List of Bluetooth Protocols
List of Bluetooth Protocols
List of Bluetooth Protocols
1.2 Synchronous
(SCO) link
The wireless data exchange standard Bluetooth uses a variety of protocols. Core protocols are dened by the trade
organization Bluetooth SIG. Additional protocols have
been adopted from other standards bodies. This article
gives an overview of the core protocols and those adopted
protocols that are widely used.
Connection-Oriented
The type of radio link used for voice data. A SCO link
is a set of reserved timeslots on an existing ACL link.
Each device transmits encoded voice data in the reserved
The Bluetooth protocol stack is split in two parts: a con- timeslot. There are no retransmissions, but forward error
troller stack containing the timing critical radio inter- correction can be optionally applied. SCO packets may
face, and a host stack dealing with high level data. The be sent every 1, 2 or 3 timeslots.
controller stack is generally implemented in a low cost Enhanced SCO (eSCO) links allow greater exibility in
silicon device containing the Bluetooth radio and a mi- setting up links: they may use retransmissions to achieve
croprocessor. The host stack is generally implemented reliability, allow a wider variety of packet types, and
as part of an operating system, or as an installable pack- greater intervals between packets than SCO, thus increasage on top of an operating system. For integrated devices ing radio availability for other link.
such as Bluetooth headsets, the host stack and controller
stack can be run on the same microprocessor to reduce
mass production costs; this is known as a hostless system. 1.3 Link manager protocol (LMP)
1
1.1
Controller stack
Asynchronous Connection-Less (ACL)
The normal type of radio link used for general data packets using a polling TDMA scheme to arbitrate access. 1.4 Host controller interface (HCI)
ACL can carry packets of several types, which are disStandardised communication between the host stack
tinguished by:
(e.g., a PC or mobile phone OS) and the controller (the
Length (1, 3, or 5 time slots depending on required Bluetooth IC). This standard allows the host stack or controller IC to be swapped with minimal adaptation.
payload size)
Forward error correction (optionally reducing the There are several HCI transport layer standards, each using a dierent hardware interface to transfer the same
data rate in favour of reliability)
command, event and data packets. The most commonly
Modulation (Enhanced Data Rate packets allow up used are USB (in PCs) and UART (in mobile phones and
to triple data rate by using a dierent RF modulation PDAs).
for the payload)
In Bluetooth devices with simple functionality (e.g.,
A connection must be explicitly set up and accepted be- headsets), the host stack and controller can be implemented on the same microprocessor. In this case the
tween two devices before packets can be transferred.
HCI is obsolete, although often implemented as an inACL packets are retransmitted automatically if unac- ternal software interface.
knowledged, allowing for correction of a radio link that is
subject to interference. For isochronous data, the number
of retransmissions can be limited by a ush timeout; but 1.5 Low-energy link layer (LE LL)
without using L2PLAY retransmission and ow control
mode or EL2CAP, a higher layer must handle the packet This is the LMP equivalent for Bluetooth Low Energy
loss.
(LE), but is simpler. It is implemented on the controller
ACL links are disconnected if there is nothing received and manages advertisement, scanning, connection and sefor the supervision timeout period; the default timeout is curity from a low-level, close to the hardware point of
view from Bluetooth perspective.
20 seconds, but this may be modied by the master.
1
Host stack
2.1
HOST STACK
2.2
Bluetooth network encapsulation pro- Also referred to as telephony control protocol specication
binary (TCS binary)
tocol (BNEP)
2.6
Used by the remote control prole to transfer AV/C commands over an L2CAP channel. The music control buttons on a stereo headset use this protocol to control the
music player
In the protocol stack, AVCTP is bound to L2CAP.
2.7
Audio/video distribution
protocol (AVDTP)
transport
2.8
2.9
Similar in scope to SDP but specially adapted and simplied for Low Energy Bluetooth. It allows a client to read
and/or write certain attributes exposed by the server in a
non-complex, low-power friendly manner.
In the protocol stack, ATT is bound to L2CAP.
External links
Bluetooth.com - Data Transport Architecture
4.1
Text
4.2
Images
4.3
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