Real Time Location System (RTLS)
A Real Time Location System (RTLS) is an application using RFID tags, interrogators and software to track the location of assets in real time. One common application is in hospitals, where RTLS has been deployed to track high value, highly mobile equipment such as infusion pumps and ventilators. RTLS is also finding application in mining, where is is used not only to track the location of equipment, but also the location of miners to improve emergency response. RTLS often employs active tags, and a number of systems can leverage an installed Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11x) backbone for the air interface.
Active Systems
AeroScout has posted a flash demo that does a good job of introducing these systems.
Passive Systems
An interesting alternative to systems based on active tags has been developed by International Paper (USA). This system places
passive tags in the cores of large (2,000 plus pounds) paper rolls and in the warehouse floor. Interrogator
antennas are mounted on the mast and undercarriage of clamp trucks (a type of forklift, left) used to move the rolls. The core tags identify the rolls to the interrogator. The floor tags provide X-Y coordinate information that is augmented by direction of travel and distance traveled (calculated from wheel revolutions) information from the truck itself. Sensors on the mast of the truck provide the Z coordinate when a roll is place on a stack. Software pulls all this data together to very precisely track the location of every paper roll and clamp truck. A similar system has subsequently been announced by Mondi Packaging (UK).
One should note that these system rely on the fact that the tracked asset cannot be moved without the use of a truck. They would not be useful for tracking the location of, say, miners or infusion pumps.
Applications
Yard Management
Synonym
Enterprise Asset Visibility System
External Links
RFID Journal (2007, July 31): RTLS Combines Infrared and RFID
A multi-hospital health-care provider is installing a real-time location system that uses hybrid RF-IR tags to pinpoint the exact room in which an asset is located.
AIM Global (2007, January 18): Putting RFID In Its Place
RFID Journal (2006, December 4): Mondi Uses RFID to Track Paper Rolls
RFID Watch Weekly (2006, September 27): Tobyhanna Army Depot expands use of WhereNet active RFID real-time locating system technology
RFID Switchboard / Lou's News and Views (2005, July 21): Wi-Fi ID
References
IP Unveils RFID-Enabled Warehouse (2003, August 14). RFID Journal. Retrieved December 5, 2006 from http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/view/535/1/1/
Violino, B. (2006, November/December). A guide to real-time locating systems. RFID Journal, 3(6) pp. 34-39.
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