Radio communication system

1. A positioning system comprising:

a network comprising a plurality of first access points, each access point being configured for bi-directional communication, using a first radio protocol, with a communication device that has been associated with the access point by an association data exchange, wherein the first radio protocol conforms to, or is compatible with, at least one of the IEEE 802.11 standards, and wherein each access point is further configured to receive, at a first data rate using the first radio protocol, a multicast radio message from a wireless communication unit that is not associated with the access point and to forward the multicast message onto the network;

a first radio transmitter configured to send data comprising a control message, addressed to one or more specific wireless communication units, at a second data rate which is lower than the first data rate, using a second radio protocol which is different from the first radio protocol; and

a wireless communication unit:

comprising a further radio transmitter configured to transmit a multicast radio message at the first data rate using the first radio protocol, wherein the multicast radio message comprises (i) identification information relating to the wireless communication unit, and (ii) information relating to the position of the wireless communication unit, or information from which the position of the wireless communication unit can be derived;

comprising a radio receiver configured to receive and decode a control message from said first radio transmitter, received at the second data rate using the second radio protocol; and

being configured to execute a function in response to receiving the control message; and

a server configured to:

receive and process the multicast message from the wireless communication unit, forwarded to the server by one of the first access points, to determine the position of the wireless communication unit; and

control the sending of data from the first radio transmitter.

2. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication unit comprises a radio transmitter configured to transmit a message using the second radio protocol.

3. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication unit is configured to communicate (i) a wireless-communication-unit identifier, and (ii) a zone identifier, in said multicast radio message.

4. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second radio protocols operate in the same, or overlapping, radio spectrum ranges.

5. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication unit comprises a power amplifier and an antenna and is configured to use the antenna and power amplifier for transmitting a multicast message using the first radio protocol and for receiving data using the second protocol.

6. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the first access points and the first radio transmitter are connected to one another by a wired network.

7. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the second radio protocol conforms to, or is compatible with, the physical layer defined in one of the IEEE 802.15.4 standards.

8. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein a maximum data rate supported by the second protocol is less than a minimum data rate supported by the first protocol.

9. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein an effective transmission range of the first radio transmitter is greater than effective transmission ranges of the first access points when each access point is communicating with a communication device associated with the access point.

10. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless unit comprises a clock, wherein the first radio transmitter is configured to send clock synchronisation information at the second data rate using the second radio protocol, and wherein the wireless unit is configured to use the clock synchronisation information to synchronise its clock.

11. The positioning system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of radio transmitters configured to send data at the second data rate using the second radio protocol, and arranged to form a network of second access points for devices communicating using the second protocol, wherein each of the second access points also comprises a radio receiver, for two-way communication using the second protocol, and wherein the network of second access points is configured as a tree or mesh network.

12. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless unit comprises an ultrasound receiver, and is configured to respond to ultrasound signals transmitted by an ultrasound transmitter positioned in an area.

13. The positioning system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication unit is configured to be carried by, worn by or attached to a movable object.

14. A wireless communication unit comprising:

a radio transmitter configured to transmit a multicast radio message at a first data rate using a first radio protocol to a plurality of access points, wherein the wireless communication unit is not associated with any of the access points, wherein the first radio protocol conforms to, or is compatible with, at least one of the IEEE 802.11 standards, and wherein the multicast radio message includes (i) identification information relating to the wireless communication unit, and (ii) information relating to the position of the wireless communication unit, or from which the position of the wireless communication unit can be derived; and

a radio receiver configured to receive and decode a control message, addressed to the wireless communication unit, from a remote radio transmitter at a second data rate which is lower than the first data rate, using a second radio protocol which is different from the first radio protocol, the wireless communication unit being configured to execute a function in response to receiving the control message.

15. The wireless communication unit of claim 14 , comprising a clock, being configured to receive clock synchronisation information from the radio transmitter at the second data rate using the second radio protocol, and being further configured to use the clock synchronisation information to synchronise the clock.

16. A method comprising:

a wireless communication unit transmitting a multicast radio message at a first data rate to a WiFi access point with which the wireless communication unit is not associated, the multicast radio message comprising (i) identification information relating to the wireless communication unit, and (ii) information relating to the position of the wireless communication unit, or information from which the position of the wireless communication unit can be derived;

a server receiving (i) the identification information and (ii) the information relating to the position of the wireless communication unit, or information from which the position of the wireless communication unit can be derived, and using said information to determine the position of the wireless communication unit;

the server causing a radio transmitter to send a control message addressed to the wireless communication unit, at a second data rate which is lower than the first data rate, using a non-WiFi radio protocol; and

the wireless communication unit executing a function in response to receiving said control message.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the control message includes synchronization information, the method further comprising using said synchronization information to synchronize the wireless communication unit.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the multicast radio message includes (i) an identifier of the wireless communication unit and (ii) a zone identifier.