Actility has introduced a new comprehensive geo-location and tracking solution platform offering breakthrough network-based location capability enabled by using LoRaWAN network gateways and infrastructure. The ThingPark Location Service will be available to all IoT solution providers and enterprise developers through a single API in ThingPark X, the company’s data mediation and enrichment platform.
The platform does not rely on dedicated tracking sensors. The signal from any LoRaWAN enabled device in a selected area is received by any Interface Module for LoRaWAN mounted around the area. By precisely measuring the time it takes for that signal to reach each of the modules, the network is able to compute the distance to the device from each gateway and then “triangulate” its position. Since this solution does not require the connected device to be fitted with GPS, and the location calculation is done in the cloud, network-based geo-location carries no power penalty, and the lifetime of the device in the field is unaffected. Using this technology, trackers capable of up to ten years in the field without maintenance are possible.
Tracker applications often need to alternate between high-frequency tracking (geo-fencing) where power efficiency is key, and on-demand location where accuracy is key. Actility’s Geo-location platform provides revolutionary performance for both use cases. For theft prevention, for example, it is important to be sure that an asset is within a specific depot or site area within accuracy of 50 to 100m, and Actility TDoA geo-location capabilities provide this service without significantly affecting the device battery life. When on-demand location is required, the geo-location platform leverages Wi-Fi SSID based, GPS based or Bluetooth based geo-location which may be further required for any future usage. The LoRaWAN bidirectional nature allows the platform to use the optimal tracker mode at all times, optimizing the battery life. When GPS is used, Actility also integrates a new patented Assisted GPS (AGPS) technology optimized for LoRaWAN networks, which offers much longer battery life than other GPS trackers using mobile cellular modems.
The complete location service will be available through a single ThingPark X API, which when coupled with the bidirectional capability of the LoRaWAN link, will allow developers to manage geo-location according to the needs of their application. Acility displayed its network based location solution at Mobile World Congress 2017.
