RFID simply means Radio Frequency IDentification. It is an alternative technology with a potential to replace traditional universal product code (UPC) barcodes. RFID enables identification of an object from a distance without requiring a line of sight.

Brief History of RFID

RFID technology was invented in 1948, but it was not mainstreamed for commercial applications until the 1980s. One of its first known applications was during World War II, when it was used by the British radar system to differentiate between German aircraft and their own aircraft with attached radio transponders.

RFID stands for Radio-Frequency IDentification. The acronym refers to small electronic devices that consist of a small chip and an antenna. The chip typically is capable of carrying 2,000 bytes of data or less.

The RFID device serves the same purpose as a bar code or a magnetic strip on the back of a credit card or ATM card; it provides a unique identifier for that object. And, just as a bar code or magnetic strip must be scanned to get the information, the RFID device must be scanned to retrieve the identifying information.

How RFID Works

The underlying technology architecture of RFID is enabled on these components:

• Tag and its associated data structure
• Reader with antenna and the reader’s associated software
• Communications protocol suite, communications network & database.

How It works

• RFID Tags holds information about an item
• RFID Reader interrogates one or more tags within its range to get the information and communicate with them.
• RFID Tags wake up and respond with the respective information about items.
• RFID Middleware is a data processing system that aggregates the information from multiple tags and provides a distributed database of information about items identified by tags and is positioned between readers and enterprise applications.
• RFID Data warehouse is usually created in RFID enabled Software to integrate RFID with other third party application.

RFID Tags

an electronic tag that exchanges data with a RFID reader through radio waves.

Tags can be attached to almost anything – Items, cases, crates or pallets of products, high value goods – vehicles, assets, livestock or personnel.

Passive Tags

• Do not require power – Draws from Interrogator Field
• Lower storage capacities (few bits to 1 KB)
• Shorter read ranges (4 inches to 24 feet)
• Usually Write-Once-Read-Many/Read-Only tags/ Read –and-Write

Active Tags

• Battery powered
• Higher storage capacities (512 KB)
• Longer read range (300 feet)
• Typically can be re-written by RF Interrogators.

Samples of RFID Tags

RFID Readers

A radio frequency identification reader (RFID reader) is a device used to gather information from an RFID tag, which is used to track individual objects.

Reader functions:

• Remotely power tags
• Establish a bidirectional data link
• Inventory tags, filter results
• Communicate with networked server(s)
• Can read 100-700 tags per second

Readers (interrogators) can be at a fixed point such as

• Entrance/exit
• Point of sale

Readers can also be mobile/hand-held

RFID Communications Protocol Suite

There are communication protocols stack between the readers and the tags. These protocols include;

• Local wireless communication Protocol – Communication between a reader and the tags within its read field
• Radio frequencies of communicating – Passive tags uses LF(125 KHz), HF(13.56 MHz) or UHF(860-960 MHz)
• Channel of Communicating – half or full duplex mode.
• Reader Protocol (RP) – Communication standard for the readers in terms of how they capture and About RFID Technology Continues communicate event data from tags and sensors.

RFID Communications Network

RFID network links include the local wireless (RF) network between tags and readers, between readers and the internal company database systems (e.g., ERP or WMS in the retail industry) and in the inter-company network links which today are individually negotiated between business partners.

RFID Databases

Several Database (EPC, User Memory Bank, TID, Reader Name, Antenna Name, Date/Time etc) could be created around the tags using the various database tools such as MS SQL, Mysql, Oracle, Ms Access etc.

Hyperlink Technologies offer the very latest in RFID Tracking Solution which include:

• RFID in Asset Tracking & Management
• RFID in Personnel/People Tracking/ Emergency Evacuation
• RFID in File/Document Tacking
• RFID in Waste Management
• RFID in Supply Chain
• RFID in Preventive Maintenance

We are in strategic partnership with Trackit Solution FZ LLC. TrackIT is a focused RFID Solutions company based at Dubai Internet City, Dubai, with a vision to be the leader in End to End Real-Time Asset Visibility Solutions with RFID and complementary technologies.

TrackIT started its operations in 2004 and has been successful in attracting and executing several enterprise RFID projects some of which we are privy to. [Read more]