Performing BluetoothTM RF Measurements Today

Agilent 2 Introduction Bluetooth TM wireless technology is an open specification for a wireless personal area network. It provides limited range RF connectivity for voice and data transmissions between information appliances. Bluetooth wireless technology eliminates the need for interconnecting cables and enables ad hoc networking among devices. Named after a tenth-century Danish King, Bluetooth invokes images of Viking conquests and plundering; notwithstanding this, the good King Harald Blatand is credited with uniting Denmark and Norway during his reign. Similarly today, Bluetooth unites technologies. Bluetooth wireless technology will allow seamless interconnectivity among devices. Computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) will share files and synchronize databases remotely; laptop PCs will access e-mail by linking to nearby cellular phones; and wireless headsets will permeate the cellular phone market to simplify hands-free operation. Applications for this technology are already underway in many R&D labs around the world. The technol-ogy's potential is limitless when one considers the growing sector of information appliances that would benefit from wireless connectivity. This application note describes transmitter and receiver measurements to test and verify today's Bluetooth RF designs. Since the Bluetooth wireless technology is in its early development stages, test methodologies will differ from those typically seen in mature technologies. Test procedures will range from manual intervention or custom software control, to easy-to-use, one-button measurements. A list of Agilent Technologies solutions for Bluetooth measurements is provided in Appendix A. This application note assumes a basic understanding of RF measurements. To learn more about basic RF measurements, refer to Appendix B, " Recommended Reading, " at the end of this application note.