Relay-Assisted Finite Blocklength Covert Communications for Internet of Things

This work investigates the problem of finite blocklength covert communications with relay assistance in Internet of Things (IoT) to extend the communications range. We reconstruct the framework for analyzing covert communications under decoded and forwarded protocols based on Willie’s optimal detection method. The analytic expression of Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence is derived, the upper bound of KL divergence is solved by using the convexity of KL divergence, and the strict covertness constraint of the system is obtained. Meanwhile, to maximize the effective throughput, a covert communication parameter configuration scheme is proposed. Theoretical analysis and simulation results indicate that the compromised relationship of transmit power between Alice and relay nodes, and a reasonable power allocation scheme can enhance the effective throughput of the system.