RE: UKNM: Re: Bluetooth

[Irakli West]

Being Danish, I've got some affinity with Harald Bluetooth, a 10th-century

Viking king :)


Actually, Bluetooth operates as a radio signal rather than infra-red (which

needs to be in line-of-sight) meaning that devices don't have to face each

other. The allocated frequency range is somewhere above 2.4GHz (on the side,

there is an issue in France where this frequency band is used by the

military). Also, Bluetooth devices can be up to 10m apart, and up to 100m

with relay stations. See more info below, something I've put together from

various sources mostly from www.bluetooth.com


Using a carrier will depend on the product and type of payment. If the

currency is in the handset (eg dual-slot mobiles, or a GeldKarte) then the

transaction will be local although I can imagine the vending machine sending

a 'report' via carrier to a central database. If the payment is direct debit

(using Trust/ Certificates), credit card or telephone/ utility bill, then

obviously the transfer of funds would happen over the carrier. The trend for

mobile payments is also towards aopplications on central servers - a cost

issue as 'dumb' cards on the handsets are much cheaper to implement than

sophisticated and error-prone systems (JavaCard, Multos, Windows Card)


It is conceivable the interface between machine and mobile will be in wml

(over WAP?) - in which case it would be a WAP application?


User adoption is another matter. For example, virtually all German EC bank

cards have a GeldKarte chip installed, but only 30% are even aware of this

feature. There are quite a few machines accepting this kind of payment

already.


Hope this helps


Irakli West

Mobile Digital Services

Syzygy Ltd.

Tel: +44 (0)20 7598 9930

GSM:+44 (0)7801 097 944

Mail:

i [dot] westsyzygy [dot] net

SMS Mail:

irakliwestsms [dot] genie [dot] co [dot] uk

+++++++++Bluetooth primer+++++++++++


Bluetooth wireless technology works by using a radio transceiver which

basically acts as a short-range walkie-talkie. This radio allows the device

to send short range radio signals which look for other Bluetooth devices.

When another device is found, the devices begin to communicate with each

other and can exchange information.


What is it - a technology, a standard, an initiative, or a product?

Bluetooth wireless technology is a de facto standard, as well as a

specification for small-form factor, low-cost, short range radio links

between mobile PCs, mobile phones and other portable devices. The Bluetooth

Special Interest Group is an industry group consisting of leaders in the

telecommunications, computing, and networking industries that are driving

development of the technology and bringing it to market.


What will Bluetooth wireless technology deliver to end users?

It will enable users to connect a wide range of computing and

telecommunications devices easily and simply, without the need to buy,

carry, or connect cables. It delivers opportunities for rapid ad hoc

connections, and the possibility of automatic, unconscious, connections

between devices. It will virtually eliminate the need to purchase additional

or proprietary cabling to connect individual devices. Because Bluetooth

wireless technology can be used for a variety of purposes, it will also

potentially replace multiple cable connections via a single radio link. It

creates the possibility of using mobile data in a different way, for

different applications such as "Surfing on the sofa", "The instant

postcard", "Three in one phone" and many others. It will allow them to think

about what they are working on, rather than how to make their technology

work.


When will Bluetooth specifications be released?

Early revisions of the specification has been released to members of the

Bluetooth SIG. Version 1.0 was published Q2 1999. Version 2.0 will be

released in year 2000 or 2001


The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG),

comprised of leaders in the telecommunications, computing, and network

industries, is driving development of the technology and bringing it to

market. The Bluetooth SIG includes promoter companies 3Com, Ericsson, IBM,

Intel, Lucent, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia and Toshiba, and thousands of

adopter companies. Http://www.bluetooth.com

How is Bluetooth wireless technology different from IrDA (Infrared Data

Association)?

While neither IrDA nor Bluetooth require the use of cables to achieve

interdevice communication, IrDA requires that the devices be within line of

sight in order to achieve communication. Since Bluetooth is based on radio

transmissions, Bluetooth devices do not have to be within line of sight.

Interdevice communication using Bluetooth may be achieved at much greater

distances than IrDA even if there are obstructions between devices.

Basically, as long as the radio transceiver microchips can hear each other,

Bluetooth wireless communication is possible. Further, the specifications

for communicating using IrDA are not as defined as the Bluetooth

specifications so unique drivers are needed to communicate using IrDA where

that is not the case with Bluetooth.


What's a piconet? Bluetooth Jargonbuster

Piconet: A network of devices connected using Bluetooth wireless technology.

A piconet may consist of two to eight devices. In a piconet, there will

always be one master while the others are slaves.


Master Unit: This is the device within a piconet whose clock and

frequency-hopping sequence is used to synchronize all slave units within the

piconet.


Slave units: Any unit within a piconet that is not the master unit.


Scatternet: Two or more independent, non-synchronized piconets.


Mac address: A 3-bit address used to distinguish units within a piconet. 3

bits allows for only 8 unique address, thus the limit on the number of

devices allowed to participate in a piconet.

Parked units: Those devices within a piconet which are synchronized but do

not have a MAC address.


Sniff and hold mode: This mode describes the ability of synchronized devices

within a piconet to enter power-saving mode which lowers device activity.



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