Let the phone call find you. (PhoneVision infrared employee tracking system from Precision Tracking FM Inc)

SUMMARY: One way to solve the problem of getting your calls while moving around in an office is an infrared-based system that tracks where you are and then lets a receptionist direct a call to the phone nearest you. Though the system solves a problem, some people might find it intrusive.

Any office where people move around a lot or don't have assigned desks poses a challenge when trying to find the best way to make sure they receive their incoming phone calls. Some of the non-territorial offices use cordless phones or route incoming calls to the phone at the desk where a person is sitting that day. These solutions aren't always satisfactory if the person is away from his or her desk or phone.

A system called [PhoneVision.sup.TM] from Precision Tracking FM Inc. could be worth considering if you face this problem. As the diagram shows, it works with a combination of "CallFinder" tags and sensors; each person carries a small one-ounce tag that transmits digital infrared light to a small ceiling-mounted sensor. A network of sensors feeds into a PC-based controller that constantly updates a file listing who is located where in the building. Each sensor can detect and convey information from many tags, so if several people are within range of the same sensor it will identify each of them.

The master file can create three kinds of applications:

* "PhoneMap" is a floor plan on the PC that shows the building diagram with an icon showing each person by name and his/her most recent location in the building;

* "PhoneList" displays a listing of everyone's current location and the number of the phone nearest to them;

* "PhoneTalker" lets you dial in to the PC, enter the phone number of the person you're trying to locate, and a voice card will then "tell" you that person's most recent location, e.g., "Jim Park is in room B309, extension 2335."