New function for safe, precise distance measurement improves the convenience and security of devices connected via Bluetooth®
The Bluetooth® umbrella organization Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) launches Bluetooth® Channel Sounding. The new secure and precise feature improves the usability, security and protection of devices connected via Bluetooth. By enabling True Distance Awareness in a variety of everyday devices, Bluetooth® Channel Sounding opens up numerous new application possibilities for developers and users alike.
“Bluetooth® technology has become an integral part of everyday life,” says Neville Meijers, CEO of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. “When connected devices measure how far they are from each other, a number of new application scenarios arise. The expansion of Bluetooth Technology around this True Distance Awareness is an example of the continued commitment of the members of the Bluetooth SIG to continue to improve the connection with devices, among us as humans and with our environment.”
The new function has decisive advantages for various applications:
Bluetooth® “Find My” solutions To locate personal items such as keys, wallets, backpacks or luggage, Bluetooth® tags can be attached to them. In addition, a rapidly growing number of Bluetooth devices now have “Find My” functions. These turn a device that is connected to Bluetooth into a “Find My” device. By using Bluetooth® Channel Sounding in the future, developers will be able to add True Distance Awareness to a Find My device. This will improve the accuracy and usability of these solutions. Users will be able to locate lost items much more accurately and easily to find faster.
Bluetooth® Digital Key Solutions Bluetooth® technology is already used in vehicles, doors, gates, safes and bicycles to enable keyless access and create a secure locking mechanism. Developers can use Bluetooth® channel sounding to improve the security and usability of digital key solutions. For example, True Distance Awareness can be used to ensure that a lock only opens when the authorized device is at a certain distance.
“We look forward to incorporating the new feature into our upcoming Bluetooth Digital Key specification,” said Feng, Yunsheng, Chief Secretary of the Intelligent Car Connectivity Open Alliance (ICCOA). “The introduction of Bluetooth® Channel Sounding pays off ICCOA’s mission “To provide drivers and passengers worldwide with greater comfort, performance and safety.”
Ren Feng, Chief Secretary of the Intelligent Car Connectivity Industry Ecosystem Alliance (ICCE), added: “ICCE is committed to developing industry standards and promoting cross-industry collaboration for seamless intelligent in-car services. We are therefore already examining whether to include Bluetooth® Channel Sounding technology as one of the distance measurement methods in the ICCE standard for vehicle keys and look forward to integrating it.”
Beyond “Find my” and digital key solutions, Bluetooth® Channel Sounding has the potential to support and enhance additional applications and transform the way people interact with and in a connected world.
“Bluetooth® Channel Sounding is suitable for consumers, businesses and industry alike,” says Andrew Zignani, senior research director at ABI Research. “Imagine mice, keyboards and game controllers with Bluetooth that automatically switch between devices depending on their distance from the laptop In industrial environments, Bluetooth solutions for human-machine interfaces (HMI) can increase the safety of personnel by only allowing use from a safe distance. At the same time, Bluetooth device networks can be used “For example, devices used for lighting control over a network can be more easily configured by oneself and thus improve system performance. With over five billion Bluetooth-enabled devices predicted for 2024 alone, there are significant opportunities.”
Advantages Bluetooth® Channel Sounding offers three key benefits in particular for developers looking for a simple and secure way to add highly accurate distance measurement capabilities to connected devices:
- Accuracy: Bluetooth® Channel Sounding uses phase-based ranging (PBR) to accurately measure the distance between devices connected via Bluetooth. It achieves an accuracy in the centimeter range, even over long distances. This meets the needs of most applications and allows even the simplest connected devices to take advantage of True Distance Awareness.
- Security: As the number of connected devices grows, it becomes increasingly important to ensure the integrity of these connections. Bluetooth® Channel Sounding uses a robust, multi-layered security solution that includes a secondary measurement method – round-trip time (RTT)-based distance limitation. In doing so, it creates an additional layer of security against sophisticated Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) relay attacks.
- Omnipresence: Bluetooth® technology is already integrated into all important devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops. With Bluetooth® Channel Sounding, developers can now add True Distance Awareness to Bluetooth devices without having to develop additional wireless technology.
“Bluetooth® Channel Sounding is capable of providing true distance awareness to a wide range of Bluetooth devices, opening up new possibilities for distance-sensitive applications in various industries,” said Joonsuk Kim, executive vice president of the System LSI Connectivity Team at Samsung Electronics “With Bluetooth® Channel Sounding, we can improve the performance of ‘Find My’ applications by providing centimeter-level accuracy that helps our customers find important items. Additionally, Bluetooth® Channel Sounding increases the security of digital key solutions “Providing additional protection for keyless entry system users. These are just a few examples of the transformative potential of Bluetooth® Channel Sounding, with many more applications waiting to be realized.”
Bluetooth® Channel Sounding is part of the new Bluetooth Core Specification Version 6.0. For more information about Bluetooth® Channel Sounding and its applications, see www.bluetooth.com/de/.
Via the Bluetooth SIG Founded in 1998, the Bluetooth SIG is the non-profit trade association that oversees Bluetooth® technology. Supporting more than 38,000 member companies, the Bluetooth SIG facilitates member collaboration to create new and improved specifications that expand technology, advance global interoperability through a best-in-class product qualification program, and strengthen the brand. They do this by promoting awareness, understanding and acceptance of Bluetooth® technology. Further information can be found at: https://www.bluetooth.com/channelsounding/.
Via Bluetooth technology With 5 billion products shipped each year, Bluetooth® technology is the global standard for simple and secure wireless connections. Since its founding in 1998, the Bluetooth® community has continually expanded the capabilities of Bluetooth® technology, driven innovation, created new markets and redefined communications around the world. Today, Bluetooth® is the wireless technology of choice for developers in many solution areas, including audio streaming, data transfer, location services and large device networks.