A Beacon-Based BLE Mesh-Routing Algorithm for Smart Homes

The ubiquity of wireless technologies in the Internet of Things (IoT) concept enforces utilization of power-optimized wireless techniques. Furthermore, a specially tailored mesh-routing algorithm is required in order to achieve battery longevity and node accessibility. In the paper, we propose an improved BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) mesh-routing algorithm for an IoT Smart Home application. The proposed algorithm is based on a time-slotted medium-access scheme, which enables communication nodes to sleep and/or exchange information. In order to achieve compatibility with any BLE-enabled device, such as mobile phones/tablets, routing and data information is transmitted via Eddystone beacons. Performance analysis of the proposed BLE mesh-routing algorithm is carried out using an OMNeT++ discrete simulation environment and Mixim framework. Validation of the proposed algorithm is completed on the basis of measurements from a real-life test network. The results show that the proposed algorithm is suitable for the IoT applications where the energy efficiency of the communication nodes is a key priority and propagation delays are not critical.