Management Information System - Bestbuy

WiFi RealTime Location Tracking Systems

Management Information System- BestBuy

Management Information System - Bestbuy

Wrireless networks has affected large and small companies alike . While Radia Frequency Identification (RFID ) tags based networks have gained popularity over the years , there are also other wireless networks available that are being tested in to provide same functionality and more . Wi-Fi and blue tooth are two of the examples of such networks This short discusses the use of Wifi

Wi-Fi Networks

WiFi generally comes under the umberalla of RFID . WiFi ID is actually an active

RFID system that uses the air communication standard 802 .11 There are also other active RFID systems that use standards other than 802 .11 and operate on different frequencies

One of the important aspect of this scenerio is to understand thje difference between the RFID tags and Wifi tags

RFID Tags vs . WiFi Tags

In to use passive RFID tags , you need to have reader after every few feets to read the tag . For active RFID tags a radio sensor needs to be deployed that uses different technologies to sense the tags in to determine the location of the tag . Antennas are also required . This means that you need to built an infrastructure to deploy both types of systems . Like Best Buy is doing

When you are using a WiFi based system that are aslo called Real Time Location Systems (RTLS , you only need to set up the WifFi network in the company and can use any underlying technology in to make it work . RFID tags can also be used here , but adavnatge is that you dont need to set up the RFID network infratsurcture that you needed to incorporate before

In RFID tags , for short range identfication , High frequency tag is used and for short range identification , active UHF tags are used that operate on 900 MHz or 433 MHz . Both these type , as discussed require a complete insfrastructure to be built . However , WiFi operates on 2 .4 GHz These 2 .4 GHz can be used in the network

For a company like BestBuy , choosing WiFi has an extra advantage that it will already have 802 .11 network infrastructures in place and this will save money for the company . The only things they need to buy are the WiFi tags

Applications

The WiFi network infrastructure can provide many application to the companies like BestBuy and some of them include location-based network access , intelligent information management and wireless asset tracking The WiFi tags can exactly point out the location of the tag . This can also mean that customer walking into the store can have the contents on his PDA according to the position where he is standing

Statistical reports can be generated n the basis of information of how much time a customer spends at a particular location and what consequences this can have using data mining techniques

Once the tagging has helped a customer locate items and a shopping list has been completed , the system...