Importance

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Abstract

System architecture for managing a network of distributed entities, including a central server and a plurality of mobile terminals connected with the server. Terminals can communicate and exchange information with the server, but also among each other. Each mobile terminal is adapted to intercept the proximity of network entities having potentially a limited processing capability: in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the entities are RFID Smart Tags, but other kinds of proximity communication protocols could be used instead (e.g. ZIGBee, Bluetooth). A central repository is maintained by the server where all the information collected by the mobile terminals is stored and is made available to the plurality of mobile terminals. The network entities must be capable of transmitting information to the mobile terminals when they are within a predetermined range. Each entity (e.g. an RFID Tag) can be coupled to any physical object and provide information about such object or the category to which the object belongs. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the entities are also adapted to transmit a workflow or a sequence of instructions to mobile terminals. The mobile terminals include a Task Engine for interpreting and executing such workflow received by the entities. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the mobile terminals are provided with a positioning system to be able to communicate the location of the detected entities to the server.

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First Claim