2. The Emperor’s New Clothes
Craig K. Harmon, President & CEO, Q.E.D. Systems

3. Q.E.D. Systems • Craig K. Harmon • President & CEO Visit our web sites: and
Chair, ISO TC 122/104 JWG - Supply Chain Applications of RFID
Chair, RFID Experts Group (REG)
Chair, U.S. TAG to ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31/WG 4 “RFID”
Senior Project Editor ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31/WG 4/SG 3 (RFID - Air Interface )
Chair, ASC MH 10/SC 8/WG 4, RFID for Returnable Containers
Chair, ISO TC 122/WG 4 (Shipping Labels) & ISO TC 122/WG 7 (Product Packaging)
Vice-chair, ASC MH 10 and U.S. TAG to ISO TC 122 (Packaging)
Member, EPCglobal HAG (UHFGen2), FMCG BAG, HLS BAG, SAG
Past Chair, ASC INCITS T6 (RFID) - ANS INCITS 256:1999, 2001
JTC 1/SC 31 Liaison Officer to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU-R), International Air Transport Association (IATA), and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)
ASC MH 10/SC 8 Liaison Universal Postal Union (UPU) Physical Encoding Group (PEG)
Advisor and Member of U.S. Postal Service Strategic Technology Council
ISO TC 104 & 122 (Freight Containers / Packaging) Liaison Officer to JTC 1/SC 31
Project Editor, ISO (Electronic Container Seal - Physical Layer)
Chairman & Project Editor, ANS MH (Data Application Identifiers)
Vocabulary Rapporteur to ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31
Co-chair, HIBCC Automatic Identification Technical Committee (AITC)
AIAG Bar Code, Applications, 2D, Tire, Returnables, & RFID Committees
Project Editor, EIA Shipping Label, Product, Product Package, & Component Marking
Original Advisor, U.S. Department of Defense in Migration to Commercial Standards
Original Project Editor, NATO STANAG 2233 (RFID for NATO Asset Tracking)
Standards Advisor, R1 - RFID China Forum (Cooperation of China, Korea, Japan)
CompTIA Subject Matter Expert - Professional Skills Certification - RFID
CompTIA RFID Certified Professional (CRCP) - RFID+
Recipient of the 2004 Richard Dilling Award

4. Microsoft RFID Myths There are no set Standards for RFID today.
Replacing bar code-based processes with RFID processes will achieve ROI
RFID benefits only retailers, not suppliers.
RFID is the only way to automate manual receiving processes.
The EPC is an RFID replacement of the current bar code (GTIN/U.P.C.).

5. Microsoft RFID Myths
Adoption of RFID won’t require facility, equipment, and process changes.
Only companies with metal and liquid products face readability challenges.
Consistently reading every EPC on a pallet is easy.
All RFID tags are the same.
EPC technology can only be used for retail goods.

6. My Favorite Quote of Bill Gates
People have a tendency to overestimate technology in the short term, and underestimate it in the long term.

7. The Technology

8. Technical Obstacles
Multiple dock doors, multiple antennas/ interrogators, dense readers, overlapping signals
Tag failures
caused by electrostatic discharge (25 kV) in handling
caused by “slap and ship” operations that may detach the antenna from the chip
caused by poor manufacturing techniques
Assumption that it matters little where the tag is applied to the container
What to do in case of a tag failure

9. Material Effects on RFID Signals
Materials in the RF field can have several effects:
Reflection / refraction
Absorption (loss)
Dielectric effects (detuning)
Complex propagation effects

10. Material Effects on RFID Signals
Corrugate
Absorption (moisture)
Detuning (dielectric)
Conductive liquids, e.g., shampoo
Absorption
Plastics
Metals
Reflection
Groups of cans
Tissue Human body / animals

11. Overcoming the Same
Overlap - shielding, trip switches, antenna selection (ISO TR )
Tag failure - care in applying tags, encode-print-apply
Poor quality - ISO standards (currently in the REG) on tag manufacturing (ISO 9000ish) and tag quality measurement
Tag location - characterization of containers, dielectric backing, dielectric inserts, content-insensitive labels (ISO TR )
Back-up - REG recommendations on bar code and human-readable (ISO TR )

12. Smart Label An RFID label contains several layers:
Printable face-stock
Adhesive
RFID inlay (chip + antenna)
Adhesive
Liner
Courtesy: Avery Dennison

13. Closer look at the RFID inlay
Antenna
Major driver of read performance
Determines how well an RFID label works with a certain product
Chip
Contains data
Courtesy: Avery Dennison

14. The Data

15. Its all about the data
Inventory databases are currently structured with product codes
New technology should not require new data
Oftentimes new data structures are simply means by which sponsors can secure revenue streams
Refresh technology when that technology becomes cost effective
Do not “rush” into new data structures without understanding the impact on existing information systems

16. RFID vs Key-entry & Bar Code
RFID is not a replacement for a bar code!!
Use RFID where there is a positive ROI
When analyzing your business process, which makes the most sense?
ALWAYS HAVE A BACK-UP PLAN
With RFID back-up, what is the key-entry solution:
Keying 96 1s and 0s?
32 octal character representation of binary data?
29 decimal character representation of binary data?
24 hexadecimal character representation of binary data?
For bar code back-up, will you use existing bar codes or new ones?

17. Serialization
EPC implementation requires re-engineering of your business processes
Existing inventory data bases are product code not serial number driven
Appreciate the amount of additional data that you will be both filtering and processing
Encoding existing serial numbers may be preferable to migration to a binary system
EPC does NOT require its serialization for its arbitration/anti-collision methods

18. Blocks vs Fields of Data
Bar codes are one at a time
Two-dimensional symbols are often blocks of data
Data rich RF tags are blocks of data
Serial number only tags require data base / communications access to identify the data
Are your systems ready for these changes?
Are you ready for the investment to enable these changes?

19. Implementation Issues
Read zone control
Application of tags
Where in the process
Where on the container
How are the labels being applied
Use ISO standards (avoid Class 0 and Class 1v1)
EPC requires pre-population of data at the recipient (X / EDIFACT DESADV / XML) or access to the EPCIS
Back-up in case of tag failure
Recycling
Data concerns
Return on investment

20. International Standards

21. Standards Organizations
International
International Organization for
Standardization (ISO)
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
International Telecommunications
Union (ITU) (United Nations)
Universal Postal Union
(UPU) (United Nations)
ISO/IEC Joint Technical Committee 1
(JTC 1)
TC 122
Packaging
SC 31
Automatic Data Capture
TC 104
Freight Containers
SC 17
IC Cards
ITU-T (fka CCITT)
Telecommunications
WG 1 - Symbology
TC 122/104 JWG
SC Apps RFID
WG 2 - Data Content
ITU-R (fka CCIR & IFBR)
Radio-frequency Issues
WG 3 - Conformance
WG 4 - RFID
TC 8
Ships & Marine Tech
ITU-D (fka BDT)
Telecommunications
Development
WG 5 - RTLS
Regional
Comité Européen Normalisation
(CEN)
Comité Européen Normalisation
Electrotechnique (CENELEC)
Comité Européen Postal &
Telegraph (CEPT)
ODETTE
ECMA
National
Standards Assoc of China (SAC)
British Standards
Institution (BSI)
Deutches Institut
fur Normung (DIN)
AFNOR
ANSI
JISC
MHI
AIM
UCC
CEA
IEEE
INCITS
Other T6
B10
Industry
DoD
ATA
CEA
AIA
HIBCC
AIAG
UCC
Other
VDA

22. AIDC Focused ISO Standards
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC)
Technical Committee (TC)
122 (Packaging)
ISO/IEC Joint Technical
Committee 1 (JTC 1) - IT
WG 4
(Transport Labels)
WG 7
(Package Labels)
ISO/IEC JTC 1
Subcommittee 31
Secretariat
Uniform Code Council (UCC)
National Body (NB)
Technical Advisory Groups (TAG)
WG 1
Data Carrier
WG 2
Data Structure
WG 3
Conformance
WG 4
RF Tags
WG 5
RTLS
U.S. TAG Administrator
MHI
Convener
S. Ackley (US)
Convener
T. Yoshioka (JP)
Convener
C. Biss (US)
Convener
H. Barthel
Convener
M. Harmon
Shipping Labels
Code 39
DAI
Linear Print Quality
Air Interface
API
ITF
Data Syntax
2D Print Quality
Unique RF Tag ID
2450 MHz
Product Package Marking
MaxiCode
Unique ID
Printing Specs
Defs. Logical Mem Map
433 MHz
GLS
Data Matrix
Test Specs BC Printers
Application Interface
Near Field
Test Specs BC Readers
Dimensions & Layout
EAN/U.P.C.
Encoding Rules
Code 128
Test Specs BC Verifiers
Symbology Use (Linear & 2D)
PDF417
RFID Performance
QR Code
RFID Conformance
Print Quality Level
Symbology Identifiers
Label Materials
License Plate Recommendations
Database / EDI Issues
Technical Committee (TC) 104
(Freight Containers)
JWG - Supply Chain
Applications of RFID

23. Types of Standards Technology Data Content Conformance
Symbology, RFID, I.C. Card
Data Content
Semantics (DIs or AIs), Syntax
Conformance
Print Quality, Test Specifications, Conformance to Air Interface
Application Standards
Freight container, RTI, Ship Label, Product Package, Product Mark/Tag, eSeal
Most industrial and commercial manufacturers have catalog or part numbers already assigned to their products. They often question the need for an additional number, thinking that their distributors and/or end customers should use their supplier assigned catalog or part numbers. Following are some of the reasons why UPC numbers are needed:
UCC.QED.I.10

24. Working Group (WG) 4 RFID for Item Management
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31 Automatic Identification and Data Capture Techniques
Working Group (WG) 4 RFID for Item Management

25. ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31
Charted to work on technical specifications “JTC 1 was established in 1987 for 'standardization in the field of information technology systems ... and equipment ...(with the exclusion of) information technology for specific applications….” [jtc1n6778]
JTC 1 is comprised of both ISO and IEC
SC 31 is chartered to work on automatic data capture technical specifications

26. Technical Standards Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31/WG 4/SG 3
RFID for Item Management Air Interface (ISO 18000)
ISO/IEC Generic parameters - Air interface
ISO/IEC Parameters for air interface below 135 kHz
ISO/IEC Parameters for air interface at MHz
ISO/IEC Parameters for air interface at 2.45 GHz
ISO/IEC Parameters for air interface at MHz
ISO/IEC Parameters for active air interface at MHz

27. Data Content Standards ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31/WG 2 & WG 4/SG 1
ISO/IEC Data Carrier/Symbology Identifiers
ISO/IEC EAN.UCC Application Identifiers and ASC MH 10 Data Identifiers
ISO/IEC Syntax for High Capacity ADC Media
ISO/IEC Unique identification - Part 1: Transport units; Part 2: Registration procedures; Part 3: Common rules; Part 4: Unique Item identification for supply chain management; Unique identification - Part 5: Returnable transport items;
ISO/IEC Data protocol: Application interface
ISO/IEC Protocol: Data encoding rules and logical memory functions
ISO/IEC Unique ID of RF Tag

28. Conformance Standards Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31/WG 3/SG 1
ISO/IEC RFID Device Performance Test Methods
ISO/IEC RFID Device Conformance Test Methods
Part 2 - <135 kHz
Part MHz
Part GHz
Part MHz
Part MHz

29. ISO TC 122/104 Joint Working Group (JWG) (Supply chain applications of RFID)

30. The Layers of Logistic Units (Radio Frequency Identification - RFID)
Movement Vehicle
(truck, airplane, ship, train)
Layer 4 (433 MHz) ISO (Freight containers)
Container
(e.g., 40 foot Sea Container)
Layer 3 ( MHz) (Other with TPA) ISO (Returnable transport items)
Unit Load
“Pallet”
Unit Load
“Pallet”
Layer 2 ( MHz) ISO (Transport units)
Transport
Unit
Transport
Unit
Transport
Unit
Transport
Unit
Layer 1 ( MHz) ISO (Product packages)
Pkg
Pkg
Pkg
Pkg
Pkg
Pkg
Pkg
Pkg
Layer 0 ( MHz) (13.56 MHz with TPA) ISO (Product tagging)
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Item
Source: Akira Shibata, DENSO-Wave Corporation
“TPA” - Trading Partner Agreement

31. ISO TC 122/104 JWG project status
ISO , Freight containers — RF automatic identification
IS Issued 1991, Amd
CD expected
ISO 17363, Supply chain applications of RFID - Freight containers
DIS expected
ISO 17364, Supply chain applications of RFID - Returnable transport items
ISO 17365, Supply chain applications of RFID - Transport units
ISO 17366, Supply chain applications of RFID - Product packaging
ISO 17367, Supply chain applications of RFID - Product tagging

32. Application Standards Radio Frequency Identification - Open Standards
ISO Freight containers — Automatic identification
ISO Freight Containers - Radio-frequency communication protocol for electronic seal
ISO – Radio-Frequency Identification of Animals - Code Structure
ISO – Radio-Frequency Identification of Animals - Technical Concept
ISO – Radio-Frequency Identification of Animals - Advanced Transponders - Part 1: Air Interface
ISO – Gas Cylinders - Identification and Marking Using Radio Frequency Identification Technology - Part 1: Reference Architecture and Terminology
ISO – Gas Cylinders - Identification and Marking Using Radio Frequency Identification Technology - Part 2: Numbering Schemes for Radio Frequency
ANSI MH RFID for Returnable Containers
AIAG B-11 - Tire & Wheel Identification Standard
ISO 122/104 JWG - Supply Chain Applications of RFID
ISO Freight containers
ISO Returnable transport items
ISO Transport units
ISO Product packaging
ISO Product tagging

33. Sealing and anti-tamper capability
Bolt Seal Security Tag
Electronically secures ocean containers, air cargo ULD containers, trailers,
Monitors presence and integrity of bolt seal, generates alarm upon bolt removal or breakage
Re-usable tag
Reduces manual inspections
Minimizes theft, loss and tampering

34. Conformance Standards
Technology Standards
Radio Frequency Identification Open Standards
ISO/IEC RFID for Item Management
Part kHz
Part MHz
Part MHz
Part MHz
Part MHz (active)
Data Standards
ISO/IEC Application Identifiers & Data Identifiers
ISO/IEC Syntax
ISO/IEC Unique Item Identification
ISO/IEC Data Protocol: Application Interface
ISO/IEC Data Protocol: Data Encoding Rules and
Logical Memory Functions
ISO/IEC Unique Identification for RF Tags
Conformance Standards
ISO/IEC RFID device conformance test methods (at)
Part kHz
Part MHz
Part MHz
Part MHz
Part MHz (active)

35. ISO Standards
ISO has published air interface, data structure, and conformance standards
ISO (JTC 1/SC 31) has 28 countries that actively participate in standards development including China, Korea, and Japan
ISO (JTC 1/SC 31) has 28 other regional and international organizations with which it cooperates in liaison
ISO follows established rules and engages all member countries in voting and comments to developing standards
ISO is open

36. The Five Cent Tag

37. Instant Checkout…A Dream Come True??
“Chip to remove shopping blues”
—Post-Courier, January 1994
“1.5¢ electronic bar code announced”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“Tiny microchip identifies groceries in seconds.”
—Chicago Tribune
“Scanning range of four yards”
—NY Times
“Checkout in one minute”
—The Times, London

38. Inflated Expectations
The Hype Cycle
Peak of
Inflated Expectations
RFID Today!
Visibility
Plateau of
Productivity
Slope of
Enlightenment
Jackie Fenn noted that there was an inverse relationship between the publicity a technology receives and its level of usage. When a technology is new, it is exciting and by definition novel, and there is a lot of interest in it. It gets a lot of exposure. The press write about it, the analysts pontificate on it, the consultants start practices based on it.
Gartner's hype cycle is actually a five-part sequence:
Technology trigger. A breakthrough, public demonstration, product launch or other event that generates significant press and industry interest.
Peak of inflated expectations. A phase of overenthusiasm and unrealistic projections during which a flurry of publicized activity by technology leaders results in some successes but more failures as the technology is pushed to its limits. The only enterprises making money at this stage are conference organizers and magazine publishers.
Trough of disillusionment. The point at which the technology becomes unfashionable and the press abandons the topic, because the technology did not live up to its overinflated expectations.
Slope of enlightenment. Focused experimentation and solid hard work by an increasingly diverse range of organizations lead to a true understanding of the technology's applicability, risks and benefits. Commercial off-the-shelf methodologies and tools become available to ease the development process.
Plateau of productivity. The real-world benefits of the technology are demonstrated and accepted. Tools and methodologies are increasingly stable as they enter their second and third generation. The final height of the plateau varies according to whether the technology is broadly applicable or only benefits a niche market.
Trough of
Disillusionment
Technology Trigger
Time
Source: Jackie Fenn, Gartner Group

39. Which Technology How far? How fast? How many? How much?
Geometry of tagging space
Interferers (physical and radio)

40. How far, how fast, how many, how much, attached to what?

41. Recent Developments 860 - 960 MHz
Includes Industrial, Scientific, & Medical (ISM) band
Technology enhancement (frequency agile and listen before talk) permits
MHz used in Region 2 (U.S.)
MHz nearing finalization in Region 1 (Europe)
MHz regulations finalized in Region 3 (Korea)
MHz regulations in process in Region 3 (Japan - Jul ‘05)
Engaging China to develop “in band” regulations (regulations expected by 1 September 2005)
ISO/IEC ( MHz) re-opened to address new developments, such as Gen2

42. Recent Developments 433.92 MHz
ISM band permitted by ITU (implemented in Region 1 but for different parameters in Regions 2 and 3)
ITU receptive to Regions 2 and 3 supporting Region 1 for a 433 MHz allocation for freight containers
Chairman of ISO TC 104 (Freight containers) has made request to ITU and WCO to embrace both passive ( ) and active ( MHz) calling out and
Approved in Korea
Approval expected in Japan (Nov ‘05)
Received support through new (April 2004) FCC rules, specific to RFID, that increases both power and duty cycle.
Engaging China to develop 434 MHz in RFID regulations (regulations expected by 1 September 2005)

43. China China is sensitive to foreign Intellectual Property
Technology I.P.
Subscription I.P.
Access I.P.
As a WTO member China will most likely accept the technology with some concessions from I.P. holders
China has its own National Product Code and D-NPC will most likely be preferred to EPC
China considers its data and communications to be national security issues so the data base will be Chinese in China and not likely EPCIS.
China is pushing for an Asian standard that will most likely include , , NPC, their own R1 Data Harmonization Network

44. RFID Experts Group (REG)

45. RFID Experts Group
Formed in February 2004 to assist DoD with RFID implementation
Under the AIM Global umbrella in July 2004
Reaching out for international cooperation
Europe
Japan
Korea
China

46. REG Working Groups (WGs)
WG 5-I: Interrogator System Implementation & Operations
WG 5-B: Back-up
WG 5-L: Enabled Labels & Packaging
WG 5-R: Recyclability
WG 5-Q: Tag Quality
WG 5-E: Education & Certification
WG 5-G: Global Operation (Regulatory)
WG 5-P: Privacy
WG 5-F: Safety (Public Policy)
WG : 5-C: Security
WG : 5-T: Sensors and Transducers
WG 5-S: Technology Selection
WG 5-C: Software & Middleware

47. ISO/IEC Implementation TRs
ISO/IEC , Information technology — Radio frequency identification for item management — Implementation guidelines – Part 1: RFID-enabled labels and packaging
Source: REG WG 5-L & 5-B
ISO/IEC , Information technology — Radio frequency identification for item management — Implementation guidelines – Part 2: Recyclability of RF tags
Source: REG WG 5-R
ISO/IEC , Information technology — Radio frequency identification for item management — Implementation guidelines – Part 3: RFID interrogator/antenna installation
Source: REG WG 5-I

48. Recommendations
Commence the development of industry standards using ISO 1736x as model
ISO Supply chain applications of RFID - Freight containers
ISO Supply chain applications of RFID - Returnable transport items
ISO Supply chain applications of RFID - Transport units
ISO Supply chain applications of RFID - Product packaging
ISO Supply chain applications of RFID - Product tagging
Use common air interface, syntax, and semantics
Data structures can follow existing suite of industry bar code standards (plus unique identification)

49. ???

50. Thank You!!!