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Real-Time Location System

 

Secure Wireless

Human Network

Why would an organization need, want, or inquire about an RTLS Solution? Because location tracking is a critical component of enterprise-class WLANs today. Location tracking provides visibility and control of the air space, enabling IT staff to deploy wireless networks that are as efficient, effective, and easy to deploy as traditional wire line networks. In a highly mobile business environment where people and assets are constantly on the move, insight into the exact location of resources and/or personnel are playing an increasing role in streamlining operations, raising customer satisfaction, enforcing security, and even saving lives. There is an urgent need to track Wi-Fi enabled devices and tags in real time, improve asset visibility, and enhance WLAN capacity management all via an existing WLAN. Real Time Location System provides smart business applications that take advantage of an already deployed wireless solution.

RADIO FREQUENCY ID (RFID) vs. RTLS

What is RFID?

RFID systems, with their relatively limited read ranges (typically 2 meters or less), can detect the passage of assets past stationary points in a fixed process. For example, RFID readers might be installed as part of a manufacturing process, with all tags passing a particular point being read. For less structured processes, a business must rely on people to place assets within range of a reader or handheld readers within range of a tag. In either case, an RFID system does not necessarily report an asset's current location; rather, it reports the location where the asset was last seen. For this reason, RFID's tracking capabilities are typically deployed in conjunction with highly structured business processes. Unfortunately, the limitations of RFID make it unsuitable to track many of the world's personnel and assets. Consider some common examples:

  • Pallets or containers are stored in the wrong location in a large warehouse or yard and cannot be found when needed. A shipment of perishable goods is ruined, or a just-in-time operation is halted until the item is found.
  • Expensive tools or parts cannot be found when needed, slowing production. More are purchased to make them easier to find, and asset utilization drops as capital expenditures rise.
  • Critical work-in-process cannot be found among hundreds of similar-looking items.
  • High-security facilities have no knowledge of personnel movements after individual’s clear security checkpoints.
  • Businesses have thousands of high-value mobile assets. Pilferage and inefficiency are considered unavoidable facts of life.

What is RTLS?

A real-time location system (RTLS) allows physical objects, typically high value, tangible objects or pertinent staff or patients, to be tracked and located immediately and accurately. RTLS runs over a WLAN network, so no need to purchase additional hardware, to determine an active RTLS tag location with incredible accuracy (6 to 10 feet). RTLS is akin to a global positioning system (GPS), which provides X/Y geo-location coordinates for locations such as campus or in-building environments. System components include readers (Wireless Access Points), system management and location-determining software (Backend Software that runs on standard servers, and active RTLS tags. RTLS tags are read automatically and continuously, independent of the process that moves the tags (active). With RTLS, no intervention or controlled process is needed to determine asset location. Tags come in many sizes and form factors and/or as client software that can be loaded on a Wi-Fi enabled device turning it into an active RTLS tag.

When evaluating the cost of implementing and training staff members to operate an RTLS solution over several years, the ease of use, reliability and system maintenance becomes crucial. The system needs to continually adapt to the needs of the entity using it. It must be able to accommodate new applications, scale to handle a growing coverage area, including additional locations and more tagged objects. As a general rule, software-based systems provide better cost of ownership over the long run compared to proprietary hardware. Other ownership considerations include the ability of the system to accommodate a long-term Wi-Fi strategy where users may upgrade their system or switch vendors over time. The RTLS system must comply with this requirement to protect the RTLS investment for years to come. And for all these reasons that is why LTI DataComm has teamed with Ekahau. Ekahau's RTLS solution is based from scientific research and market feedback of over 10 past years and are setting industry standards for accurate, real-time location tracking.
has become as the benchmark of RTLS.

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