Throughput-Optimized Adaptive Transmission Power Control for BLE in Dynamic Environments

Ziyao Zhou, Hen-Wei Huang

Abstract: In dynamic environments, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) data throughput often exhibits significant fluctuations. To counteract this instability, transmission power (TXP) is commonly configured at its maximum level—an approach that, while improving data throughput, substantially increases energy consumption. This study introduces a closed-loop TXP control strategy that utilizes a Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller, deployed at a central device to dynamically regulate the TXP of peripheral devices. The proposed method aims to optimize energy consumption while ensuring the required data throughput. The relationship between Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) and throughput was thoroughly analyzed under varying environmental conditions, demonstrating that environmental factors critically influence throughput stability. Subsequently, comprehensive assessments of power consumption, throughput, and the central device’s RSSI were performed by varying the TXP setting. In distance-varying scenarios (0–50 meters), the PID-controlled system maintained a throughput of around 400 kbps while reducing peripheral power consumption by 4.4 times compared to fixed 8 dBm TXP operation. Furthermore, compared to a fixed -10 dBm TXP configuration, the PID controller sustained throughput above application requirements with the same power consumption level, achieving an optimal balance between energy efficiency and communication reliability.