Innovative Use of Everyday Technology

The key to ViewPoint’s affordability and precision is its innovative use of everyday radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Conventional systems place a network of costly RFID readers in buildings to track tagged personnel and assets. ViewPoint works in reverse; a network of low-cost RFID tags on building walls are read by mobile RFID readers.

How ViewPoint works
ViewPoint employs RFID tags on building walls at predetermined intervals. Personnel and critical assets are equipped with lightweight, wearable RFID readers, called interrogator relay units (IRUs). IRUs can also be incorporated into cell phones or PDAs. Each time a person or asset passes a tag, the IRU receives location and/or building data and immediately transmits it to a centralized database, such as an incident command center computer. The computer records and displays the real-time location information of all IRU-equipped personnel and assets. Authorized users can also gain access to ViewPoint information via the Internet.

Unique benefits of ViewPoint
ViewPoint’s groundbreaking technology affords many advantages over competing indoor location tracking systems. ViewPoint is:

Self reliant. Unlike other systems, ViewPoint’s operation and power needs are self-reliant. An integral wireless network is independent of electrical or communications infrastructure.

Affordable. Because ViewPoint employs inexpensive tags in buildings rather than costly readers, the cost per square foot is affordable and decreases as building size increases. The ViewPoint system utilizes low-cost, readily available COTS technologies.

Precise. ViewPoint’s location precision can be as granular as needed. Each application can dictate the number and placement of RFID tags.

Real time. Immediate updates of location information provide real-time situational awareness.

Seamless with GPS. With the addition of the ViewPoint i2g module, ViewPoint integrates indoor location data with outdoor GPS data sources to seamlessly track personnel and assets indoors and out.

Versatile. ViewPoint displays personnel and asset location data in both tabular logs and horizontal and bird’s eye views of floor plans. An extensive set of historical reports enables the user to extract information from past activity.

Secure. ViewPoint can trigger an alarm and associated response if a person or asset enters or leaves a building or area.

Easy to use. ViewPoint is intuitive and easy to use. ViewPoint tags are simple to install during or after building construction. The majority of tags are passive (batteryless), requiring virtually no maintenance.

Complete. ViewPoint is a complete solution that includes tags, IRUs, software, and an independent wireless network.