On September 4th, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (Bluetooth SIG), which oversees Bluetooth technology, announced the launch of Bluetooth® Channel Sounding. This new secure and precise distance measurement feature is expected to enhance the convenience, security, and assurance of Bluetooth-connected devices. By providing real distance sensing capabilities to billions of devices, Bluetooth Channel Sounding will create more opportunities for developers and users.

Neville Meijers, CEO of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, stated, "Bluetooth technology has become an integral part of everyday life. The introduction of distance sensing capabilities in connected devices opens up many new possibilities. Adding real distance sensing to Bluetooth technology reflects the commitment of the Bluetooth SIG community to continuously strengthen the connections between people, their devices, and the surrounding world."

This new feature will empower a variety of applications, including Bluetooth-based "Find My" and digital key solutions.

Bluetooth-based "Find My" key solutions.

In addition to Bluetooth tags attached to personal items like keys, wallets, backpacks, and luggage, more and more Bluetooth devices are now incorporating the "Find My" feature. With Bluetooth Channel Sounding technology, developers will soon be able to add real distance sensing capabilities to "Find My" devices. This will enhance the accuracy and user experience of "Find My" solutions, significantly improving the convenience and speed of locating lost items.

Bluetooth-based digital key solutions.

Bluetooth digital key solutions are being used for keyless entry and more secure locking mechanisms across a range of applications, including cars, doors, safes, and bicycles. Developers can enhance the security and user experience of digital key solutions with Bluetooth Channel Sounding, ensuring that door locks only open when an authorized device is within a certain distance.

Mr. Feng Yunsheng, Secretary-General of the Intelligent Connected Car Open Alliance (ICCOA), stated: “We look forward to incorporating Bluetooth channel detection in the upcoming Bluetooth digital key specification. This new feature will help ICCOA continue to deliver higher performance, convenience, and safety for global drivers and passengers.”

Mr. Ren Feng, Deputy Secretary-General of the Intelligent Connected Car Ecosystem Alliance (ICCE), stated: “ICCE is committed to achieving seamless intelligent in-car services by developing industry standards and promoting cross-industry collaboration. We are currently exploring the inclusion of Bluetooth channel detection as a ranging method in the ICCE car key standard and look forward to the results.”

In addition to "finding" and digital key solutions, Bluetooth channel detection will benefit other applications, profoundly changing the way people interact with the connected world.

Andrew Zignani, Senior Research Director at ABI Research, said: “Bluetooth channel detection will be applicable in consumer, enterprise, and industrial environments. For example, Bluetooth mice, keyboards, and game controllers will automatically switch between active and inactive states based on their distance from a laptop; in industrial settings, Bluetooth human-machine interface (HMI) solutions with distance sensing features can only be used within a safe range, thereby improving personnel safety; Bluetooth device networks for applications like networked lighting control can self-configure more easily with this technology, enhancing system performance. It is predicted that the number of Bluetooth-enabled devices will exceed 5 billion in 2024, presenting significant market opportunities.”

Bluetooth channel sensing

Bluetooth channel sensing offers three main advantages for developers, enabling them to easily and securely add precise ranging capabilities to interconnected devices.

Accuracy: Bluetooth channel sensing utilizes Phase-based Ranging (PBR) technology to achieve high-precision ranging between Bluetooth-connected devices, ensuring centimeter-level accuracy over considerable distances. This meets the needs of most applications and allows even simpler devices to fully utilize real distance sensing.

Security: As the number of interconnected devices grows, maintaining connection integrity becomes increasingly important. Bluetooth channel sensing employs multi-layered security measures, including auxiliary ranging methods and Round-Trip Time (RTT) distance constraints, adding layers of protection against complex Man-In-The-Middle (MITM) relay attacks.

Universality: Many mainstream consumer electronics, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops, already use Bluetooth technology. With Bluetooth channel sensing, developers can add real distance sensing capabilities to Bluetooth-connected devices without designing new wireless technology solutions.

Joonsuk Kim, Executive Vice President of Samsung Electronics’ LSI Division, stated, "Bluetooth channel sensing will bring real distance sensing capabilities to a multitude of Bluetooth devices, creating new possibilities for distance-sensing applications across various industries. By enhancing ‘find’ applications with centimeter-level accuracy, Bluetooth channel sensing helps customers locate items more easily. Additionally, it enhances the security of digital key solutions, providing an extra layer of protection for users of keyless entry solutions. And this is just a fraction of Bluetooth channel sensing’s transformative potential; more possibilities await us in the future."