Bluetooth Ethernet Access Point Technology Emerges

By Susan Hospod
iApplianceWeb
(12/12/01, 12:14:29 PM EDT)

Oki Semiconductor and Ubicom announced a strategic partnership to develop advanced Bluetooth solutions for their OEM mobility application customers. For their first combined solution, Oki and Ubicom have announced a reference design for a Bluetooth-enabled Ethernet access point, allowing multiple mobile users to wirelessly access an Ethernet LAN. Developers of Ethernet access systems can now deliver feature-rich, low-cost wireless products that are comparable to wired solutions.

The Ethernet access point reference design features Oki's production-ready module combined with Ubicom's ipBlue, ipStack, ipEthernet, and ipOS Bluetooth software modules and IP2022 Internet Processor. As featured in the demonstration, the access point allows Bluetooth-enabled mobile devices such as laptop computers, PDAs, and mobile phones, as well as high-speed wireless networks comprised of emerging home appliance and digital entertainment devices, to automatically connect to a wired network. The access point senses the device when in range and immediately performs the synchronization and connection actions to create a piconet, linking up to 7 active mobile users to an Ethernet LAN.

Features of the Bluetooth Ethernet access point reference design include:

• Support of Bluetooth 1.1
  
• Instant Internet Access for mobile devices
  
• Oki Bluetooth Module
  
• Ubicom IP2022 Internet Processor
  
• Ubicom ipBlue stack with SDP, L2CAP, RFCOMM, LAP Profile and HCI

The two companies will also demonstrate a Bluetooth wireless Ethernet access point at the Bluetooth Developers Conference (booth 918), enabling laptop computers to automatically wirelessly detect and connect to a high speed wired Ethernet LAN.

The Bluetooth Ethernet Access Point evaluation kit is available today through Ubicom and is priced at $495.00.

Links:
Ubicon
Oki Semiconductor