Radio Frequency IDentificationby Hafeez Kalim

AgendaRFID basicsRFID vs Bar CodeRFID application areasClasses, frequency bands, active and passive tagsTechnical challenges

RFID BasicsHow RFID Systems work RFID tag gets into reading device's electromagnetic field Tag receives the signal which energizes the passive tag Tag transmits the data stored in the IC in return Reader passes the information to the host system Host system can be connected into the Internet or company's ERP system Reader can also pass information to the tag which can be re-written or deactivated

Real Time Data / Objects visibility

RFID Vs Bar CodeNo requirement for line-of-sightDynamic information carrier (read/write)High memory capacity if neededMany tags can be read at the same time i.e. faster trackingWave at a shelf and find lost books/media or rarely checked out books/media that can be moved to remote storage or sold at book salesCheaper in long termNo human interventionEasy to usePrevents theftsThe University of Nevada libraries found more than 500 lost items after they tagged 600,000 items in its collection -- which saved the library $40,000 in replacement costs.

Primary frequency bands Low Frequency (125/134KHz) Most commonly used for access control and asset tracking.

Mid-Frequency (13.56 MHz) Used where medium data rate and read ranges are required.

Ultra High-Frequency (850 MHz to 950 MHz and 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz) offer the longest read ranges and high reading speeds.

Classes of RFID TagsClasses of EPC RFID Tags

RFID Tag Attributes

Active RFIDPassive RFIDTag Power SourceInternal to tagEnergy transferred using RF from readerTag BatteryYesNoRequired signal strengthVery LowVery HighRangeUp to 100mUp to 3-5m, usually lessMulti-tag reading1000s of tags recognized up to 100mphFew hundred within 3m of readerApplicationsVehicles, large containers of goodsSmall products, cases, itemsCosts$ 2 to $ 10$ 1 or less

1.5 Billion Bags carried each year. Each lost bag costs the airlines $100. 2% to 7% of drugs in the US and 80% in some Third World countries are counterfeitPharmaceuticalsSupply Chain,Mfg. & RetailAirline IndustryLost/Stolen equipment accounts for up to $4000/bed/year in US Hospitals. Patients in hospitalsHealthcareTransportation& Logistics P&G believes that RFID can reduce their inventory by 1/2. 8-12% of items in stores are out of stock at any one timeAsset TrackingRFID can help more accurate and real-time tracking of almost any asset resulting in better asset utilizationRFIDSignificantly reduce Cargo theft, loss, and damage in the logistics industryRFID Application Areas

Over 300 libraries now use RFIDsLibrary RFID tags are not tracked by satelliteTags are read by readers located in the librarys exit(All of the major readers currently in libraries use 13.56 MHz technology. At this frequency, the read range is fairly short, typically no more than a few feet)Books/media cant be tracked after leaving the library

All Sports Balls. Footballs, baseballs, tennis balls, soccer balls and every other form of sports balls. These can be used to record movement, assist referees, and enhance television coverage.RFID Applications in Libraries / Sports

Retail: Wal-Mart's Business CaseSource: eWeek, September 15, 2003Potential Annual Saving

Wal Mart RFID Tagging

Assessment of out of stock reduction

Assessment of shrinkage reduction

Technical challenges around RFID Radio signals are subject to the laws of physicse.g. metal and fluids deflect radio signalsinterference can distort a radio signalthis can make reading RFID tags difficult You have read the tag - so what?reading an RFID tag is not a goal in itselfthe key is to relate it the tag data to existing data in the enterprisea software infrastructure that goes beyond reader management is therefore essential System Management is critical due to the highly distributed nature of an RFID infrastructureits not enough to install RFID readers in a demo environmentRFID is about gathering quality data along the entire supply chain

Government Regulations Governments around the world regulate the use of the frequency spectrum. Different countries have already assigned certain parts of the spectrum for other uses and as a result, there is virtually no / very less part of the spectrum that is available everywhere in the world for use by RFID. This means that a RFID tag may not work in all countries. As an example if you choose the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) frequency that operates at 915MHz in the U.S. and you ship your product to Europe, they may not be able to be read it since Europe operates in the UHF spectrum at 869Mhz. This is an important consideration when operating in a global environment.

***Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to roll out sophisticated electronic ID tags to track individual pairs of jeans and underwear, the first step in a system that advocates say better controls inventory but some critics say raises privacy concerns. The retailer will place removable "smart tags" on individual garments that can be read by a hand-held scanner. Wal-Mart workers will be able to quickly learn, for instance, which size of Wrangler jeans is missing, with the aim of ensuring shelves are optimally stocked and inventory tightly watched. If successful, the radio-frequency ID tags will be rolled out on other products at Wal-Mart's more than 3,750 U.S. stores. Before now, retailers including Wal-Mart have primarily used RFID tags, which store unique numerical identification codes that can be scanned from a distance, to track pallets of merchandise traveling through their supply chains. While the tags can be removed from clothing and packages, they can't be turned off, and they are trackable. Some privacy advocates hypothesize that unscrupulous marketers or criminals will be able to drive by consumers' homes and scan their garbage to discover what they have recently bought. They also worry that retailers will be able to scan customers who carry new types of personal ID cards as they walk through a store, without their knowledge. Several states, including Washington and New York, have begun issuing enhanced driver's licenses that contain radio- frequency tags with unique ID numbers, to make border crossings easier for frequent travelers. Some privacy advocates contend that retailers could theoretically scan people with such licenses as they make purchases, combine the info with their credit card data, and then know the person's identity the next time they stepped into the store. And while the tags wouldn't replace bulkier shoplifting sensors, Wal-Mart expects they'll cut down on employee theft because it will be easier to see if something's gone missing from the back room.

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