RFID
RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION
What is RFID?
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic
identification method using radio waves.
RFID also began to see use in wildlife monitoring and research.
RFID tags can be used to monitor animal movement without
adversely affecting the animal,
There’s a chip
Implanted RFID tags in Humans
Applications
Supply chain automation
Asset tracking
Medical applications
People tracking
Manufacturing
Retail
Warehouses
Livestock
Timing
The RFID System
• Tag.
• Reader.
• Reader antenna.
• Controller.
• Host and software system.
• Communication infrastructure.
Tag
An RFID tag is a device that can
store and transmit data to a reader
in a contact less manner using
radio waves.
RFID tags can be classified in three
different ways.
Passive
Passive Tag
No on-board power source (for example, a battery)
Uses the power emitted from the reader to energize itself and
transmit its stored data to the reader
Reader always communicates first, followed by the tag.
Smaller than an active or semi-active tag. It has a variety
of read ranges starting with less than 1 inch to about 30
feet (9 meters approximately).
Cheaper compared to an active or semi-active tag.
Tag
An RFID tag is a device that can store and transmit data to a
reader in a contactless manner using radio waves.
RFID tags can be classified in three different ways.
Passive
Active
Active Tag
Has on-board power source (for example, a battery; other
sources of power, such as solar, are also possible)
Own on-board power supply to transmit its data to a
reader.
No need for reader's emitted power for data transmission.
A tag always communicates first, followed by the reader.
Can broadcast its data to its surroundings even in the
absence of a reader
Tag
An RFID tag is a device that can store and transmit data to a
reader in a contactless manner using radio waves.
RFID tags can be classified in three different ways.
Passive
Active
Semi-Active (Semi-Passive) Tags
Semi-Active (Semi-Passive) Tags
Have an on-board power source (for example, a battery)
Uses the reader's emitted power for transmitting its data
Also called a battery-assisted tag.
Reader always communicates first, followed by the tag.
Another way to Classify Tags
Read-only (RO)
Write once, read many (WORM)
Read-write (RW)
The RFID System
• Tag.
• Reader.
• Reader antenna.
• Controller.
• Host and software system.
• Communication infrastructure.
Reader????
An RFID reader can read from
and write data to compatible RFID
tags.
A reader thus doubles up as a
writer. The act of writing the tag
data by a reader is called creating
a tag.
A reader has the following main
components:
Transmitter
Receiver
Microprocessor
Memory
Controller (which may reside as
an external component)
Communication interface
Power
Working
A radio device called a tag is attached to the object that
needs to be identified.
When this tagged object is presented in front of a
suitable RFID reader, the tag transmits this data to
the reader (via the reader antenna).
The reader then reads the data and has the capability to
forward it over suitable communication channels.
This application can then use this unique data to identify
the object presented to the reader.
It can then perform a variety of actions
Backscatter modulation?
A common way the communication between a tag and a
reader
Reader sends a signal (energy) to a tag, and the tag
responds by reflecting a part of this energy back to the
reader.
A charge device such as a capacitor contained in the tag
makes this reflection possible.
The capacitor gets charged as it stores the energy
received from the reader.
As the tag responds back, it uses this energy to send
the signal back to the reader. The capacitor discharges
in the process.
Reader Tag Interaction
A tag consist of a dipole antenna attached to an interdigital transducer
(IDT) placed on a piezoelectric substrate.
A series of well-placed individual electrodes acting as reflectors are
positioned on the substrate.
The antenna applies an electrical impulse to the IDT when it receives
the RF signal from a reader.
Some of these waves are reflected back to the IDT by the reflectors;
the rest are absorbed by the substrate.
The reflected waves form a unique pattern, determined by the reflector
positions, representing the tag data.
These waves are converted back to the RF signal in the IDT and
transmitted back to the RFID reader via the tag antenna.
The reader then decodes the received signal to extract the tag data.
Software
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{ rfid1 = new RFID(); rfid1.Attach += new
AttachEventHandler(rfid_Attach); rfid1.Detach += new
DetachEventHandler(rfid_Detach); rfid1.RFIDTag += new
TagEventHandler(rfid_Tag); rfid1.RFIDTagLost += new
TagEventHandler(rfid_TagLost); rfid1.open(); }
Design
Software Contd.
private void antennaCheckBox_CheckedChanged(object
sender, EventArgs e)
{ rfid1.Antenna = cboxAntenna.Checked; }
Software Contd.
void rfid_Attach(object sender, AttachEventArgs e)
{ Phidgets.RFID phid = (Phidgets.RFID)sender;
lblAttached.Text = " Attached: " + phid.Name;
lblSerial.Text = " Serial: " + phid.SerialNumber;
lblVersion.Text = " Version: " + phid.Version; }
void rfid_Detach(object sender, DetachEventArgs e)
{ lblAttached.Text = "Not Attached"; }
Software Contd.
void rfid_Tag(object sender, TagEventArgs e)
{ txtTag.Text = e.Tag;
lastRFIDTag = txtTag.Text;
rfid1.LED = true; // light on }
void rfid_TagLost(object sender, TagEventArgs e)
{ txtTag.Text = "";
rfid1.LED = false; // light off
lbPrevRFIDTags.Items.Insert(0, string.Format("Tag: {0} - {1}",
++TagCtr, lastRFIDTag)); }
After reading Tags.
Frequency
LF band: 125 and 135 kHz--LF generally use passive
tags
HF band 3 MHz to 30 MH
Typical Frequency: 13.56 MHz--HF system uses passive
tags .
HF systems are also widely used, especially in hospitals
These frequency bands can be used freely worldwide.
Frequency Contd.
UHF band:300 MHz to 1 GHz
Typical Frequency :915 MHz--Uses both active and
passive tags
MW band>1 GHz
Typical Frequency: 2.4 GHz or 5.8 GHz—Uses Semi
active and passive tags.
Technical Issues
Tag Collision
Reader Collision
Tag Readability
Read Robustness
Ethical Issues
Passive RFID tags could conceivably used for surveillance
of unsuspecting tag carriers
Embedding of RFID tags in humans: This has been proven
to work, but should it be done?
Advantages
Contactless. An RFID tag can be read without any physical
contact between the tag and the reader.
Writable data. The data of a read-write (RW) RFID tag can
be rewritten a large number of times.
Absence of line of sight. A line of sight is generally not
required for an RFID reader to read an RFID tag.
Advantages Contd.
Variety of read ranges.
Wide data-capacity range.
Support for multiple tag reads.
Perform smart tasks.
Disadvantages
Poor performance with RF-opaque and RF-absorbent
objects.
Impacted by environmental factors.
Limitation on actual tag reads.
Impacted by hardware interference.
CONCLUSION
RFID, is an emerging technology which can be used for a
variety of applications.
However, the potential for abuse of this technology is vast
and requires careful consideration to avoid.
Questions?????????
