Lecture Notes #7 Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) IE 419/519 Wireless Networks Lecture Notes #7 Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

RFID – Definition Automated identification and data collection (AIDC) technology that enables businesses to wirelessly capture and move data using radio waves A typical system consists of: Tags with an embedded, unique identifier for the product or object being moved; Readers designed to decode the data on the tag; and Host system or server that processes and manages the abundance of information gathered

RFID – History 1940s During World War II, the technology emerged as an identification of friend or foe (IFF) program, integrating RFID tags onto military aircraft 1960s RFID technology was used to identify and monitor nuclear or other hazardous materials 1980s RFID technology research began to explore cost, size reduction, power requirements and read ranges It marks the beginning step to transform RFID into a more widely used technology

RFID – History 1990s Proponents began developing tag and reader products using RFID technologies Millions of RFID tags were sold into applications including container tracking, toll roads and entry access cards The biggest push to adopt RFID came more recently, when both the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Wal-Mart® issued mandates requiring their suppliers to use EPC open standard RFID tagging on pallets, cases, containers and parts, by January 2005 Today's challenge is primarily in scaling this powerful technology for enterprise-level deployments across a variety of industries

RFID – System Architecture Tag

RFID – Applicability Used when labels may become dirty, damaged, or distance impedes proper reading Advantages Disadvantage

Electronic Product Code (EPC) EPCglobal™ is a joint venture between Uniform Code Council (UCC) European Article Numbering (EAN) Association Main organizational body involved in the standardization of EPC EPC is widely used and accepted for RFID systems

EPC Numbering System

Classification of RFID Tags

EPC Tags EPC focus is on UHF passive tags Read-Only Read-Write Tags that contain permanent data Commonly referred to as Class 0 tags within the EPC standard Read-Write A standards-based EPC extension that allows Class 0 tags to be written in real time Commonly referred to as Class 0+ tags within the EPC standard Tags that can be written over by a reader Often referred to as Class 1 tags within the EPC standard Class 1, Generation 2 Gen 2 tags retain many of the Gen 1 features while offering key performance, capacity, security and RF efficiency advantages over Gen 1 tags

EPC Tags Motorola RFX3000 Gen 1 RFID Tag Inlays Motorola RFX6000 Gen 2 Alien Technology Gen 2 RFID Tag Inlays

EPC Readers Can be portable (handheld) or fixed Controls transmission/reception protocols Interfaces with host computer Three components Control unit RF module Transmitting/receiving antenna Motorola XR400 Motorola MC9090-G

EPC Readers Just like EPC tags, EPC readers are also evolving. Key developments include: Ability to read EPC Gen 1 and Gen 2 RFID tags Easy firmware upgrades to accommodate the EPC standards of today and tomorrow Use of dense-reader mode (DRM) to minimize inter-reader interference Multiple antennae support to reduce the cost of deployment Flexibility to support various types of deployments as portals and conveyor belts Open protocol Ethernet communications to interface with the host computer system

RFID Applications The emerging widespread adoption of RFID will result in enormous amounts of data Some estimates range as high as 30 times the amount of data currently generated today With RFID, the large number of potential “read” points in a simplified supply chain is significant Successful implementation of RFID requires synchronization between

RFID Applications

RFID Applications Bill of Lading Material Tracking

RFID Applications