Wi-Fi Finds Itself in the Real Time Location Systems Market

SUMMARY

Abstract

Over the last few years, Wi-Fi has suddenly "found itself" being utilized in the Real Time Location Systems (RTLS) market. RTLS refers to the location tracking of assets in real-time, generally across a relatively enclosed area, such as an enterprise, campus, port, or warehouse environment.

So far, healthcare is the vertical that is adopting Wi-Fi RTLS at the highest pace. Wi-Fi RTLS vendors have been hitting this vertical hard, as rapid ROI from Wi-Fi location tracking is relatively easy to prove in the majority of hospital settings.

Currently, the Wi-Fi RTLS space is relatively a niche market, with a few specialized vendors offering varying levels of Wi-Fi within their RTLS solutions. On the one hand, there are companies such as PanGo Networks and Ekahau, which build their RTLS system entirely on standard Wi-Fi infrastructure. On the other hand, there are more complex RTLS systems from AeroScout and WhereNet, which incorporate Wi-Fi into their systems, but don't utilize a pure Wi-Fi RTLS network. G2 MicroSystems is an up and coming chipset player that promises to light up this market segment.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Executive Summary
• Methodology
• Overview
• RTLS Overview
  • RFID
    • Passive vs. Active RFID
  • Wi-Fi in RTLS
    • Disadvantages to Using Wi-Fi in RTLS
    • Advantages to Using Wi-Fi in RTLS
• RFID Standards and Technologies
  • Wi-Fi
  • ISO 24730
  • EPC
  • 125kHz Sign Post Technology
• Wi-Fi in RTLS Architecture
  • Cisco's Vision of RFID
    • Cisco's Overall RFID Story
    • Cisco's Focus on Healthcare
  • Aruba Networks
  • G2 MicroSystems
• Wi-Fi RTLS System Architectures
  • Vendor Architectures General Comparison
    • RSSI vs. TDOA
    • Wi-Fi vs. ISO 24730 Tags
  • Specific Vendor Architectures
    • Aeroscout
    • Ekahau
    • PanGo Networks
    • WhereNet
• Wi-Fi RTLS Market Drivers
  • Wi-Fi in Asset Location Tracking
  • Vertical Applications for Wi-Fi RTLS
• Market Forecasts
  • Scenario 1: No Wi-Fi RTLS--Access Point Forecast Without Factoring Wi-Fi
  • RTLS as a Driver
  • Scenario 2: Conservative Wi-Fi RTLS Forecast
  • Scenario 3: Aggressive Wi-Fi RTLS Forecast
• Wi-Fi RTLS Vendor Matrix
• List of Tables
  • Table 1. Current Core IEEE 802.11 Standards
  • Table 2. Wi-Fi-Based RTLS Vendor Layers
  • Table 3. Comparison of Vendors' Wi-Fi RTLS Architectures
  • Table 4. Sample Announced Vendor RTLS Implementations
  • Table 5. Vertical Applications for Wi-Fi RTLS
  • Table 6. Worldwide Enterprise Access Point Forecast--for Data and Voice Networks
  • Table 7. Conservative Forecast: Wi-Fi RTLS Tag Forecast
  • Table 8. Worldwide Wi-Fi Business Access Point Forecast--with Conservative Wi-Fi RTLS Growth
  • Table 9. Aggressive Forecast: Wi-Fi RTLS Tag Forecast
  • Table 10. Wi-Fi Business Access Point Forecast--with Aggressive Wi-Fi RTLS Growth
  • Table 11. Company Background--Wi-Fi RTLS System and IC Vendors
• List of Figures
  • Figure 1. PanGo's Middleware Platform Architecture
  • Figure 2. Cisco's Overall Vision for RFID within the Network Ecosystem: Cisco's "Intelligent
  • Foundation for RFID"
  • Figure 3. Aeroscout's Visibility System Overview
  • Figure 4. Ekahau's Real Time Location Systems (RTLS) Overview
  • Figure 5. Trapeze Networks' Vision of the Implementation of Location Tracking.
  • Figure 6. Diagram of Design Process Using Ekahau Planner
  • Figure 7. PanGo Networks' Wi-Fi RTLS Overview
  • Figure 8. WhereNet Architecture Diagram
  • Figure 9. Conservative Wi-Fi RTLS Forecast: Wi-Fi Tag and Access Point Growth
  • Figure 10. Aggressive Wi-Fi RTLS Forecast: Wi-Fi Tag and AP Growth