Ultra Low Power Bluetooth (ULP) Demoed Uses Less Power

ULP Bluetooth is a complementary Bluetooth technology that can be used to transfer simple data sets between compact devices and can run for up to ten years on one button cell battery. ULP Bluetooth was previously known as Wibree.

ULP Bluetooth technology has very low overheads, which makes it much faster to connect devices; this means much less power is consumed. End products based on ULP Bluetooth will therefore have battery standby times measured in years, not just days or weeks. To connect devices in standard Bluetooth, the master device has to synchronize to a slave device by paging a specific device using up to 32 frequencies, it then issues FHS (frequency hopping spectrum) packets, then it polls the slave, before negotiating connections at both the Link Manager and L2CAP layers - all of this essential connection process takes place before actually sending data. Although this overhead is essential for standard Bluetooth carrying more complex data protocols, it does slow down the connection.

When ULP Bluetooth is used, in a wireless heart rate monitor for example, the monitor simply ‘advertises’ itself to the control/reader using just three frequencies (could be a mobile phone or watch) that then connects sends its very short burst of data and then switches off again. This allows ULP Bluetooth to achieve data transfer 50-times faster than standard Bluetooth; less time spent transferring data means the ULP radio spends less time active.

ULP Bluetooth is a complementary Bluetooth technology that can be used to transfer simple data sets between compact devices and is expected to be able to run for up to ten years on one button cell battery. Because of its low power requirements, ULP Bluetooth is set to significantly broaden the applications for Bluetooth. The technology was previously known as Wibree.

Robin Heydon, CSR’s Standards Architect, commented from Luxembourg, “CSR is the industry’s leading supplier of low power embedded wireless technologies. Today’s demonstration is the first ever public demonstration of ULP Bluetooth. CSR customers benefit from knowing they are working with the only supplier driving the development of Bluetooth, in all of its flavours.”

In 2007, CSR was the first company to sample ULP Bluetooth silicon with a number of its lead customers. CSR also announced in July 2007 that its dual-mode (Bluetooth + ULP Bluetooth) Bluetooth silicon would be available in 2008. Today’s announcement is proof that CSR not only remains on track and continues to lead ULP Bluetooth technology, but is also driving its development and its application in market sectors such as medical devices.

CSR’s Robin Heydon was also presenting at the Continua Health Alliance event on the future of ULP Bluetooth in medical applications, and talked for the first time about the Bluetooth Health Device Profile (HDP). CSR has designed HDP with the Bluetooth SIG to meet the specific needs of this market. Heydon works closely with the Bluetooth SIG and is currently the co-chair of the Ultra Low Power Working Group, the body responsible for driving the development of ULP Bluetooth technology and its applications.

About CSR

CSR is the leading global provider of personal wireless technology and its product portfolio covers Bluetooth, GPS, FM and Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11). CSR offers developed hardware/software solutions, based around its silicon platforms, that incorporate fully integrated radio, baseband and microcontroller elements.

CSR’s customers include industry leaders such as Apple, Dell, LG, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Panasonic, RIM, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TomTom and Toshiba.CSR has its headquarters and offices in Cambridge, UK, and offices in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, India, France, Denmark, Sweden and both Dallas and Detroit in the USA.