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Base stations

Base stations (UWB anchors) that calibrate themselves

Base stations are the fixed part of a Noccela system. They measure the radio signals of the tags, give the positioning engine what it needs to compute positions, and work out their own positions after installation. Indoors they go up like security cameras, on one cable each.

Request a quote Estimate base stations
Positioning accuracy, up to
10 cm
Coverage per base station, up to
500 m²
Active tags at 1 Hz within radio range
1,000
Data and power over Ethernet (Beacon 3)
1 cable

What a base station does

Satellite navigation works because the satellites are at known positions. Indoors, base stations play that role. Each one is fixed at a known point. When a tag sends an ultra-wideband (UWB) pulse, the base stations in range measure it, and the positioning engine calculates where the tag is.

Noccela's High-Performance Ranging (HPR) protocol also gives the base stations a two-way link to the tags. The link is used to configure tags, update their firmware over the air and switch on their buzzer and LED.

The base stations themselves are kept simple. The demanding computing runs in the positioning engine, in Noccela's cloud or on your own server.

  • Measures

    Ranges with every tag in reach and sends the measurements to the positioning engine.

  • Locates itself

    Measures its distance to the other base stations, so the system knows where every base station is.

  • Talks back

    Configures tags, delivers firmware updates and triggers warnings on badges.

Installed like a security camera

Indoor base stations use the same kind of installation as IP cameras: one network cable each, from a PoE switch.

  • One cable for data and power. Beacon 3 is powered over Ethernet and draws about 3 W.
  • Standard mounting. A ceiling bracket or an M10 threaded bar indoors; poles, fences or tripods for the Sports Beacon.
  • No special network set-up. No public IP address, no static IP address and no access to your private network.
  • Forgiving placement. Base stations go where cabling and mounting are practical; automatic calibration takes care of their exact positions.
  • No cabling at all? The Mobile Anchor with Flash runs on its own battery and 4G router; the Extension Box runs a base station from a power bank over Wi-Fi.
PoE switch

One Ethernet cable each

Base station 1
Base station 2
Base station 3
Base station 4
Wired: Beacon 3 Wireless: Extension Box or 4G
Star topology: each base station has its own cable to the switch.

Automatic calibration

In many RTLS installations, the position of every anchor is surveyed by hand after mounting. That takes time and adds error. Noccela base stations do it themselves.

After installation, a technician measures the position of two base stations. The other base stations measure their distances to each other over UWB, and the system calculates where each of them is.

Sports set-ups go further. The Sports Beacons are placed around the field and calibrated by walking a tag to its corners, with no floor plan and no surveyed base stations.

How automatic calibration works

Coverage and capacity

Up to 500 m² per base station

How much area one base station covers depends on the space. Open halls need fewer base stations than areas with high racking, walls or heavy machinery, and ceiling height matters too. Coverage areas overlap, because a tag is positioned from the measurements of several base stations.

Base station estimator · RTLS deployment planning

1,000 active tags at 1 Hz within radio range

Tags that are not moving go to sleep, thanks to their accelerometer, and do not use capacity. A site can therefore have many more tags than this in total. A tag that reports its position more often than once a second uses more capacity; one that reports less often uses less.

Update rate and battery life

Choose your base station

Three models for permanent indoor sites, open and outdoor areas, and temporary zones.

Noccela Beacon 3 base station in black and white with its mounting plate

Beacon 3

Compact PoE base station for indoor sites, installed like a security camera.

Details
Noccela Sports Beacon, a white weatherproof base station on a pole

Sports Beacon

Rugged base station for sports fields, outdoor areas and harsh industrial sites.

Details
Noccela Mobile Anchor briefcase kit with a red signalling flash

Mobile Anchor with Flash

A base station, signalling flash, battery and LTE router in one rugged case.

Details

Compare base stations

Comparison of Noccela base stations
Beacon 3 Sports Beacon Mobile Anchor with Flash
Best for Factories · Warehouses · Hospitals · OfficesSports fields and arenas · Equestrian tracks · Outdoor yards · Harsh industrial sitesTemporary hazard zones · Test benches and vehicles · Construction and maintenance · Events and exhibitions
Environment IndoorIndoor and outdoorPortable kit for temporary zones
Coverage Up to 500 m² per base stationUp to 500 m² per base stationA zone around the case
Tag capacity 1,000 active tags at 1 Hz within radio range; unlimited parked tags1,000 active tags at 1 Hz within radio range–
Power Power over Ethernet, about 3 WUSB-B power, about 3 WAbout 11 W; rechargeable battery or 100–240 V AC
Network 10/100 Mbps Ethernet (RJ-45)Ethernet; Wi-Fi with the Extension Box4G LTE router with SIM slot
Mounting Ceiling bracket or M10 threaded barM10 threaded bar: pole, fence or tripodFree-standing case
Size and weight Radius 75 mm, height 70 mm; 190 gRadius 180 mm, height 250 mm; 1,250 g465 × 360 × 175 mm, about 6.5 kg complete
Operating temperature 0 to +50 °C0 to +50 °C0 to +50 °C
Certifications CE marked; FCC ID 2AVRO-BEACON-3 (47 CFR Part 15 Subpart F; indoor use in the US)CE markedBuilt from CE-marked Noccela components

How to deploy base stations

  1. Plan from your floor plan

    Upload the floor plan to the Designer. It suggests base station positions, and a Noccela engineer reviews them with you.

  2. Cable and mount

    Run one Ethernet cable from a PoE switch to each base station and mount it on a bracket or threaded bar. Cabling is usually most of the work.

  3. Measure two, calibrate the rest

    Measure the position of two base stations. The others locate themselves by ranging each other over UWB.

  4. Validate and go live

    Walk a tag through the area to check accuracy and coverage, then set up the Location Intelligence Platform and connect your systems.

Frequently asked questions

Is a base station the same as a UWB anchor?
Yes. “Anchor” is the common industry term for a fixed UWB reference point. Noccela calls its devices base stations.
How many base stations does a site need?
Each base station covers up to 500 m². Racking, walls, machinery and ceiling height reduce that, and coverage areas overlap so that every tag is seen by several base stations. Try the base station estimator for a first figure; we confirm the layout from your floor plan.
Do we need to survey every base station after installation?
No. Measure the position of two base stations; the others calibrate themselves. Sports set-ups calibrate by walking a tag to the corners of the field. How automatic calibration works.
What do base stations need from our IT network?
Beacon 3 needs one Ethernet cable with Power over Ethernet. The system does not need a public IP address, a static IP address or access to your private network. If your policy requires it, everything can run on an on-premise server instead of the cloud.
Can base stations be used outdoors?
Sports Beacon is built for indoor and outdoor use; Beacon 3 is for indoor use. Radio rules for fixed outdoor UWB installations differ from country to country, so tell us where the system will be used. Compliance and radio regulation.
What if there is no cabling at all?
The Mobile Anchor with Flash carries its own battery and 4G router. The Extension Box runs a base station from a USB-C power bank and connects it over Wi-Fi.

Plan your base station layout

Send us a floor plan. We will tell you how many base stations you need, where they go and what the installation involves.

Send a floor plan Start a pilot