UWB Anchor vs Tag: Key Differences Explained

This page compares UWB anchor vs tag and mentions the difference between UWB anchor and UWB tag with respect to their technical specifications/features.

Introduction:

UWB (Ultra Wide Band) technology offers several benefits such as wide bandwidth, noise-like signal, resistance against interference, good time domain resolution, lower complexity, and lower cost. Hence, it is used for location and tracking applications. UWB supports 16 channels across three bands: sub-GHz, lower band (3.5-4.5 GHz), and higher band (6.5-10 GHz).

As shown, a common UWB network consists of UWB anchors and UWB tags. UWB anchors and tags communicate with each other to determine the location of the tag accurately. The anchor is interfaced with a WiFi AP compliant to relay UWB radio frequency signals. Hence, the anchor can relay information to the cloud via WiFi AP and gateway. UWB devices can function as an anchor, a tag, or both. For example, two UWB compliant smartphones can communicate with each other and determine the distance between them. Here, both smartphones act as a tag and an anchor alternatively as required during signal exchange.

UWB Anchor

The anchor is a fixed UWB compliant device with a known location, such as in a shopping mall. Anchors and tags exchange information to determine the distance between them. The following features are supported by a UWB anchor:

• Supports omni-directional or directional antenna
• Offers long range
• Offers high accuracy (~ centimeters) in real-time location tracking.
• Uses TDoA (Time Difference of Arrival) technique to allow thousands of tags in a single area.
• Uses a barometer to provide Z-axis information or height of tag. The barometer measures precise atmospheric pressure.
• Uses active PoE so that it can be restarted remotely in case of system shutdown or power outage conditions.
• Supports Ethernet/WiFi as backhaul connectivity for synchronization.
• Enclosure is IP65 compliant so the device can withstand harsh conditions.

UWB Tag

The tag is a mobile UWB device and can be moved anywhere. The location of the tag can be determined using multiple anchors. The tag communicates with anchors installed in its range to determine the distance between them, which helps to find the exact location of the UWB tag. UWB tags are attached with the objects to be tracked. The UWB Tags can be used for vehicle tracking, asset tracking, person tracking, etc. There are different types of tags based on these applications. The following features are supported by a UWB tag:

• Offers real-time location information
• Offers high accuracy in centimeters scale.
• Offers long battery life in years with the help of TDoA/motion detection
• Supports various power supply options including wireless charging
• Supports various sensors such as a barometer, accelerometer, magnetometer, temperature sensor, gyroscope, etc.
• Supports BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) for easy firmware upgradation
• Supports NFC for quick reconfiguration and commissioning