Systems and methods for locating rack-based assets

Abstract

A system includes a central server; a reader in communication with the central server; and a set of equipment racks. Each equipment rack of the set of equipment racks defines a face. The each equipment rack includes an observer device and at least two antenna arrays. At least one of the at least two antennas is in communication with the observer device. The system further including a set of tags attached to assets disposed within the set of equipment racks. Each tag of the set of tags is to transmit a beacon signal including a tag identifier of the each tag. The at least one antenna is to receive the beacon signal. The observer device is to communicate the tag identifier and the characteristics of the beacon signal to the reader and central server. The central server determines a rack location based on the characteristics of the beacon signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for determining a rack location of an asset, the method comprising:
 receiving at a set of rack-based antenna arrays a beacon signal from a tag, the beacon signal including a tag identifier, the set of rack-based antenna arrays disposed in a set of racks, each rack of the set of racks defining a face and having a plurality of equipment slots distributed along the face, the each rack including at least two antenna arrays of the set of rack-based antenna arrays disposed along edges of the rack and proximal to the face, at least one antenna array of the at least two antenna arrays in communication with an observer device;   communicating the tag identifier and signal characteristic associated with the received beacon signal to a reader from each observer device associated with an antenna array of the set of rack-based antenna arrays, the reader communicating the tag identifier and signal characteristic to a central server; and   determining a location of the tag based on the tag identifier and signal characteristic using the central server.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving an infrared beacon signal at the tag, the infrared beacon signal including an infrared identifier and communicating the infrared identifier to the set of rack-based antenna arrays from the tag. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a handheld beacon signal from a handheld device at the set of rack-based antenna arrays, the handheld beacon signal including a handheld identifier, and determining a handheld location of the handheld device based on the handheld identifier and the characteristics of the handheld beacon signal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising communicating the handheld location to the handheld device, the handheld device indicating the handheld location. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising instructing the tag through the reader to indicate the tag's presence. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the each observer device communicates with the reader at a frequency within a range of 100 MHz to 1 GHz. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the each observer device communicates with the reader at a frequency within a range of 2.0 GHz to 2.5 GHz. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the beacon signal has a frequency in a range of 2.0 GHz to 2.5 GHz. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the beacon signal has a power in a range of 0.01 W to 1.1 W. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the beacon signal is broadcast on three channels. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a central server;   a reader in communication with the central server;   a set of equipment racks, each equipment rack of the set of equipment racks defining a face and having a plurality of equipment slots distributed along the faces, the each equipment rack including an observer device and an antenna in communication with the observer device, the antenna extending along an edge and proximal to a face of the each equipment rack; and   a set of tags attached to assets disposed within the set of equipment racks, each tag of the set of tags to transmit a beacon signal including a tag identifier of the each tag at a frequency in a range of 2.0 GHz to 2.5 GHz and a power in a range of 0.01 W to 1.1 W, the antenna to receive the beacon signal, the observer device to communicate the tag identifier and the characteristics of the beacon signal to the reader, the reader to communicate the tag identifier and the characteristics of the beacon signal to the central server, the central server to determine a rack location based on the characteristics of the beacon signal.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a handheld device to transmit a beacon signal. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein an antenna array of the at least two antenna arrays includes a set of patch antennas. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the patch antennas are shorted patch antennas. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the antenna includes an inverted-F antenna. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the inverted-F antenna is a tightly meandered inverted F antenna. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the inverted-F antenna is a slot antenna. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the antenna is part of a set of antennas including interior antennas and edge antennas, wherein the edge antennas are out of phase with the interior antennas. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a second antenna. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the antenna is part of a set of antennas including four antennas.