RTLS and RFID
RTLS needs two things to work: Technology (hardware and software) and assets that can be tracked. Assets can be everything, for example, vehicles, tools, merchandise or spare parts. As assets in a production line are material objects, they need a digital twin: a representation in the digital workflow. Tags attached to assets will convert them to digital objects and duplicate them - as physical objects in the production line and as immaterial objects in the process control software.
Many technologies can be used to create RTLS, for example, infrared, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID, Ultra Wideband, GPS, Cellular and many more. In this whitepaper, we focus on RFID for the following reasons:
- RFID is an established and proven technology
- RFID is very reliable
- RFID can be used outdoors and indoors
- RFID works in most environments
RTLS RFID HARDWARE
We mentioned that RFID works as a tag and reader setup from a hardware perspective.
- Tags' primary purpose is the identification of material objects. Active tags, unlike passive or semi-passive tags, contain an onboard radio (transmitter or transceiver) and are typically powered by an internal battery.
- Location sensors are an essential part of RTLS. They create the locating "frame" or coordinates for positioning.
- The reader is the core of the operation in that it transmits and receives radio waves to communicate with an active RFID tag.
RTLS RFID Software
In general, an active RFID tag will send out signals and, if in range, detect location sensors. Then, the tag calculates the distance to each location sensor based on the readings. Once the position data is defined, the information is broadcasted to the fixed or mobile readers. A built-in motion sensor, user request, or timed intervals can trigger the positioning event.
RTLS RFID Integration
As your business software environment knows dozens of applications for planning, managing and monitoring assets, processes and people, integrating RTLS is another additional challenge. Thanks to the middleware and business application layer of RTLS, that's easier than it may sound. It doesn't matter if you integrate RTLS RFID or another technology into your existing software stack. The middleware handles converting signals and data and transferring them to your other applications. In the case of RTLS, it is about integrating real-time visibility seamlessly into business practices.
Effective RTLS integration can result in many significant benefits, such as streamlining inefficient procedures, eliminating redundant data, adding new business value, increasing scalability, and unifying device management.
Download and learn
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What are the main ingredients of RTLS
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Why is RFID an important part of RTLS hardware
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What kind of software do I need for a RTLS to work
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How to include everything in one integration
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What are the key benefits of your RTLS integration