Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the best applications of IDS technology?
A: We can track and monitor any object -- one of the unique strengths of our system is its flexibility. We can readily customize both hardware and software to meet various application requirements. One of our systems tracks package deliveries. Another system automates the car rental process. We also have systems for industrial vehicle fleet management, container freight management (ship/rail/truck), and military asset management. The applications for our technology are virtually unlimited.
Q: How does the IDS system differ from other RFID technologies?
A: First, we make our Asset Communicators (ACs) "smarter" than conventional tags -- ACs add significant asset management functionality, and they don't need to be in constant communication with System Monitors (readers) to perform their mission-critical functions. Second, we have patented a unique architecture that gives our system unmatched accuracy and reliability. Third, our system decentralizes computing power so there is no need for a dedicated controlling computer to manage system data -- which significantly reduces the overall cost of our system compared to others.
Q: What "functionality" does the IDS system have that other systems don't?
A: We provide new management tools for understanding and controlling asset utilization. With these unique tools, customers can make informed business decisions on asset allocation and disposition in ways they never could before. This higher level of asset visibility and control can make an immediate and significant contribution to a company's bottom line profitability.
Q: What is the RF detection range of IDS system components?
A: Asset Communicators and System Monitors communicate with each other in a range of up to 1,000 feet (diameter). The "read zone" of a System Monitor is about 785,000 square feet. In contrast, the range of conventional RFID systems is severely limited -- typically from a few inches up to about 20 feet.
Q: Can the IDS system be used around airports and other areas with a lot of RF activity?
A: Yes. Our system incorporates years of technical refinements made specifically to overcome RF interference, electromagnetic interference, attenuation from metal objects, and other potential sources of signal disruption. In addition, the "intelligence" of our system makes it safe to operate around aircraft, which is an issue with some other RF-based systems.
Q: When the IDS system is used to manage industrial vehicles, can it ensure compliance with the new OSHA regulations implemented in October, 1998?
A: Yes. In fact, our system may be the easiest, most cost-effective way for a company to prove compliance with OSHA's new regulations on forklift operation and maintenance. First, our system prevents uncertified and/or unlicensed drivers from operating vehicles. Second, our system creates an automated, paperless record of all activities relevant to OSHA compliance.
Q: When the IDS system is used to track packages, what is its successful read rate?
A: We have regularly achieved 100% successful read rates -- even when many packages are traveling through a read zone at a high rate of speed, buried beneath other packages. Under the same conditions, other RFID systems inevitably miss a significant number of reads. |
