How it works

The Bluetooth standard, like WiFi, uses the FHSS technique (Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum), which involves splitting the frequency and of !"#$!%!"#&$ 'H( into )* channels (called hops) each +,H( wide, then trans-itting the signal using a sequence of channels known to oth the sending and receiving stations" Thus, y switching channels as often as +.$$ ti-es a second, the Bluetooth standard can avoid interference with other radio signals"

Communication principle
The Bluetooth standard is ased upon a -aster/slave operational -ode" The ter- 0piconet0 is used to refer to the network for-ed y one device and all devices found within its range" 1p to +$ piconets can coe2ist within a single coverage area" 3 -aster can e si-ultaneously connected to as -any as ) active slave devices (!44 when in parked -ode)" 5evices in a piconet have a logical address of 6 its, for a -a2i-u- of & devices" 5evices in parked -ode are synchroni(ed, ut do not have their own physical address in the piconet"

7n reality, at a given -o-ent, the -aster device can only e connected to a single slave at once" Therefore, it quickly switches etween slaves in order to -ake it see- as if it is si-ultaneously connected to all the slave devices" Bluetooth ena les two piconets to e linked to one another in order to for- a wider network, called a 0scatternet0, using certain devices which act as a ridge etween the two piconets"

Establishing connections
8sta lishing a connection etween two Bluetooth devices follows a relatively co-plicated procedure -eant to ensure a certain a-ount of security, as follows9

:assive -ode 7nquiry9 Finding access points :aging9 Synchroni(ing with access points 3ccess point service discovery ;reating a channel with access point :airing using :7< (security) 1sing the network

5uring nor-al use, a device operates in 0passive mode0, -eaning that it is listening to the network" 8sta lishing a connection egins with a phase called 0inquiry0, during which the -aster device sends an inquiry request to all devices found within its range, called access points" 3ll devices which receive the query reply with their address" The -aster device chooses an address and synchroni(es with the access point using a technique called paging, which pri-arily involves synchroni(ing its clock and frequency with the access point" 3 link with the access point is then esta lished, allowing the -aster device to enter an access point service discovery phase, using a protocol called SDP (Service Discovery Protocol)" 3t the end of this service discovery phase, the -aster device is ready to created a communication channel with the access point, using the protocol L2CAP" 5epending on the service=s needs, an additional channel, called FC!"" and operating over the L2CAP channel, -ay e esta lished in order to provide a virtual serial port" 7ndeed, so-e applications have een designed to connect to a standard port, independent of the hardware used" For e2a-ple, certain highway navigation progra-s have een designed to connect to any ':S Bluetooth device (':S stands for #lo$al Positioning System, a satellite% ased geolocation syste- for finding the geographic coordinates of a -o ile device or vehicle)" The access point -ay include a security -echanis- called pairing, which restricts access to authori(ed users only, in order to give the piconet a certain -easure of protection" :airing is done with an encryption key co--only known as a 0:7<0 (P%& stands for Personal %n'ormation &um$er)" To do so, the access point sends a pairing request to the -aster device" ,ost of the ti-e, this -ay pro-pt the user to enter the access point=s :7<" 7f the :7< received is correct, the connection is -ade" 7n secure -ode, the :7< will e sent encrypted, using a second key, in order to prevent the signal fro- eing co-pro-ised" When the pairing eco-es active, the -aster device is free to use the co--unication channel there y esta lished"

Bluetooth profiles
The Bluetooth standard defines a certain nu- er of application profiles (called (luetooth pro'iles) in order to define which kinds of services are offered y a Bluetooth device" Thus, each device can support -ultiple profiles" Here is a list of the -ain Bluetooth profiles9

3dvanced 3udio 5istri ution :rofile (3!5:) 3udio >ideo ?e-ote ;ontrol :rofile (3>?;:) Basic 7-aging :rofile (B7:) Basic :rinting :rofile (B::) ;ordless Telephony :rofile (;T:)

5ial%up <etworking :rofile (51<:) Fa2 :rofile (F3@) File Transfer :rofile (FT:) 'eneric 3ccess :rofile ('3:) 'eneric A Bect 82change :rofile ('A8:) Hardcopy ;a le ?eplace-ent :rofile (H;?:) Hands%Free :rofile (HF:) Hu-an 7nterface 5evice :rofile (H75) Headset :rofile (HS:) 7nterco- :rofile (7:) C3< 3ccess :rofile (C3:) A Bect :ush :rofile (A::) :ersonal 3rea <etworking :rofile (:3<) S7, 3ccess :rofile (S3:) Service 5iscovery 3pplication :rofile (S53:) Synchroni(ation :rofile (S:)9 used to synchroni(e the device with a personal infor-ation -anager (or P%" for short)" Serial :ort :rofile (S::)