Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

1
Radio Frequency Identification(RFID)

• Features and Functionality of RFID
• Including application specific ISO specifications

Presented by Chris Lavin Sarah Clark Spencer
Prows
2
What is RFID?

• RFID is a technology, whose origins are found in
  the WWII era, that incorporates electromagnetic
  or electrostatic coupling in the RF portion of
  the EM spectrum to uniquely identify an object,
  animal or person. It is also gaining increasing
  use in industry as an alternative to the bar
  code.
• Requires a transceiver, antenna, and transponder
• Can operate in Passive or Active Modes

Source http//searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.co
m/gDefinition/0,294236,sid40_gci805987,00.html
3
What is RFID?

• RF signals transmitted by the transceiver
  activates the transponder, which transmits data
  back to the transceiver.
• Transponder is powered by EM waves emitted by the
  transceiver
• Various frequencies are used depending on the
  application
• Requires no line-of-sight (like bar-codes)

Source http//searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.co
m/gDefinition/0,294236,sid40_gci805987,00.html
4
RFID Applications

• Tracking Books in Libraries
• Inventory Tracking
• Walmart required it of their top 100 vendors
• Authorized building access (Prox Cards)
• Passports (US passports recently)
• AmEx Blue credit card
• Prison inmates (embedded)

5
RFID Applications

• For toll booths (or any pay for entry system)
• Airport Baggage ID
• Car keys, wireless entry and ignition
• Animals
• Hospital Patients
• Instant history tracking

6
RFID Shortfalls

• Cost
• Transceiver 1000
• RFID Tags 0.20 each
• Not competitive with cost of barcode
• UHF signals problematic near metal and water
• Reader Collisions
• Can be overcome using TDMA
• Tag Collisions
• Required some engineering of tag transmit timing
• Security Concerns

7
RFID Standards and Specifications

• Application specific ISO standards

8
RFID Standards

• Tracking Animals
• ISO 11784 Specifies the structure of the ID
  code
• ISO 11785 Specifies how transponder is
  activated
• ISO 14223/1 Specifies RF code for advanced
  transponders
• Credit Cards
• ISO 15693 Specifies modulation and coding
  schemes
• Passports and proximity cards
• ISO 14443 Specifies modulation and coding
  schemes
• General Frequency bands
• ISO 18000 series

9
Standard RFID Operating Frequencies

• ISO 18000-2
• lt135 KHz
• ISO 18000-3
• 13.56 MHZ
• ISO 18000-4
• 2.45 GHz
• ISO 18000-6
• 860-960 MHz
• ISO 18000-7
• 433 MHZ (active)

10
Standard RFID Operating Frequencies
ISO 18000-2 135 kHz
ISO 18000-6 800-960 MHz
ISO 18000-3 13.56 MHz
ISO 18000-4 2.45 GHz
ISO 18000-7 433 MHz
11
ISO 18000-2

• Operates at gt135 KHz
• Inductive
• Unaffected by presence of water
• Short range (a few centimeters)
• Fairly costly because of coil in transponder

12
ISO 18000-3

• Operates at 13.56 MHz
• Inductive
• Lower cost 35 cents
• Thin flexible form factor ( smart label )
• Read / write capable
• Unaffected by water (but has to be tuned to item)
• Mid range, 70 125 cms
• Two flavors
• Mode 1 Standard ISO 15693 data rate (26 kb/s)
• Mode 2 High speed interface (848 kb/s)

13
ISO 18000-4

• Operates at 2.45 GHz
• Propagating
• Dual Mode
• Passive Backscatter
• Passive tag currently out of fashion
• Active High data rate
• Long range in active version (100 m)
• Affected by water (signal absorbedmicrowave)
• Read / write capable
• Moderate cost
• Small antenna

14
ISO 18000-6 A/B

• Operates between 860 960 MHz
• Propagating
• Long range 2-5 meters
• Low cost
• High data rates
• Frequency agile
• Read / write capable
• Relatively large antenna
• The future for mass application RFID

15
ISO 18000-7

• Operates at 433 MHz
• Active
• Long range - many meters
• High cost
• High data rates
• Read / write capable
• Manifest tags- DoD