Core Layer Requirements of Bluetooth Designs
Bluetooth® technology is implemented through a combination of software and hardware. This is often referred to as the Bluetooth Host (software) and Controller (hardware).
The two most prevalent implementations of the Bluetooth specification are Bluetooth Basic Rate/Enhanced Data Rate (BR/EDR), adopted as version 2.0/2.1, and Bluetooth Low Energy (LE), adopted as version 4.0. Each implementation has different use cases, and each uses a different chipset to meet hardware requirements. Dual-mode chipsets are also available for devices to support both implementations.
Each implementation has a core configuration that represents the minimum required layers for both the Host (software) and Controller (hardware) portions which together are considered a complete Bluetooth implementation. Below you will find a diagram of each implementation of Bluetooth technology and the commonly required core layers for Controller Subsystems, Host Subsystems, and End Product product types.
*Note: While these are the most commonly required layers for Bluetooth enabled product types, some implementations do not require all layers to be present in a design. Please refer to the Core Configurations section of the Core Specification document (Volume 0, Part B, Section 4) for more information.
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KB0010693