Technology
Sentrax RTLS Technology
BLE RTLS Technology for Real-Time Location Visibility
Overview
Sentrax provides a flexible BLE RTLS ecosystem spanning BLE RSSI, BiLink room-level detection, BLE AoA, and hybrid positioning. Each area can use the level of visibility its workflow requires.
SOLIX turns location and supported sensor data into positions, room and zone events, history, and integration-ready data. It can be deployed as a cloud-hosted or on-premises management platform or used through APIs and modular backend engines.
How the Sentrax RTLS Ecosystem Works
The Sentrax RTLS ecosystem connects BLE hardware with SOLIX, the cloud-based platform and middleware, to deliver real-time visibility. BLE tags transmit data, locators or gateways receive the signals, and SOLIX converts those data into location events, history, and analytics.
System Components
PINIX Tags & Beacons
BLE devices for assets, equipment, and people. They broadcast unique identifiers and, where supported by the selected device, battery, motion, environmental, or user-input telemetry.
ZENIX Locators & Gateways
Fixed BLE infrastructure that receives tag and beacon signals for RSSI or AoA positioning and forwards data to the RTLS software. Available connectivity, sensing, and indoor/outdoor protection depend on the selected ZENIX model.
NODIX BiLink Anchors
Battery-powered, bidirectional BLE reply anchors that scan locally, filter and validate data, associate them with a defined room or zone, and wirelessly relay them to a ZENIX gateway.
SOLIX Positioning Engine
Processes RSSI, AoA, and hybrid data to calculate coordinates or determine room and zone presence, according to the selected deployment. SOLIX can then apply geofences, rules, alerts, and history.
Integration Interfaces
REST APIs and WebSocket interfaces provide structured and real-time access to location, sensor, device, and event data. Supported deployments can also use MQTT and omlox-compliant APIs.
Explore Each Positioning Layer
Explore four Sentrax positioning approaches to understand how each works, where it fits best, and what infrastructure it requires.
BLE AoA High-Precision Positioning
BLE Angle of Arrival (AoA) provides high-precision positioning by measuring the direction from which a compatible BLE tag signal reaches an AoA-enabled locator. Using antenna-array measurements, planned locator geometry, and positioning algorithms, the system calculates the tag’s location. With appropriately designed and validated infrastructure, BLE AoA can provide sub-meter positioning for precision-critical tracking applications.
How BLE AoA Works?
Tag Transmits the Signal
A compatible BLE AoA tag broadcasts a direction-finding signal that can be detected by nearby AoA locators.
Locator Captures the Signal
An AoA locator equipped with an antenna array receives the signal across multiple antenna elements.
Signal Direction Is Measured
The locator processes the received signal to derive azimuth and elevation measurements, determining the direction of the tag relative to the locator.
Position Is Calculated in SOLIX
The measurements are sent to the SOLIX Positioning Engine, where positioning algorithms calculate the tag’s location and make the resulting position available for visualization, history, rules, and integration.
Where BLE AoA Fits?
BLE AoA is suited to areas where high positioning precision is required, such as locating tools or equipment within defined work areas, monitoring movement around selected process points, and supporting precision-critical asset or personnel tracking.
Explore Precision Tracking
BLE RSSI Proximity Positioning
BLE RSSI positioning provides medium-level location accuracy by using the received signal strength of BLE tag transmissions at fixed gateways. Based on gateway placement and positioning logic, RSSI can provide proximity, room, zone, or approximate coordinate-level visibility, making it suitable for applications that need more location context than simple presence detection without requiring high-precision positioning.
How BLE RSSI Works?
Tag Broadcasts
A BLE tag periodically broadcasts its identification signal at configured intervals.
Gateways Measure Signal Strength
One or more fixed BLE gateways receive the tag signal and measure its Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI).
Positioning Logic Estimates Location
The positioning engine evaluates RSSI observations using the configured method, such as proximity, strongest receiver, zone logic, or filtered ranging, to estimate the tag’s location.
Location Becomes Available in SOLIX
SOLIX makes the resulting presence, room, zone, or approximate location available for visualization, history, rules, alerts, and integration with external applications.
Where BLE RSSI Fits?
BLE RSSI is suited to applications requiring medium-level location accuracy, where proximity, room, zone, or approximate positioning provides sufficient visibility. Typical use cases include asset and person visibility, equipment localization, movement between defined areas, goods tracking, and location-aware applications.
Explore Proximity Tracking
BiLink Room-Level Positioning
BiLink is a bidirectional BLE RSSI architecture designed for reliable room-level presence and zone-transition detection. A NODIX CEN-1 BiLink anchor scans nearby BLE tag signals, processes and validates relevant observations, associates them with its configured room or zone, and wirelessly relays the data through a ZENIX gateway to SOLIX.
How BiLink Works?
Tags Broadcast BLE Signals
BiLink devices scan for nearby tag signals within the configured room or zone.
BiLink Anchor Detects & Validates
Relevant observations are processed and validated locally by the gateways
Data Is Relayed to the Gateway
Validated tag observations are wirelessly forwarded from the NODIX CEN-1 to the ZENIX gateway, reducing the need to install a gateway in every room.
Room Presence Is Processed in SOLIX
SOLIX receives the data and makes room presence, zone transitions, and related location events available for visualization, history, rules, alerts, and integration.
Where BiLink Fits?
BiLink is designed for multi-room indoor environments where reliable room-level visibility is required but deploying a wired gateway in every room would add unnecessary infrastructure. It is well suited to patient rooms, storage areas, offices, treatment spaces, passageways, and other defined zones where presence and transition detection provide the required level of location visibility.
Explore BiLink Proximity Tracking
Hybrid BLE Positioning
Hybrid BLE RTLS combines multiple BLE positioning approaches within one deployment, allowing each area to use the location accuracy it actually requires. BLE RSSI can provide broader, medium-level positioning, BiLink can provide room-level presence and transition detection, and BLE AoA can be introduced in selected areas requiring sub-meter precision. This creates a flexible architecture where higher-precision infrastructure is deployed only where it adds value.
How Hybrid RTLS Positioning Works
Match Positioning to Each Zone
Location requirements are defined by area, based on whether the application needs approximate, room-level, or high-precision positioning.
Apply the Required BLE Technology
RSSI provides broader location visibility, BiLink supports room-level presence and transitions, and AoA is deployed in selected zones where sub-meter positioning is required.
Process Location Data in SOLIX
SOLIX processes location data from the different BLE positioning layers and makes the resulting positions and events available through a common middleware and integration layer.
Why Use Hybrid BLE RTLS?
Hybrid BLE RTLS allows organizations to use the appropriate positioning level in each area instead of deploying high-precision infrastructure everywhere. This supports a more flexible RTLS architecture while maintaining higher precision in the zones where the application specifically requires it.
Compare RTLS Technologies
The appropriate technology depends on the positioning level, environment, and workflow. This table provides general guidance; final performance and infrastructure requirements must be validated for the deployment.
| Criterion | BLE RSSI | BiLink | BLE AoA | Hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positioning level | Proximity, room/zone, or approximate position | Room/zone presence and transitions | Sub-meter positioning | Varies by area and requirement |
| Best fit | Broad operational coverage | Multi-room facilities | Precision-critical areas | Sites which required precise positioning |
| Primary strength | Broad, scalable visibility | Lower gateway dependency | Higher positioning precision | Selective precision |
| Environment | Indoor; selected outdoor configurations | Indoor rooms, zones, and entry/exit points | Indoor; controlled outdoor configurations | Multi-zone, mixed-accuracy sites |
Which RTLS Technology Should You Choose?
Is room-level presence sufficient?
If you need to know whether a tagged person or asset is in a room or has moved between defined spaces, BiLink is a practical choice. It provides room- or zone-level visibility without requiring a powered, network-connected gateway in every room.
Which areas require high-precision tracking?
Identify the specific process points, work areas, or zones where room-level visibility is not enough. AoA can be considered for those validated precision-critical areas or combined with RSSI in a hybrid design.
How large and complex is the coverage area?
Review the facility layout, room structure, open areas, materials, obstructions and any indoor-to-outdoor transitions. These factors influence technology choice, infrastructure placement, and expected performance.
What infrastructure and integration constraints apply?
Assess power, network, mounting, calibration, hosting, security, API, and enterprise-system requirements before selecting the architecture.
Environmental Sensing
Beyond location, Sentrax RTLS devices can capture environmental and movement-related sensor data for monitoring through SOLIX.
Sentrax RTLS devices can capture environmental and movement-related sensor data alongside location information. Depending on the selected tag or gateway, measurements such as temperature, humidity, air quality, motion/vibration, and pressure can be monitored and made available through SOLIX for real-time visibility, history, and integration.
Temperature
Monitor temperature conditions around tagged assets, equipment, or monitored environments using supported sensor-enabled devices.
Humidity
Track relative humidity levels in environments where changing conditions may affect stored goods, equipment, or facilities.
Air Quality
Monitor indoor environmental conditions using supported sensing infrastructure for applications such as smart buildings and indoor environment monitoring.
Pressure
Capture atmospheric pressure data from compatible sensor-enabled devices as part of the environmental sensing layer.
What SOLIX Does with RTLS Data
Location data becomes valuable when it is connected to operational context. SOLIX turns positioning and supported sensor data into current and historical status, configured rules and alerts, and events that can be delivered to supported systems.
Location Intelligence
Depending on the selected technology and deployment, SOLIX can present coordinates, room or zone presence, geofences, and tag movement history.
Enterprise Connectivity
REST APIs and WebSocket interfaces provide structured and real-time access to relevant location, event, device, and sensor data. Supported deployments can also use MQTT and omlox-compliant APIs. Integration scope should be confirmed for each target system.
Device Operations
The SOLIX Device Configuration Manager supports centralized provisioning, grouping, diagnostics, and lifecycle management for compatible RTLS devices. Sentrax Device Manager (SDM) provides supported tag and beacon configuration workflows.
Environmental Data
Location context can be combined with supported environmental or telemetry data when compatible devices are used. Available measurements depend on the selected device and deployment configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Discuss Your RTLS Requirements
Tell us what you need to track, where the system will operate, the positioning level required, and how the data should connect with your applications.