PCB Design for Tracking Devices
High performance, small form factor
The Tech
Retailers use a range of tools to monitor shoppers around the store. Helping them identify areas with the most footfall, the can adapt layout and product placement accordingly.
Legacy WiFi systems could roughly pinpoint a person’s location, using co-ordinates from a series of access points. And because of their design, timing was not exact – lagging seconds, or even minutes, behind.
ZoneArt's Follow Spot allows retailers to track shoppers in real time, highlighting precise details like what products are of interest. The technology uses just one access point to locate and monitor shopper movements. And to help them meet its exacting requirements, ZoneArt came to us for specialist advice on PCB design and manufacture.
Our Brief
The PCBs could be a maximum of 4 layers – to achieve manufacturing cost targets and fit inside the base unit. They also needed to meet key specifications:
* Integrate multiple 2.4GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi channels in one design.
* Guarantee consistent electrical performance between the different Wi-Fi channels.
* Incorporate multiple antennas & 50Ohm circuits. ZA-RF
* Import and manage the lifecycle of complex copper shapes.
Our Approach
To start, we carefully planned the schematic hierarchy. As well as making sure the 2.4 and 5GHz circuits would work well in tandem, this meant designs could be re-used at a later date.
Controlling impedance is challenging within a 4-layer PCB, so we meticulously mapped the circuit elements and regional planes.
We developed footprints using data supplied from the microwave CAD system to maintain integrity. And we added properties to the source data so we could track the shape lifecycle.The Results
Our PCB design achieved a perfect fit first time.
Continued use has shown consistent performance in both circuits, despite Follow Spot using the 2.4 and 5GHz elements extensively.
PCBs met product cost and electrical performance targets.
ZoneArt have kept us onboard, developing designs for two subsequent versions of the product.
"Quantum effectively became part of the team during the PCB layout phase, with regular, detailed interactions on many issues.
Without this commitment and flexibility on the part of Quantum, we could have had the successful outcome we did."
Dr Peter Kenington, CTO, ZoneArt Networks Ltd