RFID-based Asset Tracking Solution for Warehouses

Smart system to automate inventory tracking

TCP/IP

C++

Solution Custom asset tracking solution

Industry Media and Entertainment

Engagement Model Fixed price

Methodology Waterfall

Team

Hardware Engineer
Firmware Engineer

Project Manager

The Softeq team delivered the solution based on an embedded TCP/IP stack that provides warehouse management staff with information on the presence or absence of target lighting equipment items in store.

Our team went on to extend the tags’ durability to ten years and stabilized radio frequency performance in warehouses with metal storage shelves and wire screens.

Business Name Christie Lites
Location USA
Business Activity Stage lighting business

Problem

Christie Lites is a North American business that rents lighting equipment to media companies, theatres, and individuals organizing corporate and social events. As an owner of multiple warehouses where lighting equipment is stored, Christie Lites needed a smart system to automate inventory tracking.

Solution

Softeq delivered a custom asset tracking solution based on the embedded TCP/IP stack:

We equipped each item in a warehouse with customized active RFID tags, which communicate with beacons installed across the warehouse perimeter
Once in an hour, the tags send data packets containing unique identifiers through a radio bearer to the local network of beacons
The beacons transmit the information on the equipment status to the client’s server via an Ethernet connection

This way, Christie Lites employees get up-to-date information on equipment availability.

The interaction between different parts of the asset tracking system is based on the following protocols:

Wireless connection protocol, which sends data from tags to beacons via radio bearers
Beacon internal protocol, which transmits data from the beacon radio module to the beacon network module via UART
Ethernet protocol, which sends data from the beacon network module to the client’s server

Challenge

Our team went on to extend the tags’ durability to up to ten years and stabilized radio frequency performance in warehouses with metal storage shelves and wire screens.

Results

The team completed the hardware design and development phase and delivered a fully functioning prototype within the designated timeline. Once the solution has been tested onsite, it will be scheduled for mass production.