Bluetooth Integration in Product Design

Bluetooth is a wireless technology that most mobile phones have Bluetooth integration built in.

Bluetooth integration can be incorporated into new and existing products to enable communication with the cloud.

Connecting products to the cloud can turn them into smart products, which can enable smart factories for example.

It is often considered to be a short range technology, but this is not necessarily true.

Distances of over a Kilometre can be achieved, with careful design, and selection of the appropriate version of Bluetooth.

Different types of Bluetooth are available for different smart factory and IIOT integrations.

For example Bluetooth 5 , is the latest version of the classic Bluetooth.

The technology was originally developed in 1994 as a replacement for serial wired cable connections.

Whilst it can be used for this still, there are many other applications.

For example versions equipped with a Digital Signal Processor, or DSP, can transmit voice audio.

Data can also be transmitted, including via a Mesh network.

The Mesh version is great for IOT applications such as Smart Cities.

With the Mesh version the signal can pass through Bluetooth ‘nodes’ , en route to its required destination.

Therefore with Mesh the communication range can be much extended, compared to the non Mesh version.

An application of Bluetooth Mesh, is in Smart Street Lighting, in Smart Cities.

Mesh can also enable communication within Smart Factories, and can be incorporated into existing machinery.

Of course Bluetooth might not be the best communications solution, to enable your Smart Factory, or Smart City.

Other wireless technologies such as LoraWAN and Wifi might be more suitable, depending on the objective.

For example LoraWAN is a great solution for sending small amounts of data long distance, at low power.

Wifi is good for sending data with a high bandwidth and data rate requirement, such as CCTV video.

Yesway Ltd is based in Lincoln, UK.

Telephone: (01522) 740818

This article was written by Yesway wireless engineer Craig Miles.

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