Bluetooth Profiles (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)

1/6/2010

A Bluetooth profile is a specification that defines the minimum requirements that the Bluetooth device must support in a specific usage scenario. These requirements define the end-user services and the features and procedures that the Bluetooth device must support to enable interoperability with peer devices.

There are two types of profiles: conforming and interoperability. Conforming profiles define the core requirements for Bluetooth devices and are available by default. Interoperability profiles, which are based on the conforming profiles, define the minimum requirements for Bluetooth devices to support specific applications. Bluetooth profiles have implicit and explicit dependencies on each other.

Conforming Profiles

**The following table shows the profiles supported by Windows Embedded CE.

Profile	Description
Generic Access Profile (GAP)	Defines the generic requirements for detecting and establishing a connection to a Bluetooth device. All other profiles are based on GAP.
Generic Object Exchange Profile (GEOP)	Defines procedures for the support of the Object Exchange Protocol (OBEX) usage models.
Serial Port Profile (SPP)	Defines procedures required for configuring serial cable connections between peer Bluetooth devices using RFCOMM.

Interoperability Profiles

**The following table shows the profiles supported by Windows Embedded CE.

Profile	Description
File Transfer Profile (FTP)	Depends on GEOP. Defines procedures to support transferring data and manipulating objects on or with a peer Bluetooth device.
Hands-Free Profile (HFP)	Depends on SPP. Defines procedures for using a mobile device, such as a cellular phone, in conjunction with a hands-free device over a Bluetooth link, to allow the hands-free device to act as an audio input or output device for the mobile device.
Headset Profile (HSP)	Depends on SPP. Defines procedures to support interoperability between a headset and a mobile device, such as a cellular phone, that the headset controls through AT commands.
Human Interface Device (HID) Profile	Defines procedures to support human interface devices such as a keyboard. Note: A Bluetooth mouse is not supported in Bluetooth HID mode.
LAN Access Profile (LAP)	Depends on SPP. Defines procedures to support LAN Access using Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP). PPP over RFCOMM.
Object Push Profile (OPP)	Depends on GEOP. Defines procedures to support the pushing or pulling of small data objects, for example calling card exchange, between Bluetooth devices.
Personal Area Networking (PAN) Profile	Defines procedures to support standard IP based network services deployed over the Bluetooth transport layer. Typical usage scenarios include: Transferring data between two Bluetooth devices using a point-to-point link. Volatile membership in a group, for data sharing or gaming purposes, where users can add and remove their membership. One of the members of a piconet that provides a mobile gateway that enables other members to access the Internet or intranet.

For more information about Bluetooth profiles, see this Official Bluetooth Wireless Info Web site.

See Also

Concepts

Bluetooth Protocol Architecture

Other Resources

Bluetooth OS Design Development