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:: Research Group Embedded Interaction :: Media Informatics :: Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich

Particle Location System

Please see our Particle How-To page and our Particle Software page as well.

To install the Particle Location System, please follow the following steps.

  1. Prerequisites
  2. PLS Installation Procedure
  3. PLS Configuration

Prerequisites

XBridges

Please see our page on the setup of the XBridges. More information on our XBridges can be found on the overview page of our infrastructure.

Be sure NOT to use the XBLC software (XBLC.exe) from TecO - after using this software, all bridges hang and are no longer reachable with the Lantronix Device Installer and have to be manually restarted.

Particles

You do not have to add/change any code for the Particles!

Network Connectivity

Make sure you have a DHCP server running in your network for the XBridges.

Java

Install JAVA version >= 1.5 from Sun.

mySQL

Download mySQL version >= 4.0 from the mySQL website.

FoxServ

Download and install FoxServ 3.0 from www.foxserv.net

PLS Installation Procedure

You can follow the PLS (Particle Location System) Installation Guide from TecO till the end. Please visit also the PLS website from TecO, also to download the basic files.

Here you can find an extended installation guide. Below are some steps required after the basic installation with some changes to the original installation guide.

  •  Copy all content of the directory "forClient" into directory "C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\". Any contents formerly in this directory should be removed before copying.

    Check whether the following content was created:

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\pls.htm

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\navigation.htm

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\haupt.htm

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\configuration.htm

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\introduction.htm

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\locationtree.htm

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\floorplan.htm

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\representation.htm

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\logo_phpBB.gif

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\location\client

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\location\com

    C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\location\repository

  • Copy all content of the directory "forServer" into a directory (e.g. c:\Program Files\LocationServer) what you want.

    Check whether the following content was created:

    C:\Program Files\LocationServer\location\run.bat

    C:\Program Files\LocationServer\location\server

    C:\Program Files\LocationServer\location\repository

    C:\Program Files\LocationServer\location\mysql-connector-java-3.0.9-stable-bin.jar

  • Copy the file  locationserver.sql (please use our modified version if you experience problems) to C:\Program Files\LocationServer\location\

  • Change locationserver.sql: Delete 'default 0' from table snapshot (id) and change bigint into int. A already modified SQL database script can be downloaded here.

  • Run the locationserver.sql install script found C:\Program Files\LocationServer\location\locationserver.sql or C:\Program Files\LocationServer\location\locationserver_working.sql as follows:

    mysql -u root -p < locationserver.sql

    <Enter mysql root password>

  • Make sure you can connect to the database as follows:

    mysql -u locationserver -p locationserver

     

    Frequently occurred problem: If you try to connect and get this error:

    Access denied for user: '@unknown' to database mysql  

    you must edit your '\windows\hosts' or '\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc\hosts' file to add an

    entry for your host.

PLS Configuration

There is a tool called XBLC available at TecO. It is supposed to verify the configuration of the XBridges with the RAUM data.  Do not use the XBLC.exe! It makes all XBridges hang. After that, the XBridges have to restarted (power supply on and off).

Look at the TecO PLS Usage guide for a start.

  • Start C:\Program Files\LocationServer\location\run.bat from the windows command prompt or the explorer
  • Start C:\Program Files\FoxServ\www\navigation.htm in a browser

1. Configuration

In order to use PLS, one has to first create the location tree and afterwards draw the floor plan.

This is the start screen of PLS. Select “Configuration”. 

1.1 Location Tree

PLS relies on the RAUM model [1] represented by the location tree. The path to a node through the tree describes a location and is finally stored on a XBridge representing this location. Each packet forwarded from the Particles into the UDP network is signed by this location description and can then mapped to physical location of the bridge. 

Configure the “Location Tree”

Configure the root ID (16byte). The root ID is preset to 'root'. Change this to any numerical value separated with dots. See below.

Describe your environment, e.g. building, by adding nodes to the location tree.
The root ID must be numerical for example 0.0.0.0….

Then add nodes to represent the Xbridge configuration in your environment, e.g. a node for each floor and subnodes for the rooms.2

Configure XBridges with location descriptions

1. Select the node
2. Search (2a) and select (2b) a XBridge
3. Click 'Config' for assigning an XBridge to a location

1.2 Floor plan

This mapping of packets from the XBridges on physical locations is done via the Floor plan. Nodes from the location tree are mapped on physical locations represented by polygons, currently boxes.

Configure the Floor Plan

 Draw the Floor Plan

1. Drag a box on the canvas by pressing the left mouse button
2. Alter name of the box
3. Store the plan by pressing “Save”

Notes:
·  Boxes can be changed in their dimensions
·  Delete a box: move cursor over the box and press the right mouse button Map Nodes from the location tree onto the physical location from the floor plan
·  Select the node from the tree for a specific physical location represented by a box on the floor plan
·  Store the plan by pressing “Save”

2. Representation

When the location server is running one can query the backend database for the location information for Particles. Information is collected passively by logging location descriptions from Particle packets. After one minute of collecting a the final position of each noticed Particle is written in the database. The representation allows to review each last minute on the last 60 minutes. It provides further, the opportunity to track all Particles over a day.

However, even if a Particle doesn’t send at all, one can try the active scan. The location of a Particle is represented by a marker on the floor plan.

 Select “Representation”

The representation allows one to

1. Review last hour in intervals of 1 minute
2. Replay day history
3. Actively scan for Particles (255.255.255.255.255.255.255.255 for all Particles, other wise use a specific ID, e.g. 10.1.0.1.10.1.0.58), attention: the PLS program often hangs after pressing 'scan'. It is better to enter a specific particle ID or just pressing 'refresh'.

Notes:

·  By clicking on the marker a window with the Particle ID pops up
·  By moving the mouse over a marker the ID is shown in the tip box
·  By clicking on the box, all markers contained are selected in the legend

Particle Location System (PLS) @ HCILAB

Screenshot 1 of the working Particle Location System. Click on the images for a large version.

 Screenshot 2 of the working Particle Location System. Click on the images for a large version.

Files

References