Application of UWB Tags in Precise Tracking of Valuable Insured Goods in Smart Logistics

2025-06-27 5

Principles and Advantages of UWB Technology

UWB (Ultra-Wideband) is an ultra-wideband technology that realizes communication and positioning by transmitting nanosecond-level narrow pulse signals. Compared with traditional wireless technologies, UWB has many significant advantages. It has extremely high positioning accuracy, reaching centimeter-level or even millimeter-level, which provides a solid foundation for accurately tracking goods. In terms of signal propagation characteristics, UWB signals have strong penetration and excellent anti-multipath interference ability. Even in complex logistics environments, such as warehouses full of goods and storage areas with numerous metal shelves, they can transmit signals stably, ensuring the accuracy of positioning. At the same time, UWB technology also has low power consumption characteristics, which is crucial for logistics tracking equipment that needs to work continuously for a long time.


The Important Significance of Low Power Consumption Characteristics in Logistics

In smart logistics scenarios, the number of goods is huge and widely distributed. If the power consumption of tracking equipment is too high, frequent battery replacement will consume a lot of manpower and material resources, and may also cause the equipment to interrupt tracking due to insufficient power, which seriously affects the continuity and accuracy of logistics management. The low-power design of UWB tags effectively solves this problem. Taking the UWB tags used on common logistics pallets or goods packaging as an example, with advanced power management technology and low-power chips, the battery life can be as long as 12 months or even longer after one battery replacement. This enables UWB tags to work continuously and stably during the entire logistics cycle, from goods warehousing, storage, sorting to outbound transportation, without frequent maintenance, greatly reducing operating costs.


Priority and Precise Tracking Strategies for Valuable Insured Goods

System Architecture Design: Deploy UWB base stations at key nodes such as logistics warehouses and transport vehicles to form an all-round positioning network without dead ends. When valuable insured goods enter the coverage area of the network, UWB tags are bound to them. The tags communicate with the base stations through UWB signals, and can accurately calculate the real-time position of the goods based on the hybrid algorithm of TOA (Time of Arrival) and TDOA (Time Difference of Arrival). In the warehouse of a large logistics enterprise, by reasonably arranging UWB base stations, the positioning accuracy of valuable insured goods can reach ±10cm, realizing precise control of the goods' positions.

Data Processing and Priority Setting: The logistics management system conducts real-time analysis and processing of the data fed back by UWB tags. For valuable insured goods, the system gives them the highest priority in data processing. Once the position information of valuable insured goods is updated, the system can complete data reception, parsing and storage in a very short time (such as within 50ms), and timely feedback the latest position information to logistics managers. Through this priority setting, it is ensured that the tracking information of valuable insured goods can always be processed timely and accurately among massive logistics data.

Intelligent Sorting and Transportation Optimization: In the goods sorting link, UWB tags play a key role. When the sorting equipment receives the goods position information from UWB tags, it can quickly identify the shelf where the valuable insured goods are located, and through real-time interaction with the AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) scheduling system, the AGV can automatically plan the shortest path to the shelf for picking. During transportation, through real-time tracking of valuable insured goods by UWB tags, logistics managers can flexibly adjust the transportation route according to the actual position of the goods, avoid traffic congestion sections, and ensure that the goods can be delivered to the destination safely and quickly.


Effects of Practical Application Cases

A well-known e-commerce enterprise introduced UWB tags in its logistics center to track and manage valuable insured goods. After implementation, in the warehouse storage link, disputes caused by misplacement and loss of goods decreased by 80%, greatly improving the accuracy of inventory management. In the sorting link, with the collaborative operation of UWB tags and AGV, the sorting efficiency of valuable insured goods increased by 55%, significantly shortening the time for goods to be out of the warehouse. During transportation, through real-time tracking and route optimization, the average transportation time of goods was shortened by 15%, and customer satisfaction with valuable insured goods increased from 70% to 95%, achieving significant economic and social benefits.


In conclusion, relying on its low power consumption and precise positioning characteristics, UWB tags have irreplaceable advantages in the tracking and management of valuable insured goods in smart logistics, providing strong support for the efficient and safe development of the logistics industry. With the continuous development and improvement of technology, its application prospects will be broader.