What is RFID?

RFID
 RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATIONuses

a semiconductor (micro-chip) in a tag or label to

transmit stored data when the tag or label is
exposed to radio waves of the correct frequency.
What Advantages Are There For RFID?

 Non-Line-of-sight nature
 Tags can be read through substances
 -Snow
 -Fog
 -Ice
 -Paint
 -Crusted grime
Cont..

 Reading is done without any human intervention

 Potential tracking of inventory on retail shelves and more
efficient re-stocking
 reduce costs associated with labor, time, and efficiencies
 Automated reading and receipt of goods at dock door
 More reliable tracking of airline passenger and baggage
 Tracking children in theme parks
 Many more like Army, hospital, Thwart Laptop Theft, to
Track Workers in factory etc……..
History of RFID

 􀂄DEVELOPED FOR DEFENSE INDUSTRY 20+ YEARS

FOR MISSILE-TRACKING AND TELEMETRY
 􀂄SMALLER SIZE AND LOWER COST ALLOWED USE
IN 1980’S FOR ANIMAL AND INDUSTRIAL USES
 􀂄LARGE-SCALE IN EUROPE FOR ANIMAL TAGGING
 􀂄LARGE-SCALE USES IN THE U.S. FOR
PARKING/TOLL ROADS
Changes Over Period Of Time

 COST HAS DECREASED DUE TO IMPROVEMENTS IN

MICRO-CHIPS AND COMPUTERS
 􀂄SMALLER MIRO-CHIP LINE WIDTH SIZE LOWERS
POWER NEEDS AND SIZE OF THE CHIP
 􀂄COMPUTERS ARE FASTER/SMARTER: CAN DO
MORE COMPLEX SIGNAL PROCESSING
 􀂄BETTER ANTENNAS ALLOW SMALLER TAGS THAT
CAN BE EMBEDDED IN LABELS AND PRODUCTS
Recent Changes

 LOWER-COST ANTENNA ON LABELS (PRINTED)

 􀂄HIGHER FREQUENCY
 􀁺MEANS MORE DATA TRANSMITTED
 􀂄MULTIPLE TAGS CAN BE READ IN SAME FIELD
DIMENSION
 􀂄DEMAND FOR REAL-TIME TRACKING
APPLICATIONS TO SUPPORT E-COMMERCE
 􀂄GLOBAL STANDARDS ARE IN DEVELOPMENT
FREQUENCY BAND CHARACTERISTICS TYPICAL
APPLICATIONS

LOW SHORT TO MEDIUM ACCESS CONTROL

100-500 KHz READ RANGE ANIMAL
INEXPENSIVE IDENTIFICATION
LOW READ SPEED INVENTORY CONTROL

HIGH SHORT TO MEDIUM ACCESS CONTROL

10-15MHz READ RANGE SMART CARDS
850-950MHZ POTENTIALLY
INEXPENSIVE
MEDIUM READING
SPEED

ULTRA-HIGH LONG READ RANGE RAILROAD CAR

2.4-5.8 GHZ HIGH READING SPEED MONITORING
LINE OF SIGHT TOLL COLLECTION
REQUIRED SYSTEMS
EXPENSIVE VEHICLE
IDENTIFICATION
Components Of RFID System

THE ANTENNA
 THIS IS A COIL OF WOUND COPPER WIRE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY

TO EMIT RFID SIGNAL

THE READER
 THE UNIT POWERS THE COIL OF WIRE KNOWN AS THE ANTENNA,

FILTERS AND POWERS THEM FOR TRANSMISSION OVER DISTANCE

THE INTERFACE
 THE UNIT INTERFACES THE READER TO AN INTELLIGENT DEVICE

THE TRANSPONDER (TAG)

 A MEMORY DEVICE, USUALLY EEPROM, PROGRAMMED WITH A

SERIES OF BITS
Handheld Readers
Criteria For Selecting Tag Type

 TAG COST
 TAG READ RANGE -DISTANCE FROM TAG
TO READER
 SINGLE VERSUS MUTIPLE READS
 DATA REQUIRED
 ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
Securites

 The tags can be set to have a security bit turned on in

reserved memory block on the tag
 The tags can be used at only certain frequencies
 The tags have only certain read and write bits on the
tag
 Security to protect the read-write options
 Password protected
What can go wrong?

 RFID SYSTEMS CAN BE HARD TO DEBUG

 GOOD RFID ENGINEERS ARE HARD TO FIND
 UNKOWN RF SOURCES
 WELDING MACHINES
 ROTATING ELECTRICAL MACHINERY
 RF EMISSIONS IN AIRPORTS AND HOSPITALS
Key Scanning Issues

ISSUES/PROBLEMS
1.
METAL/STEEL

2.
DISTANCE

3.
SPEED

4.
OTHER RFID