Basics of RFID Technology

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology can be regarded as the future of the identification. For, RFID technology has the potential to replace every product of which is actually identified by a number/ bar-code today. There can be several advantages of of which technology, when the idea comes to tracking.The origin of the technology dates back to the Word War Ii wherein the radar information was found to be insufficient in-order to separate enemy planes through others. yet, the technology came into commercial use only from the 1990's.The RFID tags consists of 3 main components- Chip, Antenna along with Substrate. The RFID tags can be read only, re-writable depending on the Chip.

Active, Passive along with Semi-Passive RFID Tags

An RFID tag is actually basically an object which can be incorporated into any product for the purpose of identification using radio waves. RFID tags can be distinguished based on the power supply into 3 categories namely Active RFID Tags, Passive RFID Tags along with Semi-Passive RFID Tags.Passive RFID tags contain an antenna along using a modest chip of which stores modest amount of data. The tags are powered by the electromagnetic field generated by the antennas. Basically, in Passive RFID tags, the power is actually harnessed through the RFID Reader, along with hence, they no not require a battery. yet, the disadvantage of passive RFID tags are of which the range of detection is actually comparatively lower, at about 3-5m max.Active RFID tags are battery powered, along with hence, their major advantage is actually of which they have a long detection range of about 100m. Also, they can hold much more information along with can also integrate sensing technology such as temperature sensors along with GPS, for providing more information.Semi-passive RFID tags also contain battery, yet the power for broadcasting is actually given by the RFID reader. The battery power is actually mainly used for maintenance of the hardware, which is actually usually more when compared to the passive RFID tags. 

Construction of RFID Tag

 

The diagram illustrates how the RFID tags are manufactured, the layers from the RFID tags, along with the materials used in RFID tags. 

Components of RFID

There are different components which together contribute towards the working of RFID which are the RFID Tags, the RFID Interrogator(RFID Reader+ Antenna), the Middleware along with the business application software.

The RFID tags contain a memory along with control units, which are necessary for storing of the identification data along with the modulation of the signal respectively. Along with of which, they contain an antenna, which is actually very essential in order to send the modulated signal, along with also to generate the required power in case of Passive RFID tags. The Interrogator is actually used to read the tags, along with in certain cases even remotely write into the tag. They contains an antenna for receiving the RFID signals transmitted by the RFID tags. Along with of which, they contain modulator/ demodulator.

Middleware is actually the interface between existing company databases along with the information management software. They provide various functions such as Data Filtering, System Monitoring along with Multiple Reader coordination. The Business Application Software is actually a customized software for any application, along with is actually used to manage the collected data.

How RFID Works?

When the RFID tags come from the range of the RFID reader, along with the specified frequency is actually matched with the reader, the tags transmit the identification data present from the memory device after modulation by the control unit via the antenna. In case of the Passive RFID tags, when the tags comes from the range of the RFID reader, the RF Coupling takes place. The antenna harnesses the power through the RF Reader along with then the device is actually powered on. Then, the data present from the chip is actually retrieved along with is actually sent back to the reader. of which information received by the Interrogator is actually then amplified along with demodulated, along with is actually sent to the middleware, which converts the idea to the required format along with sends the idea to the business application.

Benefits of RFID

• Read/Write - Ability to add information directly to tags enables each unique asset to carry its own unique history
• Non-contact Reads - Ability to read tags at a distance, under a variety of environmental conditions, without physical manipulation of the asset
• Fast Read - Ability to simultaneously read large numbers (1000-1750 tags/sec) of items
• Automation - Requires less human intervention
• Authenticity - Each RFID chip is actually unique along with can not be replicated

Applications

RFID Tags are being used in almost every industry where identification is actually needed. RFID finds extensive applications in tracking of products, where presently barcodes are used. of which is actually because there are several advantages of RFID over barcodes, which is actually mentioned from the presentation at the end of the article.

The most recent application of RFID of which we have come across is actually in Namma Metro of Bangalore, which uses RFID Tokens along with Contact-less RFID Smart Cards for automated entry gates. 

Electronic Product Code (EPC)
We know of which the conventional barcode technology employs the standard known as the Universal Product Code(UPC). The EPC (Electronic Product Code) is actually the code which the RFID will use for product identification from the future.An EPC code contains 96 bits, which consists of the following:

• The First 8 bits represent the type of the EPC
• The next 24 bits represent the RFID Tag company's code.
• The subsequent 24 bits represent the Product company's Identity Number.
• The final 36 bits represent the product identity.

RFID Radar

While browsing for information about RFID Technology, one of the very interesting RFID product I came across was RFID Radar. Besides identifying RFID transponders in its zone, the RFID-radar system is actually capable to measuring the range along with direction of those transponders through the reader antennas. For example, from the image shown, there are multiple transponders(RFID tags) located from the garden. The RFID radar not only detects all the RFID transponders from the particular location, yet the idea is actually also able to give information about the angle along with the distance of the RFID transponders through the RFID radar.

of which is actually how the idea works: The radar makes two measurements on each signal received through each transponder in its receiving zone - namely a range measurement along with an angle of arrival, along with hence calculates the distance along with the relative angle of the RFID transponders. of which technology makes Real Time Location System (RTLS) possible, along with hence can have several applications from the future. More information on RFID Radar can be found at http://www.rfid-radar.com/.

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