[size=small][font=Verdana]Hi everyone![/font][/size]
[size=small][font=Verdana]I want to design a wired network to distribute the clock to 4 anchors and have a really precise indoors location system.[/font][/size]
[size=small][font=Verdana]Has anyone here developed such a system before? [/font][/size]
[size=small][font=Verdana]Any recommendations on the TXCO? How to interface it with a computer (maybe some USB to SPI module)?[/font][/size]
[size=small][font=Verdana]Any driver with enough signal strength and outputs to send the clock signal to all 4 anchors?[/font][/size]
[size=small][font=Verdana]I’m a little bit lost on this part and it would be awesome if you guys could give me a hand with it![/font][/size]
[size=small][font=Verdana]Thanks a lot!,[/font][/size]
[size=small][font=Verdana]Marc.[/font][/size]
Hi Mark,
Are you using the DWM1001 hardware ? If yes, it does not support ethernet or wire synchronization.
Thank you,
Best regards
Yves
Hi Marc,
I am not sure what you mean exactly with ‘wired network’ here.
Decawave has developed and is licencing an RTLS system based on TDOA (Time Difference of Arrival), whereby fixed anchors report Time of Arrival
of UWB ‘blink’ frames sent by tags, to a central location engine (CLE) that calculates the position of tags. To maintain a common timebase among the anchors, some ‘master’ anchors periodically sends Clock Control Packet (CCP) to slave anchors, over UWB.
This system does also make use of ‘wired network’ in that all the reports (Time Of Arrival of each blink, and of each CCP packet)
are transmitted from anchors to the CLE thru Ethernet LAN. However, since the CCP packet are being transmitted over UWB,
this sheme is referred to as ‘wireless synchronization’.
You may however refer to another synchronization method (still for TDOA systems) whereby a common 38.4 MHz clock signal (and possibly a SYNC pulse
as well) is distributed to all anchors with wired cables (typically CAT5 cable unshielded twisted pair).
In that case I suggest you to have a look at Application Note APS007 which covers this topic in detail.
FYI some Decawave partners like Loligo have developped wired clock distribution modules for TDOA, you may consider contacting them.
More generally, TDOA systems are especially efficient in terms of tags power consumption (just sending some blinks, no reception).
If this is not a key requirement in your system (you rather mentionned accuracy), you may also consider TWR systems, which is much simpler in terms of infrastructure requirements.
Best regards,
Fabrice