Ekahau and their "Real Time Location System" (RTLS) allow you to determine the location of objects and persons within a wireless LAN. This works with special Wi-Fi transmitters known as "Wi-Fi tags" that are located on the device or person's body and which send specially coded Wi-Fi packets. APs located nearby receive these packets, enrich them with additional information (e.g. RSSI), encapsulate them in the "TaZmen Sniffer Protocol" (TZSP) and forward this information to the "Ekahau RTLS Controller" (ERC) installed on the network. The ERC analyzes this data to determine the position of the Wi-Fi tag.
The Wi-Fi tags support three modes for sending the Wi-Fi packets:
- Associated mode: In "associated mode" the Wi-Fi tag functions like a Wi-Fi client. It associates with a nearby AP and stays in constant contact with it. While this provides seamless positioning, this mode consumes more power and the battery life of the Wi-Fi tag is reduced. In "associated mode" the Wi-Fi tags use the Ekahau Location Protocol (ELP).
- Blink mode: In "blink mode", the Wi-Fi tag transmits short Wi-Fi packets but does not connect to an AP. In "blink mode" the Wi-Fi tags use the "Ekahau Blink Protocol" (EBP).
- Mixed mode: In "Mixed mode", the Wi-Fi tags use EBP to send the RSSI and ELP to send status messages to the ERC.
