Greater than 110 million Bluetooth-equipped options for locating private gadgets are anticipated to ship this yr alone, in line with numbers from ABI Analysis. One other 29 million Bluetooth key fobs and equipment are additionally anticipated to ship in 2024. These kind of gadgets, and lots of extra functions of Bluetooth, demand the absolute best location accuracy. Consequently, Bluetooth Low Vitality has added a brand new function, ratified within the fall of this yr, that may present safer and correct fine-ranging: Bluetooth Channel Sounding.
Historically, Bluetooth has relied on the Obtained Sign Energy Indicator (RSSI) degree on the finish system to make a tough estimation of the receiver’s place. However that methodology of distance estimation is very depending on the sign surroundings and may, for instance, be weak to inaccuracy as a consequence of reflections. Additionally it is inclined to spoofing assaults, which have been documented in intercepts and spoofing of wi-fi key fobs by automobile thieves.
As a substitute of relying solely on sign ranges, Bluetooth Channel Sounding makes use of a mixture of phase-based ranging as the first technique of location calculation, plus necessary however complementary info based mostly on the sign round-trip time (or time of flight), defined Khushboo Kalyani, product supervisor at LitePoint. That’s anticipated to ship sub-meter accuracy on positioning, Kalyani stated, including that Bluetooth Channel Sounding is well-suited to be used in conditions the place one system is static, reminiscent of a parked automobile and a key fob, or a smartphone speaking with a door lock or storage door.
Chipsets that assist Bluetooth Channel Sounding are already within the works, Kalyani stated. “This yr, we see numerous silicon exercise and folks searching for a check resolution, however I feel we’re a couple of months out from seeing business gadgets,” Kalyani mirrored. She expects to see merchandise with Bluetooth Channel Sounding capabilities start delivery within the second half of subsequent yr.
However Bluetooth isn’t the one wi-fi expertise searching for to supply improved positioning accuracy. What occurs to Extremely Wideband (UWB), which is used for correct and safe fine-ranging and has been quickly adopted, when Bluetooth Channel Sounding involves market? LitePoint anticipates that UWB—with its use of 500 megahertz of channel bandwidth and really brief sign pulses—could also be used along with Bluetooth Channel Sounding in some gadgets when centimeter-level accuracy is required. Bluetooth Channel Sounding, nonetheless, can enhance accuracy and safety utilizing much less energy and an extended vary, with the bonus issue of Bluetooth’s near-ubiquity in lots of sorts of wi-fi gadgets.
The improved accuracy supplied by Bluetooth Channel Sounding does include some new necessities for the Bluetooth testing course of on the bodily layer, which is why LitePoint’s IQxel household of check options focuses on user-friendly, easy and environment friendly transmitter and receiver measurements which are additionally complete. It permits Bluetooth chip and product designers to validate their work rapidly and rigorously, after which relaxation assured that their implementations of this new function will ship the improved safety and accuracy that Bluetooth Channel Sounding guarantees. LitePoint additionally supplies the IQfact+ automation software program instrument, designed for seamless check execution and optimized multi-device testing, whether or not in R&D or manufacturing environments.
For extra details about LitePoint’s testing options that assist the event and testing of Bluetooth Channel Sounding and different new Bluetooth options, go to: IQxel-MW7G and IQfact+
