Shipboard Wireless Management, Repair, and Tracking System (SWiM-RTS)

"This proposal presents a new method for tracking large numbers of assets with RFID tags using wireless-LAN technology. An innovative approach to dispersing RFID readers and wireless LAN nodes is presented, as is an approach to a fully-wireless LANinfrastructure. The end user of the proposed system accesses information relating to an RFID tag from a handheld computer. While this handheld computer is not directly connected to an RFID reader, the wireless-LAN infrastructure enables the handheldcomputer to gather information from nearby readers and in turn fetch associated asset information. An innovative method for providing visual feedback from queried assets is also presented. SWiM-RTS is intended to provide a complete asset tracking andmaintenance-information system for shipboard environments. The concept is easily adaptable to any asset-tracking environment, especially those that can benefit from wireless LAN technology. The technology that allows a user with no RFID reader to gatherinformation on assets within close proximity to the user is expected to be marketed through the proposing firm's commercial-software distribution channels. Design and implementation of similar systems is expected to be marketed as a consulting service."