CSR unveils Bluetooth auto-detect software

The company's BlueCore Input Connection Enhancement (BlueICE) also allows them to be used during boot-up before the operating system has loaded.

This feature means that wireless peripherals can now be bundled standard with PC shipments, expanding the total available market for wireless keyboards and mice to approximately 340 million units.

BlueICE is a software suite developed specifically to work with BlueCore4-EXT in wireless keyboards, mice and the host interface (either built into a PC or housed in a dongle).

Using BlueICE for all three components of the desktop PC system allows advanced features of the software, such as Auto-Connect. BlueICE enables the Bluetooth modules to find the devices automatically.

Users can also delete any existing pairing information, discover new devices, or activate the auto connect function by pushing a button on the host module and peripheral devices.

Upon start-up BlueICE switches the host module to HID (human interface device) proxy mode, allowing the BlueCore host module to present itself on the USB bus as a USB composite device containing a keyboard and mouse. In this mode, the BlueICE firmware implements the HID profile internally allowing the keyboard and mouse to work without the Bluetooth software stack being accessible.

Once the operating system has fully loaded, HCI (Host Controller Interface) mode is enabled and the BlueCore host module presents the HCI interface on the USB bus. The host module can also be switched automatically to operate in regular Bluetooth mode enabling Bluetooth connections to other Bluetooth enabled devices

"Simplicity of connection and the difficulty in using them to change BIOS settings were previously major barriers to the bundling of wireless peripherals with new PCs," said David McCall, VP of the PC strategic business unit at CSR.

"Consumers would need to keep a wired keyboard in reserve if they needed to boot from a CD or change the BIOS since the wireless devices needed to wait for the OS to load the Bluetooth software stack before they could connect. BlueICE circumvents this issue, meaning that a BlueICE keyboard and mouse are as simple and straightforward to use as one with a wire."

Now wireless peripheral OEMs will be able to compete with the current range of premium wireless devices which also offer pre-boot-up connectivity via a dongle.

More information is available at www.csr.com.