Design and Performance Evaluation of a BLE-Based IoT Authentication System

TL;DR

This paper presents a BLE-based IoT authentication system with real-time PIN verification, temperature sensing, and performance evaluation demonstrating strong close-range signals and low latency.

Contribution

It introduces a secure, integrated BLE IoT authentication system with real-time sensing and performance analysis under various scenarios.

Findings

RSSI values decay logarithmically with distance

System exhibits low latency for quick authentication

Strong signal strength at close range enables reliable communication

Abstract

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is widely used in modern IoT systems because it consumes very little power, saves energy, and allows for simple device connectivity; however, maintaining security and communication reliability remains a challenge. In this paper, an authentication system is designed using industry-grade BLE-enabled nodes (nRF5340 development kit) that include a peripheral node with a keypad for entering a PIN and a central node with an LCD display. The entered PIN is sent wirelessly from the peripheral node to the central node via BLE technology, where it is verified in real time and displayed as correct or incorrect. Next, only after successful authentication can the peripheral node send data to the central node. In addition to authentication, the peripheral node can measure temperature in real time using the temperature sensor interfaced to it and send it wirelessly to the central node, where it can be displayed on the LCD interface. Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) values are collected during experiments under various scenarios to evaluate the system's performance. We see that the signal strength (measured in terms of RSSI values) is strong at close range but weak as distance increases, indicating a decaying logarithmic pattern. The system also has low latency, which allows for quick input and output, and it uses PIN-based authentication to ensure security and prevent misuse. The entire system seamlessly integrates communication, sensing, and security, making it suitable for smart access control and wireless monitoring systems, including home automation.