What is Bluetooth® technology? Variants and versions for the IoT world

Bluetooth® Core 5.1

The most important addition in Bluetooth Core 5.1 is Direction Finding. With this feature, proximity and positioning systems can deliver sub-meter accuracy, enabling exciting new use cases such as indoor positioning, wayfinding, asset tracking, and point-of-interest information solutions.

Technically, this is done by determining the angle or direction of a transmitted or received signal using one of two defined methods. A positioning engine combines angle measurements from multiple anchor points to calculate a high precision position.

Direction Finding enables higher indoor positioning accuracy than the traditional approach that relies on beacons and RSSI values.

 

Watch how we integrated Direction Finding into our Bluetooth indoor positioning solution

Bluetooth® Core 5.2

Bluetooth Core 5.2 introduces Isochronous Channels that primarily support LE Audio, the next generation of Bluetooth audio. This feature enables several use cases, such as music sharing, hearing aid systems, and multilingual audio systems. It is also applicable to a variety of industrial applications, where sending time-synchronized data to multiple devices is essential.

The new LE Power Control feature enables Bluetooth devices to dynamically optimize the transmission power used to communicate between connected devices. This improves overall system performance and reduces power consumption.

Finally, the Enhanced Attribute Protocol - EATT - supports concurrent transactions, aiming to reduce end-to-end latency of one or more applications and improve responsiveness for a better user experience.

Bluetooth® Core 5.3 

Bluetooth Core 5.3 includes the following feature enhancements:

Periodic Advertising Enhancement. Bluetooth transmitting devices will typically transmit the same information multiple times to ensure reception. With this enhancement, received data is scanned only once and duplicates are discarded immediately. 

Host to Controller Encryption Key Size Control Enhancements allow the host to specify a minimum key size, enabling the possibility to specify whether the device should use longer encryption keys or faster encryption algorithms.  

LE Connection Sub-Rating enables quick switching between low- and high-duty cycles. Some product types spend much of their time in a low-duty cycle connection mode to conserve power. When a particular application requires a higher bandwidth, connection parameters must change as quickly as possible.  

LE Channel Classification Enhancement enables peripheral Bluetooth devices to perform channel classification, thereby improving throughput and reliability.

Bluetooth® Core 5.4

Bluetooth Core 5.4 includes the following enhancements:

Periodic Advertising with Responses (PAwR) enables the bidirectional transfer of application data between a single central device and many other devices in a star network topology. 

Encrypted Advertising Data introduces a standardized way to encrypt data in advertising by providing a new Advertising Data (AD) type called Encrypted Data. This carries a sequence of one or more encrypted AD types. 

LE GATT Security Levels Characteristic indicates to devices the security mode and level required to access all GATT server features. It is intended to limit disruptions to the user experience caused by security conditions that may delay access to an attribute.

Advertising Coding Selection enables hosts to specify the value of the S-coding parameter for LE Coded PHY to be used with extended advertising.

Bluetooth® Core 6.0

Bluetooth Core 6.0 introduces major advancements in precision tracking, data throughput, and responsiveness. Key features include:

• Channel Sounding: Enables High-Accuracy Distance Measurements (HADMs) between Bluetooth LE devices using two methods: Phase-Based Ranging (PBR) and Round-Trip Time (RTT). This improves location flexibility and accuracy for applications such as asset tracking and secure digital key systems.

Future features

The Bluetooth SIG is constantly working to improve its technology and explore new features:

• Higher Data Throughput: Supports speeds of up to 8 Mbps, enhancing streaming performance for high-bandwidth applications like media streaming and large data transfers.
• Ultra-Low Latency HID: Provides polling rates of up to 1000 Hz, making Bluetooth competitive with USB-wired and proprietary wireless communication in applications such as gaming peripherals.
• Higher Frequency Bands: Ensures continued spectrum availability and paves the way for future Bluetooth performance enhancements, maintaining reliability in increasingly crowded wireless environments.

Bluetooth Core Specifications and their key features:

Version/extension	Features	Description
Bluetooth  Core 4.1	BR/EDR Secure Connections	Offers 128-bit AES encryption strength
	LE Dual-Mode Topology	Enables devices to act as dual-mode Bluetooth hub and Bluetooth LE peripheral simultaneously
	LE L2CAP       Dedicated Channels	Enables IPv6 over Bluetooth LE
Bluetooth  Core 4.2	LE Secure Connections	Provides 128-bit AES encryption strength for Bluetooth LE
	LE Data Packet       Length Extension	Up to 2.5x increase in data throughput
Bluetooth  Core 5.0	LE 2M	Expands the data rates supported by Bluetooth LE up to 2 Mbps, doubling the speed
	LE Coded (long range)	Extends the range supported by Bluetooth LE devices to four times the range
	LE Advertising       Extension	Supports longer advertisement messages for more feature-rich Bluetooth beacons
Bluetooth  Core 5.1	Direction Finding	Enhances indoor positioning, asset tracking, proximity applications, and indoor navigation
Bluetooth  Core 5.2	Isochronous Channels	Enable audio streaming and synchronized data transfer via Bluetooth LE
	LE Power Control	Allows dynamic power optimization via Bluetooth LE
	Enhanced       Attribute Protocol	Supports concurrent transactions aimed at reducing the end-to-end latency of one or more applications and improve user experience in terms of responsiveness
Bluetooth  Core 5.3	Periodic Advertising Enhancement	Received data requires only one examination, with duplicates deleted instantly
	Host to Controller       Encryption Key Size       Control Enhancements	Ability to specify whether the device should use longer keys or faster encryption algorithms
	LE Connection       Sub-Rating	Enables fast switching between low and heavy-duty cycles
	LE Channel                                                         Classification Enhancement	Enables channel classification from Bluetooth peripheral devices
Bluetooth  Core 5.4	Encrypted Advertising Data	Provides new advertising data (AD) called Encrypted Data, which carries a sequence of one or more encrypted AD types
	Periodic Advertising with       Responses (PAwR)	Enables bidirectional transfer of application data between a single central device and other devices in a star network topology.
	LE GATT Security Levels       Characteristic	Devices can specify the security mode and level needed to access all GATT server features.
	Advertising       Coding Selection	Enables specifying the value of the S-coding parameter for LE Coded PHY, which is required for extended advertising
Bluetooth  Core 6.0	Channel Sounding	For high accuracy distance measurements (HADMs) between two Bluetooth LE devices using two methods called Phase-Based Ranging (PBR) and Round-Trip Time (RTT)
Future features*	Higher Data Throughput	Delivers higher data rates (up to 8 Mbps) to support the streaming needs of larger media
	Ultra-low latency HID	Provides polling rates as high as 1000 Hz to compete with USB-wired or proprietary wireless communications
	Higher Frequency Bands	Help ensure that new Bluetooth performance enhancements come with new spectrum extensions and continue with the new release well into the future

^{*Feature still being defined/discussed by the Bluetooth SIG working group}

 

Applications

Bluetooth is a short range technology with endless applications across industrial, smart home, medical, and automotive markets. For example:

• Industry: Process optimization, personnel tracking, and building management.
• Medical: Wearables for patient monitoring.
• Automotive: Hands-free calling, infotainment, and diagnostics.

Asset tracking in healthcare: locating medical equipment

Bluetooth LE with Angle-of-Arrival (AoA) enables you to track the location of medical equipment, medications, staff, and even patients. It helps you reduce asset search time and redundant equipment inventory, understand where and when critical medical equipment is being used, and limit patient roaming or access to restricted areas.

Sensor for predictive maintenance: industrial automation

Bluetooth LE sensors collect data while in use, enabling real-time monitoring based on lifecycle characteristics to notify technicians of abnormal behavior/response or earlier service needs, preventing unexpected failures that could lead to potential production downtime. 

The collected data can be used for analytics, process optimization, predictive maintenance or energy efficiency improvements.

Bluetooth LE Audio for automotive (enhance user experience)

Bluetooth LE Audio for automotive is the next generation of Bluetooth audio, allowing users to share music with multiple Bluetooth speakers or headsets, so friends and family can share the same experiences and personalize the audio experience in a smoother way.

u-blox is committed to delivering cutting-edge products while continuously updating its portfolio through firmware updates. To learn how to upgrade u-blox modules to the latest Bluetooth versions, visit our product resources page.

In addition, Bluetooth can be combined with other technologies such as Wi-Fi, GNSS, LTE/5G, and Zigbee to create more integrated and efficient systems. Multiple radio communication devices incorporating these wireless technologies can switch between them to optimize connectivity and functionality based on needs and environmental factors. 

For more information on u-blox’s offerings, explore the full u-blox Bluetooth portfolio.