Indoor Location Tracking
With a centralised indoor location tracking system it is easy to track workers and resources in large buildings.
Download
There are a lot of uses for indoor location tracking. Quickly finding lone workers in distress, efficiently manage resources remotely or monitoring flow of goods in a warehouse are just some of the applications.
Zonith Real-Time Location System
Zonith RTLS uses both Bluetooth and GPS to track employees, resources and/or visitors in an office complex or at industrial sites. The solution can be used to secure lone workers, entrance and exit controls or monitoring of restricted areas.
Together with Zonith Alarm Control System (ACS), the system can also be used to trigger alarms, send messages or trigger events based on location information. The integration also enables the last known location to be attached to outgoing emergency messages.
The system works by placing Bluetooth receivers at strategic locations on the premises. When Bluetooth enabled devices pass the receivers register their presence at forward the information to the RTLS interface. The GPS or Bluetooth data is presented either in plain text, on a map or building layout.
The receivers can be placed very close to each other to provide precise precision or simply at a few key entrances to provide a general location.
Today there are a lot of devices available with Bluetooth (and GPS) built-in and since RTLS is a centralized solution, even devices without intelligence can be used. Like the Zonith Bluetooth-enabled ID tag.
Download
About indoor location tracking
Positioning indoors
To determine positions inside, out of reach of GPS signals, a number of technics are available where precision, range and/or ready available devices determine the best fit for current application.
Bluetooth
In recent years Bluetooth positioning has become increasingly popular thanks to the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol enabling a range of new applications. In general, there are two types of Bluetooth based positioning solutions, server-based and client-based.
A server-based system uses receivers to detect Bluetooth-enabled devices in its vicinity. The receivers then forwards the information to a computer over the LAN, as long as the device in within reach. Since the system distinguishes between the devices by its own, basically all Bluetooth-enabled devices can be used. Even devices without any native intelligence, like ID card holders with integrated Bluetooth.
By adjusting the number, placement and settings of the receivers the required precision can be provided, varying from entered buildings to a specific point in a room. The technic is highly reliable and is particularly suitable for tracking lone workers, managing resources remotely or to track unauthorized movement.
The client-based method instead uses a network of Bluetooth beacons that continuously transmit a signal that is registered by the user device. The information can then be forwarded to a computer using the device ordinary data connection (3G, LTE, Wi-Fi, two-way radio).
These battery-powered beacons are cheap and easy to place since they do not require any external connection. Instead, all tracked devices are equipped with a dedicated app to navigate and transfer location to the computer. In a client-based system, there is also a risk that the data load gets too heavy on the connection, depending on the amount of location data that is being sent.
The solution is suitable for providing museum visitors with information about nearby exhibits or for navigating large venues, in their own smartphones.
RFID
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) works like barcodes where the lines have been exchanged with a weak magnetic field. A passive RFID-tag (barcode) lacks internal power supply, making them small enough to fit into a regular price tag. Instead, the RFID readers provide enough current through induction to enable the tag to transmit a weak signal. When a tag passes a reader the event is logged an sent to a computer.
Passiv RFID erbjuder till skillnad från övriga metoder inte realtidsövervakning eftersom eUnlike the other methods, passive RFID does not provide real-time location tracking since only changes are registered. The readers are also relatively expensive and limited range making it challenging to provide high precision. RFID tags can also be active, meaning they have an internal power supply. This method is similar to server-based Bluetooth system, besides that RFID requires dedicated tags.
Applications vary from tracking in- and outgoing packages in warehouses, tagging animals or anti-theft protection in stores.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi positioning solutions (WPS) use the device Media Access Control (MAC) address and Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) to calculate approximate distances to access points. WPS typically has range but the precision is rarely high and varies with the number of access points. The systems are also typically server based, requiring a dedicated app.
A WPS can be used for roughly the same things as a client-based Bluetooth system but is especially suitable if an extensive WLAN already exists and the devices you wish to track are WLAN enabled.
Other methods
You can actually install GPS repeaters to provide equivalent functionality indoors but even in the best case, you only see your horizontal location. That works fine in a tunnel but does not help much in a skyscraper.
Recently concepts for that use visible light for positioning have been demonstrated. These so called VLC, Visual Light Communication, systems use LED lights and other lighting to determine positions. However, these are not yet market mature, so we will have to get back to them later.
Have any questions about Indoor Location Tracking?
Customer References
Port of Karlshamn
When the Port of Karlshamn was searching for a modern, functional and reliable two-way radio system that could expand with their organisation Mototrbo checked all boxes.
Smurfit Kappa Kraftliner
Efficiency and security was key when Smurfit Kappa Piteå were searching for a new communication system. The solution was found surprisingly close.
Jämtkraft
When Jämtkraft had trouble with outdoor coverage RAKEL was the obvious solution. But to solve the coverage indoors, completely different tactics where necessary.