Showing papers on "Bluetooth published in 2011"

Bluetooth based home automation system using cell phone

Abstract: Technology is a never ending process. To be able to design a product using the current technology that will be beneficial to the lives of others is a huge contribution to the community. This paper presents the design and implementation of a low cost but yet flexible and secure cell phone based home automation system. The design is based on a stand alone Arduino BT board and the home appliances are connected to the input/ output ports of this board via relays. The communication between the cell phone and the Arduino BT board is wireless. This system is designed to be low cost and scalable allowing variety of devices to be controlled with minimum changes to its core. Password protection is being used to only allow authorised users from accessing the appliances at home.

Accessing a vehicle using portable devices

Abstract: A primary portable device can access a vehicle by transmitting an activation message including a vehicle access credential to the vehicle. The primary portable device can additionally enable a secondary portable device to access the vehicle by transmitting the vehicle access credential to the secondary portable device. The connections between the primary portable device, secondary portable device, and vehicle can be based on a short-range wireless protocol, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth LE.

System for NFC authentication based on BLUETOOTH proximity

Abstract: A method and apparatus for secure authentication of Near Field Communication transactions based on proximity to a mobile key device.

Airshark: detecting non-WiFi RF devices using commodity WiFi hardware

Abstract: In this paper, we propose Airshark -- a system that detects multiple non-WiFi RF devices in real-time and using only commodity WiFi hardware. To motivate the need for systems like Airshark, we start with measurement study that characterizes the usage and prevalence of non-WiFi devices across many locations. We then present the design and implementation of Airshark. Airshark extracts unique features using the functionality provided by a WiFi card to detect multiple non-WiFi devices including fixed frequency devices (e.g., ZigBee, analog cordless phone), frequency hoppers (e.g., Bluetooth, game controllers like Xbox), and broadband interferers (e.g., microwave ovens). Airshark has an average detection accuracy of 91-96%, even in the presence of multiple simultaneously active RF devices operating at a wide range of signal strengths (-80 to -30 dBm), while maintaining a low false positive rate. Through a deployment in two production WLANs, we show that Airshark can be a useful tool to the WLAN administrators in understanding non-WiFi interference.

On power and throughput tradeoffs of WiFi and Bluetooth in smartphones

Abstract: This paper describes a combined power and throughput performance study of WiFi and Bluetooth usage in smartphones. The study reveals several interesting phenomena and tradeoffs. The conclusions from this study suggest preferred usage patterns, as well as operative suggestions for researchers and smartphone developers.

APPLAUS: A Privacy-Preserving Location Proof Updating System for location-based services

Abstract: Today's location-sensitive service relies on user's mobile device to determine its location and send the location to the application. This approach allows the user to cheat by having his device transmit a fake location, which might enable the user to access a restricted resource erroneously or provide bogus alibis. To address this issue, we propose A Privacy-Preserving LocAtion proof Updating System (APPLAUS) in which co-located Bluetooth enabled mobile devices mutually generate location proofs, and update to a location proof server. Periodically changed pseudonyms are used by the mobile devices to protect source location privacy from each other, and from the untrusted location proof server. We also develop user-centric location privacy model in which individual users evaluate their location privacy levels in real-time and decide whether and when to accept a location proof exchange request based on their location privacy levels. APPLAUS can be implemented with the existing network infrastructure and the current mobile devices, and can be easily deployed in Bluetooth enabled mobile devices with little computation or power cost. Extensive experimental results show that our scheme, besides providing location proofs effectively, can significantly preserve the source location privacy.

Indoor positioning in Bluetooth networks using fingerprinting and lateration approach

Abstract: Global Positioning System (GPS) is a well known navigation system for outdoor applications; however this technology does not work in indoor environments. In order to overcome this limitation, Bluetooth technology can be employed. Furthermore, Bluetooth technology provides an accurate and low cost solution for short range wireless communication. Most of the digital devices provide the Bluetooth functionality which also makes it a good candidate for indoor positioning. In this paper, we use Bluetooth devices for indoor positioning and use signal based parameters such as received power level for position estimation. The accuracy of indoor positioning system is greatly dependant on the parameters selected for estimation and the measurements obtained from the environment. However, the measurements are corrupted by various environmental conditions such as temperature, reflection, presence of obstacles, human body and other communication signals. Therefore, we need to filter the measurements. This paper presents an experimental relationship between the received power level and distance using the standard radio propagation model. The idea behind this study is to provide an accurate distance estimate for Trilateration approach. Based on the experiments performed, the average error is minimized from 5.87 meters to 2.67 meters using gradient filter. The use of gradient filter improves the accuracy by 45 %.

A Compact Dual-Band Fork-Shaped Monopole Antenna for Bluetooth and UWB Applications

Abstract: A simple, low-cost, and compact printed dual-band fork-shaped monopole antenna for Bluetooth and ultrawideband (UWB) applications is proposed. Dual-band operation covering 2.4-2.484 GHz (Bluetooth) and 3.1-10.6 GHz (UWB) frequency bands are obtained by using a fork-shaped radiating patch and a rectangular ground patch. The proposed antenna is fed by a 50-Ω microstrip line and fabricated on a low-cost FR4 substrate having dimensions 42 (Lsub) × 24 (Wsub) × 1.6 (H) mm3. The antenna structure is fabricated and tested. Measured S11 is ≤ -10 dB over 2.3-2.5 and 3.1-12 GHz. The antenna shows acceptable gain flatness with nearly omnidirectional radiation patterns over both Bluetooth and UWB bands.

Wireless power, light and automation control

Abstract: A power control unit and method of use thereof for varying the supply of electricity to an electrical apparatus using a peer-to-peer wireless communications link between a controller and the power control unit. The communications link may be established using Wi-Fi Direct or Bluetooth communications technology.

UWB Printed Slot Antenna With Bluetooth and Dual Notch Bands

Abstract: A novel technique to add an extra Bluetooth band and dual notch bands simultaneously to a compact ultrawideband (UWB) printed slot antenna is proposed. The UWB slot antenna, covering 3.1-11 GHz, is in the shape of an octagon and is fed by a rectangular patch with a beveled bottom edge. To create an extra band outside the UWB frequency range, centered at the 2.4-GHz Bluetooth band, a quarter-wavelength stub is attached to the high concentrated current area in the ground plane. Two notch bands, centered at 3.5-GHz WiMAX and 5.8-GHz WLAN, are also created by placing two stubs similar to that of the extra band. The proposed antenna has a compact size (23 × 28 mm 2), almost stable radiation pattern, and reflection coefficient of lower than -10 dB across the entire passband. A prototype of the proposed antenna is fabricated, and the measured results are shown to be in good agreement with the simulated results.

Method for wireless communication in a device with co-existence radio

Abstract: Various methods for wireless communication in a device with co-existed/co-located radios are provided. Multiple communication radio transceivers are co-existed/co-located in a user equipment (UE) having in-device coexistence (IDC) capability, which may result in IDC interference. For example, the UE is equipped with both LTE radio and some ISM band applications such as WiFi and Bluetooth modules. In a first method, the network identifies IDC capability by UE identification (e.g., UE ID). In a second method, the UE intentionally performs cell selection or reselection to cells in non-ISM frequency bands. In a third method, the UE signals the existence of ISM band applications via capability negotiation. In a fourth method, the UE signals the activation of ISM band applications by signaling messages (e.g., RRC message or MAC CE). Under the various methods, the UE and its serving eNB can apply FDM or TDM solutions to mitigate the IDC interference.

Estimating Route Choice and Travel Time Reliability with Field Observations of Bluetooth Probe Vehicles

Abstract: Route choice is often assessed with either a modeling technique or field observations. Field observations have historically used a variation of license plate matching. The proposed technique assesses route choice and travel time that uses an anonymous Bluetooth media access control (MAC) address sampling technique as a surrogate for license plate matching to assess route choice. The Bluetooth sampling technique was used to evaluate the impact of an unexpected bridge closure in northwest Indiana, including an assessment of the proportion of vehicles using each of four alternate routes. The Bluetooth technology also provided a means to collect travel time data for each alternate route; these observed travel times were also compared with travel time estimates obtained by route classification and link distance. In general, the route choice behavior was consistent with observed travel time estimates. The Bluetooth sampling technique is cost-effective to deploy, and although results are approximate, direct meas...

A Cooperative Clustering Protocol for Energy Saving of Mobile Devices with WLAN and Bluetooth Interfaces

Abstract: One of the most widely used wireless communication standards is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) (IEEE 802.11). However, WLAN has a serious power consumption problem. In this paper, we propose a novel energy saving approach that exploits the multiradio feature of recent mobile devices equipped with WLAN and Bluetooth interfaces. Unlike previous approaches, our work is based on clustering. In our work, a cluster is a Bluetooth Personal Area Network (PAN), which consists of one cluster head and several regular nodes. The cluster head acts as a gateway between the PAN and the WLAN, enabling the regular nodes to access the WLAN infrastructure via low-power Bluetooth. We present a distributed clustering protocol, Cooperative Networking protocol (CONET), which dynamically reforms clusters according to each node's bandwidth requirement, energy use, and application type. CONET does not require modifications of existing wireless infrastructures because clustering is performed independently of WLAN access points. We implemented the CONET prototype with four wearable computing devices to evaluate the performance on real hardware. We also simulated CONET for large networks of more than 100 mobile nodes. Both results demonstrate that our approach is effective in reducing the power consumption of WLAN.

Mixed bio-signal lossless data compressor for portable brain-heart monitoring systems

Abstract: This paper presents a highly integrated VLSI implementation of a mixed bio-signal lossless data compressor capable of handling multichannel electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG) and diffuse optical tomography (DOT) bio-signal data for reduced storage and communication bandwidth requirements in portable, wireless brain-heart monitoring systems used in hospital or home care settings. The compressor integrated in a multiprocessor brain-heart monitoring IC comprises 15 k gates and 12 kbits of RAM, occupying a total area of 58 k μm2 in 65 nm CMOS technology. Results demonstrate an average compression ratio (CR) of 2.05, and a simulated power consumption of 170 μW at an operating condition of 24 MHz clock and 1.0 V core voltage. Nominal power savings of 43% and 47% at the transmitter can be achieved when employing Bluetooth and Zigbee transceivers, respectively.

Method for locating a vehicle

Abstract: A portable computing device can be used to locate a vehicle in a parking structure. In particular, the portable computing device can communicate with a parking system that manages the parking structure and/or with a vehicle in order to locate the vehicle. Communications between the portable computing device, parking system and vehicle can be based on one or more wireless connections, such as Bluetooth and/or Bluetooth LE connections.

Jyotish: A novel framework for constructing predictive model of people movement from joint Wifi/Bluetooth trace

Abstract: It is well known that people movement exhibits a high degree of repetition since people visit regular places and make regular contacts for their daily activities. This paper1 presents a novel framework named Jyotish2, which constructs a predictive model by exploiting the regular pattern of people movement found in real joint Wifi/Bluetooth trace. The constructed model is able to answer three fundamental questions: (1) where the person will stay, (2) how long she will stay at the location, and (3) who she will meet. In order to construct the predictive model, Jyotish includes an efficient clustering algorithm to exploit regularity of people movement and cluster Wifi access point information in Wifi trace into locations. Then, we construct a Naive Bayesian classifier to assign these locations to records in Bluetooth trace. Next, the Bluetooth trace with assigned locations is used to construct predictive model including location predictor, stay duration predictor, and contact predictor to provide answers for three questions above. Finally, we evaluate the constructed predictors over real Wifi/Bluetooth trace collected by 50 participants in University of Illinois campus from March to August 2010. Evaluation results show that Jyotish successfully constructs a predictive model, which provides a considerably high prediction accuracy of people movement.

Methods and apparatus for wireless coexistence based on transceiver chain emphasis

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reduction of interference between a plurality of wireless interfaces. In one exemplary embodiment, a device having a first (e.g., Wi-Fi) interface and a second (e.g., Bluetooth) interface monitors interference between its interfaces. A reduction in transmit power of the Wi-Fi module causes a disproportionately larger reduction in undesirable interference experienced at the Bluetooth antennas. For example, when the Bluetooth interface detects interference levels above acceptable thresholds, the Wi-Fi interface adjusts operation of one or more of its transmit chains based on various conditions such as duty cycle, Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), etc. Various embodiments of the present invention provide simultaneous operation of WLAN and PAN interfaces, without requiring time division coexistence, by reducing power on a subset of interfering antennas.

Experimental assessment of the coexistence of Wi-Fi, ZigBee, and Bluetooth devices

Abstract: Many wireless technologies used to build local or personal area networks (WLANs, WPANs) operate into the 2.4 GHz ISM band. Due to the mutual interference, the coexistence of such devices working at the same time in the same area can be troublesome. This paper reports the result of an extensive experimental study on the performance of three popular technologies (ZigBee, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth), under their mutual disturbance. In addition to assessing the effect of the interference between pairs of technologies, we also analyzed the simultaneous interference among the three systems, a scenario that has never been studied before. Our work partly confirms previous findings, but also reveals some unexpected behaviors, imposing to reconsider some assumptions about the supposed interference-free ZigBee and Bluetooth channels.

Pairing devices using data exchanged in an out-of-band channel

Abstract: Two devices (110, 120) can be determined to be within near field communication (NFC) range of each other. Pairing information for a service can be conveyed over an out-of-band channel (114, 124). The out-of-band channel can be a near field communication (NFC) channel. The service can be a BLUETOOTH service provided via an in-band (e.g., BLUETOOTH) channel (112, 122). The conveying of the pairing information can require the first device (110) to request at least one desired service, to provide a device ID, and to provide an authorization code in a single message (150). In response to the single message (150), the second device (120) can either deny the request (160, 162) or can convey resource use parameters for the desired service and an ID for the second device within a second single message (164). Pairing the two devices (110, 120) can require use of the authorization code and the resource use parameters.

Improving Wi-Fi Based Indoor Positioning Using Bluetooth Add-Ons

Abstract: Location-Based Services (LBSs) constitutes one of the most popular classes of mobile services. However, while current LBSs typically target outdoor settings, we lead large parts of our lives indoors. The availability of easy-to-use and low-cost indoor positioning services is essential in also enabling indoor LBSs. Existing indoor positioning services typically use a single technology such as Wi-Fi, RFID or Bluetooth. Wi-Fi based indoor positioning is relatively easy to deploy, but does often not offer good positioning accuracy. In contrast, the use of RFID or Bluetooth for positioning requires considerable investments in equipment in order to ensure good positioning accuracy. Motivated by these observations, we propose a hybrid approach to indoor positioning. In particular, we introduce Bluetooth hotspots into an indoor space with an existing Wi-Fi infrastructure such that better positioning is achieved than what can be achieved by each technology in isolation. We design a flexible and extensible system architecture with an effective online position estimation algorithm for the hybrid system. The system is evaluated empirically in the building of our department. The results show that the hybrid approach improves positioning accuracy markedly.

System and method for connecting bluetooth-enabled devices to a personal computer

Abstract: An interface which effects communication between first and second systems and includes a first arrangement for communicating with the first system using a first protocol and a second arrangement for communicating with the second system using a second protocol. At least one of the arrangements includes a mechanism for effecting wireless communication. In accordance with the invention, a third arrangement is included for translating data received from the first system in accordance with the first protocol into data adapted for the second system in accordance with the second protocol. In the illustrative embodiment, the inventive interface further includes an arrangement for translating data received from the second system in accordance with the second protocol into data adapted for the first system in accordance with the first protocol. In the illustrative embodiment, the second system is a Personal Computer, the first system is a peripheral adapted to be connected to the computer, the first protocol is a Bluetooth protocol and the second protocol is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol. In the illustrative embodiment, the inventive interface leverages Universal Serial Bus technology, particularly “plug and play” capability, to simplify the installation and use of Bluetooth-enabled peripherals.

Arterial traffic congestion analysis using bluetooth duration data

Abstract: The aim of this study is to assess the potential use of Bluetooth data for traffic monitoring of arterial road networks. Bluetooth data provides the direct measurement of travel time between pairs of scanners, and intensive research has been reported on this topic. Bluetooth data includes “Duration” data, which represents the time spent by Bluetooth devices to pass through the detection range of Bluetooth scanners. If the scanners are located at signalised intersections, this Duration can be related to intersection performance, and hence represents valuable information for traffic monitoring. However the use of Duration has been ignored in previous analyses. In this study, the Duration data as well as travel time data is analysed to capture the traffic condition of a main arterial route in Brisbane. The data consists of one week of Bluetooth data provided by Brisbane City Council. As well, micro simulation analysis is conducted to further investigate the properties of Duration. The results reveal characteristics of Duration, and address future research needs to utilise this valuable data source.

Modeling the Maximum Throughput of Bluetooth Low Energy in an Error-Prone Link

Abstract: We present an analytical model for the maximum throughput of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), considering the presence of uncorrelated bit errors and the impact of a key BLE parameter that defines the time between the start of two consecutive connection events. The derived analysis models the generic application of master-to-slave unidirectional data transmission, which also forms an upper bound for bidirectional data transmission throughput. Simulation results show that our model accurately predicts the maximum BLE throughput for all bit error rates and BLE parameter settings evaluated.

A Smart Phone Based PDR Solution for Indoor Navigation

Abstract: Most smart phones are embedded with low-cost navigation sensors such as GPS receiver, accelerometer, digital compass, and gyros. In addition to these low cost sensors, RF signals from WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network), Bluetooth, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and cellular networks are also available in smart phones. With the embedded navigation sensors, especially the GPS receiver, it is not a challenging task to locate the smart phone whenever an open sky is visible. However, it is still a challenging task to locate smart phones in GNSS signal challenging environments such as indoors. Therefore, indoor positioning problem has become attractive to the scientific community. This paper introduces a PDR (Pedestrian Dead Reckoning) positioning solution for indoors, especially for corridor environments. The solution is based on a low cost accelerometer and a digital compass embedded in a smart phone (Nokia 6710) plus the low energy Bluetooth RF chip that has a potential to become a standard component in smart phones in the very near future. It is an instant solution that requires any training phases for e.g. establishing the step-length model and the heading error model. The positioning process is initiated automatically when the mobile user passing a Bluetooth access point, for example the one installed at the front door of a building.

In-device interference avoidance method and apparatus for terminal equipped with multiple communication

Abstract: A method and apparatus for avoiding in-device interference in a terminal equipped with multiple heterogeneous communication modules (e.g. Long Term Evolution (LTE), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Bluetooth, and Global Positioning System (GPS) modules) are provided. The method includes one of detecting and predicting interference caused by the second communication module to communication of the first communication module, transmitting an interference occurrence information message to a base station for controlling to avoid the interference, and controlling to avoid the interference by executing one of a handover and discontinuous reception according to a control command included in an interference occurrence information response message transmitted by the base station. The terminal provides the cell with the interference-related information, the cell configures the Discontinuous Reception (DRX) based on the interference-related information, and the terminal can reduce in-device interference through the controlled DRX operation, resulting in improvement of communication reliability of the communication modules.

Cooperative video streaming on smartphones

Abstract: Video applications are increasingly popular over smartphones However, in current cellular systems, the downlink data rate fluctuates and the loss rate can be quite high We are interested in the scenario where a group of smartphone users, within proximity of each other, are interested in viewing the same video at the same time and are also willing to cooperate with each other We propose a system that maximizes the video quality by appropriately using all available resources, namely the cellular connections to the phones as well as the device-to-device links that can be established via Bluetooth or WiFi Key ingredients of our design are: (i) the cooperation among users, (ii) network coding, and (iii) exploiting broadcast in the mobile-to-mobile links Our approach is grounded on a network utility maximization formulation of the problem We present numerical results that demonstrate the benefit of our approach, and we implement a prototype on android phones

Enabling telecare assessment with pervasive sensing and Android OS smartphone

Abstract: Measurements of vital signs and behavioral patterns can be translated into accurate predictors of health risk, even at an early stage, and can be combined with alarm-triggering systems in order to initiate the appropriate actions. The paper presents the design and implementation of a mobile TeleCare system based on a smart wrist-worn device with a non-obtrusive sensing module for cardiac, respiratory and motor activity, a microcontroller platform for primary processing of the data from the sensors and wireless communication using Bluetooth protocol. Advanced data processing, data management, human computing interfacing and data communication are implemented using a smartphone running Android operating system (OS). A Web based health TeleCare information system was implemented being characterized by the following functionalities: data synchronization with the smartphone, advanced data processing and data presentation assuring a comprehensive data analysis and evidence based health management as well as for remote assistance of the patients by doctors and nurses. Experimental results associated with vital signs sensing and the software implementation are included in the paper.

Analytical workflow of monitoring human mobility in big event settings using Bluetooth

Abstract: In recent times, consumer research at major social events received significant interest by organizing companies. Understanding the movements and motivations of the customers enables new business strategies and is needed to minimize the risk of investment. The spatiotemporal complexity of major events poses high demands on survey and analytical methods. New technological advances in both event monitoring systems and evaluation methods of movement data provide new insights into the behavioral patterns of customers by preserving their privacy. In this paper we present a work that seeks to systematize the research process of design, collection, and analysis of visitor behavior in a mixed indoor-outdoor event setting using Bluetooth sensor technology. The defined workflow is comprised of 5 steps and designed to answer heterogeneous business questions with respect to customer movement behavior in a single event context. Our approach is applied in a real-world business application for a Formula 1 event.

Bluetooth or other wireless interface with power management for head mounted display

Abstract: A Head Mounted Display (HMD) system that includes a wireless front end that interprets spoken commands and/or hand motions and/or body gestures to selectively activate subsystem components only as needed to carry out specific commands

Method and System for a Time Domain Approach to 4G WiMAX/LTE-WiFi/BT Coexistence

Abstract: A method and system are provided in which a device that is operable to handle WiFi communication and WiMAX communication may receive downlink medium access protocol (MAP) information in a downlink sub-frame of a WiMAX frame and disable WiFi transmission during a portion of the downlink sub-frame based on the downlink MAP information. The disabled WiFi transmission may be enabled after data within the downlink sub-frame is decoded. The device may also receive uplink MAP information in the downlink sub-frame and may control a clear channel assessment associated with the WiFi transmission based on the uplink MAP information. The MAP information may comprise data or burst profile information and/or one or more physical control messages. A similar time domain approach may be utilized for coexistence between WiFi and long term evolution (LTE) coexistence, Bluetooth and WiMAX, and Bluetooth and LTE. Frame aggregation may be enabled to alleviate pending WiFi traffic.