Transcript
Page 1: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

Baggage Direct –Uses Tag-it™The World’s First RFID-based Baggage Delivery System

INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER OF THE TI RFID GROUP ISSUE NO. 20, 2000

ustomers in the

Chicago area can now

use their Speedpass tags

at select Chicago area

McDonald's locations both inside

the restaurant and at the

drive-thru.

People who want to use this

payment method can order a free

Speedpass tag from Mobil. When

they go to the McDonald's drive-

thru window, they simply order

their food at the menu board,

drive on to the payment window

use the Internet to check on thewhereabouts of their luggage atevery stage and verify its finaldelivery. It is even planned toequip top London hotels withRFID readers that will automati-cally trigger a text message tothe passenger’s mobilephone via the Internettelling them that theirbaggage has safely arrivedat the hotel.

"This unique serviceputs London way ahead inthe innovative use of RFIDsmart label technology toprovide totally hassle-freeservice for passengers,"said British AirportAuthority’s chief executive,Mike Hodgkinson.

Baggage Direct intendsto extend the service toall terminals at Heathrowas well as to other UKairports, and theninternationally to give

aggage Direct took offat Heathrow Airport onJuly 27th. Developedby systems integratorKTP Ltd using Texas

Instruments’ Tag-it™ 13.56MHzsmart label technology, the innov-ative new Baggage Direct serviceuses smart labels to track androute passenger’s luggage from theairport to their hotel freeing pas-sengers from all the hassle of bag-gage transportation.

Baggage Direct is a new sub-sidiary formed by BAA andlaunched with the backing ofmajor partners: United Airlines,Forte Hotels and Lynx Expressdelivery services.

Baggage Direct’s service offersautomatic routing and trackingof the baggage from a specialBaggage Direct kiosk at theairport direct to the passenger’shotel. The service guaranteesdelivery to a major London hotelwithin 3 hours and passengers can

Bpassengers a complete high-techsolution to baggage transporta-tion. Baggage Direct is also plan-ning to offer a nationwide UKdelivery service before theend of the

year via its partnership with LynxExpress, allowing baggage to bedelivered anywhere in thecountry.

TI Celebrates 10 YearAnniversary of RFID

Emerging from the lab just tenyears ago as a promising technologyin search of new data collectionapplications, the billion dollarRFID industry today is as pervasiveand as commonly used as the keysin your pocket.

From its beginnings in trackinglivestock, RFID technology hasmoved into hundreds of industrial,commercial and consumer applica-tions affecting hundreds of millionsof people's lives worldwide, anddriving an industry that is growingby 25% according to VentureDevelopment Corporation.

As a pioneer of this industry,Texas Instruments just celebratedtheir 10th anniversary. "In the

early days, transponders were soldby the thousands," said DaveSlinger, a vice president at TexasInstruments. "Today there arehundreds of millions of transpon-ders deployed worldwide. Peopleliterally carry them on their keychains to automatically pay for gasor to protect their cars from theft.They may have a transponder intheir car to speed them through ahighway toll, or they may wear anRFID employee badge to helpprotect them in the workplace."

When it was first introduced in1990, RFID was a little knowntechnology used to identify and

The Ease of Speedpass™ atMcDonald's® with TI RFID Tags

Continued on page 2.

Continued on page 8.

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and

Page 2: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

Made Easier and MoreComprehensive

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The web site www.tiris.comwas redesigned to be the one-stopinformational site on RFID.

The site remains a source forinformation on TI's RFID prod-ucts, complete with downloadablebrochures, reference guides andapplication notes on TI's technol-ogy and product offerings. Casestudies for the many applicationsand solutions offered by TI canalso be found on the site.

"We're continuing to make ourRFID technology easier to use andadopt and the Web is a major partof our strategy," said Tony Sabetti,

worldwide marketing managerfor TI.

A new section was added thatfocuses on Team Tag-it™, aworldwide program formed by TIto accelerate the development andadoption of RFID smart labelsolutions. Member information,news and events are availableonline. Issues of the Team Tag-itquarterly newsletter are download-able on the site as well.

track livestock and follow palletsthrough warehouses. Ten yearslater, RFID:

• Reduces car theft and insurancepremiums for 50 million motorists worldwide;

• Provides faster gas and conve-nience stores purchases for more than 4 million drivers;

• Tracks hundreds of millions of dollars worth of commerce each day from containerized freight yards and warehouses, right to retailer’s doors;

• And is improving manufacturingproductivity for companies around the world.

An experimental technology justa decade ago, RFID today is beingdriven by market leaders like Ford,Mobil, Chrysler, and 3M in areassuch as automotive security, retailrefueling and materials tracking.Pioneering the application of

technology, these andother companies areusing RFID to createnew markets andmove out ahead ofthe competition.

Automotive SecurityBack in the early1990s, car thievesand joy riders weremaking off withmillions of vehiclesaround the world.High theft ratesalso meant insur-

ance rates were skyrocketing. Atthat time, the Ford MotorCompany took a dramatic step tothwart would-be thieves with theintroduction of an RFID-basedanti-theft immobilizer system.What began on the 1994 FordEscort in Europe is now on 84%of all 2000 model-year Fords, andwill be on more than 90% of thecompany's vehicles by 2004.Other international automotivecompanies such as Daimler-Chrysler, Hyundai, Mitsubishi,Toyota and Nissan have alsoadopted the technology.

Retail RefuelingRetail customers have embraced

the technology as a faster, easierway to pay for gas and are nowusing it to buy convenience storeitems. When Mobil introducedSpeedpass three years ago, theindustry was undergoing a major

shift. Corporations were replacingmom-and-pop filling stations, andcompetition for customers washeightened. Gas stations wereteaming up with everything fromgrocery stores to banks in an effortto create an easy, one-stop shoppingexperience. The business becamemore about driving traffic and

repeat sales through customerloyalty. Today

RFID isa strong point-of-saletool for Mobil that has helpedform stronger customer relation-ships.

Materials TrackingCompanies around the world

have been using glass capsuletransponders embedded in plastictotes, attached to racks and cartsfor many years to track raw mate-

rials, work in process, and prod-ucts during distribution. The tagsallow data to be collected auto-matically, without human inter-vention and without human error.With the growing development ofstandards, these tracking applica-tions will begin to cross companyand country boundaries in truesupply chain automation.

As part of the celebration, TexasInstruments hosted an anniversary

party at Frontline

Solutions 2000 in both Chicagoand Frankfurt with many oldfriends who have been contribut-ing to the growth of the industryfor all these years as direct cus-tomers, systems integrators, andusers of TI RFID.

Continued from page 1.

Dave Slinger describes a decade of RFID accomplishments.

Over 100 invited guests celebrated during the TI party at Frontline Chicago Expo.

Web Site is Upgraded–

Click onwww.tiris.com

Page 3: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

AUTOMATIC ACCESS TOFUN AND GAMES

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chindler Technology,of Rio de Janeiro,Brazil, has beeninstalling accesscontrol systems for

people and cars using TI RFIDsince 1998. Since Rio is one ofthe biggest cities in the world,security is a major concern,particularly in residential build-ings where more than 1000people enter and exit daily.

"We evaluated many RFIDproviders, and found TI offeredthe best relation between cost andbenefit, said Sigismond Schindler,company owner.

Schindler Technologyengineered several new accessproducts around TI. One ofthese is the SCH31, an interface

A Solution to Security Needs of Brazil's CitizensB R A Z I L

board that can managethree Micro-readers or threeS2000 Readers; passingthe identification to thecomputer using a singleserial cable. The first bytetransmited is the readernumber (1-3). It also has 7relays controlled by thecomputer. With only onebyte passed from the PC,it can select the relay andestablish the time of actionbetween 0 and 3 seconds,after that, the relay goes tothe initial position auto-matically. It releases the soft-

ware, making itmore efficient. Many of thepeople accessinstallations use agate antenna mountedon a wall or gate whileindividuals carry akeyring tag. With thiscombination it is easyenough for students toleave the tag right intheir backpacks andsimply turn aroundtowards the antennauntil the gate unlocks.

In the area of vehicle accesscontrol, the problem in Rio is tomanage garage space. Residentialbuilding managers want to prevent

S

The Dutch company VConsyst,based in Genemuiden is usingTexas Instruments RFID systemsfor access to swimming pools,sports facilities, and health clubsthroughoutHolland.

At the publicpool "de Steur "(Steur means atype of fish) inZwolle, regularvisitors have beenissued a RFID tagfor the last 4 years toget access to the pool,the lockers, thesauna, the Turkishbath and the restau-rant. They receive atag in the form of a keyfob, a card, or an arm-band that allows access for speci-fied lengths of time, like a monthly

pass or a specified numbers of vis-its. Turnstiles and readers arelocated at entrances to areas and onlockers.

For regular visitorsthis means that they don’t have towait in lines and can walk right in.According to the facilities workers

H O L L A N D

one of the main benefits is thatthey are free from routine ticket-ing operations and can devotemore time to children, disabledand elderly visitors to help themimprove their swimming andsporting skills.

With an automatic system,supervisors can get a quickoverview of how many peopleare in the building at any onetime and how they are using the

facilities. This businessinformation helpsthe supervisor to

make better decisions about management

and marketing. Visitors who have

purchased a tag for "de Steur" can also gain access to other pools and

sports accommodations in the area. Almost seventy

residents from parking more carsthan the allowed number. A 85 mmbatteryfree, low frequency disktransponder is issued to eachauthorized vehicle. Unauthorizedvehicles are not allowed to enterthe garage.

"Since this tag has a read rangeof up to 1.5 meters, it is perfectfor cars," said Mr. Schindler."Other technologies can reach 4to 6 meters, but the cost for thesystem is too high. TI is the onlycompany that can reach up to 1.5 mwith low cost RFID products.

Our read range record with thistag is 2.10 m," he added.

To date, Schindler has out-fitted more than 10 residentialbuildings with close to 10,000issued tags.

For more information, contactSigismond Schindler,Tel: +55-21-493.7990 or493.7216; or e-mail [email protected]

Handsfree access to garages is fast and convenient.

e evaluated manyRFID providers, and foundTI offered the best relationbetween cost and benefits.

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Automatic access to de Steur pool facilities inZwolle, The Netherlands.

five facilities in Holland areequipped with RFID and another275 are expected to come on linein the next two to three years.

For more information, contactHenk Westenbrink, VConsyst,Tel: +31383857057,Fax: +31383858525.

Page 4: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

FedEx couriers have one lessthing to keep track of as they goabout the business of deliveringmillions of packages every day —their keys. The company’s couriersare wearing a new keyless entryand ignition system that usesRFID tags from TI embeddedwithin a velcro wristband.

With this new automatic system,

FedEx delivery personnel can easilykeep track of keys and can securetheir vehicles faster along theirdelivery routes. By the end of2000, 1,400 FedEx deliveryvehicles will be equipped with thenew system, and the company plans

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FedEx Speeds Up Delivery with Keyless Entry and Ignition System

world. With TI’sRFID system, theydon’t have to spendprecious time search-ing for keys or usethem to lock andunlock multiple doorsto their delivery vehi-cles. During a driver’sroute, the RFID wrist-band need not beremoved, making itless likely to be lost. Ifa wristband transpon-der is misplaced, itscode can be purgedfrom the system and a

new code can be reprogrammedin a matter of seconds. With thetraditional system, if a drivermisplaces his keys, he must waitto have a spare set delivered andthe vehicle must be re-keyed at acost of more than $200 per incident.

The FedEx system consists ofone-inch round, disk-shaped

to roll it out on additionalvehicles next year.

"TI’s RFID technologymakes it easier for our couri-ers to quickly and securelydeliver packages to FedExcustomers," said Jim Steffen,chief engineer of vehicle/groundsupport equipment atFedEx. "The couriers who

have used this state-of-the-artequipment say that it shaves criti-cal minutes from delivery times."

FedEx couriers drive 2.7 millionmiles daily in the U.S. alone toensure the reliable delivery ofexpress parcels from all over the

RFID transponders,readers mounted ateach of the four doorsto the delivery vehicleand a reader mountedon the right side of thesteering column nearthe ignition switch.When the courierplaces his transponderwristband within 7inches of the readers,the transponder’s codeis compared to one inthe system’s memory. Ifit is a match, the doorunlocks for ten seconds.The courier simplypulls on the door han-

dle to enter the vehicle while thethree remaining doors stay secure-ly locked to prevent unauthorizedentry. To start the vehicle, thedriver pushes a button on theright side of the steering column.The courier pushes another buttonnear the start button to turn offthe vehicle.

The new FedEx system was cus-tom-designed by Strattec SecurityCorporation, of Milwaukee, Wis.,experts in vehicle locks and RFIDimmobilizer systems along withUtilimaster Corporation, basedin Fort Wayne, Ind., who makescustom-manufactured vehiclesfor FedEx.

For more information, contactMike Feucht at Strattec,Tel: (414) 247-3364,Fax: (414) 247-3329.

I’s RFID technol-ogy makes it easierfor our couriers to

quickly and securelydeliver packages toFedEx customers.

T“

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tracking and identification.At nine loading bays, RFID

readers automatically read theunique code and associated datafor each consignment, and matchit to the company’s vehicle ship-

ping schedule. In the event of acopier being inadvertently loadedonto the wrong truck, an alarmsounds and a display shows thecorrect vehicle that the copiershould be taken to.

"By accurately and reliablyidentifying and tracking goodsthroughout distribution, ware-housing and shipping, companiessuch as Xerox can achieve majorsavings in costs and higher pro-ductivity through reduced ship-ping errors and more efficienthandling" said David Hyslop, TIsales manager in the UK.

For more information, contactGraham Lane, RFID ComponentsLtd., Tel: (0)1234 840102,Fax: (0)1234 840707,e-mail: [email protected],Website: www.rfid.co.uk

A battery free low frequency tagis attached to the outer packagingof each copier. It is planned toeventually integrate the tags intothe copiers themselves to providemore comprehensive lifetime product

Xerox, the world’s largest photo-copier manufacturer, ships about1/4 million copiers per year fromits main European manufacturingfacility centre in the UK to desti-nations all across Europe.

They installed an RFID-basedlogistics tracking system to ensure100% shipping accuracy. Thecompany was determined to elimi-nate any errors from its shippingprocess because accurate and effi-cient shipping to all customers isessential for Xerox to maintain a goodreputation for service and quality.

Microlise Systems Integration ofNottingham, a leading UK supplychain management solutionsprovider, worked with softwarespecialist EDS to create the logis-tics system that uses TI RFIDread/write card transponders andread units supplied by distributor,RFID Components.

RFID Helps Xerox Achieve 100% Shipping Accuracy

RFID tagged Xerox copiers pass through gate antennas to ensure they are loaded on thecorrect truck.

U S A

Couriers wear wristband transponders for efficient access to their trucks.

Page 5: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

dow and swiping a card — prob-lematic in British weather. Alsocredit cards involve a 5% sur-charge on every transaction.

All of these problems are over-come by the new AVI system

based on TI battery free, low fre-quency RFID. Tags are attachedto the windscreen using a rubbersuction cup. Readers at the tollbooth ID the tag as the vehicle

he system hasachieved its mainaims of improving

traffic flow andreducing conges-tion with a lowinstallation cost.

approaches, check the user's creditaccount via the host PC, and givea green light in a fraction of a sec-ond. A sign under the trafficlights warns the user if credit islow. If credit is zero, the trafficlight stays at red and the tollbooth operator is instructed tocollect cash. If a vehicle goesthrough without a valid credit, thesystem alerts the operators andpolice action can be taken.

Users pre-pay for multiple jour-neys by having their tag accountcredited with a fixed amount, andthe toll fee is deducted from thiscredit each time they use the tun-nel. Users can top-up their creditover the phone, so there is no needto waste valuable time going to thetoll office to renew their credit.

The tag only carries the uniqueID of each driver – all customerdata, and credit information isheld off the card by the computersystem. The tag can be immedi-ately de-activated if reportedstolen. In addition, all customersreceive a monthly statement of tollfees and transaction.

Of the 10,000 TIRIS tags in cir-culation, some 90% of tags areissued to private users while localbusinesses find it useful to havemultiple tags for companyemployees administered using asingle business account.

For more information, contactGraham Lane, RFID ComponentsLtd. Tel: (0)1234 840102,Fax: (0)1234 840707.

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FID tags help speed uptraffic through the busyTyne Tunnel, a 1.7kmroad tunnel runningunder the River Tyne

serving the cities of Newcastle,Gateshead and surrounding townsin the north of England.

"While cash booths still operate,more and more people are switch-ing to automatic tag operationallowing them to take advantageof dedicated lanes for faster, moreconvenient payment which alsoreduces congestion at the cashbooths for other users. The sys-tem has achieved its main aims ofimproving traffic flow and reduc-ing congestion with a low installa-tion cost," said Paul Ducker, MDof Paul Ducker Systems, thesystems integrator responsiblefor the system.

Since the tunnel was opened in1967, tolls have traditionally beencollected in cash or by tickets.However, with traffic continuallygrowing and presently peaking ataround 35,000 vehicles/day, thetunnel operators needed to findnew methods. Manual cash col-

lection involvesdelays. Automaticcash collection isexpensive to installand also involvesdelays while dri-vers search for theright cash tothrow into a col-lection basket.Tickets are open to abuse by theftor fraud and also involve delayswhile tickets are inspected. Finallycredit card payment involves thedriver stopping, opening a win-

Collecting Tolls On the Move at the Tyne Tunnel, UK

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Low frequency toll tags eliminate ques at Tyne Tunnel.

Travelers can leave their windows up when usingpre-paid RFID tags.

T e x a s I n s t r u m e n t s R F I D L e a d e r A g a i nFrost & Sullivan honored TI

again with the MarketEngineering Leadership Award forthe year 2000 which was earlierbestowed on TI in 1998.

The award is given by Frost &Sullivan’s Automatic IdentificationGroup and is presented in tandemwith the release of their WorldRadio Frequency Identification(RFID) Markets industry report.Recipients of the award are chosenbased on interviews with marketparticipants and Frost & Sullivan'sresearch and consulting work forthe RFID industry. TexasInstruments was awarded thenumber one ranking for the com-pany's identification of marketchallenges, drivers and restraints,as well as their strategy develop-

ment and methods of addressingthese dynamics.

"RFID technology continues toestablish itself in very mainstreammarkets. Many commercial, con-sumer and industrial customers arefinding RFID an essential technol-ogy for enabling their businesses.We are pleased that Frost &Sullivan has recognized our workwith this award," said DavidSlinger, TIRIS vice president.

Each year Frost & Sullivan stud-ies the RFID market by contactingthe suppliers, the integrators andthe customers to gather data."The role that Frost & Sullivanplays as an outside observer to ourindustry is very helpful since thereare not many professional researchorganizations doing this yet," said

Susy d'Hont, MarketCommunications Manager. "Wehope that other market researchfirms will become more active in

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any commercial,consumer and industrial

customers are findingRFID an essential

technology for enablingtheir businesses.

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this way, so that we can all gainbetter insight into the future,"added d'Hont.

Page 6: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

• Conversion stations for the transition from opticalbar codes to digital identifi- cation tags.

• 3MTM SelfCheckTM Systems.• 3MTM Staff Workstations.• 3MTM Tattle-TapeTM

Security Strips and 3MTM

Detection Systems.3M is the global leader in

library security for nearly 30years, 3M protects literally bil-lions of individual items in thou-sands of libraries throughout the world.

For more information, contactJohn Yorkovich, 3M LibrarySystems Marketing Manager, at651-736-7168,email: [email protected]

M has completed thelaunch of the 3MDigital IdentificationSystem that is revolu-tionizing how libraries

track and secure their materials.According to John Yorkovich,digital technologies marketingmanager at 3M Library Systems,"This system further streamlinesthe flow of materials into, withinand out of a library in severalways. Because of the smart label,

there is no requirement to locatetraditional optical barcode labels

The new 3MDigitalIdentificationSystem was recentlyinstalled in theCurriculumMaterials Library atthe University ofNevada Las Vegasand into its state-of-the-art Lied Librarythat is under con-struction. The LiedLibrary will be oneof the most techno-logically advancedlibraries in theworld.

Read/write smart tags allowlibrary personnel to change theinformation on a tag when theychange the book’s status, a capa-bility not offered by bar codes.

The ability to quickly scanshelves helps libraries locate lostor obsolete items and do fastinventory updates. Personnel canalso scan items left out on tablesto get better information of thematerials their clients find mostpopular.

3M Digital IdentificationSystem tags are part of the opti-mization of an entire checkout,check-in and inventory manage-ment process that maximizessecurity. Other componentsof the 3M Digital IdentificationSystem that maximize materialsflow management at libraries are:

kiers across Europe areswooshing throughaccess gates and speedingthrough chair lift linesall without stopping to

remove a glove or show a ticket—thanks to the AX400 hands-freeaccess system for ski lifts devel-oped by Austria's TeamAxess.

The system, which has beenadopted by European ski resortsincluding the multinational "LesPortes du Soleil" region in theFrench and Swiss alps, featuresTag-it-based ski passes used foraccess control and payment.

The new AX400 system is sig-nificantly faster and more efficientthan traditional ski pass systemsand provides convenient, hands-free access for customers. Whenskiers approach one of the revolv-ing gates near the lift, their validski pass is automatically identifiedallowing them fast entry withoutstopping to wait in line or fumblewith their passes. The credit cardsized ski passes don’t require line

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HANDS-FREE LIFT ACCESS FOR EUROPEAN SKIERS

3M Bases Digital IdentificationSystem on T ag-it TM

Materials Management for Libraries CombinesRFID With 3MTMTattle-TapeTM Security

and position them correctly,whether at the circulation desk orat the 3M SelfCheck™ System.The system accelerates the checkout and check in process, thusmaking the patron's visit to thelibrary more efficient and thelibrary staff more productive."

"The 3M Digital IdentificationSystem is unique in that wehaven't simply taken RFID tech-nology and retrofitted it for usein libraries," said Yorkovich.

"We haveselected TIsmart labeltechnologyand com-bined itwith ourmaterialsflow man-agementcompo-nents tocreate asystem thatoffers allthe benefitsof RFIDtechnology

without compromising security,"added Yorkovich.

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T A G - I T ª S M A R T L A B E L S

of sight and can be read throughclothing, so there's no need toshow them or have them stamped.

RFID ski passes can be pur-chased at the cash desks or via theInternet, cutting down long linesat the cashier. Since the passes arere-useable, they reduce theamount of waste from traditionalone-time ski passes with magneticstripes. The authorization datastored on the card is deleted whenthe pass is returned.

The AX400 ticketing systemconsists of three components: thecomputer inside the cash registerwhich writes the data to the skipass, the terminal access controllerwhich controls the gate access, andthe centralized server responsiblefor data management. All compo-nents are part of a network.Customized software manages thewhole system.

For more information, contactStefan Trautner, TI Sales Manager,Tel: +49 8161 180 4353.

Smart labels on books mean fast and accurate checkout systems.

Library worker quickly scans shelves for lost books.

RFID ski passes mean much faster moving lift lines.

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Page 7: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

Handheld T erminals Bancoliniid SystemsGranite CommunicationsMicrolise Engineering Ltd.Opticon Sensors Europe bv. Psion Inc.Symbol TechnologiesTrion Technology AG

Software Alpha SWJex TechnologiesThax

Systems/ Integration 3M Library SystemsConfidence International ABData Recognition Inc.Euro LinkMetrologicMicrolise Engineering Ltd.RFID Components Savi TechnologySeal Electronica Ltda Siemens Moby Snyder Electronics

Labels Avery Dennison Bielomatik

(convertor equipment)Brady Charnwood Label Craft MelzerMikohMooreSihlSecurakey (Cards)Schreiner EtikettenSessions of Yorksmart-TECTorres Ind. E Com. Ltda

Printers Avery Dennison BradyTECZebra Technologies

RFID Readers AWIDBaltechid Systems Feig Moba Securakey

readers. The ISO/IEC 15693standard is supported by severalsemiconductor manufacturers,reader manufacturers and systemintegrators, and can coexist withother 13.56MHz standards, suchas ISO/IEC 14443for proximity cards.ISO 15693 compli-ant readers developedto support the ISOinlays will be back-ward compatible tocommunicate withcurrent Tag-it inlays.

The Multi-proto-col Transceiver ICenables a broad rangeof 13.56MHz RFIDinterrogator designs.This low power con-sumption device sup-ports portable andfixed reader designsthat have tight foot-print constraints.The IC minimizesonboard powerrequirements and

TEAM TAG-ITTM MEMBERS

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More than 40 companies have joined Team Tag-it to providecomplete solutions and accelerate the adoption of smart labels.

Stefan Trautner leads Tag-it technical seminar for converters and systems integrators in Freising,Germany. Some of the participating companies included: Sihl, Feig, Eurolink, Melzer, and Meto.

Product/Service Company Product/Service Company

Two new Tag-it products wereannounced at Frontline SolutionsEurope in November. They arethe ISO 15693 Inlays and theMulti-protocol Transceiver IC.

The new Tag-it 13.56MHzinlays are compliant with theISO/IEC15693 standard which isa global open standard for optimaluse under different regulatory andnoise environments around theworld. The standard also allowsfor interoperability of tags frommultiple manufacturers.

With added memory and func-tionality, the new ISO compliantchip will be implemented on allTag-it standard inlay sizes avail-able at 13.56MHz. ISO/IEC15693 is a global standard forcontactless 13.56MHz vicinitycards, and is used in smart labels.The ISO/IEC 15693 protocol isdesigned to conform to FCC(USA), ETSI (Europe) and MPT(Japan) regulations worldwide,allowing tags to travel around theworld under optimal conditionsfor operation with region specific

reduces parts count in the finalproduct. The device enables rapiddesign of Tag-it, ISO 15693, andISO 14443-2 (Mode A) proximityand vicinity RFID interrogators.With the addition of a micro-processor, crystal, and a few pas-sive components a full functioningreader can be easily developed.Tag-it ASIC-enabled reader mod-ules can be seamlessly integratedinto traditional barcode portable

TI Announces Two NewTag-it Products

terminals and printers foradvanced solutions in productauthentication, ticketing, librarymanagement and supply chainmanagement.

Page 8: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

RFID Fuels Faster Convenience Store PurchasesSpeedpassTM Goes In-store

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Customers using Mobil'sSpeedpass to fill up their cars,can fuel their bodies just as easi-ly using RFID technology from

TI. ExxonMobil recentlyannounced they are extendingthe RFID-based Speedpass pay-ment system inside participatingconvenience stores at Mobil-branded service stations nation-wide. Consumers usingSpeedpass at more than 3,500Mobil convenience stores canenjoy the speed and conve-nience of purchasing productsusing their tags without havingto open

walletsor purses for creditcards or cash. ExxonMobil is alsoplanning to bring Speedpass toExxon-branded service stationsand convenience stores in early2001 at more than 1,800 locations.

C O N S U M E R R E C O G N I T I O N

SpeedpassTM goes toMcDonald’s®

69-store trial in St. Louis wherecustomers reported that theyvalued the increased conve-nience and simplicity of usingRFID for purchases insidestores. ExxonMobil is currentlymaking the Speedpass programavailable to all approved partic-ipating Mobil service stationsregardless of the brand nametheir convenience store operatesunder.

Introduced at Mobil fuelpumps in 1997, today TI'sRFID technology is speedingretail gasoline and product pur-chases for more than 4 millionSpeedpass customers. "Withthe extension of RFID technol-ogy from the gas pump to in-store purchases, we're buildinga strong foundation for theextension of our RFID technol-ogy into other retail environ-ments," said Jim Bucklar TImarketing manager.

Easy-to-use indoor Speedpassreader units are located on thecheckout counter next to cashregisters. Customers simply wavetheir keyring tags over the indi-cated space on the counter-topreader, where the system recog-nizes the customer, approves thetransaction and automaticallyissues a receipt. Without theadded time spent waiting forcredit card transactions to clearor searching for cash, customersmake purchases faster and moreconveniently.

"This is the first expansion ofSpeedpass technology for pur-chases beyond the fuel pumps,"said Jim Carter, U.S. regionaldirector for ExxonMobil's FuelsMarketing Company. "Its intro-duction provides a glimpse ofhow consumers will shop in thefuture, and we're proud that weare the first to make this innova-tive payment technology availableto our customers."

The national rollout follows a

Continued from page 1.

the credit/check card of the

customer's choice.

Inside the McDonald's restau-

rant, the customer places an order

and then points the tag at the

reader next to the cash register.

There are no extra fees when using

this method of payment.

This is the first implementation

of our RFID technology for

customer recognition outside the

oil industry,” said Jim Bucklar, TI

marketing manager, “watch for it

to take off with other retailers as

well,” he added.

and point the keyring tag at the

Speedpass reader. The Golden

Arches® light up to indicate that

the tag is read. The system auto-

matically bills purchases to

Customers point theirkeyring tag at the Speedpassreader to pay at the drive-thru.

Page 9: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

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N E W P R O D U C T SSMART LABEL INLAY FAMILY

GROWS

13.56 MHz Keyring Tag

The UHF RFID platform leverages existing andemerging allowances in the global UHF bands to deliv-er breakthrough performance in passive read range.This new UHF band supports a longer reading passiveRFID tag and reader system that will open new logis-tics and asset tracking applications.

It includes the ANSI NCITS 256 compli-ant Application Programmer Interface(API). The UHF inlays offer easy conver-sion to smart labels.

With the addition of the minia-ture inlay to the Tag-itTM family,we now have a "momma, papa,and baby bear". The small size,rectangular-shaped, mini-inlaycan be easily incorporated intosmart labels orembedded intosource tagsused for

authen-ticationand brandprotection ofvaluable products.It can also be incorporatedinto plastic cards for access con-trol, applied to containers andtotes for logistics automation, orused to track and manage importantinsurance, legal, or medical files.

Like the other inlays, the minimodel is paper-thin, re-program-mable, flexible and capable ofbeing read simultaneously byfixed-position readers or handheldscanners.

The 3 inlay modelsinclude:

SquareInlay, mea-

suring 45 x45 mm (1.8 x

1.8 in); Rectangular,Large Inlay, measuring 45 x

76 mm (1.8 x 3 in); and theMiniature Inlay measuring 22.5 x38 mm (0.9 x 1.5 in).

All models can be read with thesame reader systems.

TTaagg--iitt UUHHFF SSyysstteemm

The 13.56 Keyring tag is targeted at automated payment systems and

point-of-sale purchasing in retail environments such as consumer

gasoline, quick service restaurants (QSR), or any industry where

service is paramount.

The tag can be easily carried on a customer's key ring and provides a

more superior level of security than do credit cards with magnetic strip.

Eight blocks of 256-bit non-volatile user memory allow for customizing

initial data or updating the tag with new data. Each block can be locked

to protect data from modification.

Targeted to Long RangeSupply Chain Applications

Low Frequency RFID EvaluationKit Now Available Online

The easy-to-assemble-and-use LF Evaluation Kit (134.5 kHz) gives you

the opportunity to explore the capabilities of TI's RFID technology.

It includes the robust Series 2000 Reader System, a readout antenna,

and a variety of different transponders, plus demonstration software that

runs on your desktop computer to allow you to experiment with all the

features of the system. The reader requires a 7-14V DC with minimum

1A current power supply. An optional power supply is available

for purchase.

Part number – RI-K2A-001A

Price: $595.00

Purchase at www.tiris.com by clicking on the eStore.

LF Evaluation Kit includes what you need to get started.

Page 10: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

10

Texas Instruments RFID Tracks Containers Throughout Europerequired hundreds of hours ofmanpower to operate transportvehicles.

A computerized container transfersystem, based on TI's RFID tech-nology, was adopted by ECT tolower labor costs and provide con-sistent performance. Under thenew system, workers only operatetransport vehicles during thefirst stage of the process. Allsubsequent transportationand stacking of containersis done using RFIDtechnology.

Container transport no longerrelies on worker availability andunpredictable weather conditions.The ECT automated RFIDprocess works regardless of time ofday, rain or shine.

When ECT set out to find a wayto make their traditional method

racking hundreds of ship-ping containers acrossacres and acres of proper-ty is a daunting task thatcan quickly turn order

into chaos. But by embeddingTexas Instruments RFIDtransponders into the pavementto create a virtual ID grid, EuropeCombined Terminals (ECT) inRotterdam can track both thetransport vehicles as well as thecontainers they move andstack daily.

In addition to the Port atRotterdam, ECT also operates arail terminal in Venlo and inlandshipping terminals along theRhine in Germany. The largestcontainer ships in the world mooralongside these terminals, wherecontainers are unloaded andshipped to small boats, barges,trains, and lorries to continue onto final destinations throughoutEurope.

When ships come into port,containers need to be picked upfrom the quay, transferred to astorage depot, and later moved toa dispatch area. Traditionally,ECT has done this manually with-out a method of tracking contain-er location – resulting in lostgoods, confusion and inconsistentperformance. The process also

of container transport quicker andmore efficient for large numbers ofcontainers, the company installed

transpon-ders just under the

surface of the site to act as nav-igational and positioning aids forthe vehicles and cranes.Conditions underground madethe technology vulnerable todamage. In 1993, ECT turnedto TI to solve this problem andTI produced a special transponder,housed in glass that protected thedevice from external threats.The transponders are now usedin stacking cranes and railway

sleepersforming a

grid acrossthe entire site.

"The advantageof these

transpondersis that they are

programmable," saidDick Roos, project engineer

for ECT's Delta ContainerDivision. "The system can trackcontainer location to the nearestcentimeter – providing accuracynot possible without radio fre-quency."

The RFID-based computerizedcontainer transfer system hasproved so successful at ECT thata new terminal currently underconstruction is being equippedwith the technology.

For more information, contactJeroen Bolscher, TI Sales,Tel: +31 546 879409.

T

TI Launches RFID eStore on www .tiris.com

I is making it easier forengineers and systemsintegrators to developexciting new applica-tions for RFID tech-

nology by offering them a con-venient way to purchase itsRFID products online.

Customers can access TI’sRFID eStore at www.tiris.comwhere they’ll find RFID prod-ucts for sale plus downloadable

product documents and applica-tion notes. TI is initially offering10 of its field-proven, low frequen-cy, RFID products for sale onlineto U.S. customers, plus readermodules and antennas, as wellas a complete LF Evaluation Kitfor $595.

Purchases can be made on thesecure site using a credit card. TIis also offering its online customerstechnical support via email as wellas phone support.

"We’re pleased to be taking thelead in inspiring new uses forRFID by making the technologyavailable online," said Bill Allen,eMarketing manager, TexasInstruments. "We’ve seen RFIDused for hundreds of differentapplications from logistics andsecurity to retail and distributionduring our 10 years in the indus-try. We’re certain there are engi-neers and marketers with many

more ideas forthis inventivetechnology, whoneed a way toget started.”

TI plans tooffer additionalRFID productsfor sale online,expand itseCommercecapabilities tointernationalmarkets andextend the site’sfunctionalityin the near future.

TWe’re pleased to

be taking the

lead in inspiring

new uses for

RFID by making

the technology

available online

eStore Home Page.

Rotterdam ship terminal.

Container tracking system based on transponders em

bedded in asphalt.

Page 11: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

which move the driver’s cabinsthrough the production facility.When the driver's cabin is trans-ferred from production to thepainting line, the RFID transpon-der is read and information aboutthe cabin is linked to the chassisnumber in the FIS (driver’s cabininformation server) database. Thecar body is also tracked at thebeginning and end of all paintingstations. The time it takes to paint

the car and for it to dry is deter-mined and the information is usedfor improving planning and pro-duction tasks.

Before RFID was incorporatedinto the system, it was virtuallyimpossible and extremely expen-

11

European Auto Manufacturers Rely on RFIDexas Instruments RFIDtechnology is revolution-izing the way automotivemanufacturers do busi-ness. From providing

secure access to process and sys-tems software to tracking automo-bile parts through the manufactur-ing cycle, transponders are findingnew uses within automotiveproduction operationsthroughout Europe. Adam Opel AG

Adam Opel AG, one of theworld's leading automotive manu-facturers, needed a secure but easyway to authorize the many engi-neers accessing the computerizedprocess controls managing morethan 650 welding and adhesiveprograms. TI RFID not onlyallows access to authorized person-nel, but helps keep a record ofchanges to manage both qualityand productivity.

The RFID-based system con-trols access to Opel's weldingequipment, logs production data,and makes program changesunderstandable at any point intime before assembly begins. Italso protects critical process andsystem data from unauthorizedaccess during manufacturing.Opel's system consists of atransponder which grants ordenies access to individuals basedon predetermined parameters. A

production history is also logged,so if problems occur they can easi-ly be traced back to who madechanges to the system.

Opel has also saved time andmaterials by incorporating RFIDinto their manufacturing processand is planning on extending thesystem to all of its European loca-tions. The company will also inte-grate additional production facili-ties using RFID, including adhe-sive bonding systems and robots,and ultrasonic testing. MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG

Another European auto manu-facturer, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AGin Munich, Germany, is usingRFID to optimize the productionprocess and materials flow in itsmanufacturing operations. MANmanufactures tens of thousands oftruck and bus cabs every year, andTexas Instruments RFIDtransponders are speeding produc-tivity, improving the use of ware-house space and helping toincrease profits.

Used in MAN's paint shop fordriver's cabins, the RFID-basedsystem uses transponders to identi-fy and track the parts throughoutthe painting process. TI’s passive,low-cost transponders were encap-sulated in Teflon cylinders to with-stand high temperatures and paintmists, then mounted on transportskids as well as trolley clamps,

Tsive to determine how long dri-ver's cabins stayed in the paint-ing and drying process. Thetime varied depending on thepaint color. As a result, some carbodies had to be stored for 2-3days before they could be sup-plied to other assembly lines.Because the storage area wasstretched over the warehouse,finding car bodies with specificpaint characteristics was a very

laborious task. With the help ofRFID technology, MAN canproperly plan space requirementsfor intermediate storage in theirwarehouse and their costs aredramatically reduced.

ExxonMobil Corporation Uses RFID for

Faster Maintenance Turnaround in Oil RefineriesOil refineries typically shut

down in the fall to performtedious scheduled maintenanceand safety checks that brings pro-duction to a standstill and costs 1million dollars a day. With thecurrent shortage of fuel, any newmethods that can decrease down-time can be easily justified.

The ExxonMobil TorranceCalifornia Refinery uses RFIDtags as a key to an asset trackinginitiative for Equipment HealthMonitoring (EHM) and dailymechanical integrity inspections.In this application ExxonMobildeployed SAT Corporation’sIntelaTrac Automated Field DataCollection and Asset TrackingSystem. Texas Instruments RFIDtags were installed on process plantequipment to verify yard numberand process location for improveddata integrity and to help withOSHA required Process SafetyManagement inspections.Equipment types included pumps,motors, valves, and other safety

equipment, which must be trackedthroughout the process plantequipment life cycle. Additionally,the low frequency multi-pageRFID tags are being used to con-firm operators properly performprocedures and provide verifica-tion that operators are at the cor-rect piece of equipment whilecollecting data.

With the RFID tags installed,operators make scheduled plantinspections to collect process andmechanical data about equipmentusing Telxon handheld computers.Once inspections are completedthe data is uploaded and synchro-nized with the plant’s ProcessHistorian Database, andComputerized MaintenanceManagement System over awireless network utilizing SAT’sIntelaTrac Automated Field DataCollection System and synchro-nization software.

The tags attached to the assetsuse SAT’s Universal TagFormatting Protocol and Active X

Controls tomanage datastorage and datacompression onthe RFID tags.

To date,ExxonMobil’sTorranceRefinery hascollected over 2million manualdata pointssince the origi-nal installationin June of1999. Prior toimplementingthe system, thecompany wasaveraging about27,000 datapoints permonth with aDOS basedhand-held data collection system.Thus, with the implementation ofthe new solution, using approxi-matly 30 hand-held computersand thousands of RFID tags,ExxonMobil is able to collect 10times more field data with thesame resources. Further bydeploying the RFID tags for verifi-

cation of equipment it has beenestimated that data is being col-lected with 40% more accuracythan on previous manual data col-lection methods.

For more information, contact,Don Frieden, SAT Corporation,Tel: 281-480-2424,Email: [email protected]

G E R M A N Y

U S A

Tags on vehicle parts withstand high temp ovens to automate manufacturing andmeasure paint processes.

Refinery workers collect data with 40% greater accuracy via RFIDtags than by manual methods.

Page 12: TI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of RFID

12

Editor: Susy d’Hont© Copyright -November, 2000,Texas Instruments

The Tag-it logo is the trademark of Texas Instruments. Speedpass is a trademark of Mobil Corporation. Golden Archesand the word McDonald'sare trademarks of McDonald's Corporation. Tattle-Tape is a tradmark of the 3M Corporation.

robust and can be interrogated/programmed by a fixedreader/programmer unit, evenwhen surrounded by other steelcomponents. One reader/ pro-grammer unit is located at thesmall chemicals weighing

station and another at a pointnear the end of the containertransfer conveyor.

The process begins at the smallchemicals weighing station. Theoperator is prompted, via a dis-play screen, to place an emptyadditives container onto a plat-form scale. The tag is interrogat-ed to ensure that the container isnot considered by the system tobe still in use. If the tag is valid,all erroneous data is erased allow-ing it to be reused.

The operator is prompted,material-by-material through thecomplete small chemicals weigh-ing process, until all the ingredi-ents are assembled. In the eventthat a small chemicals batch can-not be completed, for example,because of a shortage of raw

The UK manufacturer of rubbercompounds, Trelleborg IndustrialAVS faced a major logistics chal-lenge. The company needed areliable identification, trackingand control system to ensure thatany combination of up to 100pre-mix additives are correctlyweighed and ready for use at pre-cisely the right time and at theright place in the process. Anymissing components or re-sched-uling of production can result incostly delays, wasted batches or,worst of all a batch actually cur-ing during production. Most ofall, the company needed a systemthat could operate reliably in theextremely difficult and ruggedenvironment of an industrialrubber manufacturing plant.

Previously, the company reliedon a traditional manual produc-tion scheduling system, but thislacked the accuracy and flexibili-ty required to efficiently auto-mate production.

To streamline its manufactur-ing process,Trelleborg (formerlyMetalastik) looked at varioussolutions including bar-codingand electronic tagging. Bar-cod-ing each bin was rejected as ithad limitations with line-of-sightreading, and durability/reliabilityin an industrial carbon blackenvironment. The final solutionwas a tagging system based on TI RFID.

The RFID system was designedby John P Waterhouse Co. Ltd,the systems integrator whoteamed up with TI, through theirdistributor RFID Components,to trial tags for non-contact binidentification. The tag selectedwas a read/write disk tag.

Rubber compound manufac-ture is an intensive mixingprocess. A new batch cannot bestarted until all constituent rawmaterials, including off-line pre-pared constituents such as smallchemical additives, are correctlyproportioned and available. AtTrelleborg, there are about onehundred different chemicals thatcan be added to the process andthese are stored in four verticalcarousels. The chemicals areselected and manually pre-weighed according to an off-lineproduction schedule and deliv-ered by container to the mixeroperator when required.Trelleborg’s production runs areusually variable and often short,and this, combined with the largenumber of additives, results in a

difficult-to-manage process.Production schedules can beadversely affected by raw materialshortages or changing prioritiesresulting in frequent revisions tothe schedule.

The pre-mix ingredients are

stockpile on the factory floor.If the main production scheduleneeds changing, all the smallchemicals ingredients must berescheduled. This is where thelogistics becomes a real challengeand it is easy to see the potentialfor human error and inefficiency.

While implementing the RFIDsolution, a fundamental changeto the existing productionmethodology was also made —whereby the off-line small chemi-cal preparation became the mainscheduler for the entire process.The key was to identify eachsmall chemical's container duringpreparation and during its trans-fer to the mixing line.

Each of 100 small chemicalcontainers is fitted with an RFIDdisk tag that is unobtrusive, yet

R F I D Ta g s R e v o l u t i o n i z e R u b b e r M a n u f a c t u r i n gmaterials, the relevant batch canbe suspended and parked as asemi-finished component. Atthis point the container’s tag isprogrammed with the appropri-ate part-complete data. At a laterdate, this batch can be physicallyretrieved and its container simplyplaced on the platform scale.The container’s tag is now auto-matically interrogated and theoperator prompted to completethe unfinished batch from wherethe process was suspended.

When a batch has been com-pleted, the tag is programmedwith appropriate data for thatbatch and this uniquely identifiesthe container and all its con-stituent chemicals.

The completed container isthen manually placed onto atransfer roller conveyor, whichtransports it to the mixing sta-tion at the end of the conveyor.At the same time, a second readerunit interrogates the container’stag. This data is interpretedby the mixer control system,and displayed to the mixeroperator who is given the oppor-tunity to accept or reject theparticular batch.

If accepted, the container isreleased and the control systemprepares all automatic weighingand mixing sequences accordingto a specific recipe linked to thedata on the tag. Because there isspace for three containers at theend of the conveyor, up to threebatches can be active at any onetime (one weighing, one in trans-fer and one mixing). This meansthat not only are all the additivesready for the next batch butbatches can be interchangedquite simply by physically remov-ing or even inserting new, givingthe improved control and greaterflexibility required by TrelleborgIndustrial AVS.

The use of RFID has virtuallyeliminated the possibility ofbatches with wrong or incom-plete additives reaching the finalmixing stage, and the system’srobustness allows it to cope witheven the most arduous environ-mental conditions.

For more information, contactStuart Sutherland, John P.Waterhouse Co Ltd.,Tel: 0115 942 2166,Fax: 0115 942 2230,Email:[email protected]

For more information on the location of sales offices and our products,

see our website at www.tiris.com <http://www.tiris.com>


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