Introduction to RFID

RFID Programming
University of Houston
Bauer College of Business
Spring 2007
Some links…

 www.rfidjournal.com
 www.computerworld.com
 www.rfidusa.com
 www.uh.edu/gartner
Auto-ID Technologies

Barcode
Systems

Optical
Biometric Character
Systems Recognition
(OCR)
Auto-ID

Smart
RFID
Cards
Definition

 RFID (Radio Frequency

Identification) is a technology
used for electronic and
wireless identification of
objects, humans and animals
Mandates
Mandates
RFID System Architecture
Carrier Frequencies

 What is frequency?
 Refers to the property of radio waves used to
transmit data
Carrier Frequency

 RFID systems may use a particular frequency

band depending on:
 Application
 Legislature
 Cost considerations
Frequency Bands
Frequency Band Characteristics Typical
Applications
Low Short to medium read Access control
100-500 kHz range, inexpensive, low Animal/Human
reading speed identification
Inventory Control

Medium Short to medium read range Smart Cards

10-15 MHz Potentially inexpensive
Medium reading speed
High Long read range Railroad car
UHF: 850-950MHz High reading speed monitoring
Microwave: 2.4 – Line of sight required Toll collection
5.8 GHz (Microwave) systems (OGS)
Expensive
Frequency and bandwidth

 Frequency is of primary importance when

determining data transfer rates (bandwidth)
 The higher the frequency, the higher the data
transfer rate
Range

 Range – the working distance between a tag

and a reader

Range
Range and Power Levels

 The range that can be achieved in an RFID

system is determined by
 The power available at the reader
 The power available within the tag
 The environmental conditions and structures
Material Propagation

 The absorption rate for water and other non-

conductive substances is lower by a factor of
100 000 at 100 kHz than it is at 1 GHz
 LF systems are primarily used due to their
high propagation of substances
Electromagnetic Interference

 Electromagnetic Interference - Interference caused when the

radio waves of one device distort the waves of another.
 Cells phones, wireless computers and even robots in factories
can produce radio waves that interfere with RFID tags.
 EI is likely to be an issue for UHF systems
Tags Characteristics

 Means by which transponder is powered

 Data carrying options
 Data read rates
 Programming options
 Physical forms
 Costs
Active and Passive Tags

 Active tags
 Powered by an internal battery
 Finite lifetime (because of battery)
 Greater range
 Better noise immunity
 Higher data transmission rates
Active and Passive Tags

 Passive tags
 Operate without battery
 Derive power from the field generate by the
reader
 Less expensive
 Unlimited life
 Require more powerful readers
 Orientation sensitivity
Data Carrying Options

 A tag can contain

 An identifier
 1bit – 128 bits
 Portable data files
 Example: 64 K
Data Programming Options

 Read-only
 Cheap
 Write once read many
 Read/write
 Expensive
Why Use Read/Write Tags?

 Greater flexibility
 Customers may change requirements
 Standards may change
 Database dependence
 Ownership issues
 Lag times
Tag Physical Forms

 Disk and Coins – can be attached to an item

by a fastening screw
Tag Physical Forms

 Keys or Key Fobs, Watches – access control

Smart Labels

 A bar code can be printed on an RFID label

Tag Physical Forms

 Glass Transponders can be implanted under

skin
Readers
What’s so special about RFID?

 Line of sight is not required

 Longer read ranges
 Faster: hundreds of items can be scanned in
one read
RFID vs. Barcodes
Principles of Profitable RFID Use
 Enterprise value of data collection
 Example: a big retailer working with small suppliers

 The data collection process is relatively chaotic

 Example: Battlefield
 Making libraries chaotic

 The exact configuration of goods must be

maintained
Inventory tracking
 RFID tag data capacity is big enough that any tag will have a
unique code, while current bar codes are limited to a single type
code for all instances of a particular product.
 The uniqueness of RFID tags means that a product may be
individually tracked as it moves from location to location, finally
ending up in the consumer's hands. This may help companies to
combat theft and other forms of product loss.
 the visibility provided by RFID allows an accurate knowledge on
the inventory level by eliminating the discrepancy between
inventory record and physical inventory.
 In an academic study performed at Wal-Mart, RFID reduced
Out of Stocks by 30 percent for products selling between 0.1
and 15 units a day.
 It has also been proposed to use RFID for POS store checkout to
replace the cashier with an automatic system which needs no
barcode scanning. However, this is not likely to be possible
without a significant reduction in the cost of current tags
Some applications
 transportation payments
 library tracking,
 pallet tracking,
 building access control,
 airline baggage tracking,
 apparel and pharmaceutical items tracking.
 identification badges,
 shipping container tracking, and truck and trailer tracking
in shipping yards.
 car keys.
RFID Growth

 Several market research firms predict that

~2007 RFID market will reach ~$3 billion
 The lowest cost of Gen2 EPC inlay is offered
by SmartCode at a price of 5 cents apiece in
volumes of 100 million or more
Standards
 The manufacturer, distributor and retailer must all have systems
that are compatible with one another.
 This doesn’t just apply to back-end systems, but to the tags
themselves if RFID is to be effective.
 Some of the early compatibility issues were very fundamental —
such as the frequency the tags operate on.
 For the most part, the 869 to 915 MHz tags prevailed, but still left
the hurdle of the actual tag content.
 It became obvious that tag formats, just like barcode formats,
needed standardization.
 This was addressed through the Electronic Product Codes
(EPCglobal), an industry body that sets these electronic
standards.
Standards

 However, having the frequency and tag format

agree only buys so much if the air protocol to get the
data isn’t established.
 Until recently it was difficult to guarantee that a
reader from one manufacturer would work with a tag
from another, until the EPC Generation 2 air
specification.
 Now, both tag and reader vendors all signed up to
make their equipment compatible
 All manufacturers has cross compatible offerings.
Standards
 While the EPC now has a standard adopted by the vendors in
the US and Europe, there continue to be difficulties with
international compatibility. Almost all of the participants in EPC
are from the U.S. and Europe, while a significant portion of
manufactured goods are no longer made in those member
countries.
 As respected as EPC may be, it would require a higher authority
to mandate a world-wide standard.
 That’s where the International Standards Organization (ISO)
comes in.
 The EPC Generation 2 specification was submitted to ISO and
just recently it became an approved standard with the
designation ISO/IEC 18000 to 6C.
 With ISO approval, it’s now possible to buy a compliant Reader
and tag that works the world over.
Regulations

 Europe faces significant problems with reader

performance degradation in environments
where high numbers of readers are used
together.
 This performance degradation issue
originates from the fact that the EU has a
more limited range of spectrum that’s legally
assigned for RFID use compared to the USA.
Regulations
 In North America, UHF can be used unlicensed for 902 – 928
MHz (±13 MHz from the 915 MHz center frequency), but
restrictions exist for transmission power.
 In Europe, RFID and other low-power radio applications are
regulated by ETSI recommendations EN 300 220 and EN 302
208, and ERO recommendation 70 03, allowing RFID operation
with somewhat complex band restrictions from 865–868 MHz.
 Readers are required to monitor a channel before transmitting
("Listen Before Talk"); this requirement has led to some
restrictions on performance, the resolution of which is a subject
of current research.
 The North American UHF standard is not accepted in France as
it interferes with its military bands.
 For China and Japan, there is no regulation for the use of UHF.
Each application for UHF in these countries needs a site license,
which needs to be applied for at the local authorities, and can be
revoked.
 For Australia and New Zealand, 918 – 926 MHz are unlicensed,
but restrictions exist for transmission power.
Privacy
 Since the owner of an item will not necessarily be aware of
the presence of a RFID tag and the tag can be read at a
distance without the knowledge of the individual, it becomes
possible to gather sensitive data about an individual without
consent. (Ex. Scanning your home, medical records)
 A number of products are available on the market in the US
that will allow a concerned carrier of RFID-enabled cards to
shield their data
 Shielding is again a function of the frequency being used.
 Low-frequency tags, like those used in implantable devices
for humans and pets, are relatively resistant to shielding,
though thick metal foil will prevent most reads.
 High frequency tags (13.56 MHz — smart cards and
access badges) are more sensitive to shielding and are
difficult to read when within a few centimetres of a metal
surface.