetooth 5 and Bluetooth 4? Let's answer these and some other questions and consider the main advantages of Bluetooth 5.0 over its predecessors, including using the example of a real processor with Bluetooth 5.0 support produced by the company Texas Instruments.
Let's start our review of Bluetooth 5.0 by answering the most frequently asked question about backward compatibility with Bluetooth 4.x
Is Bluetooth 5.0 backwards compatible with Bluetooth 4.x?
Yes, it does. Bluetooth 5 adopts most of the features and extensions of Bluetooth 4.1 and 4.2. For example, Bluetooth 5 devices retain all the data security improvements of Bluetooth 4.2 and support the LE Data Length Extension. It is worth recalling that thanks to the LE Data Length Extension, starting with Bluetooth 4.2, the size of the data packet (packet data unit, PDU) during an established connection can be increased from 27 to 251 bytes, which allows you to increase the data exchange speed by 2.5 times.
Due to the large number of differences between protocol versions, the traditional mechanism for negotiating parameters between devices when establishing connections is retained. This means that before they start exchanging data, the devices “get to know each other” and determine the maximum frequency of data transmission, the length of messages, and so on. In this case, Bluetooth 4.0 parameters are used by default. The transition to Bluetooth 5 parameters occurs only if, during the pairing process, it turns out that both devices support a later version of the protocol.
Speaking of tools that are already available to developers, it is worth noting the new CC2640R2F processor and the free BLE5-Stack from Texas Instruments. To the delight of the developers, BLE5-Stack is based on the previous version of BLE-Stack, and changes in its use only affected the new features of Bluetooth 5.0.
How has the data transfer speed increased in Bluetooth 5?
Bluetooth 5 uses a wireless connection with physical data transfer rates of up to 2 Mbps, which is twice as fast as Bluetooth 4.x. It is worth noting here that the effective data exchange rate depends not only on the physical throughput of the transmission channel, but also on the ratio of service and useful information in the packet, as well as on the associated “overhead” costs, for example, time loss between packets (Table 1).
Table 1. Communication speed for different versionsBluetooth
In versions Bluetooth 4.0 and 4.1, the physical bandwidth of the channel was 1 Mbit/s, which, with a PDU data packet length of 27 bytes, made it possible to achieve exchange rates of up to 305 kbit/s. Bluetooth 4.2 introduced the LE Data Length Extension. Thanks to it, after establishing a connection between devices, it became possible to increase the packet length to 251 bytes, which led to an increase in data exchange speed by 2.5 times - up to 780 kbit/s.
Bluetooth version 5 retains support for LE Data Length Extension, which, together with an increase in physical throughput to 2 Mbit/s, allows data exchange speeds of up to 1.4 Mbit/s to be achieved.
As practice shows, such acceleration of data transfer is not the limit. For example, the CC2640R2F wireless microcontroller is capable of operating at speeds up to 5 Mbps.
It is worth mentioning the common misconception that the increase in throughput to 2 Mbit/s was achieved by reducing the range. Of course, physically the transceiver chip (PHY) when operating at a frequency of 2 Mbit/s has 5 dBm less sensitivity than when operating at a frequency of 1 Mbit/s. However, in addition to sensitivity, there are other factors that contribute to increasing the range, for example, the transition to data encoding. For this reason, all other things being equal, Bluetooth 5 turns out to be more reliable and has a longer range compared to Bluetooth 4.0. This is discussed in detail in one of the following sections of the article.
How to enable high speed data transfer mode in Bluetooth 5?
When establishing a connection between two Bluetooth devices, Bluetooth 4.0 settings are initially used. This means that at the first stage the devices exchange data at a speed of 1 Mbit/s. Once the connection is established, the Bluetooth 5.0-enabled master can begin the PHY Update Procedure, the goal of which is to establish a maximum speed of 2 Mbps. This operation will only succeed if the slave also supports Bluetooth 5.0. Otherwise, the speed remains at 1 Mbit/s.
For developers who have previously used the Texas Instruments BLE-Stack, the good news is that the new BLE5-Stack provides a single function, HCI_LE_SetDefaultPhyCmd(), to perform this procedure. Thus, when switching to Bluetooth 5.0, users of TI products will not have problems with the initial initialization. Also useful for developers will be an example posted on the GitHub portal, which allows you to evaluate the operation of two CC2640R2F microcontrollers operating as part of CC2640R2 LaunchPads in High Speed and Long Range modes.
How has the range of Bluetooth 5 increased?
The Bluetooth 5.0 specification states that the range is four times greater than Bluetooth 4.0. This is a rather subtle issue that is worth dwelling on in more detail.
Firstly, the concept of “four times” is relative and is not tied to a specific range in meters or kilometers. The fact is that the radio transmission range strongly depends on a number of factors: the state of the environment, the level of interference, the number of simultaneously transmitting devices, and so on. As a result, not a single manufacturer, as well as the developer of the Bluetooth SIG standard itself, provides specific values. The increase in range is measured in comparison with Bluetooth 4.0.
For further analysis, it is necessary to perform some mathematical calculations and estimate the radio channel power budget. When using logarithmic values, the radio channel budget (dB) is equal to the difference between the transmitter power (dBm) and the receiver sensitivity (dBm):
Radio channel budget = powerT X(dBm) – sensitivityR X(dBm)
For Bluetooth 4.0, the standard receiver sensitivity is -93 dBm. If we assume the transmitter power is 0 dBm, then the budget is 93 dB.
Quadrupling the range would require a 12 dB increase in budget, resulting in a value of 105 dB. How is this value supposed to be achieved? There are two ways:
- increasing transmitter power;
- increasing the sensitivity of receivers.
If you follow the first path and increase the transmitter power, this will inevitably cause an increase in consumption. For example, for the CC2640R2F, switching to an output power of 5 dBm leads to an increase in current consumption to 9 mA (Figure 1). At 10 dBm the current will increase to 20 mA. This approach is not attractive for most battery-powered wireless devices and is not always suitable for IoT, which is the area that Bluetooth 5.0 was primarily aimed at. For this reason, the second solution seems preferable.
To increase the sensitivity of the receiver, two methods are proposed:
- reduction in transmission speed;
- use of Coded PHY data encoding.
Reducing the data rate by a factor of eight theoretically increases receiver sensitivity by 9 dB. Thus, the desired value is only 3 dB short.
The required 3 dB can be achieved using additional Coded PHY coding. Previously, in Bluetooth 4.x versions, the bit encoding was unambiguous 1:1. This means that the data stream was directly sent to the differential demodulator. In Bluetooth 5.0, when using Coded PHY, there are two additional transmission formats:
- with 1:2 encoding, in which each bit of data is associated with two bits in the radio data stream. For example, a logical "1" is represented as a sequence of "10". In this case, the physical speed remains equal to 1 Mbit/s, and the real data transfer speed drops to 500 kbit/s.
- With 1:4 encoding. For example, a logical "1" is represented by the sequence "1100". The data transfer rate is reduced to 125 kbit/s.
The described approach is called Forward Error Correction (FEC) and allows errors to be detected and corrected on the receiving side, rather than requiring packets to be retransmitted, as was the case in Bluetooth 4.0.
On paper everything looks good. It remains only to find out how these theoretical calculations correspond to reality. As an example, let's take the same microcontroller CC2640R2F. Thanks to various improvements and new Bluetooth 5.0 modulation modes, the transceiver of this processor has a sensitivity of -97 dBm at 1 Mbps and -103 dBm when using Coded PHY and 125 kbps. Thus, in the latter case, only 2 dBm is missing from the level of 105 dB.
To evaluate the range of the CC2640R2F, engineers from Texas Instruments conducted a field experiment in Oslo. At the same time, from the point of view of noise level, the environment in this experiment cannot be called “friendly”, since the business part of the city was in close proximity.
To obtain a power budget greater than 105 dB, it was decided to increase the transmitter power to 5 dBm. This allowed us to achieve an impressive final value of 108 dBm (Figure 2). When performing the experiment, the range was 1.6 km, which is a very impressive result, especially considering the minimum level of consumption of radio transmitters.
How has the approach to Bluetooth 5 broadcast messages changed?
Previously, Bluetooth 4.x used three dedicated data channels to establish connections between devices (37, 38, 39). With their help, devices found each other and exchanged service information. It was also possible to transmit broadcast data packets over them. This approach has disadvantages:
- with a large number of active transmitters, these channels can simply be overloaded;
- More and more devices use broadcast messages without establishing a point-to-point connection. This is especially important for the Internet of Things IoT;
- the new Coded PHY coding system will require eight times more time to establish a connection, which will additionally load broadcast channels.
To solve these problems in Bluetooth 5.0, it was decided to move to a scheme in which data is transmitted on all 37 data channels, and service channels 37, 38, 39 are used to transmit pointers. The pointer refers to the channel over which the broadcast message will be transmitted. In this case, the data is transmitted only once. As a result, it is possible to significantly relieve the load on service channels and eliminate this bottleneck.
It is also worth noting that now the data length of a broadcast packet can reach 255 bytes instead of 6...37 bytes PDU in Bluetooth 4.x. This is extremely important for IoT applications, as it allows minimizing transmission overhead and eliminating connections, thereby reducing consumption.
Does Bluetooth 5 support Mesh networks?
Texas Instruments Solutions for Bluetooth 5
One of the very first microcontrollers with Bluetooth 5.0 was the high-performance CC2640R2F processor manufactured by Texas Instruments.
The CC2640R2F is built on a modern 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 core with an operating frequency of up to 48 MHz. The operation of the radio transmitter is controlled by the second 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0 core (Figure 3). In addition, the CC2640R2F features rich digital and analog peripherals.
The advantage of the CC2640R2F microcontroller is also its low consumption level (Table 2). This applies to all operating modes. For example, in active mode, when receiving data over a radio channel, the consumption is 5.9 mA, and when transmitting - 6.1 mA (0 dBm) or 9.1 mA (5 dBm). When switching to sleep mode, the supply current drops completely to 1 µA.
The combination of three important qualities such as Bluetooth 5.0 support, low consumption and high peak performance makes the CC2640R2F a very interesting solution for the Internet of Things. At the same time, using this microcontroller, you can create the entire range of IoT devices: autonomous sensors that operate for several years on a single battery, bridges between an additional control processor and a Bluetooth 5.0 channel, complex applications that require high computing power.
Table 2. Wireless microcontroller consumptionCC2640 R2 Fwith the supportBluetooth 5
| Operating mode | Parameter | Value (at Vcc = 3 V) |
|---|---|---|
| Active Computing | µA/MHz ARM® Cortex®-M3 | 61 µA/MHz |
| Coremark/mA | 48,5 | |
| Coremark at 48 MHz | 142 | |
| Radio exchange | Peak receive current, mA | 5,9 |
| Peak current during transmission, mA | 6,1 | |
| Sleeping mode | Sensor controller, µA/MHz | 8,2 |
| Sleep mode with RTC enabled and memory retention, mA | 1 |
To quickly get started with the CC2640R2F, Texas Instruments has prepared a traditional development kit (Figure 4). Using a couple of such devices, you can evaluate the speed and range of radio transmission via Bluetooth 5.0. To do this, you can use ready-made examples or create your own application based on the free BLE 5 stack 1.0 protocol (www.ti.com/ble).
Conclusion
The new version of the Bluetooth 5.0 protocol is focused on maximum compliance with the needs of the Internet of Things (IoT). Compared to the Bluetooth 4.0 version, it has a number of qualitative improvements:
- data transfer speed has doubled and reached 2 Mbit/s;
- transmission range has increased fourfold due to Coded PHY and Forward Error Correction (FEC) data encoding;
- Broadcast message throughput increased 8 times.
In addition, Bluetooth 5.0 provides backward compatibility with Bluetooth 4.x devices, and also supports most of the extensions of later versions of the protocol.
You can evaluate the capabilities of Bluetooth 5.0 now using tools produced by Texas Instruments. The company produces a high-performance and low-power microcontroller CC2640R2F, provides a free BLE 5 stack 1.0 and many ready-made examples for the LAUNCHXL-CC2640R2 debugging kit.
Literature
- Bluetooth Core Specification 5.0 FAQ. 2016. Bluetooth SIG.