Channel (broadcasting)

Bluetooth

Wireless

Operating system

Software deployment

Ranging

Multipath propagation

Bluetooth Low Energy

Interference (communication)

Computer science

Telecommunications

IEEE Internet of Things Journal

The rapid development of the Bluetooth technology offers a possible solution for indoor localization scenarios. Compared with other indoor localization technologies, such as vision, light detection and ranging, ultrawide band, etc., Bluetooth has been characterized by low cost, easy deployment, low energy consumption, and potentially high localization accuracy, which enable itself to be a competitive technology in indoor location-based services, the Internet of Things, and many other fields. In this article, we first present a comprehensive survey of Bluetooth localization technology, including the measurements for localization, working principles, and method comparison. We highlight the learning-based methods and integrated localization methods. Then, we review the applications and existing commercial solutions, revealing the possible directions for the industrialization of Bluetooth localization. Finally, this article proposes several open issues of Bluetooth localization (e.g., multichannel difference, multipath, co-channel interference, and device heterogeneity) and projects several future trends.

Bluetooth Localization Technology: Principles, Applications, and Future Trends