RFID Update Presentation to RFID Workshop John Falck Chairman ETSI-ERM-TG34

World Class Standards 2 Overview Inductive <135 kHz - access, animals HF MHz – mass transportation 433 MHz – long range battery tags UHF 865 to 868 MHz – logistics uWave 2.45 GHz – industrial

World Class Standards 3 Standards With the exception of UHF all other bands operate under generic standards: EN En EN In recent years UHF band has attracted most interest. ERM_TG34 formed to handle special needs of RFID at UHF Presentation will focus on UHF band

World Class Standards 4 EN Work started in 2002 Initial input suggested < 30 interrogators per site Using available technology standard proposed 10 channels at 2 W e.r.p. Interoperability achieved using LBT and AFA

World Class Standards 5 Market reaction Publication of standard raised interest of major retailers in RFID Their requirements very different from original market input (i.e. 200 interrogators per site operating simultaneously) Radical re-think necessary

World Class Standards 6 Resolution Manufacturers and end users worked together within TG34 to develop a satisfactory solution Series of tests performed culminating in a major trial Proven techniques incorporated in a new version of the standard to be published in February 2008

World Class Standards 7 ETSI tests at DC Tests at Varena

World Class Standards 8 Main changes to EN Specification of 4-channel plan Removal of mandatory requirement for LBT No restriction on antenna beamwidth below 500 mW e.r.p.

World Class Standards 9 4 channel plan

World Class Standards 10 Features of revised standard Permits simultaneous operation of many co-located interrogators Improves tag reading performance Permits use of inductive antennas for item level tagging Reduces costs and complexity

World Class Standards 11 General benefits No new hardware design necessary – implemented by firmware upgrade Very spectrum efficient – attractive where only limited spectrum available Sharing possible with other devices e.g. SRDs Considerable interest from other regions – particularly Far East

World Class Standards 12 Code of Practice Objectives Complements EN Guidance to installers and system integrators Inform end users Revised version of TR to be published in first quarter of 2008

World Class Standards 13 Item level tagging European trial has started Further refinement in progress Verify commercial benefits

World Class Standards 14 Item level trial

World Class Standards 15 ETSI Plugtests Further Plugtests planned for June 2008 Will focus on interoperability Tags supplied by different vendors Interrogators supplied by different vendors Will validate interoperability In laboratory environment Passing through portals On conveyors At item level

World Class Standards 16 Additional spectrum Need to plan now for spectrum requirements for next 15 years Considerations: Global harmonisation Large number of different applications Need for higher data rates and greater range Increased functionality (e.g. sensor tags)

World Class Standards 17 Proposals Propose two categories Base level systems High performance systems Main growth in base level systems Need to consider global harmonisation – particularly for logistics

World Class Standards 18 Candidate new spectrum

World Class Standards – 876 MHz

World Class Standards – 921 MHz

World Class Standards 21 Next steps Obtain agreement to SRDoc within ETSI Secure favourable outcome to compatibility study within ECC Revise standard to include additional frequency bands

World Class Standards 22 Summary New version of standard will meet market needs in Europe for next 5 years Over next 15 years additional spectrum required to; accommodate expansion of RFID provide additional functionality For global applications important to align frequencies with other Regions

World Class Standards 23 Thank you for your attention Contact details:- John Falck Tel: +44 (0)