ZuluTime

Precision Positioning for Wi-Fi

2008-06-26T15:32:25Z

We’ve been heads down on a few initiatives here – our most exciting one is deploying our location technology within Wi-Fi. This capability gives 1 -3 meter positioning using run of the mill Wi-Fi access points or devices. Note – that I said “devices.” This means the positioning network soon can be done with Wi-Fi devices as simple as Wi-Fi enabled cameras, headphones, printers (think sensor networks) all the way to enterprise access points. The reason this is so intriguing to us from a functionality side is that no longer does the enterprise user have to depend on access point infrastructure to drive the positioning network. Instead the user can use the existing devices within the network to derive the positioning. A host of implementation options exist on how this deploys. Many users will want a minimum number of access points in the network which is fine. From a technology side this is very exciting to us since, ultimately being timing guys, we can drive off the shelf Wi-Fi devices to such precise performance – remember that all real-time navigation is based on timing and the more precise the timing synchronization within your positioning network is the more accurate your location is. There are other methods of getting to this accuracy over Wi-Fi of course, RSSI is one of them. However they aren’t for dynamic environments and are not scalable. Our software is focused on providing these wireless networks with secure, scalable and reliable geolocation with high accuracy. Being agnostic to frequency and architecture the same principles here apply to cellular and first responder radio as well.

A Movement Afoot

2008-02-22T00:19:59Z

Now that the CES hangovers are passed it’s time to point out one of the most exciting trends in the geolocation industry that I see. That is the movement of further “RF enabling” the GPS device. Historically GPS devices have been limited in their capability to receive signals other than from GPS satellites. http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/dash-gps-priced-at-599/dash-express-video-and-deets-internet-connected-gps-for-599-334322.php. By 2009 I’m sure you’ll see all the major manufacturers going this direction with their units with Magellan is already starting. And of course don’t get me started on how compelling Garmin’s nuvifone is: http://garmin.blogs.com/my_weblog/2008/02/phone-scoop-pos.html. So why do we love this? Because ZuluTime is all about making the wireless network location aware. The wireless networks that feed the Dash and like devices can have positioning inherently built in and further extend the positioning reach of these devices. Remember, GPS is Global, but it’s not Ubiquitous. GPS devices all have performance limitations which typically occur in the urban core and indoors due to the weak transmitted signal power. With Wi-Fi, Cellular, WiMAX or other connection capabilities to the device, ZuluTime provides the robust, precise location data when GPS drops out. This is entirely transparent to the end user. The end user cares about only one thing: Where are they on the map and what is the relevant contextual data to their location. They don’t care how the device determines its location. The seamless transition back and forth of using GPS signals and the ZuluTime enabled Wi-Fi or Cell signals happens under the covers of the device. This can be simply augmenting the GPS signals in clear line of sight or entirely filling in when the GPS signals completely drop out. As you can see, we are quite excited about this trend. ]]>

Seamless Handovers and the ZT Ride-Along

2008-02-21T23:44:31Z

Very interesting activity going on at Intel with the Wi-Fi/WiMAX heterogeneous seamless handover efforts. Check http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/tech-news/?p=2057 and http://blogs.intel.com/research/2008/02/wifi_wimax_handover.php. Their efforts in providing seamless handovers from Wi-Fi to WiMAX illustrates the growing trend of Anytime/Anywhere access. ]]> http://www.dailywireless.org/2008/02/12/mobile-wimax-at-world-congress/. This is compelling to us at ZuluTime because it means these Wi-Fi devices could be providing ZuluTime positioning data back into the WiMAX network just as easily as they receive it. ZuluTime is unique in that it isn’t an infrastructure-only capability. All devices in the network can provide data back into the network which adds to the robustness of the network positioning resolution. The flip side is that devices certainly don’t have to provide data back in – they can be entirely silent. Whether it’s chipset handovers or in-car cross platform services we few these developments as very positive to the growing importance of location aware networks.

No Cell Phones in 2019 Los Angeles?

2008-01-08T04:09:54Z

I was discussing the topic of the Law of the Location Aware Mobile Wireless Network with a potential partner the other day and he had quite an insight into location. He had recently watch the Blade Runner with his son and afterwards asked his son if anything was striking about the movie that was made in 1982 about Los Angeles in 2019. His son replied he noticed there were no cell phones in 2019. With all the brilliant forecasting Ridley Scott did about this bleak future of the human race (flying cars!), he didn’t forecast the reality of the “connected” future. This is quite alright but the discussion we had took an interesting turn when we talked about the prevalence of wireless networks today, and how it’s difficult to be truly disconnected unless you try. Further, soon in our future it will be very difficult to be lost. In other words location awareness will be, if not built into the fabric of many of our daily lives, so readily available particularly in urban areas there will be no excuse for “sorry I’m late I got lost.” We know the enterprise and especially hospitals have been moving this direction for the past few years. Talk to any CTO of a hospital of any size and they will probably tell you that location will be built into most of their environments and applications over the next five years. It’s no surprise Ridley didn’t forecast location pervasiveness for his futuristic L.A. If he did that then Deckard never would have had any problem tracking and finding his replicants now would he?

The Law of the Location Aware Mobile Wireless Network: Part 2

2007-09-27T15:34:37Z

Bob Metcalfe is famous for co-inventing Ethernet with David Boggs and positing that a network’s value is proportional to the square of the number of users of the system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metcalfe_law). Though some argue the finer points, the fact is that as additional users join the network the value of that network grows. ]]> location awareness to the network. The location aware mobile wireless network is not one that simply tells the user where they are at any point in time but provides a host of capabilities not leveraged now. This kind of network can provide next generation diagnostic data for RF network managers providing key data not only on where in the network the problem is but definitive characterizations of the signaling problem. It can provide Mobile Resource Management (MRM) location data for all assets within the network continuously from inside the factory to entirely across town. Through automotive telematics it can safely guide automobiles through the urban core precisely where GPS has reliability issues. It is a technology we have worked hard to develop and we look forward to working with our partners in the coming months, quarters and years to deploy across WiFi, WiMAX, digital ad hoc radio, cellular and other networks.

The Law of the Location Aware Mobile Wireless Network: Part 1

2007-09-27T15:32:24Z

The Law of the Location Aware Mobile Wireless Network is a mouthful. It’s not meant to be a tagline or to succinctly describe a product category. Instead it is meant to describe something I feel, as CEO of ZuluTime, has potentially transformative implications for the wireless networks around us. http://earth.google.com/) transform the geoaware landscape but we have seen the robust adoption of GPS devices throughout the consumer, prosumer and professional markets. The GPS device market in the US was more than a $10 billion last year. Compounding this is the rapid expansion of wireless networks across metro regions and across the enterprise such as factories, warehouses and hospitals. The intersection of location aware applications with wireless networks is something we feel can transform businesses and the way we work and live. Therein lies what we see as the Law of the Location Aware Mobile Wireless Network. Quantifying that value is what I will be exploring in future posts.]]>

Page: Contact

2007-08-13T22:20:52Z

To learn more about ZuluTime technology, please use the form below or or email us at: info (at) zulutimecorp (dot) com. We can be found at: ZuluTime, LLC 7929 SW Burns Way, Bldg. E, Suite A, Wilsonville OR 97070

email: info (at) zulutimecorp (dot) com

503.582.9400 (main) 503.570.3307 (fax) Thank you for your interest in ZuluTime technology.

Sidebar: Here

2007-08-13T14:44:03Z

ZuluTime excels in providing continuous location information on wireless networks whether you're in urban canyons, indoors or on the move. Learn More »

Page: Here

2007-08-02T19:38:01Z

Copy not developed... here landing page.

Page: About

2007-08-02T19:37:34Z

ZuluTime delivers next generation PNT solutions ZuluTime is a privately held company that develops breakthrough position, navigation and timing (PNT) technologies for wireless networks. Our technologies enable highly precise and reliable location aware networks and applications. This patent-pending technology benefits entire classes of industries ranging from fleet management, in-dash navigation, and first responder 3D tracking all the way to Wi-Fi and cellular based social networking, geotagging and asset tracking. ZuluTime enables Wi-Fi, WiMax, cellular and other digital radio networks to provide their own reliable positioning services that have relied on traditional positioning techniques, such as GPS, TDOA, and RSSI with limited success. A ZuluTime enabled network gives users reliable, precise, and continuous positioning information without any special chipset or device. Nodes in ZuluTime enabled wireless networks (access points, tags, laptops, PDAs, vehicles, etc.) can be located reliably and accurately regardless of whether they are stationary or moving. Our unique approach continuously computes the precise location of these nodes without the limitations common to GPS or other wireless positioning techniques. If you are an application developer, device manufacturer, systems integrator, or other location-based solution provider, contact us to explore how we can integrate our technology into your business solutions: info (at) zulutimecorp (dot) com. ZuluTime spun out of Venture Ad Astra, LLC in 2006 as an independent company. Venture Ad Astra (www.ventureadastra.com) is a technology incubater with a successful track record for high-concept / high-payoff technologies. Management Team Tyler McKinley, CEO
Tyler is an experienced executive and entrepreneur with over 14 years leading programs in the technology industry. Tyler was founder and president of a high-end 3D imagery company in the early 1990’s concentrating on product prototyping and design analysis. After moving to Digimarc Corp. in 1998, Tyler helped lead the design and productization of the company’s digital watermarking technology and played a key role in its successful 1999 IPO. While at Digimarc he brought to market first and second generation digital watermarking products for data hiding and steganography driving revenue from the world’s first products of their kind. Tyler became a key executive founder of Venture Ad Astra, a technology incubator, in early 2003. While at Venture Ad Astra Tyler led the development of early stage technologies, defining and driving the development of a disruptive geopositioning technology now known as ZuluTime. While at Venture Ad Astra Tyler led its US Department of Defense activity and established Venture Ad Astra’s / ZuluTime’s product lifecycle and commercialization strategy. He is a proven leader in converting conceptual frameworks into viable technologies and technologies into revenue generating products. Tyler has 5 utility patents issued in the fields of analytic imagery, digital watermarking, and remote sensing. Geoff Rhoads, Chief Architect
After inventing digital watermarking technology in the early 1990's, Geoff founded Digimarc Corporation (NASDAQ: DMRC) in 1994 and remained its Chief Technology Officer until 2003. At that time he co-founded Venture Ad Astra a technology incubator focused on high-concept, high-payoff technologies generally concentrating on US Department of Defense and Intelligence Community markets. Geoff remains Founder Emeritus of Digimarc. Geoff started his career at Tektronix, first improving radiometric measurement systems, then becoming the principal designer of the first commercially available 1 GHz digitizing oscilloscope. He was the chief scientist in working with key customers/applications such as Los Alamos/Livermore nuclear yield measurements, particle confinement at Fermilab, and the then nascent commercial efforts toward fiber optics and laser communications systems. In the early 90’s Geoff left Tektronix to found several companies, in parallel, all revolving around Earth remote sensing, large telescopes, and Earth-data visualization. A core competency within these efforts was dealing with precision measurements, distortion compensation and pragmatic applications of information theory, especially in contexts of highly turbulent conditions such as the open atmosphere. Geoff's invented and architected ZuluTime's core technology. Geoff has over 200 issued patents. Mark Gardiner, CFO
Mark has 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, executive and financial/business advisor in a broad range of industries. He recently completed three years as President and CEO of Octavian Scientific, Inc. Octavian is commercializing new technology in semiconductor manufacturing, funded by $10 million in venture capital and debt financing. Prior to Octavian, Mark served numerous clients in a 20+ year consulting career - spearheading more than $10 billion of debt and equity financing. Recent projects include serving as business advisor to the Oregon Health and Science University for the River Campus/South Waterfront project – a $2+ billion bio-technology, academic, clinical, housing and commercial mixed use development. Mark also brings an extensive technical background to ZuluTime. He is a director of three technology-related companies, has managed major technology development projects, served as systems engineer on NASA contracts, and designed a number of electronics products. In his consulting practice, Mark has specialized in financial, strategic and business planning for corporations and governments - securing growth funding for new entities, economic development and project development financing. Most recently, he has assisted early-stage companies in business and financial development, currently serving as an advisor to SeQuential Biofuels, LLC, Oregon’s largest marketer of biofuels, and as contract CFO for Collaborative Software Initiative, Inc., an open-source enterprise software startup. Mark has been a leader on numerous public and civic boards, most recently including the 6-member Oregon Investment Council, which oversees the $60+ billion portfolio for Oregon’s public pension and trust funds. From 1979 to 1985, Mark was City Economist, Budget Officer and ultimately CFO/CAO of a $700 million-budget public corporation – the City of Portland, Oregon – with a tenure spanning the terms of four mayors. Prior to joining the City, Mark served as a consulting utility economist. Mark earned a B.S. (with Highest Honors) in Economics from Portland State University.

Page: Technology

2007-08-02T19:02:57Z

A new technology for indoor, outdoor and mobile location based applications ZuluTime technology offers a new approach to solving location based business problems where other approaches have only produced partial solutions. This means that our technology works where GPS and other techniques can’t -- indoors, in urban canyons, and even in mobile ad hoc networks. ZuluTime refines the timing and spatial calibration of the network, allowing it to construct precise space/time values through proprietary algorithms. Most current location based business applications use GPS, “Time Difference of Arrival” (TDOA), “Relative Signal Strength Indicator” (RSSI), or a combination of these techniques, all of which deliver partial solutions to the business problems. * GPS techniques require an unobstructed line of site to multiple satellites for reliable positioning. This means it is highly unreliable indoors and in urban canyons where satellite Line of Site (LOS) is blocked or limited. * TDOA and RSSI techniques require a fixed reference network of transmitters of known location. RSSI requires detailed site surveys and relatively stable environments to account for signal distortion. This means that they provide variable resolution, varying reliability and the inability to work in ad hoc environments where all transceivers are on the move. ZuluTime’s revolutionary approach enables it to cost-effectively deploy across wireless networks while augmenting and/or replacing existing techniques. ZuluTime enabled location aware wireless networks can offer solutions that are:

Reliable	Broad Baseline
Precise	Plug & Play
Scalable	Secure
Dynamic/Mobile	Cost-effective

*Note: TDOA methodologies here describe Time of Arrival, Time Difference of Arrival, Angle of Arrival, Observed Time Difference and similar.

Patent Pending TNFE Technology Unlike conventional positioning technologies that rely upon different methods of trilateration using reference satellites and fixed transmitters, ZuluTime’s proprietary Temporal Network Field Equation (TNFE) technology is actually part of the “wireless cloud” of the communications network itself encompassing data from all of the transceivers in the network. Since it is interlaced in the communications signaling methodology generally at the network layer, it becomes an ever-present data point leveraged by both nodes and clients alike. ZuluTime’s software can be implemented on any digital wireless system, including Wi-Fi, mobile telephony and Software Defined Radio (SDR). Additionally, ZuluTime technology can also be implemented in hardware when a manufacturer prefers a proprietary advantage. Technology Comparisons GPS GPS may be global, but its not ubiquitous. Twenty-four GPS satellites are operational at any one time and orbit the Earth at more that 11,000 nautical miles in six orbital planes. This orbital structure provides continuous, global coverage that enables users to determine their three dimensional position at any point on the globe as long as they have clear line of sight to a minimum number of satellites. The fact is that GPS fails or is unreliable in many business applications. Application reliability demands that quality positioning data is provided to the end user when the user wants it. For a delivery truck driving through a city’s urban canyon, or a driver equipped with an in-car navigation system exiting a tunnel, at 60mph, if the “Time-To-First-Fix” for the satellites takes more than a minute then the system fails. ZuluTime excels in dynamic environments, indoors and urban canyons, exactly those places where GPS is simply too unreliable for continuous “need to know now” navigation and tracking systems. TDOA Like GPS, Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) technologies, such as TOA, AOA and OTD measure differences in the time of arrival (and sometimes angles) of messages from transmitters at known locations in the network to calculate the position of a mobile transceiver. This approach is limited by the visibility of each moving transceiver to a minimum number of fixed transmitters necessary to calculate its position. Unfortunately both static and dynamic RF propagation and distortion exist in many environments, as well as mulitpath distortion resulting from reflected and interfering signals. Any of these effects can be fatal to accurate positioning. In contrast, ZuluTime’s TNFE technology works in both static and mobile environments. It is also much less susceptible to static and dynamic RF field and multipath distortions. RSSI Like the TDOA approaches described above, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) technologies measure differences in the strength of RF signals arriving from transmitters at known locations in the network to calculate the position of a mobile transceiver. This approach is also limited by the visibility of each transceiver to the minimum number of fixed transmitters to calculate its position. Here again, both static and dynamic distortion of RF propagation in the environment and multipath distortion arising from reflected and interfering signals diminishes the system’s performance. RF modeling of the environment is required, this is expensive and inefficient.

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Page: First Responders

2007-08-02T18:52:17Z

Know where you are and where your team is everywhere, all the time Walls, flames and smoke, debris and city buildings all distort conventional positioning technologies and render them useless in real world emergency environments. This leaves fire and emergency workers vulnerable and “working blind.” ZuluTime’s proprietary technology incorporates directly into digital radio devices that form the communication network. The technology provides reliable and accurate location information to all members of an incident team, including the mobile team working the site, stationary support and command personnel. No additional ranging radio is needed. ZuluTime is also optimized for Software Defined Radio (SDR). Armed with ZuluTime enabled radios, first responders can know where they are and where their colleagues are relative to each other and to their immediate environment. And because the ZuluTime technology is not dependent on fixed network nodes or landmarks, it can be deployed ad hoc in real-time to give relative location within the network. Additionally, GPS or other fixed coordinate data is easily integrated into the network when absolute location is needed. This enables mobile and anchored references, such as people, sensors vehicles and command centers to interact seamlessly. Historically, radio has been used for communication, but ZuluTime allows the same mobile radio to be a reliable location and tracking device even in intermittent or weak signal environments.

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Page: Asset Management

2007-08-02T18:43:11Z

Inside, outside and on the move. ZuluTime lets you know where your assets are The supply chain is the life blood of the global economy. It starts with the supply of materials to the manufacturer and then continues as it encompasses Work In Process (WIP) inventory, the manufacturing process, warehousing and inventory management, transport and shipping and finally retail distribution. With ZuluTime enabled asset tracking applications, it is possible to know where the materials, equipment, people and other related assets are all along the way, indoors and out. GPS based location technologies are limited in that they do not work indoors or in signal obstructed environments. Traditional wireless techniques, such as TDOA and RSSI require the deployment of fixed reference access points and costly and often inadequate site surveys to model and compensate for RF distortions and multipath effects. In contrast ZuluTime provides reliable and accurate location data to location-based applications over any RF network, indoors and out, by using proprietary technology to turn the network itself into a location aware platform. ZuluTime can enable asset tracking applications for seamless asset management.

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Page: Metro & Enterprise Wireless

2007-08-02T18:26:57Z

Positioning information everywhere on your network Enterprise and Municipalities are rapidly adopting wireless technologies for business critical and value added services. The wireless infrastructure offers an ideal alternative and opportunity that can be leveraged for improving existing and enabling new location-based applications. Traditional GPS based solutions require both expensive and power hungry hardware additions to wireless devices which can’t work indoors or between buildings that block satellite line of site. TDOA and RSSI solutions require the presence of static reference nodes of sufficient density to overcome signal disruption and distortion that is inherent both statically and dynamically in many real world environments. In contrast ZuluTime provides ubiquitous location data over any wireless network by using proprietary technology to turn the network itself into a location aware platform. With Wi-Fi’s increasing adoption across the enterprise and across metro regions, ZuluTime is focusing on enabling these networks to be highly reliable and precise location aware networks. The network devices can be stationary and/or mobile while operating indoors, outdoors and throughout a variety of municipal and enterprise environments.

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Page: Home Center

2007-07-30T22:11:08Z

In Urban Canyons

Indoors

On The Move

ZuluTime works where the others don’t

ZuluTime’s technology transforms wireless networks into highly precise and reliable location aware networks. Nodes in ZuluTime enabled networks (access points, tags, laptops, PDAs, etc.) can be reliably and accurately located regardless of whether they are stationary or moving. Our unique approach continuously computes the precise location of these nodes without the limitations common to GPS or other wireless positioning techniques.

info (at) zulutimecorp (dot) com.

How ZuluTime Works >>