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Triple technology asset management - ultimate control

Assets – valuable commodities in every company. However, managing these commodities in such a way as to profit from their full potential can be challenging. Time is wasted when assets have to be searched for. Money is lost when assets are not operated efficiently. In all, company productivity and profitability suffer when assets are not effectively managed.

Managing assets primarily involves and requires some or all of the following:

* Asset identification.

* Asset location.

* Asset utilisation levels.

* Asset protection.

Ideally, this information should be on hand instantly - in realtime

Recognising the importance of this, the EIRIS local positioning system integrates realtime asset tracking and asset management and displays the location, identification and utilisation of the equipment graphically on maps and tables.

EIRIS solutions provide WWWW information as follows:

* Who is wearing the tag/badge? (Identifies the person or equipment).

* When is the tag/badge holder in a certain location?

* Where was the tag/badge last detected?

* What, a unique feature of EIRIS, enables the LPS system to provide vital status information about tagged entities. This includes equipment information, such as plugged/unplugged, on/off, in use/at rest and motion/motionless status, as well as the equipment's utilisation level, remaining battery level, temperature and more.

EIRIS uses revolutionary IRFID triple technology, which combines IR (infrared), RF (UHF) and LF (magnetic) technologies. Using these different signals, Visonic Technologies has created a single unified unique technology that combines the advantages of each technology while overcoming the shortcomings of each system when used independently. This combination enables constant and exact realtime location, identification and status reporting, including accurate notification of unauthorised tags present in specific areas (such as exit points).

Diagram of optimal installation for complete asset management

IR readers are mounted in every room and networked to provide precise room location, as required. Fewer RF readers are required due to their capability to collect signals within a large radius and through walls, while LF readers are mounted only near controlled exits.

People and equipment are assigned individualised badges and tags, which incorporate Visonic Technologies' patented triple IRFID technology. IR and RF signals are transmitted periodically from tags to readers (RDRs), relaying the tags' identification and status. LF RDRs continuously transmit their identification in LF signals for a range of up to four metres. When a tag is in an LF coverage area it receives the LF signal and transmits both its identification information and the LF signal in IR and RF.

Small tamper-proof equipment badges are attached to mobile equipment and transmit coded IR/RF signals across the network, thereby identifying and locating the equipment at all times. Asset movements can be controlled and monitored by pre-programming zoned areas and restricting equipment movements to specified zones while alerting security when equipment is shifted out of authorised boundaries or about to be taken near an exit. Security may be notified through an alarm or an alert icon on a PC screen.

Management has the option to view these details in a log file format and print out a report stating a history of times, places and dates of movement. Management would choose the features it views as important and the system would be set up accordingly. For example: If room location is not necessary, some or all of the IR RDRs might be dropped.

EIRIS uses TCP/IP and LonTalk open standard protocols to provide the following additional benefits:

* The system may be comprised of numerous sites/buildings connected via TCP/IP, taking advantage of existing communication infrastructure, and does not require special proprietary cables and network components.

* Using LonTalk within each building enables a free topology plug-and-drop architecture. This enables end users to choose from a variety of components and vendors that comply with this standard, thus employing the infrastructure for multiple applications.

Since LonTalk standards promote a distributed intelligence approach, mission-critical features such as alarm notification, door opening and more are performed at network level, thereby improving system reliability and response time. This also establishes the full functionality of the system even when the server is interrupted.

The Windows-based EIRIS Server continuously communicates with the system components and processes badge messages, providing realtime location, identification, and status information for tagged people and equipment. Based on customised configuration, the server can identify pre-defined events and generate the necessary actions. The EIRIS Server may be configured to store all its history in a standard relational database according to end user requirements.

Effective management is a primary factor in successful businesses. To achieve this, realtime information is crucial when making decisions and conducting business. This realtime local positioning asset management system therefore forms an integral part of the business structure for efficiency, profitability and productivity.

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