Modelling received signal strength from on-vehicle BLE beacons using skewed distributions: A preliminary study

This paper describes a study on modelling the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) measured by the smartphone of a vehicle user. The present transmissions are emitted by dedicated radio frequency sources, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons, mounted to the vehicle to determine the driver/passenger(s) proximity or relative position(s). Based on empirical data, a model of the measurements noise, which utilises skewed distributions, is proposed to capture inconsistencies in reception and the impact of occlusions on the RSSI profile in an automotive setting, for example occlusions in car parks. Experimental data is used to demonstrate the suitability of the introduced model.