1. March 2009
Project: IEEE P Working Group for Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs)
Submission Title:
[Liaison Review to IEEE of: ISO JTC1/SC31/WG5 Real Time Locating System]
Date Submitted: [12 March 2009]
Source: [George Cavage]
Company [iControl Inc.]
Address []
Re : []
Abstract: [ISO JTC1 SC31 WG5 Real Time Locating System Liaison Report to IEEE ]
Purpose: [Provide an ISO JTC1 SC31 WG5 liaison status report to IEEE ]
Notice :This document has been prepared to assist the IEEE P It is offered as a basis for
discussion and is not binding on the contributing individual(s) or organization(s). The material in
this document is subject to change in form and content after further study. The contributor(s)
reserve(s) the right to add, amend or withdraw material contained herein.
Release:The contributor acknowledges and accepts that this contribution becomes the property of IEEE
and may be made publicly available by P
George Cavage, iControl Inc.

2. George Cavage iControl Inc. 12 March, 2009
Liaison Review to IEEE of: ISO JTC1/SC31/WG5 Real Time Locating System
George Cavage
iControl Inc.
12 March, 2009 2
George Cavage, iControl Inc. 2

3. ISO JTC 1/SC 31/WG 5 JTC1 – Information Technology
March 2009
JTC1 – Information Technology
SC31 - Automatic identification and data capture techniques
WG5 Real time locating systems
WG 5 scope of work:
To define an air interface protocol(s) and an API (Application Programming Interface) for interoperability of Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS) operating at levels consistent with international regulation, either freely available or under site license, in the area of asset identification and management
The standard(s) would initially consist of several areas of work, each in a separate standard: 
An Application Programming Interface (API), serving as a unifying platform for any of the air interfaces and the basis for additional technologies to provide different capabilities that may emerge in the future 
The API enables software applications to utilize an RTLS infrastructure to locate assets with RTLS transmitters attached to them
It defines a boundary across which application software uses facilities of programming languages to collect information contained in RTLS tag blinks received by the RTLS infrastructure
Various air interface protocols specifically suited for Real Time Locating Systems
The proposed RTLS work would align without duplicating, and co-exist with, the approved work of RFID for item management and other International Standards committees
George Cavage, iControl Inc.

4. RTLS Definition
March 2009
Real Time Locating Systems are wireless systems with the ability to locate the position of an item anywhere in a defined space (local/campus, wide area/regional, global) at a point in time that is, or is close to, real time. Position is derived by measurements of the physical properties of the radio link.
George Cavage, iControl Inc.

5. Part 1: Application Program Interface (API)
March 2009
Approved International Standard
Information technology - Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS) - Part 1: Application Program Interface (API)
This standard enables software applications to utilize an RTLS infrastructure to locate assets with RTLS transmitters attached to them
It defines a boundary across which application software uses facilities of programming languages to collect information contained in RTLS tag blinks received by the RTLS infrastructure.
The Application Program Interface (API) establishes a technical standard for Real Time Locating Systems
An API is a boundary across which application software uses facilities of programming languages to invoke services
These facilities may include procedures or operations, shared data objects and resolution of identifiers
To be fully compliant with this standard, Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS) must comply with this part of ISO/IEC and at least one air interface protocol defined in ISO/IEC
This API describes the RTLS service and its access methods, to enable client applications to interface with the RTLS system
This RTLS service is the minimum service that must be provided by a RTLS system to be API compatible with this standard
George Cavage, iControl Inc.

6. Part 2: 2,4 GHz Local Area Network Interface
March 2009
Approved International Standard
Information technology - Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS) - Part 2: Local Area Network interface
Part 2 establishes a technical standard for real-time locating systems that operate at an internationally available 2,4 GHz frequency band and that are intended to provide approximate location with frequent updates (for example, several times a minute)
Part 2 defines a networked location system that provides X-Y coordinates and data telemetry.
The system utilizes RTLS transmitters that autonomously generate a direct-sequence spread spectrum radio frequency beacon
These devices may be field programmable and support an optional exciter mode that allows modification of the rate of location update and location of the RTLS device.
Part 2 specifies the air interface protocol for a system that locates an asset in a controlled area, e.g. warehouse, campus, airport (area of interest is instrumented) to an accuracy to 3 meters
It defines these modes, but does not define the means by which they are accomplished
The method of location is through identification and location, generally through a type of multi-lateration:
Time of Flight Ranging Systems,
Amplitude Triangulation,
Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA),
Angle of Arrival
George Cavage, iControl Inc.

7. Part 5: 2,4 GHz Personal Area Network (PAN) Air Interface
March 2009
At FCD (Final Committee Draft) Ballot Stage:
Information technology - Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS) - Part 5:
2,4 GHz Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) Personal Area Network (PAN) air interface
Part 5 defines an air interface which utilizes Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) at frequencies from GHZ.
CSS is a technique for spreading the bandwidth of a digital signal by using chirp pulses
Chirp pulses are pulses with a monotonically increasing or decreasing instantaneous frequency
Originally chirp pulses were used for radar applications and are now used for communication applications
Part 5 of the standard includes ranging and bidirectional communication between tags and infrastructure
Bidirectional communication enables the infrastructure to control the behavior of tags in a timely manner
WG5 has accepted as the artifact a demonstration provided by Identec Solutions in support of ISO/IEC
George Cavage, iControl Inc.

8. Part 5: 2,4 GHz Personal Area Network (PAN) Air Interface
March 2009
a Air interface protocol:
Part 5 allows for autonomous infrastructure nodes in which ‘autonomous’ means that there is no requirement for these nodes to be synchronized with other infrastructure nodes
This condition is achieved by specifying bidirectional communication and two-way ranging
Part 5 specifically identifies IEEE a, a PHY amendment to , to take advantage of the communication technology this standard already includes
George Cavage, iControl Inc.

9. In Discussion within WG5
March 2009
Ultra Wide Band (UWB) as Part X
May potentially include the use of a
UWB for real time location
Short pulse
Low duty cycle
Two classes
Coherent
Identifies pulse position
Non coherent
George Cavage, iControl Inc.