Key Benefits

Location of standard Wi-Fi clients. netlink rfid^TM locates standard Wi-Fi clients such as laptops, PDAs, barcode scanners and other wireless devices without the need for any hardware or software modifications. This eliminates a major management challenge and enables simple implementation in public environments.

Location of equipment that is not Wi-Fi enabled. Locates small, battery-powered netlink rfid^TM Tags that can be used to track people and a variety of assets and equipment.

Accurate, reliable TDOA location. The netlink rfid^TM Engines uses time difference of arrival (TDOA) algorithms to determine location of devices, rather than signal strength information. This improves accuracy, reliability and avoids the use of client-side software drivers and eliminates the need for radio map calibration processes. The result is good positioning data with a low total cost of ownership.

Indoor and outdoor operation. netlink rfid^TM system is suitable for use in both indoor and outdoor environments, from corporate offices to harsh industrial areas.

Open platform for 3rd party applications. The netlink rfid^TM set of tools for designing, testing and implementing enterprise-class location-based applications gives developers the freedom to easily implement their own solutions.

No dedicated backbone network. All communications between netlink rfid^TM system components use standard Ethernet connections.

System Components

netlink rfid^TM Tags
netlink rfid^TM Tags include the T1 Tag and T2 Tag models, which enable the wireless network infrastructure to locate people and assets otherwise not connected to a wireless network. These battery-powered, rugged, programmable tags send very short 802.11b messages at a predefined interval.

The Tags' main features include a long battery life (up to 5 years), flexible mounting options, compact enclosure, a wireless or serial programming interface and clear channel assessment that avoids sending messages when Wi-Fi data traffic is present.

netlink rfid^TM Location Receivers
The Location Receivers provide robust location measurement capabilities. netlink rfid^TM's patent pending algorithms are embedded in the Location Receiver, which measures the time of arrival of standard 802.11b messages to the nanosecond. Each Location Receiver can process over 300 location measurements per second, enough to satisfy even the most demanding applications.

Approximately the size of a small access point, Location Receivers include an external antenna connector and a Power-over-Ethernet adaptor. Location Receivers be connected to a wireless bridge to avoid the need for a wired Ethernet connection. They are available in rugged NEMA-enclosed outdoor versions.

netlink rfid^TM Engine
A core software component that manages the collection and processing of location data, including the use of sophisticated algorithms to combat indoor multi-path. The Positioning Server processes the TDOA data received from the Location Receivers to produce accurate and reliable location data suitable for mission-critical applications.

The netlink rfid^TM Engine includes the following main components:
- netlink rfid^TM Positioning Server - core component in charge of the TDOA Location and Presence calculations and measurements.

- netlink rfid^TM System Manager - an installation, configuration and maintenance tool for easy system setup, importing and map configuration; also handles location-system maintenance and upgrades.

- netlink rfid^TM Positioning API - an open XML interface that application developers can use to create a wide variety of wireless location-based applications.

- netlink rfid^TM Analysis and Design tools - a set of sophisticated tools for system design, planning and analysis. These enable smooth and efficient pre-installation and installation activities and include utilities such as system accuracy analysis, synchronization analysis and system coverage reports.

netlink rfid^TM

netlink rfid^TM provided a flexible platform for increasing visibility throughout the enterprise by enabling easy application integration for real-time display and management of mobile assets. Our solution utilizes the positioning data received from the netlink rfid^TM Engine. It includes a customizable and easy to manage database of location data, asset names and categories and named zones. This allows location-enabled applications to be developed for use in many environments such as hospitals, manufacturing plants or distribution facilities. Our Solution is supplied with a free Web-based end-user application to enable search and display of mobile assets.

For more information on the netlink rfid^TM System, including ordering information, please download the data sheet.