rfid based asset management case stories

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RFID based asset management case stories

Léon Smiers(Capgemini) + Shintaro Nagaoka (Oracle)

Opportunities provided by RFID

• Radio Frequency Identification

• Remote data collection

• No “line of sight” problem like Bar codes

• A broad variety of frequencies and range

• Variety of RFID tags

• Unique identification of every ‘tagged’ object

• Sample Application

• Track & Trace

• Displacement data

RFID flow : data to information

• RFID Tag contains RFID chip, power

source (inductive or battery) and

antennae.

• Sends back identifier upon power up

• Reader communicates with

the tags in range to read all

tags identifiers and memory

(payload).

• Antenna receives

power and analog signal

from reader

• Converts radio signal to

and from analog

electrical signals

• Edge Server collects

observations and drives

readers.

• Forwards events to

database tier for

distribution

• Chip holds the memory

that stores the actual

identifier

• Implements the wireless

protocol

• Application receives

transient messages and

has to react

immediately.

• Event Queue Most

implementations uses a simple

transient queue to communicate

with applications

• Database serves as a “better

bus”.

• In addition, data archiving and

aggregation now can be done in

an application neutral level

EPCGlobal

• Standardization of RFID components and communication

• SOA is used to connect all EPCIS components and the outside world

• http://www.epcglobalinc.org/

• Standards

• Electronic Product Code

• EPC Information Services (EPCIS )

• Discovery Services (under investigation )

Oracle Fusion

Middleware

EPCIS Capture Interface

EPCIS

Repository

Filtering & Collection (ALE) Interface

EPCIS Capturing Application

Reader Protocol

Filtering & Collection

(“RFID Middleware”)

EPCIS Query Interface

EPCIS Accessing

Application

Tag Protocol (UHF Gen 2, Class 0, Class 1)

RFID Reader

RFID Tag

Reader Management

Interface

Reader Management

EPCIS Accessing

Application

“Pull”or “Push” mode

“Pull” or “Push”mode

Partner EPCglobal SubscriberEPCglobal Subscriber

Local

ONS

ONS

Interface

EPCglobal Core Services

ONS

Root

EPCIS Discover

y (TBD)

Subscriber Authentication

(TBD)

Manager Number

Assignment

(offline service)

ONS I’face(TBD)(TBD)

Optional

bypass for

real- time

“push”

-

EPCIS and Other

EPC Standards

= Interface

= Role

Oracle

Discovery

Service

Oracle

Sensor Edge

Server

Oracle

Sensor Edge

Mobile on PDA

Oracle

ADF

RFID Data Lifecycle

Operational level (‘sense & respond’)Alerts

Direct feedback to the operational employee to approveor disapprove a certain action

Operational level (‘sense & respond’)AlertsAlerts

Direct feedback to the operational employee to approveor disapprove a certain action

Governance level (‘read & react’)BAM

Dashboard function, where progress of the process is monitoredand exceptions are alerted

Governance level (‘read & react’)BAMBAM

Dashboard function, where progress of the process is monitoredand exceptions are alerted

Tactical level (‘learn & leverage’)BI

Information about the performance of the processes used to bettertune the operation – in combination with the forecast

Tactical level (‘learn & leverage’)BIBI

Information about the performance of the processes used to bettertune the operation – in combination with the forecast

Process quality

Process control

Chainoptimization

Improved clientsatisfaction

< sec

DaysWeeks

>Weeks

Back-end applications

Oracle Products in RFID space

• Oracle Sensor Edge Server

• Runs on top of Oracle Application Server

• Interfaces to both a variety of data source hardware and the ITsystems

• Optionally filters events before dispatching to target IT systems

• Oracle Application Server

• Enterprise Service Bus / BPEL Process Manager for integration

• Optionally : Business Activity Monitoring ( BAM )

• Optionally : Web Services Manager

Oracle Sensor Edge Server Architecture

Sensor Edge Server

Oracle Fusion Middleware

Groups

Dis

pa

tch

ers

Local Processors:Filters & Rules

De

vic

e A

bs

trac

tion

La

ye

r

Driver

Driver

Driver

InternalStore& Forward

Web

Services

WSCallbacks

OPMN

StreamsOracle

Streams

ALEEPC ALE

Client

WS, HTTP,file,Stored Proc, etc

Central/RemoteAdministration

Ad

min

istra

tion

EM

JMX

Admin Console

De

ve

lop

me

nt S

erv

ices

Device Mgmt.

Monitoring

Web Services

IS Services

EPC Mgmt.

Sensor Data.

CustomSolutions

Sensor Data ManagementSensor Data Management

Archiving

Reporting Associations

Sensor DataRepository(optional)

SEM

Telnet

Web

Client

Event Flow

Engine

Two Asset Management Cases in NL

• Container Centralen

• AMC Hospital

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Container Centralen Case

In collaboration with

Container Centralen ( CC )

• Largest pool manager of the Returnable Transport Items ( RTI; e.g. trolleys, trays ) in the Netherlands

• RTIs travel between whole store’s, distribution centers

( DC’s ) and the stores

• CC’s business drives

• Theft

• Counterfeiting

• RTI distribution to protect from hoarding

• Payment based on usage model


Container Centralen : Project

• Oracle / CapGemini / Container Centralen / MCX project completed in July 2006

• The twin project at Vers Schakel completed in the spring

2007

• Data coming from Vers Schakel processed by Container Centralen’s EPC-IS and Discovery Service

• Currently people working on the final report


Twin projects : CC / Vers Schakel


EPC-ISHeemskerk

DiscoveryService

Tracking & Tracing reporting tool

EPC-IS

Notify crate movements

EPC-ISRFID-pilot

Container Centralen

RFID-pilot

Fresh Link

EPC-ISSchuitema

EPC-ISC1000

HeemskerkDC

SchuitemaC1000

RFID-

reader

RFID-

reader

RFID-

reader

RFID-

reader

RFID-

reader

RFID-

reader

Store Crate relatedSupply Chain events

Notify othercrate movements

Collect detailedcrate movementsfor further analysis

Locate relevantEPC-IS’s

1

2

3 4

Distributed EPCIS query

Factory Logistics DC Logistics Store

RR

RR

Coll/Filter Coll/Filter

EPCIS EPCIS

R RR

R R

RR

R

CC

Coll/Filter Coll/Filter Coll/Filter

EPCIS EPCIS EPCIS

DiscoveryService

R R R

Where can I find EPC X?

Coll/Filter

EPCIS

CC

Crate Track & TraceapplicationList of EPC-IS's and

timestamps

Distributed EPC-IS query to find details about crates

(location / business-step/ disposition)

Container CentralenPool Admin Tool

Give Crate HistoryGive chain of custody


Current conclusions on discovery service

• The EPCglobal network architecture is workable, yet

• The Discovery Service is in need of standards

• Dependency on notify message may be an vulnerability

• Need to rethink how much data is needed at the different levels to

prevent overloading the network

• Cashing seems to be usefull to improve performance and reduce

data loss (how long will data be available in an EPC-IS?)

• Gathering all the data centrally to use the full potential of BI tools is

tempting, but dynamic data slicing on a distributed data warehouse

is the preferable approach

Current conclusions discovery service

• The EPCglobal network architecture is workable but:

• The Discovery Service is in need of standards

• Dependency on notify message may be an vulnerability

• Need to rethink how much data is needed at the different levels to

prevent overloading the network

• Cashing seems to be usefull to improve performance and reduce

data loss (how long will data be available in an EPC-IS?)

• Gathering all the data centrally to use the full potential of BI tools is

tempting, but dynamic data slicing on a distributed data warehouse

is the preferable approach

AMC Hospital Case


AMC ( Hospital ) RFID project

• 3 parts

• Participation by AMC, Geodan, CapGemini, Oracle & Intel

• Sponsored by Intel & Dutch Ministry of Healthcare

• Track & Trace of

• the Patients & the medical staffs*

• the Assets including blood bags

• Disposal management

• Interference between RFID and medical equipment

discovered ( and worked around )

• Patient Safety / Insight on operation / Efficiency

• AMC is satisfied and committed to continue


Geodan MovidaNetwork agnostic track & trace solution

• Works with RFID and other network types

• Based on Oracle RDBMS / Spatial + Apps Server

• At AMC used for

• Track & trace of patients

• Track & trace of medical staffs

• Track & trace of blood bags and other assets

• Other deployments include modern prison system in the Netherlands

AMC case : Disposals

• No inventory for the items going into Operation Rooms

• Encountered a new challenge : RFID interference with medical equipments !!!

• Worked around

• In the vicinity of the operation rooms : handheld devices

• Using Sensor Edge Mobile + Oracle Lite

• Where possible normal antennas with Oracle Sensor Edge Server


Conclusion

• Despite some challenges RFID proved to be an important component to realize asset management systems

• The endorsement of the RFID based system by the

business is critical for going in production with the solution

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rfid based asset management case stories

Presentations & Public Speaking