RFID Technology

Lecture for week 5

Dhruba Sen

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Radio Frequency Identification DeviceHolds a small amount of unique data – a serial number or other unique attributes The data can be read from a distance – no contact or even line of sight necessary(6m to 30m)Enables items to be individually tracked from manufacture to consumptionMany uses: Logistics, Military, Pets.

RFID – What is it?

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Technology used in RFID’s was first developed in the 1920’sFirst used by Soviet’s in 1945 as an espionage tool (passive, covert listening)Similar technology, the IFF transponder, was used by the British in WWII to identify airplanes as “friend or foe”A 1948 paper by Harry Stockman first explored the vast potential for RFID technologyRFID “systems” did not appear until the 1960’s

RFID – History

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RFID Tag– Transponder– Located on the object

RFID Reader– Transceiver– Can read and write data to Tag

RFID System Components

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Consists of microchip (tag) that stores data and antennaActive transponders have on-tag batteriesPassive transponders obtain all power from the RF interrogation signal of readerActive and passive only communicate when interrogated by transceiver

Transponder

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Consists of an RF module, a control unit, and a coupling element to interrogate tags via RF communicationAlso have secondary interface to communicate with back-end systemsReads tags located in an external environment and are obscured from view

Transceiver

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Backend SystemConnected via high-speed networkComputers used for business planning (ERP)Database storage

Can be as simple as a reader attached to a cash register

Data Processing Subsystem

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RFID’s are currently used for:– Inventory Monitoring

• Library book and bookstore tracking• Departmental Store (Membership tracking)

– Access Control• RFID Door-lock system for security purpose.

– Payment Systems• Cell phones are including RFID tags built in• High-end VIP nightclubs

– Commercially for truck and trailer tracking in shipping yards– Long range access control for vehicles

• Entry gates• Electronic toll collection

RFID - Current Uses

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Before After implant surgery

RFID Implants

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RFID tags are often envisioned as a replacement for UPC barcodes in the future

– Proposed to use RFID for point of sale store checkout to replace the cashier with an automatic system which needs no barcode scanning

Possibility of your refrigerator tracking what groceries you are out of, what has gone bad, etc. (eg. How old is the milk in the fridge?)Sporting events have readers at the start and finish linesPassports(e-passport)

RFID – Potential Future Uses

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Electronic Product Codes (EPC)A code electronically recorded on an RFID tag

– EPC is a 64-bit or 96-bit code

Intended to be an improvement on the UPC barcode system

RFID and EPC Systems

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RFID’s - Active vs. PassiveActive RFID Passive RFID

Tag Power Source Internal to tag Energy transferred using RF from reader

Tag Battery Yes No

Availability of power Continuous Only in field of reader

Required signal strength to read tag

Very Low Very High

Range Up to 100 meters Up to 3-5m, usually less

Multi-tag reading 1000’s of tags recognized – speeds up to 100 miles/hour.

Few hundred within 3m of reader

Data Storage Up to 1Mb of read/write with sophisticated search and access

128 bytes of read/write

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Battery Powered tags– Have much greater range – 100m– Hold much more information – Kbytes– Can integrate sensing technology

• Temperature, GPS– Can signal at defined time– Multiple tags can be recorded/read at once

Used for higher value items– Shipping containers– Electronic assets

Cost between $20 and $40 per itemLife between 2 – 4 years

Active RFID Tags

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“Traditional” tags used in retail security applications– Tag contains an antenna, and a small chip that

stores a small amount of data– Tag can be programmed at manufacture or on

installation– Tag is powered by the high power

electromagnetic field generated by the antennas – usually in doorways

– The field allows the chip/antenna to reflect back an extremely weak signal containing the data

– Collision Detection – recognition of multiple tags in the read range – is employed to separately read the individual tags

These passive tags form the basis of the Auto-ID designs, and, if manufactured in billions, will come down in price from $0.80 to $0.05 in the next 2 years.

Passive RFID Tags

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Consumer privacy advocates often refer to RFIDs as “spychips”RFIDs can be tracked by anyone with a high-gain antenna, potentially allowing the contents of a home to be scanned at a distance.Could be used to track an individual’s movements without their knowledgeInformation about an individual can be gleaned from an RFID even after its disposalThree main privacy concerns in a retail scenario:

– Purchaser of item may not be aware of its presence– Tag can be read at a distance without purchaser’s

knowledge– May be possible to tie RFID to purchaser’s credit card

and personal information

Drawbacks of RFID Technology

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•Currently no global body governing RFID frequency allocation•In Europe, tags must be removed from packaging before disposal due to recycling disruptions and health regulations•There is limited or no regulation of RFID’s for the most part leading to more controversy

Regulation

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•RFID technology is rapidly becoming more standardized, but problems do still exist•Regulation and education is necessary to quell some of the fears regarding RFID technology and it’s implications