CASSIA HUBTM WHITEPAPER
Existing Bluetooth Limitations
Despite all of the positive characteristics of Bluetooth (including its low cost, low power consumption, and wide
distribution), there are three big limitations that exist today that are preventing Bluetooth from being used for
many important IoT applications:
1. Short range -- approximately 10 meters with no interior wall penetration
2. One to one pairing and connectivity -- no concept of routing currently exists and the Bluetooth link is hard
to debug when it’s not stable
3. No remote control -- of home or office Bluetooth devices while the user is not present
After 2 years of intense research & development, lots of testing, and 7 patent filings later, Cassia Networks created
the Cassia Hub to solve these Bluetooth problems and with it, the first long range Bluetooth router was born.
Cassia Hub – Bluetooth Router
With the creation of the Cassia Hub, the standard Bluetooth transmission range increased from around 10 meters
to approximately 300 meters line of sight outdoors and indoors from no interior wall penetration to up to three
walls. Device pairing improved from a typical one-to-one connection to up to 6-classic devices and 22-BLE devices
(22 devices total). And a lack of remote control and non-existent Bluetooth routing, was replaced with the Cassia
Hub’s Wi-Fi like capabilities thanks to Cassia Network’s patent pending technology.
To be clear, the Cassia Hub is not Bluetooth Class 1 nor does it employ a Mesh network to increase range. Cassia
Network’s technology extends the transmission range without requiring Bluetooth classic or BLE end devices to
make any changes. Everything is accomplished on the Cassia Hub (Bluetooth router) side of things. To enable this
functionality, Cassia Networks made the following technological advancements:
1. Smart antenna designed specifically for Bluetooth
2. Receive sensitivity was dramatically increased through hardware and software advancements
3. Noise cancelling technology and the related algorithms were invented
4. Transparent relay technology was also invented to extend the range of BLE devices where their device
Bluetooth profile is proprietary and to allow users to use the same App provided by the device maker
Cassia Hub – Key Features & Spec.’s
In addition to the extended range and multi-device support previously referenced, the Cassia Hub is empowered
with a number of key features and technical specifications:
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Mobile app control of Cassia Hub – iOS 7.0+ and Android 4.3+ compatible
Audio streaming from Cassia Hub – popular streaming services integrated and local audio library support
Connects and controls existing Bluetooth classic devices (e.g. Bluetooth speakers and headsets) and other
Cassia enabled BLE devices (e.g. Bluetooth Multi-color LEDs, Smartplugs, and Personal Safety Sensor)
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Connects and extends the range of all Bluetooth devices and enables native app support with Cassia
Network’s Transparent Relay technology
Cassia branded accessories available on Cassia Networks website – speaker, smartplug, multi-color LED,
personal safety sensor and more coming…
Cassia Hub software is field upgradable
Wireless signals supported – Bluetooth 4.0 (dual mode: BLE and Bluetooth Classic), Wi-Fi 802.11n
(2.4GHz)
Device Interface – Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Ethernet (10/100), USB (2.0)
Power – 12VADC adapter
Cassia Hub – Communication ECO System
Endusers can easily engage with the Cassia Hub, by first downloading the Cassia app from either iTunes or Google
Play. Please see Figure 1.0 below for a detailed view of the communication path and network connectivity
between devices.
Figure 1.0
2.4GHz Wi-Fi Access Point
Internet
Wi-Fi
3G/4G
Wi-Fi
Ethernet
Cassia Cloud Server
Bluetooth
Up to 22-Devices
Cassia App
(iOS & Android)
Cassia Hub
Applications for Cassia Hub
Cassia Networks is initially focused on bringing solutions to the Connected Home. The Cassia Hub enables users to
stream music to multiple Bluetooth speakers in different rooms and to control smart plugs, multi-color LED’s,
personal safety sensors and more throughout the Home. As you can imagine, Cassia Networks receives a lot
inquiries from potential partners interested in applications we never thought of or are not immediately
considering. To support these different use cases where device profiles are proprietary, Cassia Networks will be
rd
releasing an SDK in Q1 of 2016 to enable 3 party development and compatibility with the Cassia Hub. Please see
Figure 2.0 which highlights some of the key application opportunities.
Figure 2.0
Smart Home
Consumer Electronics
Business & Industrial
Health & Safety
Sports & Fitness
Education & Training
What can the Cassia Hub do for these Vertical Markets?
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Smart Home – users can control and extend the range of existing Bluetooth Home Automation, Home
Entertainment, and Home Safety devices both at home and away
Consumer Electronics – users can control up to 22-Bluetooth enabled products at a time from a single iOS
or Android phone using the Cassia App
Business & Industrial – companies can perform extended range asset and employee tracking
Health & Safety – health organizations, caregivers, and family members can now monitor the bio metrics
& personal safety of one or more people within a care facility or at home wearing a BLE sensor
Sports & Fitness – coaches & broadcast media can perform activity & performance metric tracking for
multiple athletes in small to large sports complexes in real-time
Education & Training – instructors can perform activity & performance metric tracking of multiple
students in real-time
Conclusion
Until now, Bluetooth devices have been limited by range and the number of devices that can be connected
together. With the invention of the Cassia Hub, Cassia Networks has removed these barriers and is making
Bluetooth the ideal communication protocol and default standard for the Internet of Things (IoT). The technology
breakthroughs embodied in the Cassia Hub will open the door for many exciting new applications for Bluetooth
and will help to bring to reality the company’s broader vision for improving the overall life experience of users
throughout the home. And unlike other companies focused on closed systems, Cassia Networks is looking to
create an ECO system based on its open standard where partners and customers can mutually benefit from Cassia
Networks core Cassia Hub technology. With the Cassia Hub, the future of seamless Bluetooth Connectivity is now
here.
© Cassia Networks, Inc. 2015