2nd International Conference on Electrical and Electronics Engineering (ICEEE) and XI Conference on Electrical Engineering (CIE 2005) Mexico

City, Mexico. September 7-9, 2005

Mobile RFID Reader with Database Wireless Synchronization

S. Sandoval-Reyes1, J. L. Soberanes Perez2
2

Centro de Investigacion en Computacion del IPN, Mexico D.F., Mexico Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria en Ingenieria y Tecnologias Avanzadas del IPN, Mexico D.F., Mexico E-mail: sersand@cic.ipn.mx, soberanes1@hotmail.com

Abstract --- Using radio scanners to wirelessly identify consumer is not too complex in reality. The current form of this technology known as radio frequency identification, or RFID, has three building blocks: small tags built around microchips that carry a digital identification code; scanners also known as readers; and networking hardware and software to link scanners to computer databases. In this paper we describe the implementation of a mobile RFID reader using a PDA, an OEM flash card reader module, RFID passive tags and a database. The reader opens a serial port and then reads a tag to use it as an index key in the database to access and show the record associated to the tag. Any change is wirelessly synchronized to a database server. Keywords --- Mobile-reader, RFID, tags, wireless-commns

I. INTRODUCTION
Fig. 1. Components of a RFID tag.

RFID stands for radio frequency identification. It is an automatic identification technology whereby digital data encoded in a RFID tag or smart label is captured by a reader using radio waves. Put simply, RFID is similar to bar code technology but uses RF waves to capture data from tags, rather than optically scanning the bar codes on a label. RFID however, does not require the tag to be seen to read its stored data. In this paper we describe the implementation of a mobile RFID reader using a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), an OEM flash card reader module, and a database with wirelessly synchronization. II. RFID TECHNOLOGY RFID technology is built around tags and readers. RFID tags consist of an integrated circuit (IC) attached to an antenna-typically a small coil of wires-plus some protective packing (Fig. 1). Data is stored in the IC and transmitted through the antenna to a reader. RFID tags are either passive (no battery) or active (self-powered by a battery). Tags can also be read-only (stored data can be read but not changed), read/write (stored data can be altered or re-written), or a combination, in which some data (such as the serial number identification or SID) is permanently stored while other memory is left accessible for later encoding or updates. Some tags can contain as little as 256 bits of data to one megabyte [1].

Information is sent and read from RFID tags over RF signals. In passive systems an RFID reader transmits an energy field that wakes up the tag and provides power to the chip, enabling it to transmit or store data (Fig. 2). In active systems, batteries typically are used to boost the effective operation range of the tag [2].

Fig. 2. Reader radiates energy to the tag to enabling it to transmit or store data.

A reader is basically a radio frequency transmitter and receiver, controlled by a microprocessor. The reader, using an attached antenna, captures data from tags then passes the data to a computer through normal interfaces (cabled or wirelessly such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) to host computer systems for processing.

IEEE Catalog Number: 05EX1097

ISBN: 0-7803-9230-2
0-7803-9230-2/05/$20.00 2005 IEEE.

Most RFID systems can simultaneously capture data from many tags within range of the antenna. Some are capable of capturing tag identification codes at a rate of up to 1,000 tags per second. The reading distance range of the reader depends on the number of antennas used, antenna size, and frequency (Fig. 3).

The application simulates a situation in which a case of items leaves the warehouse shelf and arrives on a customer-facing retail shelf. There, an employee could use the mobile RFID reader to move in closer and check the tags on individual items. A software interface in the mobile reader will show item information with the capability of changing it, which the employee could do it by hand. The interface would show up also the change pushing it out to other systems of record. The mobile RFID reader is built around a PDA, tags, an OEM flash card module reader, and a database. These are described in the following. A. Tags, Reader Module and PDA Characteristics The tags used were from Texas instruments (TI). TI produces three types of tags: Tag-it HF, Tag-it HFI and TI EPC Gen 2. The first one is a proprietary standard while the second one, is an ISO 15693 standard. Both work at the 13.56 MHz frequency. The third one follows the recently ratified Electronic Product Code (EPC) standard. At this time of writing however, only the first two are available commercially. The memory organization of the Tag-it HF full duplex transponder is the following [3]:

Fig. 3. RFID reader distance range.

Readers come in a wide variety of sizes and offer different features. Readers can be affixed in a stationary position (for example, in dock doors in a warehouse), or portable (integrated into a mobile computer).

Fig. 4. A fixed and a portable RFID reader.

III. MOBILE RFID READER The application that follows is oriented to implement a mobile RFID reader as a first module of a larger logistic management application (Fig. 5).
Fig. 6. Memory organization of the Tag-it HF.

Fig. 5. Mobile reader as part of a logistic application.

This tag has a 32-bit unique serial ID or SID code that is factory-programmed and 256-bits non volatile user memory that is organized in 8 blocks of 32-bits each. The ISO version tag has a similar organization, except for the fact that the SID code is 64-bits long. This SID is similar to the information that is stored on a bar code label. When the SID is linked to a database, additional information may be accessed through the reader such as item stock number, current location, status, selling price, etc. Alternatively, the non volatile memory may carry specific information or instructions immediately available upon reading, without the need to reference a database to determine the meaning of the SID. For example, the colour and size of an item or a manifest to accompany a shipment of goods. Well use the SID in this application.

IEEE Catalog Number: 05EX1097

ISBN: 0-7803-9230-2

The Syscan RFID reader module is a contact less readwrite device for a broad range of 13.56 MHz tags. The reader comes with an integrated compact flash interface, so it can be plugged into standard CF slots of a PDA. The reader has a reading distance of 10 cm and works with all operating systems versions of Windows [4]. The PDA is a hp iPAQ Pocket PC h2210 which has a CF slot, serial USB port and Bluetooth wireless connectivity.

Thus for example, the command c or C will produce continuously the SID T01851095 for this tag (Fig. 9).

Fig. 7. RFID reader module and PDA.

B. Communication Interface Reader-PDA The Syscan reader module was plugged into the PDAs CF slot, with the following communication parameters: COM7, 9600, N, 8, 1. The readers commands can be issued using an ASCII communications protocol. This protocol was used for its simplicity. Commands and data are transmitted as ASCII hexadecimal characters from the PDA to the reader, and the results showed on the PDA.
Fig. 9. Mobile reader showing the SID tag.

The T showed indicates that this is Texas-Instrument tag HF. For the ISO version, the letter changes to V and the SID is 8 bytes long, that is, 16 hex characters. C. Database Due to the fact that the hp-PDA does not include a built-in database application, we decided to install a database from Syware [5]. This product has the advantage of synchronizing in real-time, with any ODBC-enabled database server wirelessly using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. IV. RESULTS Using Visual CE we redesigned the application building first a small database in SQLServer (Fig. 10) then, we copied it to Visual CE on a desktop PC.

Fig. 8. ASCII protocol frame.

The command can be up to 4 bytes. For example: w0065756C62 means write on block 00 data 65 75 6C 62. This data read from right to left, are the hex values of the ASCII characters blue. Reader Command Set. Commands are not case sensitive. The most important ones are the following [4]:
TABLE I
RFID READER COMMAND SET

Command
C S Rxx Wxx12345678

Description
Continuous read all tags Select read of only one tag Read block xx from tag Write block xx with data 12345678 Fig. 10. Original SQLServer database.

IEEE Catalog Number: 05EX1097

ISBN: 0-7803-9230-2

There, we implemented a macro program which opens a serial port and then reads the SID tag to use it as an index key in the database to access and show the record with the data associated to the tag. Fig. 11 shows the database and the macro program (in grey).

V. DISCUSION We synchronized any changes made to the tables of the handheld and the desktop PC using an utility of Visual CE called mEnable (showed as a spotlight in Fig. 11), which allows to wirelessly read from or write to any ODBCenable source such as SQLServer, or Microsoft Access. This utility allows communications between the PDA and the SQLServer using the TCP/IP protocol through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Our PDA had Bluetooth so we used it. VI. CONCLUSIONS In this paper we showed how to implement a mobile RFID reader using hardware and software components easily available on the market. The hardware consisted in an OEM flash card reader module, and a Windows mobile 2003 PDA with a flash card slot and Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity. The software was developed around Visual CE a popular pocket PC database which can be downloaded free on a 30-day trial basis. Using this software was relatively easy to open a serial port connection with the card reader module plugged into the PDA, to read a SID tag whose value served as a primary key to search into a database the record with the corresponding matching key and show it on the PDA display. The original database was first created on a desktop PC using SQLServer and then downloaded to the PDA. To synchronize wirelessly any changes made to both tables we use mEnable. This utility employs a client/server model which allows accessing the server through the TCP/IP protocol using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections. The PDA used had Bluetooth connectivity, which was very convenient to synchronize both tables. The mobile RFID reader performed as expected in terms of functionality and response time, although its small reading distance (10 cm) requires that the tag be somewhat near. REFERENCES
[1] Greg Goth, RFID: Not Quite Prime Time, But Dawdle at your Own Risk, IEEE Distributed Systems, February 2005, Vol 6, No 2. [2] Roy Want and Daniel M Russell, Ubiquitous Electronic Tagging, IEEE Distributed Systems Online, January 2004, Vol 1, No 2. [3] TI-RFid, Tag-it HF Transponder Inlays Reference Guide, 11-09-21-055, October 2001, http//www.ti-rfid.com. [4] Syscan International, Syscan CF Reader Command Manual: Syscan 13.56 MHz CF Reader Module H102022 Compact Flash/PC Card, 2004, http://www.syscan.com. [5] Syware Inc., Visual CE Database, web page, 2005, http://www.syware.com.

Fig. 11. Database and macro program (in grey).

The application downloaded into the PDA is shown in Fig. 12. The command button Inicio opens the communication port COM7 and then the command button Leer etiqueta RFID, reads the SID tag into a variable @var(0) whose value is shown in the box field Tag ID. The value of this variable is used by the command button Tag info as a key to search into the database for the record whose indexed field EtiquetaID, matches the index key, to show the data associated to the tag.

Fig. 12. Application downloaded to the PDA.

IEEE Catalog Number: 05EX1097

ISBN: 0-7803-9230-2