Bluetooth
From Isopedia
Technical Information
Bluetooth was developed by a group of electronics manufactures to allow numerous products, including computers, cell phones, keyboards, and headphones, to wirelessly connect. With a Bluetooth connection, information is sent by using short-range radio waves over distances of up to 30 feet. Information can be sent one bit at a time in a scheme called serial communications, or in groups of bits (usually 8 or 16 at a time) in a scheme called parallel communications. Also, Bluetooth communicates on a globally available frequency band of 2.45 gigahertz, which enables worldwide compatibility. Moreover, Bluetooth devices send out very weak signals of 1 millwatt in order to avoid interfering with other systems. In order to avoid devices being on the same frequency, Bluetooth uses a technique called spread-spectrum frequency hopping. During frequency hopping, a device will use 79 individual, randomly chosen frequencies within a fixed range, changing from one to another on a regular basis. Once connections are made, Bluetooth systems create a personal-area network (PAN), or piconet, that allows the devices to randomly hop frequencies in unison so they stay in touch with one another and avoid other piconets. As a result of the efficient transmission in Bluetooth technology, the devices gain power savings and additional battery life.
Historical Information
The Swedish company Ericcson started the Bluetooth technology movement in 1994 in order to eliminate wire clutter in homes and offices. After much research and development, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group was founded by five major companies in 1998. These five companies, Ericsson, Nokia, IBM, Toshiba and Intel, set out on a mission to further develop and promote Bluetooth technology to a worldwide market. After 6 months, SIG went global, inviting other companies to join and for free access to Bluetooth, these companies pledged to support the research of the new technology. Thousands of companies joined the SIG including Microsoft and Motorola. Bluetooth progressed over the years to today where about 300 million Bluetooth-enables devices will be distributed. Most of the devices sold currently are cell phones and headsets that connect by using Bluetooth. However, more and more Bluetooth products are being introduced to the market every month. The Bluetooth name came from the 10th-century Danish king, Harald "Bluetooth" Blatand, famed for uniting Denmark and Norway. Bluetooth technology aims to unite not only the computing and telecommunications industries, but also the various companies within those and other industries.
References
Team Members
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- Thomas Madonna
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