A survey on Bluetooth multi-hop networks

Bluetooth was firstly announced in 1998. Originally designed as cable replacement connecting devices in a point-to-point fashion its high penetration arouses interest in its ad-hoc networking potential. This ad-hoc networking potential of Bluetooth is advertised for years - but until recently no actual products were available and less than a handful of real Bluetooth multi-hop network deployments were reported. The turnaround was triggered by the release of the Bluetooth Low Energy Mesh Profile which is unquestionable a great achievement but not well suited for all use cases of multi-hop networks. This paper surveys the tremendous work done on Bluetooth multi-hop networks during the last 20 years. All aspects are discussed with demands for a real world Bluetooth multi-hop operation in mind. Relationships and side effects of different topics for a real world implementation are explained. This unique focus distinguishes this survey from existing ones. Furthermore, to the best of the authors’ knowledge this is the first survey consolidating the work on Bluetooth multi-hop networks for classic Bluetooth technology as well as for Bluetooth Low Energy. Another individual characteristic of this survey is a synopsis of real world Bluetooth multi-hop network deployment efforts. In fact, there are only four reports of a successful establishment of a Bluetooth multi-hop network with more than 30 nodes and only one of them was integrated in a real world application - namely a photovoltaic power plant. © 2019 The Author

A PROTOCOL SUITE FOR WIRELESS PERSONAL AREA NETWORKS

A Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) is an ad hoc network that consists of devices that surround an individual or an object. Bluetooth® technology is especially suitable for formation of WPANs due to the pervasiveness of devices with Bluetooth® chipsets, its operation in the unlicensed Industrial, Scientific, Medical (ISM) frequency band, and its interference resilience. Bluetooth® technology has great potential to become the de facto standard for communication between heterogeneous devices in WPANs. The piconet, which is the basic Bluetooth® networking unit, utilizes a Master/Slave (MS) configuration that permits only a single master and up to seven active slave devices. This structure limitation prevents Bluetooth® devices from directly participating in larger Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) and Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs). In order to build larger Bluetooth® topologies, called scatternets, individual piconets must be interconnected. Since each piconet has a unique frequency hopping sequence, piconet interconnections are done by allowing some nodes, called bridges, to participate in more than one piconet. These bridge nodes divide their time between piconets by switching between Frequency Hopping (FH) channels and synchronizing to the piconet\u27s master. In this dissertation we address scatternet formation, routing, and security to make Bluetooth® scatternet communication feasible. We define criteria for efficient scatternet topologies, describe characteristics of different scatternet topology models as well as compare and contrast their properties, classify existing scatternet formation approaches based on the aforementioned models, and propose a distributed scatternet formation algorithm that efficiently forms a scatternet topology and is resilient to node failures. We propose a hybrid routing algorithm, using a bridge link agnostic approach, that provides on-demand discovery of destination devices by their address or by the services that devices provide to their peers, by extending the Service Discovery Protocol (SDP) to scatternets. We also propose a link level security scheme that provides secure communication between adjacent piconet masters, within what we call an Extended Scatternet Neighborhood (ESN)

A simple adaptive MAC scheduling scheme for bluetooth scatternet

A simple adaptive MAC scheduling algorithm, called Gateway Oriented Scatternet Scheduling (GOSS), is proposed for data exchange in a Bluetooth scatternet. Unlike the existing scheme MDRP (Maximum Distance Rendezvous Point) that has a global superframe schedule shared by all gateways, the schedule used by each gateway is individually determined. Equal partition of the superframe schedule at a gateway to each connected piconet can thus be guaranteed, which enables a more robust performance than MDRP. In addition, GOSS allows a variable sized superframe at each gateway. To maximize its performance, the frame size can be dynamically adjusted according to the scatternet topology and traffic load in every predefined adaptation interval. Simulation results show that even a static GOSS prevails over MDRP. If the adaptation technique is used, further performance enhancement can be found.published_or_final_versio

Low Power Multi-Hop Networking Analysis in Intelligent Environments

Intelligent systems are driven by the latest technological advances in many different areas such as sensing, embedded systems, wireless communications or context recognition. This paper focuses on some of those areas. Concretely, the paper deals with wireless communications issues in embedded systems. More precisely, the paper combines the multi-hop networking with Bluetooth technology and a quality of service (QoS) metric, the latency. Bluetooth is a radio license-free worldwide communication standard that makes low power multi-hop wireless networking available. It establishes piconets (point-to-point and point-to-multipoint links) and scatternets (multi-hop networks). As a result, many Bluetooth nodes can be interconnected to set up ambient intelligent networks. Then, this paper presents the results of the investigation on multi-hop latency with park and sniff Bluetooth low power modes conducted over the hardware test bench previously implemented. In addition, the empirical models to estimate the latency of multi-hop communications over Bluetooth Asynchronous Connectionless Links (ACL) in park and sniff mode are given. The designers of devices and networks for intelligent systems will benefit from the estimation of the latency in Bluetooth multi-hop communications that the models provide.The research described in this paper was included in AIRHEM IV project and financially supported by the Basque Government Research Program called Elkartek 2015 (code KK_2015/0000085)

Self-organizing Bluetooth scatternets

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2002.Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-73).There is increasing interest in wireless ad hoc networks built from portable devices equipped with short-range wireless network interfaces. This thesis addresses issues related to internetworking such networks to form larger "scatternets." Within the constraints imposed by the emerging standard Bluetooth link layer and MAC protocol, we develop a set of online algorithms to form scatternets and to schedule point-to-point communication links. Our efficient online topology formation algorithm, called TSF (Tree Scatternet Formation), builds scatternets by connecting nodes into a tree structure that simplifies packet routing and scheduling. Unlike earlier works, our design does not restrict the number of nodes in the scatternet, and also allows nodes to arrive and leave at arbitrary times, incrementally building the topology and healing partitions when they occur. We have developed a Bluetooth simulator in ns which includes most aspects of the entire Bluetooth protocol stack. It was used to derive simulation results that show that TSF has low latencies in link establishment, tree formation and partition healing. All of these grow logarithmically with the number of nodes in the scatternet. Furthermore, TSF generates tree topologies where the average path length between any node pair grows logarithmically with the size of the scatternet. Our scheduling algorithm, called TSS (Tree Scatternet Scheduling), takes advantage of the tree structure of the scatternets constructed by TSF. Unlike previous works, TSS coordinates one-hop neighbors effectively to increase the overall performance of the scatternet. In addition, TSS is robust and responsive to network conditions, adapting the inter-piconet link schedule effectively based on varying workload conditions. We demonstrate that TSS has good performance on throughput and latency under various traffic loads.by Godfrey Tan.S.M

Energy-efficient bluetooth scatternet formation based on device and link characteristics

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Bluetooth is a promising ad hoc networking technology. Although construction and operation of piconets are well defined in Bluetooth specifications, there is no unique standard for scatternet formation and operation. In this thesis, we propose a distributed and energy-efficient Bluetooth Scatternet Formation algorithm based on Device and Link characteristics (SF-DeviL) that is compatible with Bluetooth specifications. SF-DeviL handles energy efficiency using classes of devices, battery levels and the received signal strengths. SF-DeviL forms scatternets with tree topologies that are robust to battery depletions, where devices are arranged in an hierarchical order in terms of battery power and traffic generation rate. SF-DeviL is dynamic in the sense that the topology is reconfigured when battery levels are depleted, thereby increasing the lifetime of the scatternet. Unlike many of the algorithms in the literature SF-DeviL is also multihop, i.e., there is no requirement for each node to be in the transmission range of all other nodes.Pamuk, CananM.S

Distributed On-Line Schedule Adaptation for Balanced Slot Allocation in Bluetooth Scatternets and other Wireless Ad-Hoc Network Architectures

In this paper we propose an algorithm for design and on the fly modification of the schedule of an ad-hoc wireless network in order to provide fair service guarantees under topological changes. The primary objective is to derive a distributed coordination method for schedule construction and modification in Bluetooth scatternets. The algorithm proposed here has wider applicability, to any wireless ad-hoc network that operates under a schedule where the transmissions at each slot are explicitly specified over a time period of length T. First we introduce a fluid model of the system where the conflict avoidance requirements of neighboring links are relaxed while the aspect of local channel sharing is captured. In that model we propose an algorithm where the nodes asynchronously re-adjust the rates allocated to their adjacent links based only on local information. We prove that from any initial condition the algorithm finds the max-min fair rate allocation in the fluid model. Hence if the iteration is performed constantly the rate allocation will track the optimal even in regimes of constant topology changes. Then we consider the slotted system and propose a modification method that applies directly on the slotted schedule, emulating the effect of the rate re-adjusment iteration of the fluid model. Through extensive experiments in networks with fixed and time varying topologies we show that the latter algorithm achieves balanced rate allocation in the actual slotted system that are very close to the max-min fair rates. The experiments show also that the algorithm is very robust on topology variations, with very good tracking properties of the max-min fair rate allocation

Design Optimization Of Datapath Transmitter In Bluetooth Baseband Controller

A Bluetooth baseband controller is placed in the physical layer of the Bluetooth Protocol stack to manage all the physical channels and links like error correction, hop selection, security and data whitening. The baseband handles the packets and does the inquiry for the Bluetooth devices in the area. The optimization of the performance is needed but it is of a trade off with the area and power consumption of the device. The bigger the design, the more the power being consumed. In this thesis, the objective is to optimize the design of the transmitter in the datapath of the Bluetooth baseband controller. It is also part of the objective to improve the RC delay of the worst path timing. The inherited codes need to be verified with a test bench on Model Sim first. Then, a synthesis process is being done using the Synopsys tool in order to generate a netlist. The netlist is then being translated into physical implementation of the logic and the layout is formed. Then, the optimization process starts again from the VHDL code to the layout process. The synthesized results are first being compared with the results from the IC Compiler. The results of the synthesized results before and after optimization is being compared as well. It is shown that the optimized design has a larger area and power consumption of 75023.627147 square micron and 18.2595 mW but the timing in the worst path is significantly improved from 4 ps to 390 ps. The transmitter is able to operate at 200 MHz from the constraint set and the operating voltage is at 1.62 V. Thus, a tradeoff with the area and power consumption is in place if optimization on the timing performance is done. The focus of this project is on the performance of the design

Push-to-Talk över Bluetooth

Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) är en teknologi som möjliggör en radiotelefonlik service över GPRS vilken väckt ökande popularitet. I skrivande stund pågår specifiering av en öppen PoC-standard inom Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). OMA planerar att baser PoC på en IP/UDP/RTP protokollstack samt en server-clientarkitektur. Systemet utnyttjar även SIP-signaleringsegenskaperna hos IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). PoC-nätelement handhar bl.a. gruppförvaltning och taltursfördelning. Forskningsproblemet för denna avhandling är: "Hur kan en PoC-liknande service erbjudas gratis åt mobiltelefonsanvändare med hjälp av Bluetooth-teknologi?" Den primära målsättningen för detta arbete är därmed att skissa upp ett förslag för hur man kunde utveckla en Push-to-Talk (PTT)-funktion som utnyttjar ett Bluetooth scatternet-nät samt PAN-profilen för att överföra data. En måttlig räckvidd kan uppnås med hjälp av Bluetooth apparater av effektklass 1 vars räckvidd kan vara t.o.m. 100 m. En sekundär målsättning är att beskriva PoC samt de protokoll PoC utnyttjar (t.ex. SIP och SDP). Denna beskrivning utgör både en utgångspunkt för att uppnå den primära målsättningen och erbjuder även en introduktion till OMA PoC som lämpar sig för både studeranden och yrkesmän. Det uppskissade förslaget för Push-to-Talk över Bluetooth (PoB) innefattar metoder för skapande av grupper och nät, dataöverföring samt taltursfördelning. Metoden för nätskapande (som kan vara användbar även för andra ändamål) baserar sig på att skapa ett scatternet emellan apparater som tillhör en på förhand specifierad grupp av apparater samt på att undvika slingor. Detta möjliggör enkel kommunikation genom att skicka data till alla apparater inom nätet, förutsatt att de apparater som sammanbinder piconet-näten till ett scatternet fungerar som repeterare. Ytterligare uppskissas en metod för att kombinera PoB och PoC. Avsikten med detta är att möjliggöra PTT-kommunikation med både lokalt och avlägset belägna gruppmedlemmar med hjälp av Bluetooth respektive GPRS.Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) is an emerging technology enabling a walkie-talkie-like service over GPRS. At the time of writing, an open standard for PoC is being specified by the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). As specified by the OMA standard drafts, PoC is based on an IP/UDP/RTP protocol stack and a client-server based architecture. The systems exploits the SIP signalling capabilities of the the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). Group management, floor control etc are administered by the network elements of PoC. The research problem of this thesis is: "How can mobile phone users be provided with a free-of-charge PTT-feature with PoC-like user experience by means of Bluetooth technology?" The primary objective of the study is thus to propose an outline for developing a Push-to-Talk (PTT) feature that utilizes a Bluetooth scatternet and the PAN profile for data communications. A reasonable range can be obtained with Bluetooth class 1 devices, which provide a range of up to 100 m. A subsidiary objective is to provide a description of OMA PoC and the protocols it relies upon. The description serves both as a basis for pursuing the primary objective and as a tutorial, which is suitable for students or professionals desiring to acquaint themselves with OMA PoC. The proposed outline for Push-to-Talk over Bluetooth (PoB) comprises e.g. methods for group formation, network formation, communication, and floor control. The network formation method, which can be utilized in other applications as well, is based on creating a scatternet among a predefined set of devices and on avoiding loops. This approach enables usage of a simple broadcasting based communication method, in which the devices bridging the piconets into a scatternet act as repeaters. A method for combining PoB and PoC is also outlined. It is intended for enabling PTT-communication with both local and distant group members over Bluetooth and GPRS respectively

Bluetooth Security Logical Link Control and Adaptation Protocol

The point of our work is to assess security dangers in Bluetooth-empowered frameworks. Our exploration work focuses on handy parts of Bluetooth security. It can be generally isolated into four sections. First and foremost, shortcomings of Bluetooth security are mulled over taking into account a writing survey, and a Bluetooth security research center environment for actualizing Bluetooth security assaults by and by has been manufactured. Also, distinctive sorts of assaults against Bluetooth security are researched and the possibility of some of them are shown in our exploration lab. Countermeasures against every sort of assault are likewise proposed. Thirdly, a portion of the current Bluetooth security assaults are upgraded and new assaults are proposed. To do these assaults by and by, Bluetooth security investigation devices are executed. Countermeasures that render these assaults unreasonable are likewise proposed. At long last, a relative examination of the current Man-In-The-Middle assaults on Bluetooth is displayed, a novel framework for distinguishing and forestalling interruptions in Bluetooth systems is proposed, and a further arrangement of Bluetooth-empowered specially appointed systems is give