Radio is often used as the physical basis for wireless communication systems to transmit data from one device or another. Bluetooth technology is a radio communication technique, and radio technology can be seen as unstable. This raises the question: Can Bluetooth technology be considered reliable?
Interference challenges
Interference is one of the greatest problems wireless technology has to face in providing reliable data communication, according to Martin Woolley (senior developer relations manager for EMEA, Bluetooth SIGH). Multiple devices can attempt to communicate simultaneously over the same transmission medium. Wireless solutions must share one channel. In-air collisions can occur between data packets, which can render a packet unreadable for the receiver device.
This is particularly true for unlicensed spectrum bands, where a communication technology must accommodate possible interference from other devices using that same technology as it does with other communications technologies operating in the same frequency band.
Bluetooth technology employs various techniques to avoid interference. These include adaptive frequency hopping, compact, efficient packets that transmit at a high data rate and small, efficient packets.
Avoiding interference by adaptive frequency hopping
High frequency radio environments with many devices transmitting data frequently pose a high risk of collisions. Spread spectrum techniques can increase the reliability of wireless technology. Bluetooth technology reduces the chance of interference and minimizes collisions by using a spread spectrum technique called Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH).
Bluetooth, like all frequency-hopping spread spectrum technologies (FHSS), divides the radio channel it operates in into smaller radio channels. 40 for Bluetooth Low Energy. Bluetooth technology hops among transmission channels to reduce the chance of collisions with other in range transmissions. The benefit of splitting the ISM spectrum into 40 channels is also an increase in communication capacity.
The power and potential of packets
Small and fast packets have been shown to be more efficient in avoiding collisions. Bluetooth mesh packets, for example, are half the size of other low-power mesh networking technologies and transmit at four times the data rate.
Small, fast packets allow for more efficient spectrum use and lower collisions. Bluetooth mesh networks perform well because of their small packet sizes and high symbol rates.
Simply put, because the smaller Bluetooth packets are less susceptible to interference, mesh networking from its mesh network is the first low-power mesh networking technology that can meet the reliability and scalability requirements of modern smart buildings.
Reliable wireless communication
No matter if a system uses radio or wire-based communication, it is difficult to achieve complete reliability. There are many reasons a system could fail, not just those related to data communication.
Bluetooth-based technology is reliable, however. Bluetooth uses smaller, faster packets to transmit data and techniques like AFH to achieve highly reliable communication even in the most difficult circumstances. This helps product designers overcome the problems of interference.
