Bluetooth Profiles
The profile found in Bluetooth will describe howthe technology is used.
Profiles can be bestdescribed as vertical slices through the protocolstack.
It will define options in each protocolthat are mandatory for the profile.
The profile will also define the parameter rangesfor each protocol.
The concept of the profile isused to decrease the risk of interoperability problems between the different products.
Theseprofiles won’t normally define any additions tothe Bluetooth specification, which is why you canadd new profiles where you need them.
The Bluetooth underlying technology is the same, onlythe specific method that it’s used is defined.
Generally speaking, all profiles of Bluetooth arebased on the GAP (Generic Access Profile).
Thereare 9 profiles that fall in the GAP category, andthey are below: 1.
AVRCP - Audio/Video Remote ControlProfile 2.
ESDP - Extended Service Discovery Profile 3.
CIP - Common ISDN Access Profile 4.
PAN - Public Area Network Profile 5.
HCRP - Hardcopy Cable ReplacementProfile 6.
GAVDP - Generic Audio/Visual DistributionProfile 7.
A2DP - Advanced Audio Distribution Profile 8.
VDP - Video Distribution Profile 9.
HID - Human Interface Device ProfileTo put it another way, usage models will describeBluetooth device applications and the associated profiles that are used.
The usage model focusesmainly on three categories - voice/data access points,peripheral interconnects, and PAN (Personal AreaNetworking).
The voice and data access points involve connectingcomputing devices to communicating devices through a wireless link.
This way, data can be transferredin a wireless manor, without the need of cables orother types of connectivity.
PAN is another very important usage model with strong appeal to business customers.
Bluetoothnetworks are easy to set up in virtually any typeof environment.
An example would be meetingothers at a trade show.
Instead of having contact information beamed viainfrared, business cards can quickly and easily betransferred via Bluetooth wireless.
The fact isthat many documents can be exchanged this verysame way - making the uses and possibilities virtually endless.
The Bluetooth profile is very important to thespecification, as it enables you to do so muchmore.
You can use peripherals and devices withthe profiles, and virtually anything else that youdecide.
As Bluetooth expands and gets bigger and better,you can count on the profiles to expand and geteven more functions.
If you have experience withBluetooth profiles, you should know exactly whatthey are and what you can do with them.
If not,all you need is a Bluetooth device - and a vividimagination.
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