With the enormous potential for Bluetooth applications we start the book with an appraisal of the Specification of the Bluetooth System: Core. The part title Building On Solid Foundations, relates particularly to the components that make up the Bluetooth protocol stack, as this forms the foundation from which all profiles are conceived. In Chapter 1, we explore broadly the structure of the stack, providing emphasis on profile development and the specific components that are required to realise your application. We further explore the purpose of the profiles and consider what they ultimately achieve.

Numerous stack and development kit vendors offer bespoke and tailored packages to help overcome the initial hurdle faced when embarking upon the development of Bluetooth enabled products. We reflect upon how an Application Programming Interface (API) is realised from the various protocols, which underlie a large part of both the stack and the kits’ functionality. In our discussion of available stacks, we also consider the benefit of using third parties in helping create your Bluetooth application and ultimately advancing its route to market.