System and method for multimode wi-fi based rtls

A node in communication with a dual-mode position-locating tag, the node comprising:

• a receiver module configured to communicate via a Wi-Fi signal to a fixed-location Wi-Fi base station within a Wi-Fi network, wherein the Wi-Fi signal comprises information usable to produce a first location measurement;
• a transceiver module configured to communicate within a non-Wi-Fi network, wherein the non-Wi-Fi network transmits synchronization signals;
• an exciter configured to transmit a signal related to position determination, wherein the signal is usable to produce a second location measurement;
• and
• a processor coupled to the receiver module and the transceiver module.

A dual-mode system controller, comprising:

• a receiver module configured to receive a signal from a dual-mode tag that is enabled for Wi-Fi communication to track a location of the dual-mode tag;
• a transceiver module configured to communicate with the dual-mode tag by use of a non-Wi-Fi communication signal from a non-Wi-Fi network, wherein the transceiver module is configurable to communicate operational parameters to the dual-mode tag, wherein the non-Wi-Fi communication signal comprises a synchronization signal to synchronize a time clock of the dual-mode tag to the non-Wi-Fi network;
• and
• a processor coupled to the receiver module and the transceiver module.

A method of operating a multimode Wi-Fi based real-time locating system, comprising the steps of:

• providing a dual-mode position-locating tag, the tag comprising:
• a transmitter module configured to communicate via a Wi-Fi signal to a fixed-location Wi-Fi base station with a Wi-Fi network, wherein the Wi-Fi signal comprises information usable to produce a first location measurement;
• a transceiver module configured to communicate with a non-Wi-Fi network;
• a processor coupled to the transmitter module and the transceiver module;
• and
• at least one location sensor coupled to the processor, the location sensor coupled to a secondary technology receiver, wherein the secondary technology receiver is configured to receive a signal that is usable to produce a second location measurement;
• establishing, upon initialization of the dual-mode position-locating tag, a Wi-Fi communication link from the dual-mode position-locating tag to an access point of the real-time locating system by use of the transmitter module;
• scanning the environment to detect a predetermined secondary-technology signal, the predetermined secondary-technology signal comprising one or more of an infrared signal, a ultrasound signal and a low-frequency RF signal;
• and
• synchronizing the dual-mode position-locating tag by use of synchronization signals received in the secondary-technology signal.

A dual mode position location system comprising:

• a first wireless network, configured to support data communication;
• a second wireless network, configured to support real time location system (RTLS) infrastructure synchronization;
• and
• at least one dual-mode tag configured to communicate with both a fixed-location base station of the first wireless network and the second wireless network, wherein the dual-mode tag further comprises at least one secondary technology location sensor, and wherein synchronization signals are received by the secondary technology location sensor.