UWB Technology

RTLS Technology

UWB Technology

TagTrack RTLS platform is build on the DW3000 System on Module (SoM) from Qorvo, which is a leading provider of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. UWB is a wireless communication technology that uses a wide frequency band to transmit data over short distances with high precision and low power consumption. It is ideal for real-time location systems (RTLS) because it can provide accurate positioning information in indoor environments where GPS signals are weak, unavailable, or not accurate enough.

Key Features of UWB Technology

  • High accuracy: UWB can achieve centimeter-level accuracy in positioning, making it suitable for applications that require precise location tracking.
  • Low power consumption: UWB devices consume very little power, allowing for longer battery life and reduced maintenance costs.
  • Robustness: UWB signals can penetrate through walls and other obstacles, providing reliable communication in complex indoor environments.
  • Interference resistance: UWB operates in a wide frequency band, which helps to minimize interference from other wireless technologies.

IEEE 802.15.4-2020 standard

TagTrack’s UWB positioning engine is built on the IEEE 802.15.4-2020 standard, which folds the 802.15.4z amendment into a single document to define both the MAC sub-layer and the High-Rate Pulse-Repetition-Frequency (HRP) UWB physical layer for secure, centimeter-accurate ranging and low-power data exchange.

Global channel plan – ready out of the box

Our DW3000-based anchors and tags transmit on Channel 5 (6.489 GHz) and Channel 9 (7.987 GHz). These two 500 MHz-wide channels are the ones the FiRa Consortium earmarks for worldwide interoperability, with Channel 9 designated “mandatory” for all certified devices, so TagTrack installations work across continents without retuning.

Centimeter-level accuracy that scales

Using two-way time-of-flight (ToF) ranging plus optional angle-of-arrival (AoA), the HRP UWB PHY consistently delivers ≤10 cm positional accuracy, even in dense multipath environments—a performance level validated in DW3000 silicon and independent measurement campaigns.

Throughput when you need it, battery life when you don’t

The 802.15.4z HRP waveform offers data rates of 110 kb s-1, 850 kb s-1, 6.8 Mb s-1, and an optional 27.2 Mb s-1 turbo mode. TagTrack exposes both 850 kb s-1 (high link margin) and 6.8 Mb s-1 (low latency) so integrators can trade capacity for range on a per-application basis.

Built-in security for hands-free access and asset protection

802.15.4z introduces the Scrambled Time-stamp Sequence (STS), an encrypted preamble that thwarts relay and distance-reduction attacks. TagTrack signs every ranging exchange with STS, enabling secure door unlocks, hands-free authentication, and tamper-proof asset tracking.

Low-power, interference-resilient radio

A 500 MHz emission spreads signal energy so thinly that TagTrack coexists peacefully with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 5G while remaining highly immune to multipath fading. Typical anchors draw less than 40 mA while ranging; battery-powered tags can run for years on a coin cell.

Regulatory peace of mind & future-proof interoperability

The DW3000’s radio front-end meets FCC Part 15, ETSI EN 303 883, and ARIB STD-T132 masks and is certified to FiRa 3.0 test profiles, ensuring compliance today and firmware-upgradable compatibility with upcoming releases.

UWB Signals

TagTrack’s DW3000 radio transmits ultra-short, nano-second-wide pulses instead of a continuous sine wave. Spreading each pulse across 500 MHz of spectrum gives two key benefits for positioning:

  • Pin-point arrival-time detection – The sharp leading edge lets our receivers timestamp signals to sub-nanosecond precision, translating into centimetre-level ranging accuracy.
  • Clean performance in clutter – Even when reflections or other radios fill the air, TagTrack can pick out its wide-band pulses, so multipath and narrow-band interference barely dent accuracy.

Because power is distributed over such a broad band, the emitted energy sits at—or below—the ambient noise floor. TagTrack therefore co-exists peacefully with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE and 5 G, raising only the background noise rather than jamming neighbouring devices.

UWB Signals

In short, impulse-based UWB gives TagTrack the accuracy of lidar, the penetration of RF and none of the spectrum headaches—perfect for reliable, secure indoor positioning at scale.