STTR Phase I: A Roll-Call System for Asset Tracking

小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目旨在改善库存控制。有了一个新的点名（TM）系统，项目将宣布自己每隔几秒钟的读者网络。 目标是随时了解所有项目的位置。除其他外，副作用是确定一个项目是失踪时，它停止宣布自己;绝对防止损失的屏蔽或销毁标签。挑战包括可靠地“听到”数千个同时宣布自己并相互干扰的单个项目，检测欺诈性公告，以及跟踪地理区域内的项目移动。该项目将解决这些挑战，并证明一个可以设计成满足市场驱动的功能和成本限制的点名系统的可行性。沃尔玛和国防部正在推广的RFID标准与可以而且应该使用无线电技术解决的重要需求不兼容。具体地说，新兴标准规定的900 MHz、可写、充满存储器的标签将不适合经济中任何不断增长的小型贵重物品，并为持续库存提供足够的无线电范围。 将立即受益于第一代技术的市场部门包括手持电子产品、珠宝行业、航运服务、制药行业、艺术品和古董以及书店和图书馆。具体来说，任何需要定位和跟踪高价值对象的情况都将受益。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project seeks to improve inventory control. With a new Roll-Call(TM) system, items will announce themselves every few seconds to a network of readers. The goal is to know where all items are at all times. Among other things, a side effect is the determination that an item is missing when it stops announcing itself; absolute proof against loss by shielding or destroying a tag. Challenges include reliably "hearing" individual items among thousands announcing themselves simultaneously and interfering with one another, detecting fraudulent announcements, and tracking item movement within a geographic area. This project will address these challenges and demonstrate the feasibility a Roll-Call system that can be engineered to meet market-driven functionality and cost constraints. The RFID standards being promoted by WalMart and DOD are not compatible with important needs that can and should be addressed using radio technology. Specifically, 900 MHz, writeable, memory-laden tags specified by emerging standards will not fit on any of the growing class of small, valuable items in the economy and provide adequate radio range for continuous inventory. Market sectors that will immediately benefit from first-generation technology include hand-held electronics, the jewelry industry, shipping services, the pharmaceutical industry, art and antiques, and book stores and libraries. Specifically, any situation in which high-value objects need to be located and tracked often will benefit.