EBRA RSL10-LSV5X4W1K1X0X0 FTM Wi fi Location

Product Information

Specifications

• Product Name: Zebra FTM Wi-Fi Location
• Model Number: MN-004074-02EN Rev. A
• Accuracy: 1 to 2 meters

FAQ

• Q: How do I contact Zebra Global Customer Support?
  • A: Contact information for Zebra Global Customer Support is available at zebra.com/support. For any equipment-related issues, reach out to the support team in your region.

Terms of Use

Proprietary Statement

This manual contains proprietary information of Zebra Technologies Corporation and its subsidiaries (“Zebra Technologies”). It is intended solely for the information and use of parties operating and maintaining the equipment described herein. Such proprietary information may not be used, reproduced, or disclosed to any other parties for any other purpose without the express, written permission of Zebra Technologies.

Product Improvements

Continuous improvement of products is a policy of Zebra Technologies. All specifications and designs are subject to change without notice.

Liability Disclaimer

Zebra Technologies takes steps to ensure that its published Engineering specifications and manuals are correct; however, errors do occur. Zebra Technologies reserves the right to correct any such errors and disclaims liability resulting therefrom.

Limitation of Liability

In no event shall Zebra Technologies or anyone else involved in the creation, production, or delivery of the accompanying product (including hardware and software) be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, consequential damages including loss of business profits, business interruption, or loss of business information) arising out of the use of, the results of use of, or inability to use such product, even if Zebra Technologies has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.

Publication Date

• June 4, 2021

Revision History

Table 1: Revisions

About This Document

Introduction

This guide provides information about best practices for Fine Timing Measurement (FTM). It provides information about the recommended device configuration, AP configuration, product default configuration settings and recommended FTM deployments. This document provides the usage of the location APIs and a sample code snippet that enables the customer to use Zebra Location services.

IMPORTANT

• If you have a problem with your equipment, contact Zebra Global Customer Support for your region. Contact information is available at: zebra.com/support.

Chapter Descriptions

Topics covered in this guide are as follows:

• Overview provides an overview of Fine Timing Measurement (FTM) – Wi-Fi Round Trip Time (RTT).
• Best Practices Device Configuration provides information on infrastructure configuration.

Notational Conventions

The following conventions are used in this document:

• Bold text is used to highlight the following:
  • Dialog box, window and screen names
  • Drop-down list and list box names
  • Check box and radio button names
  • Icons on a screen
  • Key names on a keypad
  • Button names on a screen.
• Bullets (•) indicate:
  • Action items
  • Lists of alternatives
  • Lists of required steps that are not necessarily sequential.
• Sequential lists (such as those that describe step-by-step procedures) appear as numbered lists.

Icon Conventions

The documentation set is designed to give the reader more visual clues. The following graphic icons are used throughout the documentation set. These icons and their associated meanings are described below.

• NOTE: The text here indicates information that is supplemental for the user to know and that is not required to complete a task.
• IMPORTANT: The text here indicates information that is important for the user to know.
• CAUTION: If the precaution is not heeded, the user could receive minor or moderate injury.
• WARNING: If danger is not avoided, the user CAN be seriously injured or killed.

Related Documents and Software

• For the latest version of this guide and all guides, go to zebra.com/support.

Service Information

If you have a problem with your equipment, contact Zebra Global Customer Support for your region. Contact information is available at zebra.com/support.

When contacting support, please have the following information available:

• Serial number of the unit
• Model number or product name
• Software/firmware type or version number

Zebra responds to calls by email, telephone or fax within the time limits set forth in support agreements.

If your problem cannot be solved by Zebra Customer Support, you may need to return your equipment for servicing and will be given specific directions. Zebra is not responsible for any damages incurred during shipment if the approved shipping container is not used. Shipping the units improperly can possibly void the warranty.

If you purchased your Zebra business product from a Zebra business partner, contact that business partner for support.

Overview

Scope

Fine Timing Measurement (FTM), mostly known as Wi-Fi Round Trip Time (RTT) is a time-based measurement protocol (80211mc) to measure the distance between Wi-Fi Access Point (AP) and a device within 1 to 2 meters of accuracy. Once distances are measure between the device and multiple APs (with known location), the location of the device can be determined.

The FTM protocol defines a round trip time measurement procedure between an initiating and responding 802.11mc compatible entities. An Initiating entity such as the Client (also known as STA), called Initiator, sends the FTM request frame to the corresponding entity, such as an AP. The AP that supports the FTM procedure as a responding device, also called as Responder, starts sending the FTM Response frames to the Initiating Client STA. For better accuracy, the Client STA needs to send FTM Request frames to the set of APs. The ranging response of the APs are combined/averaged several frames to get a good reading.

The scope of the document defines the location solution for indoor navigation by using FTM as a dedicated provider in Google Location Manager Service APIs. Zebra defines an additional parameter for accessing the device location using FTM. This document provides the API details and the parameters needed to access the FTM solution, as well as the recommended device configuration.

Solution Goal

• Currently, Android provides only base FTM protocol APIs exposed via Google Wi-Fi RTT service APIs. Location apps can use these APIs to get their distance from any Wi-Fi RTT Access Points. Android also provides Location Manager service and Fused Location service APIs to get location updates from providers like Network, Cellular, WLAN based on RSSI and Sensor data.
• At present, Google has not incorporated FTM as a provider in either Location Manager / Fused Location services. The only way to get an indoor location using FTM is by using the low-level APIs exposed by Google in the Wi-Fi RTT service. But these RTT APIs will only give the device distance from the AP’s and application needs to be further modified to incorporate location algorithm to locate the device within the floor area.
• Due to the above limitations, Zebra enables a dedicated FTM provider called RTT provider which can be accessed via the Location Manager service APIs. Zebra customers can directly use the existing Google Location Manager service APIs and pass RTT as a provider to get dedicated indoor location updates using FTM 80211mc APs.

Use Cases and Benefits

• Using the Zebra Location Solution Customer can locate the device in the RTT enabled AP environment and be able to perform indoor navigation.

Supported Products and Default Configuration

Supported Product List with Android 10 or Later

• PS20
• TC52/TC52HC
• TC57
• TC72
• TC77
• MC93
• TC8300
• VC8300
• EC30
• ET51
• ET56
• L10
• CC600/CC6000
• MC3300x
• MC330x
• TC52x
• TC57x
• EC50 (LAN and HC)
• EC55 (WAN)
• WT6300

Product Default FTM Configuration

• FTM feature is enabled by default.
• Zebra Location Service is enabled by default.
• FTM Infrastructure Deployment is set to Standard Mode where AP supports inbuilt 11mc.
• FTM AP source is set to use Location XML.
• FTM XML file Deployment path – default set to /sdcard path.

NOTE: Use FileMgr CSP to place the file in the sdcard path (see Deploying XML Using FileMgr CSP). If the new path is chosen (within sdcard path) then replace the default path with new path.

Best Practices Device Configuration

Table 2: Default, Supported and Recommended FTM Location Settings

Feature| Default Configuration| Supported Configuration| Recommended for FTM Location
---|---|---|---
11k| Enabled| •  Enable

•  Disable

| As default
Location| Enabled| •  Enable

•  Disable

| As default
Wi-Fi Scanning| Enabled| •  Enable

•  Disable

| As default
11ac| Enabled| •  Enable

•  Disable

| As default
Zebra Location Service| Enabled| •  Enable

•  Disable

| As default

Sample Code Sequence

Android Location Manager API List

• Public void requestLocationUpdates (String provider, long minTime, float minDistance, LocationListener listener)
  • Provider: The name of the provider with which to register. This value must never be null.
  • minTime: Minimum time interval between location updates, in milliseconds.
  • minDistance: Minimum distance between location updates, in meters.
  • Listener: A LocationListener whose LocationListener#onLocationChanged method will be called for each location update This value must never be null.
• Public void removeUpdates (LocationListener listener): Removes all location updates for the specified LocationListener.
• Public Location getLastKnownLocation (String provider): Returns a Location indicating the data from the last known location fix obtained from the given provider.

Application Code Snippet

• The application gets the location manager object using an Android existing API.
  • LocationManager manager = (LocationManager) getSystemService(LOCATION_SERVICE).
  • To request location updates using RTT as provider.
  • manager.requestLocationUpdates(“rtt”, 5000, 1, listener);
  • By default, Android provides two providers – GPS and Network provider. Zebra enables a dedicated FTM provider called RTT provider which can be accessed via Location Manager service API’s Android provides API to query the list of providers supported.
  • Application developers can use the API to get the list of providers supported in the product. [getAllProviders].
• Here, the Listener is Android’s existing listener named LocationListener.
  • LocationListener listener = new LocationListener()
  • {
  • @Override
  • public void onLocationChanged(Location location) { location.getLongitude(); location.getLatitude(); }
  • }
• Applications get notifications about location updates via LocationListener (Android’s existing).
• To get the last known location, one should use the below Android’s existing API:
• Location loc = manager.getLastKnownLocation(“provider name”); (Argument is the provider name, in our case RTT)

FTM Configuration with Tools Supporting Zebra MX

This section describes available FTM configuration options with using Zebra Mobility Extensions (MX) based tools. For example; a centralized Device Management or Enterprise Mobility Management system already integrated with MX Configuration Service Packages (CSPs), staging tools such as Zebra’s StageNow, or other on-device agents and applications which may have privileged access to the MX framework. The tool used for the FTM configuration option must have an MX version of 10.2 or above.

For more information, refer to the following links for MX/CSP information, and the specific FTM option in this chapter:

• techdocs.zebra.com/
• techdocs.zebra.com/mx/wifi/

During FTM trial staging and testing, it is convenient to use the Zebra’s StageNow tool and deploy configuration directly to trial devices, with a scanned-barcode or other StageNow methods.
StageNow version 5.0 is required. It includes the required MX 10.2.

Download StageNow at

• techdocs.zebra.com/stagenow

Configuration Options

• FTMEnable: Select whether to Enable/Disable Zebra Location service (Value Add). This setting applies only to products that have FTM Feature Enabled by default.

  • Enable: Enables Zebra Location service
  • Disable (Default): Disables Zebra Location service (which means a user can only get base RTT functionality provided by Google).

• FTMDeployment_Mode: Select Fine Timing Measurement (FTM) Deployment Mode. Supported modes include Standard (AP Supports inbuilt FTM feature) and Enhanced Infra (Infra needs an additional FTM AP to support indoor location).

• Standard (FTM-Enabled): Choose Standard mode for Enterprise Wireless Deployment where the controller-based Infrastructure APs have an inbuilt 80211mc functionality that enables the location functionality.

• Enhanced-Infra (FTM Enabled): Choose Enhanced mode if the deployment needs an additional 80211mc APs for enabling location solution. In this case, the primary AP network that the device is connecting to does not have built-in 11mc support, and a different set of APs support 11mc.

• Standard (FTM-enabled) is the default configuration when FTMEnable is set to Enable.

• FTM AP Source: For getting the position of the device within the floor, Zebra Location Service needs to know the 11mc AP’s location coordinates. The location of AP can be in WGS format (GPS) which is part of LCI and LCR IE frames / in user-specific format (meters/feet) which is hard-coded in the XML file.
  Supported Modes are Location via XML & Location via AP (LCI, LCR).

  • Location XML: Choose this option if AP cannot broadcast its location coordinates. Admin must manually enter all the 11mc AP’s coordinates in an XML file. [AP location is calculated from a reference point in the floor] The sample XML file is provided at the end of this section.
  • Selecting this option will enable the FTM Deployment File option for the user to enter the Floor XML path.
  • NOTE: The floor map XML file needs to be pushed in the device SDcard path using FileMgr CSP (see Deploying XML Using FileMgr CSP).
  • The location from API (LCR/LCI): Choose this option if APs can broadcast its coordinates LCI and LCR information as part of 80211mc frames.
  • Location XML is the default configuration when FTMEnable is set to Enable.

• FTMDeployment_File: This option is available only if the Location XML option is chosen from the FTM AP source configuration. Once the FTM deployment file is pushed through FileMgr CSP to the device in the SDcard path, the same path must be specified. (See Deploying XML Using FileMgr CSP.)

Deploying XML Using FileMgr CSP

The File Manager (FileMgr) allows an application to manage files on the device. In this case, the use for
FTM is to copy the XML file from local or remote locations to the device.

1. File Action: Select Transfer/Copy File.
2. Target Path and File Name: Enter the full path of the file to be located on the device.
   • Example: /sdcard/FloorMap.xml
3. Source Path and File Name: Enter the details of the file to push to device.
   • Example: C:\Users\Username\Downloads\FloorMap.xml
4. Click Continue to finish the process and generate a barcode.
5. Click Complete profile. Select the type of barcode and click Test to view the barcode in a pdf.

Sample XML File Format

Configure Various FTM Deployments

Configure FTM for Standard Mode of Deployment (XML Method)

Prerequisites

• • The product supports FTM feature.
• • Infrastructure AP has an inbuilt 11mc feature and the feature is Enabled.
  • Preference is 11k and 11ac enabled in the infrastructure (see Common Recommendations for Infrastructure to Support FTM).
  • XML file containing 11mc APs BSSID and its corresponding x, y coordinate related to the floor map.

Configuration

To configure FTM for Standard Mode of Deployment (XML method):

1. Select FTM Enable for enabling Zebra Location Service which helps to locate the device within the floor.
2. Select Standard (FTM Enabled) from FTM Deployment Mode option. Ensure that 11k and 11ac is enabled in the device and infra.
3. Select the AP coordinate source. Select option Location XML.
4. After selecting Location XML, push the XML file. The XML file (for example, floormap.xml) should have all 11mc APs BSSID and its x, y coordinates hard coded in the file (see Sample XML File Format). The admin must push the XML file on to the device to sdcard path using FileMgr CSP (see Deploying XML Using FileMgr CSP).
5. Specify the XML file path in the FTM Deployment file (device sdcard path). Deploy the above configuration using StageNow. The device is ready for indoor navigation.
6. See the Application Code Snippet and modify the location application by using the Android Location Manager API to get location updates.

Configure FTM for Standard Mode of Deployment (LCI/LCR Method)

Prerequisites

• The product supports FTM feature.
• Infrastructure AP has an inbuilt 11mc feature and the feature is enabled.
• Preference is 11k and 11ac enabled in the infrastructure (see Common Recommendations for Infrastructure to Support FTM).
• Infrastructure AP should have LCI and LCR configurable and broadcast the same in FTM action frames.

Configuration

To configure FTM for Standard Mode of Deployment (LCI/LCR method):

1. Select FTM Enable for enabling Zebra Location Service which helps to locate the device within the floor.
2. Select Standard (FTM Enabled) from FTM Deployment Mode option. Ensure that 11k and 11ac is enabled in the device and infra.
3. Select Location from AP option (AP is capable of configuring LCI, LCR parameters and able to broadcast as part of FTM Action frames). Deploy the above configuration using StageNow. The device is ready for indoor navigation.
4. See the Application Code Snippet and modify the location application by using the Android Location Manager API to get location updates.

Configure FTM for Enhanced Infra Mode of Deployment

• Enhanced Infra Mode means that the AP network that the device is connecting to might not have a built-in 11mc capability, and the deployment is enhancing the infrastructure with separate set of AP network supporting 11mc, which the device is not connecting to.
• In this case, if the Enhanced Infra satisfies the same above mentioned pre-requisites respective to XML or LCI/LCR methods, then the same above mentioned configuration steps of respective XML or LCI/LCR methods enable the Device’s FTM locationing inter-operated with that Enhanced Infrastructure.

Notes on Location Updates in Mobility and Idle Scenarios

Android Power Management and Zebra’s additional device optimizations influence the location updates.
The following points need to be considered:

The location updates operate based on fresh Wi-Fi RTT-Scanning and per the configured interval, in the following scenarios:

• Whenever the device is moving.
• When the device is not moving and the Battery Optimizations settings of the App/Service using the Location API is set to Don’t Optimize.
• When the WLAN Infrastructure has 802.11k enabled and the device has its 802.11k enabled (default).
  • This capability of fresh scans under this configuration even without satisfying the above two conditions, is specific to Zebra’s enhancements.
• The location updates operate based on cached Wi-Fi RTT-Scanning (older scans) and per the configured interval, when the device is not moving and nothing is holding-off Android from optimizing the battery. This condition is sometimes referred as Doze mode.
• When the device is entering a state of Preferred Network Offload (PNO) and is not moving; for example when the display screen times-out when device is sitting on the table, then the location updates are provided for around one hour based on the fresh Wi-Fi RTT-Scanning and per the configured interval, and thereafter – Android forces periodical and sensory-triggering based logics of going in and out of Doze mode for purpose of saving battery life. In the sub periods of the Doze mode the location updates operate based on cached Wi-Fi RTT-Scanning (older scans), as explained above.
• It is advised to upgrade the device to the latest LifeGuard Update, where optimization for High Ceiling is applicable, and XML characteristics are introduced to support DeviceHeight and ApHeight, and coordinates are provided with additional Z-axis.

Common Recommendations for Infrastructure

Common Recommendations for Infrastructure to Support FTM

This section describes general AP guidelines and limitations for FTM responder support.
These guidelines are typically the default parameters of the infrastructure configuration, however they should to be examined to make sure that it is indeed the case, and/or consider the respective compromises of FTM performance.

Bandwidth

• Recommending using ≥ 80 MHz, while 11ac remains enabled. This is because location results are best at higher bandwidth due to better measurement precision.

Channels

• During testing, it is better to use non DFS 80 MHz channel. The actual deployment may use all available 80 MHz channels including DFS.

802.11k

• 802.11K can be enabled to make it easy for clients to discover neighbors of the currently associated AP as well as their FTM Responder capability.
• This can be potentially used by clients in their roaming and FTM ranging decisions.

AP Density for Ranging

Line of Sight (LoS) range measurements have greater accuracy and lower error spread. The current recommendation is to continue to deploy for capacity indoors (with an AP every 25 to 30 feet) and leverage the AP density to get enough quality Line Of Sight ranging measurements at the client anywhere on the floor plan.

AP Deployment

• A grid like deployment wherever possible, since range measurements from collinear APs with some error can affect the position estimation greater than measurements from APs uniformly spread.

MCS Rates

• Leave MCS0 available to be used for 11mc ranging frames.

Aruba Recommendations

Aruba Recommendations for Infrastructure to Support FTM

Limitations for SSID Configuration

If the WLAN infrastructure has any SSID, configured with Not Supported parameter combinations mentioned as Not Supported in the table below, then FTM is not-supported on the AP. This holds true to any Standard Mode mentioned in Configure Various FTM Deployments, in both connected and non-connected states of the device.

In the Not Supported configurations, the device can still facilitate FTM via the Enhanced Infrastructure method (see Configure Various FTM Deployments), whereby a different set of APs (of same AP model but without any of those SSID combinations, or otherwise different APs vendor model altogether) will provide FTM support.

For basic testing, IT is preferred to use a single SSID on the radio for basic testing.

Enabling FTM Under Virtual-AP Profile

To enable FTM using the WebGUI:

1. Navigate to Configuration > System > Profiles > Wireless LAN > Virtual AP.
2. Select the Virtual AP under test.
3. Click the Advanced drop-down list.
4. Check the box next to Fine Time Measurement (802.11mc) Responder Mode.
5. Click Pending Changes on top right section.
6. Click Deploy Changes.

Enable FTM using CLI

This section shows how to enable the FTM as responder using command line interface.

• (Aruba7010_47_03_E2) [mynode] (config) #wlan virtual-ap [ssid name]
• (Aruba7010_47_03_E2) [mynode] (Virtual AP profile “ssid name”) #ftm-responder-enable
• (Aruba7010_47_03_E2) [mynode] (Virtual AP profile “ssid name”) #end
• (Aruba7010_47_03_E2) [mynode] #write mem

Use below command to verify state of FTM:

• show wlan virtual-ap [ssid name]

Provisioning of LCI Coordinates in the Aruba Controller

Use the following commands, shown as examples, to configure GPS Location Coordinates of AP.

NOTE: This section provides commands to configure the LCI parameters (Latitude, Longitude & Altitude).

• Aruba[mynode] (config) #provision-ap
• Aruba[mynode] (config-submode)# read-bootinfo ap-name AP515-1
• Aruba[mynode] (config-submode)#latitude “37 22 08.75 N”
• Aruba[mynode] (config-submode)#longitude “122 02 34.29 W”
• Aruba[mynode] (config-submode)#altitude 20
• Aruba[mynode] (config-submode)#write mem
• Aruba[mynode] (config-submode)#reprovision ap-name AP515-1
• Aruba[mynode] (config-submode)#end

Enable Advertise AP Location and Advertise AP Name

Enable Advertise AP Name from GUI

1. Navigate to Configuration > System > Profiles > Wireless LAN > SSID.
2. Select the SSID profile under test.
3. Click on Advanced drop-down list and scroll down to Advertise Location Info and Advertise AP name.
4. Select the Advertise Location Info checkbox.
5. Select the Advertise AP Name checkbox.
6. Click Pending Changes on top right section.
7. Click Deploy Changes.

Aruba Recommended WLC and AP Models for FTM

• Supported Aruba AP type with AOS 8.7.1 and above: AP504/AP505, AP514/AP515, AP503H, and AP505H.
• Supported Aruba AP type with AOS 8.8 and above: all the above APs plus – AP534/AP535, and AP555.

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ZEBRA and the stylized Zebra head are trademarks of Zebra Technologies Corporation, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Google, Android, Google Play and other marks are trademarks of Google LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
© 2020 Zebra Technologies Corporation and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement or nondisclosure agreement. The software may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of those agreements.

For further information regarding legal and proprietary statements, please go to:

• SOFTWARE: zebra.com/linkoslegal
• COPYRIGHTS: zebra.com/copyright
• WARRANTY: zebra.com/warranty
• END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT: zebra.com/eula

References

• Wi-Fi Manager - TechDocs
• StageNow - Zebra Technologies TechDocs

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