I. The architecture for the ALE asset tracking solutions
The architecture for the ALE asset tracking solution starts with OmniAccess Stellar Gateways, specifically the AP1201BG. It uses BLE to receive the signals from the asset tags and provides the information to the Wi-Fi infrastructure via its Wi-Fi interface or UTP cable.
Stellar APs with built in BLE, can provide the same function as a gateway, but gateways will be needed regardless to augment the capture of BLE asset tag signals across wide areas such as hospital floors.
Next, we add autocalibration beacons (these happen to be the same beacons we use for our LBS solution) which are designed to provide a fixed position and signal strength reference for the gateways. This helps provide better accuracy for the moving asset tags, and no need of additional autocalibration of the system by operators.
We then add the asset tags. Some examples can be badge tags for clinicians and staff or tags for assets such as medical and non-medical equipment (e.g. beds, wheelchairs, etc.). Tags with programable butons or with temperature sensor, can add inportant use cases to healthcare environments.
Each tag will send its signal to any AP1201BG BLE gateway or compatible Stellar APs, that are listening, and via the gateway’s Wi-Fi interface or wired, will send the information to the Wi-Fi infrastructure or via wired, which then sends it to the Stellar Asset Tracking Cloud where the location engine calculates every seconds the position of every asset tag and positions it on a floorplan map for that location.
The location information is shared across the web management aplication (OV Cirrus Asset Manager cloud management for the Asset tracking solution) and over a smart phone app.
II. How is designed the architecture?
The Architecture is designed from scratch based on the latest cloud technology to provide real-time location services along with an unprecedented scale, and high availability as compared to other solutions in market, that requires windows systems and oracle/Mysql databases.
An overlay asset tracking solution that doesn’t impact the existing data network and doesn’t require the customer to re-plane the existing Wi-Fi network. Competitor which provide Wi-Fi based asset tracking, can only work if Wi-Fi density is increased 3 times.
The system is designed to reach theoretically infinite number of APs/Gateways and tags supported. This is just a matter to add more resources in the cloud.
Where:
- OmniVista Cirrus Asset Manager – Asset management, search, statistics and analytics
- OmniAccess Stellar Asset Tracking mobile app – For smartphones and tablets
- OmniAccess Stellar BLE Gateway AP1201BG and OmniAccess Stellar BLE-enabled APs
- Autocalibration beacons – Improve tag location accuracy
- Mobile BLE tags (square or card) – Track asset movement
A part of the Analitic and Historical information of assets and peoples, or the open APIs to solution integrations with thirt part management tools, the important point continues to be the Asset search features supported.
Locate patients, clinicians and assets on a floorplan:
Tracking objects and people in real-time, makes patient care more efficient and can help improve processes and workflows in hospitals, clinics and assisted living facilities
Visualization of assets, which assets are available, find them on a floor plan map, know which equipment is nearest to a user or patients:
- With Equipment and role specific icons, it makes it easier to locate the person or asset need it, by icon graphic and color. Custom fields can be used to set up personalized parameters directly through the app.
In a third article about asset tracking, we would present the asset tracking app by Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise.