INTRODUCTION TO RFID October 2007

RFID  Introduction to RFID Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a general term that is used to describe a system that transmits the identity (in the form of a unique serial number) of an object wirelessly, using radio waves. RFID is evolving as a major technology enabler for tracking goods, assets, and vehicles around the world. Radio Frequency Identification ( RFID ) is one member in the family of Automatic Identification and Data Capture ( AIDC ) technologies and is a fast and reliable means of identifying just about any material object.

RFID  Development of RFID Advances in radar and RF communications systems Mario W. Cardullo receives the first U.S. patent for an active RFID tag IBM engineers developed and patented a UHF RFID system UHF RFID got a boost, when the Uniform Code Council, EAN International, Procter & Gamble and Gillette put up funding to establish the Auto-ID Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Auto-ID Center gains the support of more than 100 large end- user companies, plus the U.S. Department of Defense and many key RFID vendors s EPC global ratified a second- generation standard in December 2004, paving the way for broad adoption RFID is not a new technology, in fact it was first used by the US military during WWII.

RFID  Spread of RFID Aware of RFID Un-aware of RFID Source: Benchmark Research 34% already using, piloting or investigating RFID applications for their organizations. Anticipating the potential benefits of RFID, many of the world’s major retailers are trialing RFID tagging for pallets and vehicles. The consequence of this RFID activity in the retail sector is likely to impact on around 200,000 manufacturers and suppliers globally.

RFID  How does RFID work? Primarily, the two main components involved in a Radio Frequency Identification system are the Transponder (or tags that are attached to the object) and the Interrogator (RFID reader and antenna). RFID TAG Product #: ASB Arr. Date: Exp. Date: Application Server Reader / Interrogator with antenna Radio Waves Data Capture and Sync

RFID  Automatic Identification RFID technologies are grouped under the more generic Automatic Identification (Auto-ID) technologies. RFID is often positioned as next generation bar-coding because of its obvious advantages over barcodes. However, in many environments it is likely to co-exist with the barcode CriterionRFIDBarcodes IdentificationUnique at item levelCommon for similar SKUs Human InterventionNOYES Visible Outside Of PackagingNot NecessaryNecessary Line of Sight RequiredNOYES Can be duplicatedNOYES Password Protected Item DataYESNO Read RangeVaries< 50 cm Read/Write CapabilitiesYESNO Amount of dataUID + other custom dataUID

RFID  Characteristics of RFID RFID does not require line-of-sight to read and write the tag data RFID systems offer simultaneous identification – capturing data from multiple tags within range of the antenna at the same time. RFID tags read at very rapid rates - RFID can read tag identification codes at a rate of up to 1,000 tags per second. RFID tags can be encapsulated in hardened plastic making them durable and ideal for harsh environments involving elements such as grease, dirt or paint. Active RFID tags can support read/write operations, enabling real-time information updates as a tagged item moves through the supply chain.

RFID  RFID Tags Radio Frequency Identification tags are small pieces of semiconductors that have information stored on them. There are three types of tags: Passive Tags possess no active transmitter to broadcast the information they store. However, when exposed to a radio signal, they convert the received radio signal into current and the current powers a transmitter which transmits the information the tag has stored. Semi-passive Tags have a battery-powered transmitter, but only transmit their data in response to a received signal. Active Tags transmit their data for the life of their batteries. Battery life of active tags can be up to ten years and their range and memory capacity are typically larger than the other types of tags

RFID  RFID Readers An RFID reader contains a module (transmitter and receiver), a control unit and an antenna. The reader has three main functions: energizing, demodulating and decoding. Readers can be fitted with an additional interface that converts the radio waves returned from the RFID tag into a form that can then be passed on to a computer. Anti-Collision algorithms permit the simultaneous reading of large numbers of tagged objects, while ensuring that each tag is read only once. Pool of tags Readable & accurate Information

RFID  RFID Readers and Tags samples Readers Tags

RFID  RFID Systems (The big picture) Secure Access Multiple users Real time data Control and Tracking Middleware and application host Standalone application Easy integration with other systems Properly distributed RFID Readers covering large areas Tags on vehicles, assets, products, pallets, boxes…

RFID  Application for RFID Applications where passive tagging has been implemented over the last 2 to 3 years:  Oil Pipe Identification  Machine Tool Management  Gas Bottle Inventory Control  Duty Evasion  Asset Management  Stolen Vehicle Identification  Production Line Monitoring  Car Body Production  Parts Identification  Access Control  Security Guard Monitoring  Person Identification  Food Production Control  Blood Analysis Identification  Water Analysis  Refuse Collection Identification  Timber Grade Monitoring  Road Construction Material Identification  Toxic Waste Monitoring  Vehicle Parking Monitoring  Pigeon Flight Monitoring  Valuable Objects Insurance Identification

RFID  Benefits of RFID Cost reductions through improved inventory and asset management Increased revenues by reducing shrinkage and improving inventory turns Theft prevention by identifying diversion points within the supply chain Increased competitive advantage through improved productivity.

RFID  Why RFID Now? Source: Deloitte Consulting: Lawrence Huntley, RFID – Why Now?, RFID Forum June 2004, Deloitte

RFID  Frequently Asked Questions Question: What are the frequencies used by RFID? Answer: RFID tags and readers must be tuned into the same frequency to enable communications. RFID systems can use a variety of frequencies to communicate, but because radio waves work and act differently at different frequencies, a frequency for a specific RFID system is often dependant on its application. High frequency RFID systems (850 MHz to 950 MHz and 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz) offer transmission ranges of more than 90 feet (28m).

RFID  Frequently Asked Questions Question: How do I know which frequency is right for my application? Answer: Different frequencies have different characteristics that make them more useful for different applications. For instance, low-frequency tags use less power and are better able to penetrate non-metallic substances. They are ideal for scanning objects with high- water content, such as fruit, but their read range is limited to less than a foot (0.33 meter). High-frequency tags work better on objects made of metal and can work around goods with high water content. They have a maximum read range of about three feet (1 meter). UHF frequencies typically offer better range and can transfer data faster than low- and high-frequencies. But they use more power and are less likely to pass through materials.

RFID  Frequently Asked Questions Question: How much data can a Tag store? Answer: It depends on the vendor and the application, but typically a tag carries no more than 2KB of data, enough to store some basic information about the item it is on. Companies are now looking at using a simple "license plate" tag that contains only a 96-bit serial number. The simple tags are cheaper to manufacture and are more useful for applications where the tag will be disposed of with the product packaging.

RFID  Frequently Asked Questions Question: Can an RFID Tag get infected by a virus? Answer: The virus is information stored on the chip which when fed into a vulnerable backend system caused a problem. If the vulnerable system had been patched and/or the backend properly designed whatever is stored on the tag would not negatively impact the system as a whole. Additionally Information stored on the TAG can be encrypted and password protected thus limiting reading and writing capabilities for potential hackers

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