This document provides an overview of RFID technology. It discusses what constitutes an RFID system including tags, antennas, readers and host computers. It describes different types of tags including active vs passive and variations in memory size, read/write capabilities and frequency. It also summarizes the key factors to consider for an RFID system including read range, data speed, number of tags that can be read and environmental factors. Regulations and applications of different RFID frequencies are also summarized.

1. Basics of RFID Technology
Sridhar Ponugupati
Blaze Automation
18 June 2010

2. Q.E.D. Systems • Craig K. Harmon • President
Visit our web sites: http://www.qed.org and http://www.autoid.org
http://www.autoid.org/presentations/F-ISCW_2003_RFID_Basics.zip
 Chair, ASC INCITS T6 (Radio Frequency Identification) - ANS INCITS 256:1999, 2001
 Chair, U.S. TAG to ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31/WG 4 “RFID”
 Chair, ASC MH 10/SC 8/WG 4, RFID for Returnable Containers
 Chair, ISO TC 122/WG 4 (Shipping Labels) & ISO TC 122/WG 7 (Product Packaging)
 Chair, ISO TC 122/104 JWG - Supply Chain Applications of RFID
 Senior Project Editor ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31/WG 4/SG 3 (RFID - Air Interface)
 JTC 1/SC 31 Liaison Officer to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU-R)
 JTC 1/SC 31 Liaison Officer to the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
 JTC 1/SC 31 Liaison to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)
 ASC MH 10/SC 8 Liaison Universal Postal Union (UPU) Physical Encoding Group (PEG)
 Expert to USPS Strategic Technology Council
 ISO TC 104 (Freight Containers / RFID) Liaison Officer to JTC 1/SC 31
 Project Editor, ISO 18185 (Freight Containers - Electronic Container Seals)
 Chairman & Project Editor, ANS MH10.8.2 (Data Application Identifiers)
 Vocabulary Rapporteur to ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31
 Project Editor, American Trucking Association (ATA) ADE Work Group
 AIAG Bar Code, Applications, 2D, Tire, Returnables, and RFID Committees
 Project Editor, EIA Shipping Label, Product, Product Package, & Component Marking
 Advisor, U.S. Department of Defense in Migration to Commercial Standards
 Project Editor, NATO STANAG 2233 (RFID for NATO Asset Tracking)
 Project Editor Designate (Japan) - ISO/IEC 15459-3 (Unique Identification of Items)
 Project Editor Designate (Japan) - Technical Report on Direct Part Marking
 Convenor (CKH) and Secretary (MAH) - INCITS T20 (Real Time Locating Systems)
 Convenor Designate (MAH) - SC 31/WG 5 (Real Time Locating Systems)

3. Session Description
It is unlikely that any technology in the automatic
identification and data capture industry has been
hyped more than RFID. So what is the truth?
What technologies are best suited for which
technologies? What is the relationship between
regulations in the United States and in other parts
of the world? What is the future of that
regulation? How to determine which technology is
best for you by asking yourself three little
questions: "How far?", "How fast?”, and "How
many?" Learn the answers to these and other
questions in this session.

4. What is RFID?
• RFID is an ADC technology that
uses radio-frequency waves to
transfer data between a reader and
a movable item to
identify, categorize, track...
• RFID is fast, reliable, and does not
require physical sight or contact
between reader/scanner and the
tagged item

5. What Constitutes an RFID System?
• One or more RF tags
• Two or more antennas
• One or more interrogators
• One or more host computers
• Appropriate software

6. RFID System Components
(block diagram)
Antenna Reader
Asset/Tag
Asset
Firmware
Tag
Insert
TCP/IP
~
Host
Power
Application
Customer’s
Software API
MIS

7. APPLICATION INTERROGATOR RF TAG
Tag Physical Memory
Decoder
AIR Logical
Application Program Interface
Encoder Memory
DEVICE
INTERFACE
Map
COMMANDS
Tag COMMANDS
APPLICATION
COMMANDS Command / Driver
Response and
APPLICATION Unit Mapping
RESPONSES Rules RESPONSES
DEVICE
RESPONSES
Logical Memory Note: The Logical Memory Map in the
Tag Physical Memory is given by the
Tag architecture and the mapping rules
DATA PROTOCOL PHYSICAL in the Tag Driver. All the information in
PROCESSOR INTERROGATOR the Logical Memory is represented in
the Logical Memory Map
ISO/IEC 15961 ISO/IEC 15962 ISO/IEC 15962 ISO/IEC 18000
Annexes

8. RFID Operation
Sequence of Communication
• Host Manages Reader(s) and Issues Commands
• Reader and tag communicate via RF signal
• Carrier signal generated by the reader (upon request
from the host application)
• Carrier signal sent out through the antennas
• Carrier signal hits tag(s)
• Tag receives and modifies carrier signal
– “sends back” modulated signal (Passive Backscatter - FCC
and ITU refer to as “field disturbance device”)
• Antennas receive the modulated signal and send them
to the Reader
• Reader decodes the data
– Results returned to the host application

9. RFID Operations

10. What is RFID? -- The Tags
• Tags can be read-only or read-write
• Tag memory can be factory or field
programmed, partitionable, and optionally
permanently locked
• Bytes left unlocked can be
rewritten over more than
100,000 times

11. RFID System Basics
• Tag ID Only • Read Only (Factory
• Programmable Programmed)
Database Pointer • WORM - Write
• Mission Critical Once, Read Many
Information times
• Portable Database • Reprogrammable
(Field Programmable)
• Read/Write (In-Use
Programmable)

12. What is RFID? -- The Tags
Tags can be attached to
almost anything:
– pallets or cases of product
– vehicles
– company assets or personnel
– items such as apparel,
luggage, laundry
– people, livestock, or pets
– high value electronics such
as computers, TVs, camcorders

13. Are All Tags The Same?
Basic Types:
Active
• Tag transmits radio signal
• Battery powered memory, radio & circuitry
• High Read Range (300 feet)
Passive
• Tag reflects radio signal from reader
• Reader powered
• Shorter Read Range (4 inches - 15 feet)

14. Are All Tags The Same?
Variations:
– Memory
• Size (16 bits - 512 kBytes +)
• Read-Only, Read/Write or WORM
• Type: EEProm, Antifuse, FeRam
– Arbitration (Anti-collision)
• Ability to read/write one or
many tags at a time
– Frequency
• 125KHz - 5.8 GHz
– Physical Dimensions
• Thumbnail to Brick sizes
– Price ($0.50 to $250)

15. RFID System Basics
• How far?
• How fast?
• How many?
• How much?
• Attached to and surround by what?

16. What is RFID? -- The Readers
• Readers (interrogators) can be at a
fixed point such as
– Entrance/exit
– Point of sale
– Warehouse
• Readers can also be
mobile -- tethered,
hand-held, or wireless

17. <150 kHz (125 kHz & 134 kHz )
Advantages
• Uses normal CMOS processing —
basic and ubiquitous
• Relative freedom from
regulatory limitations
• Well suited for applications
requiring reading small
amounts of data at slow
speeds and minimal distances
• Penetrates materials well
(water, tissue, wood, aluminum)

18. <150 kHz (125 kHz & 134 kHz )
Disadvantages:
• Does not penetrate or transmit around metals
(iron, steel)
• Handles only small amounts of data
• Slow read speeds
• Large Antennas -- compared to higher
frequencies
• Minimal Range

19. <150 kHz (125 kHz & 134 kHz )
Disadvantages:
• Tag construction:
is thicker (than 13.56 MHz)
is more expensive (than 13.56 MHz)
more complex
(requires more turns of the induction coil)

20. 13.56 MHz
Advantages
• Uses normal CMOS processing--basic and
ubiquitous
• Well suited for applications requiring reading small
amounts of data and minimal distances
• Penetrates water/tissue well
• Simpler antenna design (fewer turns of the coil);
lower costs to build
• Higher data rate (than 125 kHz--but slower than
higher MHz systems)
• Thinner tag construction (than 125 kHz)
• Popular Smart Card frequency

21. 13.56 MHz
Disadvantages
• Government regulated frequency
(U.S. and Europe recently harmonized)
• Does not penetrate or transmit around metals
• Large Antennas (compared to higher frequencies)
• Larger tag size than higher frequencies
• Tag construction: requires more than one surface
to complete a circuit
• Reading Range of ≈ 0.7 m

22. RFID Primer…Frequencies
RFID:
Toll Roads
Electromagnetic Field
Data
Terminal
Coupling: Lower Range UHF
Cell Phone
>300 MHz <3 (<1) GHz
(862-928 MHz ANSI MH10.8.4,
ISO 18185, B-11 & GTAG)
1000 MHz
(433.92 MHz ISO 18185)

23. >300 MHz <1GHz
Advantages
• Effective around metals
• Best available frequency for
distances of >1m
• Tag size smaller than 13.56 MHz
• Smaller antennas
• Range: licensed to 20-40' with
reasonable sized tag (stamp to
eraser size). Unlicensed 3-5 m.
• Good non-line-of-sight
communication (except for
conductive, "lossy" materials)
• High data rate; Large amounts
of data
• Controlled read zone (through
antenna directionality)

24. >300 MHz <1GHz
Disadvantages
• Does not penetrate water/tissue
• Regulatory issues (differences in
frequency, channels, power, and duty
cycle)
• Regulatory issues in Europe
(similar band 869 MHz requires frequency
agile chip)
950 - 956 MHz under study in Japan

25. RFID Primer…Frequencies
RFID:
Item Management
EAS
Electromagnetic
Field Coupling:
2.45 GHz
2.45 GHz

26. 2.45 GHz
Advantages
• Tag size smaller than inductive or
lower range UHF (1"x 1/4")
• Range: greater range than
inductive w/o battery
• More bandwidth than lower
range UHF (more
frequencies to hop)
• Smaller antennas than lower
range UHF or inductive
• High data rate

27. 2.45 GHz
Advantages
• Good non-line-of-sight communication
(except for conductive, "lossy" materials)
• Can transmit large amounts of data more
quickly than lower frequencies
• Controlled read zone
(through antenna directionality)
• Effective around metals with
tuning/design adaptations

28. 2.45 GHz
Disadvantages
• More susceptible to electronic noise than lower
UHF bands, e.g. 433 MHz, 860-930 MHz
• Shared spectrum with other technologies--
microwave ovens, RLANS, TV devices, etc.
• Requires non-interfering, "good neighbor"
tactics like FHSS
• Competitive requirement: single chip--highly
technical; limited number of vendors
• Regulatory approvals still "in process"

29. RFID Primer…Frequency
>5.8 GHz
RFID:
European Tolls
(European Road
Telematics Frequency)
Advantages:
• Less congested band/less interference
Disadvantages:
• Not available in U.S. or many other
300 GHz
countries (5.9 now in FCC review)
• Must orient antennas carefully
• Range limited (due to scaling
issues/wavelengths)
• Chip difficult to build
• Expensive

30. Spectrum Regulation
• The radio frequency (RF) spectrum is a scarce and
shared resource, used nationally and
internationally, and subject to a wide range of
regulatory oversight. In the U.S., the Federal
Communications Commission is a key regulatory
body that allocates spectrum use and resolves
spectrum conflicts. The International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) is a specialized
agency of the United Nations which plays the same
role internationally.

31. Regulations - ITU

32. Regulatory Differences
• Usage of channel
– Primary service
– Secondary service
• Cannot interfere with primary service
• Cannot claim protection of interference from primary service
• Can claim protection of interference from other secondary users
– Industrial, Scientific, & Medical (ISM) Bands
• Narrowband or Spread Spectrum
• Power level
• Duty cycle

33. How far, how fast, how much, how many, attached to what?
Fre quency Regulatio n Range Data Spe ed Comments
Animal identification
125-150 kHz Basically unregulated Å 10 cm Low and factory data
collection systems
ISM band, differing Popular frequency for
Low to
13.56 MHz power levels and duty < 1m I.C. Cards (Smart
moderate
cycle Cards)
Non-specific Short
Asset tracking for U.S.
433 MHz Range Devices (SRD), 1 Š 100 m Moderate
DoD (Pallets)
Location Systems
ISM band (Region 2);
increasing use in EAN.UCC GTAG,
Moderate to
860-930 M Hz other regions, 2Š 5m MH10.8.4 (RTI),
high
differing power levels AIAG B-11 (Tires)
and duty cycle
ISM band, differing IEEE 802.11b,
2450 MHz power levels and duty 1Š 2m High Bluetooth, CT,
cycle AIAG B-11

34. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
Applications

35. Portal Applications
Bill of Lading
Material Tracking

36. Portal Applications
Limited number items at forklift speeds
8’ X 10’ doorways
Electronic receipt & dispatch
Wrong destination alert
Electronic marking
Pallet/container item tracking

37. Conveyor / Assembly Line
Read / Write Operations
Higher Accuracy than Bar Code

38. Conveyor / Assembly Line
Up to 450 fpm
60+ items per container
Inexpensive tunnels
Longer tunnel more items
Electronic receipt
Sorting
Electronic marking

39. Hand Held Application Categories
Batch Wireless
Fixed Station

40. Application Examples
Wireless / Batch Material Handling
By Destination
Inventory Management
Where is it going? Where has it been?
Where is it? What is it? Should it be here?
What is inside the box?
Material Handling
Inspecting / Maintaining
Material Handling
Aggregate / De-aggregate Has this been repaired?
Is this under warrantee?
What have I assembled or disassembled? Has this been inspected?
How many do I have? Do I have enough? Is this complete?
What is the asset’s status or state?

41. Shipping Validation

42. Intelligent Labels

43. The HazMat Label

44. HazMat Smart Label
 Low power > long range
 1024 bit memory
 Read/write/lock on 8 bits
 Advanced protocol
 Efficient multi-id  Lock data permanently
 12 ms/8 byte read  25ms/byte write
 Group select  Broadcast write
 40 tags/second  Anti-collision

45. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
Standards

46. The Layers of Logistic Units
(Optically Readable Media)
Layer 5
ISO TC 204 (None)
AIAG B-15 Movement Vehicle
(truck, airplane, ship, train)
Layer 4
ISO TC 104 (None)
Container
(e.g., 40 foot Sea Container)
Layer 3
ISO TC 122/WG 4 (15394)
ANSI MH10.8.1 Unit Load Unit Load
AIAG B-10/14
EIA 556-B “Pallet” “Pallet”
UCC 6
Layer 2
ISO TC 122/WG 4 (15394)
ANSI MH10.8.1 Transport Transport Transport Transport
AIAG B-10/14 Unit Unit Unit Unit
EIA 556-B
UCC 6/EAN Genl Spec
Layer 1
ISO TC 122/WG 7 (22742)
ANSI MH10.8.6
AIAG B-4 (TBD) Pkg Pkg Pkg Pkg Pkg Pkg Pkg Pkg
EIA 621/624 & IEC TC 91
UCC 1 /EAN Genl Spec
Layer 0
ISO TC 122 (TBD)
ANSI MH10.8.7
AIAG B-4 Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item
EIA SP-3497
UCC 1 /EAN Genl Spec

47. The Layers of Logistic Units
(Radio Frequency Identification - RFID)
Layer 5
ISO TC 104
ISO TC 204 (ISO 14816)
IATA
Movement Vehicle
ISO TC 8
AAR
(truck, airplane, ship, train)
Layer 4 (433 MHz, 860-930 MHz)
ISO 122/104 JWG (ISO 10374)
ISO TC 104 (ISO 18185) Container
ISO TC 104 (Beyond 18185)
ISO 17363 (122/104 JWG) (e.g., 40 foot Sea Container)
Layer 3 (433 MHz, 860-930 MHz)
ISO 17364 (122/104 JWG)
ANSI MH10.8.4 Unit Load Unit Load
AIAG (TBD)
EIA (TBD) “Pallet” “Pallet”
EAN.UCC GTAG
Layer 2 (860-930 MHz)
ISO 17365 (122/104 JWG)
ANSI MH10.8.8 Transport Transport Transport Transport
AIAG (TBD) Unit Unit Unit Unit
TCIF (TBD)
Layer 1 (860-930 MHz)
ISO 17366 (122/104 JWG)
Pkg Pkg Pkg Pkg Pkg Pkg Pkg Pkg
Layer 0 (860-930 MHz)
ISO 17367 (122/104 JWG)
AIAG B-11
Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item Item

48. Application Requirements
© Q.E.D. Systems 2003
 Wal-Mart - Suppliers will mark inbound cases and
pallets with RFID - 1 January 2005 - May, 2003
specification calls for ≈256 bit read/write tag
 U.S. Department of Defense - Draft RFID policy to
be completed by 18 September 2003 - To issue
final policy in July of 2004 that will require
suppliers to put passive RFID tags on selected
case/pallet packaging by January of 2005. Draft
policy calls for passive tags (est. 256 byte) and
active tags

49. Lads, Dads, & Granddads
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50. ???

51. Thank
You!