Bluetooth Development and Applications

Bluetooth, simply explained, is a wireless protocol that connects several devices to each other by exchanging data over short distances between them. Think of it as a connected circle of technologies. Bluetooth uses radio technology which slices up the data being transmitted from one device, and sends out portions of it to the other, on up to 79 frequencies.

The potential for Bluetooth Applications [http://www.micmc.com/] are huge. One of the earliest applications is the wireless control between a cell-phone and a hands-free headset. Now we have:

* Wireless communication between computers in a confined space.

* Wireless communication with computer I/O devices like the mouse and keyboard.
* Transfer of data, contact information, reminders and schedules between devices with OBEX.
* The replacement of the older wired serial communication with wireless communication in medical and test equipment, traffic control devices, GPS devices, etc.
* Wireless gateway between Industrial Ethernet Networks.
* Wireless controllers for gaming devices, such as Sony PlayStation, Nintendo's Wii, etc.
* Wireless Internet connections.
* Wireless Bluetooth enable hoardings that send advertisements to one another.

Bluetooth has now come into various products like telephones, gaming consoles, high-tech watches, headsets and modems. It is also commonly used when transferring sound information with telephones and byte information with computers.

There are various technology development centers that focus on Bluetooth Development. Bluetooth Development includes applications for software and hardware development solutions, for automotive hands-free devices, wireless speakers, headsets, cell phone accessories, medical devices, internet radio, computer accessories and voice recognition devices, among others.

There are a few things that Bluetooth designers need to keep in mind that are critical to the Bluetooth development process:

* Module vs. Chipset - Taking of chips and designing them on the PCB, thus saving on footprint.
* Antennas - A good antenna is essential for Bluetooth products, as is the surrounding factors like casing and proximity to ground planes.
* Antenna Matching - Although an antenna is only one component, designing it in one given circuit requires the other circuits to optimize performance.
* Connectors - Working with a unit that has appropriate signals brought out on a connector.

* Crystal - All modules of any Bluetooth device must have on board crystal, which has an optimal bias level that minimizes the phase noise on the oscillator.
Bluetooth development is an ongoing process that is dedicatedly progressing with each passing day on the development of Bluetooth devices for smoother and easier ways to link up various devices to one another.

There are various Bluetooth Design tools such as Agilent, Cadence, Elanix, Highland Systems, IBM, MobileHall.com, Virtio and Wireless Valley, which assists Bluetooth developers in embedding Bluetooth technology and designing it into brand new products. These Bluetooth Design tools are open modular framework dedicated to advanced network performance engineering.

Bluetooth devices are hugely in demand, and with this growing technology, there are the requisite development and design programs to keep the technology crisp and up to date.