What Is
RFID
Let’s see from
various angles What Is RFID? Radio Frequency Identification (RFID):
A method of identifying unique items using radio waves. Typically, a
reader communicates with a tag, which holds digital information in a
microchip. But there are chipless forms of RFID tags that use
material to reflect back a portion of the radio waves beamed at
them.
Radio Frequency
Identification; a type of electronic identification that uses radio
frequency signals to read on-vehicle tags for AVI and
AVC.
More on What Is
RFID. Typical RFID system consists of a tag, a reader, and some sort
of data processing equipment, such as a computer. The reader sends a
request for identification information to the tag. The tag responds
with the respective information, which the reader then forwards to
the data processing device. The tag and reader communicate with one
another over an RF channel. In some systems, the link between the
reader and the computer is wireless.
RFID (Radio
Frequency IDentification) is a wireless system used to identify
tags. These tags may be carried by people or animals or mounted on
object or vehicles. They may even be embedded under the
skin.
A basic RFID
system consists of three components:
- An antenna or
coil
- A transceiver
(with decoder)
- A transponder
(RF tag) electronically programmed with unique
information
What is RFID
History?
- 1935: as an
outgrowth of the work on radar, RFID transponders were used to
Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) of approaching
aircraft
- Versions of
this same IFF system did not appear in civilian aircraft until the
mid- 1950’s
- A modified
version of this is still used today.
- In 1972,
Schlage Electronics (now Westinghouse) developed an RFID
card
-- It contained
several “tuned circuits” embedded in a military-grade
fiberglass-epoxy card.
- In the late
60’s, the US Government developed RFID technology to tag and
monitor nuclear and other hazardous
materials
- In 1977, Los
Alamos Scientific Laboratories transferred this technology to the
public sector
- Two companies
initially explored use of this
technology
– Amtech in
New
Mexico
– Identronix
Research in California
- Identronix
Research explored animal ID
- RFID devices
were implanted into animals
- Uses were
for:
–
Identification
– Temperature
monitoring
– Automatically
dispensing food
- Other early
companies that developed animal
- RFID
applications included:
–
Destron
– Texas
Instruments
–
AVID
- Eventually,
RFID animal tagging became important enough for the I.S.O
organization to set standards (ISO
11874/85).
- By the mid
1980’s, RFID technology research focused
on:
-- Performance
improvements
Reduced power
requirements
Greater
operating distances
– Cost
reduction
– Size
reduction
- Once RFID
circuits could be embedded into a
card:
– RFID
technology became very popular for access control and security
applications
What is RFID
History in DoD: Both active and passive RFID technologies have been
used in commercial business applications spanning the late 1980s
through today. RFID has been used in systems, such as toll road
applications (EZ-Pass), and used extensively for retail theft
prevention (EAS-electronic article surveillance). Within DoD, active
RFID has been the technology application for in-transit visibility
(ITV) applications on major end items and consolidated cargo moving
via the Defense Transportation System (DTS). The current DoD
environment for use of active RFID encompasses all Services,
Agencies, and Combatant and Supporting Commands to provide the ITV
necessary for the proper exercise of statutory Directive Authority
for Logistics. Use of passive RFID technologies in DoD has been
limited to smaller pilots or proof of principle applications with no
extensive development or use within the DoD to
date.
What is RFID
Advantages? RFID's advantage over barcodes is that "line of sight"
is not required. A scanner needs to see the barcode to read it, but
the RFID radio waves can be read as long as they are within the
reader's range.
What is RFID
Benefits Vs. Barcode: The optical nature of barcode requires labels
to be “seen” by lasers.
That line-of-sight between label and reader is often
difficult, impractical, or even impossible to achieve in industrial
environments. In order
to function properly, a barcode reader must have clean, clear
optics, the label must be clean and free of abrasion, and the reader
and label must be properly oriented with respect to each other. RFID
technology enables tag reading from a greater distance, even in
harsh environments.
In addition,
the information imprinted on a barcode is fixed and cannot be
changed. RFID tags, on the other hand, have electronic memory
similar to what is in your computer or digital camera to store
information about the inventory or equipment. This information can
be dynamically updated.
What is RFID
Advantages vs. barcode technology?
- No line of
sight requirement.
- The tag can
stand a harsh environment.
- Long read
range
- Portable
database
- Multiple tag
read/write.
- Tracking
people, items, and equipment in real-time.
