WhereNet Introduces Multimode Active RFID RTLS Tag

June 4, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

Supporting both International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 24730 and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (Wi Fi)-based real-time locating system (RTLS) applications, the WhereTag IV works with WhereNet's integrated wireless architecture for real-time location, messaging, telemetry and workforce communication applications.

Customers can use the WhereTag IV ISO 24730 mode for high-precision applications in indoor or outdoor environments and the IEEE 802.11 mode for applications requiring lower precision in more stable, "radio frequency (RF) friendly" environments, said WhereNet.

Enterprises such as automotive and aerospace manufacturers, marine terminal and rail operators and distribution facilities use ISO 24730 RTLS applications to address the following business requirements and environmental constraints:

• Dynamic RF, high-multipath, harsh industrial environment.
• Need for location accuracy of 5 to 10 feet.
• Need to track a large number of assets.
• Operate in a long locate range: 300+ feet indoors and 3,000+ feet outdoors.
• Requirement for extended battery life.

WhereTag IV can also operate in 802.11 mode to support applications in environments characterized by any of the following factors:

• Stable RF environment (indoor carpeted areas).
• Lower precision locate (within 30-50 feet).
• Low-cost presence detection in stable environments.
• Dense 802.11 infrastructure.

When used in multimode, WhereTag IV's capabilities are designed to allow assets to roam through multiple location technologies providing constant asset visibility with varying degrees of location accuracy matched to application requirements, said WhereNet.

The WhereTag IV multimode asset tag leverages WhereNet's integrated RTLS architecture, which combines the company's time difference of arrival (TDOA) technology to locate asset tags in ISO 24730 mode and the Cisco Wireless Location Appliance, which locates tags in IEEE 802.11 mode, said WhereNet.

Through an open application programming interface (API) and in accordance with the Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX) tag program, the WhereTag IV transmitter is compatible with the Cisco 2700 Series Wireless Location Appliance.

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By adding the Cisco Unified Wireless Network with the Cisco Wireless Location Appliance and the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) to its RTLS architecture, WhereNet offers a solution as its Visibility Software Server (VSS) gathers data from the multimode WhereTag IV and filters the appropriate information as required by the specific application software, according to WhereNet.

Source: WhereNet Corp.