Asset Tracking: An end-to end solution with the Rifidi Platform

2011-07-29T18:44:22Z

ChristopherDean: /* Edge Server */

The Rifidi suite allows you to build a complete, end-to-end solution from prototype to production system. This page demonstrates how you can use three Rifidi projects together to build an asset tracking solution.

To get started, download the [http://rifidi.org/apps/AssetTrackingSolution.zip asset tracking solution]. To run the demonstration, you will need to be running MS Windows (xp, vista, or 7) and java 6.

==Asset Tracking==
Every year, thousands of dollars in assets are lost due to theft of high value equipment. RFID technology has the potential to alleviate this problem. This demonstration shows how you can use the Rifidi suite to build a complete asset tracking solution. It includes a "virtual infrastructure" for use in demonstrations, the Rifidi Edge Server which collects tag reads, processes business rules, and provides integration with a client, and Workbench, which serves as both a management tool for the Edge Server and a monitor for the business events.

==Prototyper==
Prototyper is a 2D layer on top of the Rifidi RFID reader emulation engine that allows you to quickly build out RFID-enabled business processes. Because Prototyper emulates RFID readers, RFID software (such as the Rifidi Edge Server) can then talk to the prototype in the same way it would talk to real hardware readers; in fact, the RFID software doesn't know that it's not talking to the real readers!

To get started with the Asset Tracking Solution, open up Prototyper. Go to File->Open Prototype and choose hospitalAssetTracking.rifidi.

[[Image:Prototyper-1.png|thumb|none|600px]]

This map is the virtual infrastructure in an RFID-enabled Hospital. There are several read zones which are denoted on the map as antennas. There are several tagged items, including patients, microscopes, and mobile x-ray machines.

To use the prototype, take Prototyper out of edit mode by clicking the edge mode button at the top. At this point you can move assets around the floorplan. When you drag an asset on top of a read zone, a message will appear in the console indicating that an asset is now in the read zone.

==Edge Server==
To get value out of an RFID solution, you need software that talks to RFID readers. The Rifidi Edge Server fills this need. The Edge Server is more than just software that collects tag IDs, however; It's an RFID application platform. This means that you can write your own code to fill your own business and [http://www.proposable.com proposal software] integration needs and deploy it onto the Edge Server. The Edge Server takes care of the work of parsing reader protocols, reader management, sensor integration, tag filtering and aggregation and other common needs.

For this application, we have built a simple application that listens for new tags to arrive in read zones. When this happens, it sends out an event message over JMS. When a tag has not been detected for a period of time (a few second for this demo), the application assumes the asset has departed from the read zone, and the application sends out another message over JMS to indicate that the asset can no longer be seen.

To run the Rifidi Edge Server, run the Rifidi Edge Server executable.

==Workbench==

At this point the Rifidi Edge Server is processing asset tracking business events, but there is no software which is listening to the JMS queue. We developed a plugin for Workbench that listens for business events generated by the asset tracking Edge Server application. To use it, open up Rifidi Workbench. Right click on the Edge Server in the Edge Server View, and select "connect". A list of all the reader configurations on the Edge Server will appear with their sessions in the connected state (indicated by a green light).

[[Image:Workbench-1.png|thumb|none|600px]]

Click on the "Event Monitor" button at the top. This brings up the Event Monitor perspective, which displays tracking messages from the asset tracking Edge Server application. If you move assets around on prototyper, you will be able to see messages appear in the event monitor.

[[Image:Workbench-2.png|thumb|none|600px]]

Rifidi roadmap

2011-07-25T16:44:17Z

ChristopherDean: /* Current State */

This page discusses some long range plans for the Rifidi project.

=Current State=

Currently, the Rifidi products (Tag Streamer, and Emulator) are two totally separate software packages with little code reuse (except for readers) and loose coupling integration. Functionality is separated into osgi plugins, but code is not being developed with the service-oriented paradigm that osgi provides. this causes several problems:

*Two Separte Development Cycles for Rifidi Tag Streamer, and Emulator
** Version Numbers apply only to [http://www.aqua-gear.com/swim-gogglesswimming goggles] releases, not to underlying services provided by osgi plugins
** too much code is copied and not shared
*There is alot of functionality that is not separated into plugins
**Stable code mixed with development code
**If only one small part of a class changes, the whole plugin has [http://www.proposable.com proposal software] to be updated
*Rifidi is missing an eclipse-like 'update' functionality

As a result, we end up with two separate, but related projects that are loosely-coupled

=Solution through Service Oriented Architecture=

In order to tie the [http://www.mycaal.com loan modification] two products closer together, we should use [http://www.gumball-machine.com/vending-machines.html vending machines] the services-oriented design that osgi allows for. We can achieve this by following the following best practices:

* Functionality needs to be separated into services (i.e. plugins).[http://www.bedbugbitesinfo.com/'''Bed Bug Bites''']
* osgi plugins should be versioned separately from releases. We can do this in the manifest file of the plugin
* Each bundle should have a maintainer. This can also be specified in the plugin's manifest.
* The most important idea is that Rifidi should be treated as '''one''' application with several possible ways of assembling functionality.[http://www.detective.ro/index-en.html'''private detective Romania''']

=Rifidi As Single Application=
If Rifidi is a single application, it gives several benefits:
*'''Single Installer''' - There can be a single, small Rifidi Installer that allows users to install the Rifidi functionality that they want. For example, once they have the base application running, they can choose to install the 'emulator' packages or the 'tag streamer' packages.[http://www.merchantos.com/features/cloud-based-point-of-sale cloud point of sale system]
*'''Update Functionality''' - When a user wants the latest version of the code, he can update the application, which will install only the latest osgi plugins instead of having to download the whole rifidi application again.
*'''Reliability''' - By focusing on the functionality at the [http://www.surgepromotions.com/74/custom-shot-glasses/ custom shot glasses] package level, we can note when a package changes and update the version number of the package itself. In addition, [http://www.fleshlight.org/ '''fleshlight'''] plugin dependencies can specify version number that they depend on. This allows us to know which package versions work with the current code ==Related Links==

[http://www.cellulite.co.uk/ '''cellulite'''] in case something breaks. Because each plugin can be tagged [http://cushion-cut-engagement-rings.com cushion cut engagement rings] in the SVN, a 'release' is simply a collection of plugin version numbers.
*'''User Upgrade Path''' - By having an installer with the ability to add new [http://www.diamondlinks.net/ link building] functionality, it provides a user with a clear upgrade path in using the [http://www.truckaccidentlawyersource.com/ truck accident lawyer] Rifidi Products, for example:

[[Image:RifidiRoadmap.png]]

=Steps to Complete=
# Separate functionality into plugins and identify common code that is currently being duplicated.
# Design new packages for the duplicated code. The new packages should be able to be used by all products [http://www.congregationbuilder.comweb based room reservation software]
.
# Develop a 'best practices' guide for how to number osgi packages. Go through all packages and give them version numbers
# Create a new svn repository and add all new packages to it[http://www.amaliadraghici.ro/portofolio/Machiaj%20mireasa/list/1 machiaj mireasa]
# Add update functionality within the products
# Host site for serving package updates
# Develop common UI framework

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RifidiWiki - User contributions [en]

Asset Tracking: An end-to end solution with the Rifidi Platform

Rifidi roadmap