Rolling Out RFIDs: A Lightweight Positioning Environment for Ad Hoc Applications

Ad hoc networks enable application services in various environments including indoor/underground spaces and urban canyons; however conventional positioning infrastructures such as the GPS generally do not work well in these environments. We propose a lightweight, RFED-based positioning system that can be installed quickly and easily at various sites of ad hoc application deployment. The system includes a novel device called RFID Tape, which allows for efficient deployment and maintenance of a series of RFID location reference points. Pedestrian devices obtain location information from RFID reference points, and use motion sensors and a P2P-based technique to allow for continuous positioning even when the reference points are sparse. The device and the mechanism together facilitate the provision of location-aware features in ad hoc applications.