SBIR Phase I: Development of 802.11 Asset Tag

项目概述：这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将导致802.11资产标签的开发和测试，这是资产管理和跟踪的一个新概念。创新是创建一个无线资产跟踪标签，将在任何无线网络中通信，特别是将在802.11无线局域网工作。通过将标签粘贴到具有WLAN的任何设施中的货盘/集装箱/物体上，可以实现对PC和其他办公设备、仓库库存货盘和集装箱、战略资产和制造材料等资产的跟踪。这个概念克服了设计与传统WLAN接入点兼容的小型电池供电的远程无线标签所固有的功率和成本障碍。该研究将展示如何克服电源管理挑战以及定位技术。它将使用MEMS加速度计来管理电源，并提供一种基于运动和信号强度检测的新型定位方法。实验板资产标签系统将使用传统的802.11芯片组，运动传感器和电源管理模块。将在典型的办公室、制造和仓库环境中建立和测试跟踪功能的软件。将确定定位精度与标签特性、校准工作量和现场地图细节。将对安装成本与位置精度进行估计。更广泛的影响：该项目的结果将是重要的，因为它们应该产生一种方法，与目前用于跟踪仓库托盘，医院/办公室/学校设备和制造过程中的材料的现有RF跟踪系统相比，该方法将产生一个数量级的成本和复杂性降低。通过消除当前RF资产跟踪系统的复杂性和成本，并创建一种标签和服务器软件技术，该技术将在任何WLAN中的物体上贴上几分钟内工作，所提出的技术将资产跟踪/安全性从一些高度专业化的应用程序转移到办公室，医院，仓库等负担得起的WLAN设备。它将表明，运动传感技术可以提高资产管理、跟踪和定位的效力，为监测物体和人员的位置开辟新的途径。

Project Summary:This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will result in the development and testing of an 802.11 asset tag, which is a new concept in asset management and tracking. The innovation is to create a wireless asset tracking tag that will communicate in any wireless network and in particular will work in 802.11 wireless LANs. Tracking assets such as PCs and other office equipment, warehoused inventory pallets and containers, strategic assets, and manufacturing materials can be accomplished by affixing the tag to the pallet/container/object in any facility that has a WLAN. This concept overcomes the power and cost barriers inherent in designing a small battery-powered long-range wireless tag compatible with conventional WLAN access points. The research will demonstrate overcoming the power management challenge as well as the positioning technique. It will use a MEMS accelerometer to both manage the power as well as provide a novel positioning approach based upon motion and signal strength detection. A breadboard asset tag system will be built using a conventional 802.11 chip set, a motion sensor, and a power management module. Software for the tracking function will be built and tested in a typical office, manufacturing and warehouse setting. Positional accuracy versus tag characteristics, calibration effort, and site map detail will be determined. An estimate of the installed cost versus positional accuracy will be made. The results are expected to define a new asset tracking technology.Broader Impact:The results of this project will be important, as they should yield an approach that will produce an order of magnitude reduction in cost and complexity over existing RF tracking systems currently used in tracking pallets in warehouses, equipment in hospitals/offices/schools and material in manufacturing processes. By eliminating the complexity and cost of current RF asset tracking systems and creating a tag and server software technology that will work within minutes of being affixed to an object in any WLAN, the proposed technology will move asset tracking/security from a few highly specialized applications to an affordable WLAN appliance in offices, hospitals, warehouses, etc. More broadly, it will demonstrate that motion-sensing technology can enhance the effectiveness of asset management, tracking and positioning opening new approaches for monitoring the location of objects and people.