User's Manual

User Manual
3000 SERIES 3
rd
GENERATION ACTIVE RFID
3 Product Overview
The 3000-Series products provide a 3
rd
Generation Active RFID system based on Ambient wireless
multi-hop mesh network technology.
An Ambient network consists of GateWays (GW), MicroRouters (MR), and SmartPoints (SP). GWs
and MRs are normally powered by mains. They have a rechargeable back-up power supply that
takes over in case of a temporary power blackout. Battery warnings of such an event are given
immediately. SPs are fully battery-operated and – using typical settings – last for more than 5 years
(SP3000). Battery warnings are given well in advance of the eventual depletion of the battery. Upon
battery depletion SmartPoints can be returned to Ambient Systems for refurbishing or replaced with
new SmartPoints.
A GW connects to a peripheral device using a RS232 serial cable. Ambient Studio is a software
application that is used to monitor and configure the network using various Graphical User Interface
(GUI) components.
WARNING: Any modifications to the units, unless expressly approved by the party responsible for
compliance, could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
E l e m e n t D e s c r i p t i o n
GateWay:
GW3000
The heart of the Ambient Network is the GW. It controls the network
configuration and provides an interface to the network for the outside world by
means of a RS232 serial communication port.
There needs to be at least 1 GW per network which is the Master Gateway; a
network cannot operate without one. Auxiliary Gateways
1
can be used to
increase redundancy and network bandwidth.
MicroRouter:
MR3000
MRs build up the rest of the network infrastructure. A MR can join a network
when in range. As a part of the network it is able to receive and send data to
other nodes. If the MR has no direct connection to the GW its messages are
relayed by intermediate MRs.
Depending on the type of GW, up to 255 MRs can join a single network.
SmartPoint:
SP3000
SPs are battery-operated Active RFID tags. SPs have one or more sensors
attached which allows it to monitor environmental parameters. The SP3000, for
example, has an on-board EN12830 compliant temperature sensor.
Using various configuration mechanisms, the behaviour of the SP can be
modified Over-the-Air (OTA). The beacon messages of the GWs and MRs
provide information which the SP uses to obtain a position estimate; as a result
a SP knows its own location.
1 Auxiliary Gateways are not yet commercially available
8/73 Ambient Systems B.V.