History of Bluetooth
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. Mobile phones, computers, printers, headsets etc can be connected wirelessly using Bluetooth technology.
The brainchild of providing a low power, low cost wireless interface was first inspired by Ericsson Mobile Communications. In 1994 they started investigating linking mobile phones and computers wirelessly. A group of like minded companies joined forces in 1998 to form and association called the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) in Lund Switzerland. 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.
Two employees of Ericsson Mobile Platforms developed the Bluetooth specifications, they where Jaap Haartsen and Sven Mattisson. Enabling various components from different industries to Connect Bluetooth technology was developed in Scandanavia. This wireless technology is based on a frequency hopping spread spectrum providing a secure radio signal that combines and simplifies multiple forms of communication.
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?
Operating on a short-range radio frequency it is a wireless communications network. 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. It is medically safe to use due to its low power use, and the information is carried over a short-range radio bandwidth, known as ISM which is secure, and scientifically sound.
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 main problem being a lack of devices being able to communicate.
Version 1.1 was able to communicate properly and the great improvements made it truly operable.
Version 1.2 saw vast improvements with many new features and greater benefits, with improved voice quality, backward compatible and a generally better product.
Version2.0 saw more improvements and features and now version 3.0 has a Bluetooth master able to communicate with several devices, and at any given time, the slave can become the master. Master devices use there ability and can swiftly switch from one device to another.
Wi-Fi is another wireless operating system and although it has a superior operating range it uses a different technology. 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.
For operating Bluetooth on a computer it requires Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or higher. If you run an Apple computer it has been supported by Bluetooth technology since 2002. Bluetooth instillation has been carried out on most computers but if not a device called a dongle can be used provided you have windows XP and service pack 2. The dongle device allows various devices to communicate with your computer.
Bluetooth is now the world wide wireless standard and has a bright future. Bluetooth technology will see many improvements in the future such as audio and video data at a higher quality, an alternate MAC PHY, which enables transporting of Bluetooth profile data. 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. Bluetooth technology is here to stay.