Bluetooth Application Development (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)
1/6/2010
Bluetooth is a wireless communication technology that allows devices, within a 10-meter proximity, to communicate with each other. The discovery process enables devices to query other devices about the services they offer. If a device offers more than one service, the user can select the service they want to use from that particular device. This technology enables devices to communicate without physical cables. Wireless headsets, modems, and printers are prime examples of devices using Bluetooth technology.
Note
The range varies depending on the signal strength of the device.
Bluetooth has adopted a common data and object specification that enables devices to communicate over a wireless connection in a standard way. This allows applications to use typical interfaces when exchanging data, business cards, and calendar entries.
The Bluetooth stack implementation is modular. It is a general-purpose software stack, and is linked by default, or modularized to meet specific usage scenarios and OEM needs. In Windows Embedded CE, the primary way an application can use Bluetooth is through the Winsock interface, which exposes RFCOMM protocol.
For Windows Embedded CE, the Winsock Interface Sample demonstrates the use of this interface.
Virtual COM ports are also exposed, but this interface is designed to be enabled under existing OS services such as UNIMODEM or terminal emulators. By using various protocols and profiles, Bluetooth can be implemented to perform the following tasks:
- Connect to a modem through a cellular phone.
- Connect to a local area network (LAN) access point.
- Enable object exchange and synchronization using the Object Exchange Protocol (OBEX).
For more information about Bluetooth technology, see this Official Bluetooth Wireless Info Web site.
In This Section
- Winsock Extensions
Provides information on how to use Bluetooth by using Winsock interfaces.
- Creating a Connection to a Remote Device Using a Virtual COM Port
Describes the procedure to connect to a remote Bluetooth device by creating a virtual COM port.
- Creating a Connection to a Remote Device Using Winsock
Describes the procedure to connect to a remote Bluetooth device by using standard Winsock functions.
- Discovering Bluetooth Devices Using Winsock
Describes the procedure to scan for remote Bluetooth devices by using standard Winsock functions.
- Querying Service Capability on Remote Bluetooth Devices
Describes the procedure to retrieve the supported services of a remote Bluetooth device by using standard Winsock functions.
- Registering a Bluetooth Service
Describes the procedure to register a new Bluetooth service by using standard Winsock functions.
- Parsing an SDP Record Using COM Interfaces
Describes the procedure to parse an SDP record by using COM interfaces.
- Searching SDP Attributes Using COM Interfaces
Describes the procedure to search an SDP record and retrieve service attributes, such as the RFCOMM channel identifier, by using COM interfaces
- Bluetooth Stack Status
Provides information about checking the initialization status of the Bluetooth stack by using named events.
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