PTrack: A RFID-based Tracking Algorithm for Indoor Randomly Moving Targets

Abstract

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, with its multiple advantages, such as low power consumption, non-line-of-sight, non-contact, has been playing an important role in large-scale storage systems, underground parking systems, exhibition halls, supermarkets, construction sites and other scenarios. Many of those scenarios also require indoor positioning technologies, for example, warehouse goods positioning, item positioning in production assembly lines, worker positioning in construction sites. However, related researches about indoor positioning using RFID system has been having trouble in improving positioning accuracy, especially when tracking a randomly moving target. In this paper, we propose PTrack, a track prediction algorithm for tracking moving targets in indoor positioning systems which is based on RFID technology and the correspondences between the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) changes and the moving status of the target. Results show that the proposed algorithm effectively improves the positioning accuracy and achieves 1.7 m localization error in indoor environments, which makes a promising technology to support future pervasive RFID-based tracking applications.