2017 2nd International Conference on Control and Robotics Engineering

RFID Technology: Beyond Cash-Based Methods in Vending Machine

Aneeqa Ramzan*, Saad Rehman, Aqib Perwaiz

National University of Sciences and Technology
Islamabad, Pakistan
e-mail: [email protected]*, [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract—This paper characterizes the design, implementation x Multiple sizes of coin types vary from country to
and employment of cashless and secure payment system in country.
vending machine by using radio frequency identification x Currency detection is not possible for currency
technology, to improve the traditional cash-based payment which is not already coded/ stored in database of
system that involved lot of problems and risks i.e., hacking, VM.
auditing, storing, currency and material of coins and notes.
x Coin based VM can easily be hacked through
RFID is achieving momentum in a multiple sectors like retail,
security, transportation, pharmaceuticals, defense, healthcare
different ways e.g. pulling coin back by tying it with
etc., and a host of other fields, and now vending machines. a thread after successful vend.
Our proposed methodology consists of passive RFID x Cash-based VM accepts new and fresh notes only.
identification cards and reader for consumers, Arduino Mega x Consumer doesn’t always have cash.
microcontroller, SPI protocol for RFID and Arduino x Time to time auditing and maintenance of cash is a
interfacing, keypad for password protection, liquid crystal huge problem of this system.
display (LCD) for displaying consumer name and current x Security of machine is always challenging, when it
balance, and SMS is sent for notification using GSM module. has cash in it. 24/7 surveillance is required for the
Spiral coil architecture is supported by DC motors powered by security of traditional VM.
relays in mechanical structure of vending machine. It also x No password protection in conventional VM system.
describes how such product-oriented RFID card based vending
Mechanism and methods used in the development of
machine can maximum facilitates the system engineering.
VMs has been changed over a period of time to make it more
Keywords- RFID (Radio frequency identification); UID secure and more adaptive to the human requirements e.g.
(Unique Identification Number); Keypad; LCD (Liquid Crystal physical display screen has been replaced to LCD screen,
Display); Arduino; SPI (Serial peripheral interface); GSM; VMs and revolution from FSM model to physical design of cash
( Vending Machines); Cashless; IOTs based VMs, and now cashless based method is being
introduced (in our proposed methodology), and will be
discussed further in this paper [1]. Establishment of cashless
I. INTRODUCTION
vending system has become essential to overcome the
Consumption has become an essential part of human- security threats / issues (discussed above) incorporated with
life’s basic routine activities, and machine based sales plays cash billing system in vending machines [3]. Development
a vital role in today’s busy life of our society. Machines are and installation of this system will allow consumers to use
now dominating modern life style, and as vending machines the RFID cards already purchased and using in other
are one of the machine based sales, so they are affecting payment areas e.g. in toll plaza etc.
human-machine relation in a positive way [1].Vending RFID technology has introduced the novel cashless
machines are the (non-vendor) machines [2] that provides payment system, and replaced the traditional cash based
edible and non-edible items such as snacks, beverages, methods in vending machines. Additional features added to
tickets and coffee etc., and are breaking the limitations of RFID VMs are security and reduction of man power.
locale and time, by providing its 24/7 services everywhere, Security is achieved by making VMs password protected
with the consumption of 2,500 to 4,400 kWh power per year (password entered by RFID holder provided to him at the
in best way possible. VMs are available in office buildings, time of RFID purchase) and a notification SMS generated
shopping malls, metro/bus stations, airports, universities, and sent to customer using GSM module after each
traffic and uptown area etc., [1]. So, its benefits include (no successful vend to make them more effective. One of the
need of human energy (reduction in man power as it doesn’t main reasons to use radio-frequency-identification (RFID)
need vendor)), flexibility in time, and time saving as distance technology specifically is due to its property of self-
between human and VMs is less. Challenges with traditional identification which makes it relatively more capable than
cash (coin and note)-based vending machines are listed other technologies [3]. Expenses used in sales can be reduced
below: using RFID. RFID technology is gaining momentum as it is
x The storage of coins is a limiting factor, as the boundless in applications, and revolutionizing human life in
storage become full the coin handling becomes an variety of sectors. It is breaking restraint in its applications
issue. from industrial sector to home control, from retail and

978-1-5090-3774-2/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE 189

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security i.e., tracking of library book, pallet, airline baggage Specifications
etc., to healthcare, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and
defense, and now to the RFID-based payment system in Selected in
Type Globally available RFID Vending
vending machines [3]. machine

II. PROPOSED METHODOLOGY <= 30 cm (LF)

Range < 1m-1.5m (HF) < 1m (3 feet)
in meters 1m-12m (UHF)
A. RFID Technology 500 m (UHF,active)
RFID is a secure and cost effective electronic 100 m (SHF,active)
identification wireless technology based on capacitive-
inductive resonant system [4]. This technology incorporates B. RFID Interfacing with SPI Bus Protocol
radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields [6]. Passive SPI (serial peripheral interface) a high speed, small
RFID battery-less package includes the RFID card and RFID communication protocol is used to serially communicate data
reader with 13.56 MHz operational frequency. Radio tag or between the devices in SPI mode i.e., from SPI master to SPI
transponder, RFID reader, and a data base to store UIDs slave and vice versa, in fig 1 [11]. SPI is used for
(unique identification numbers) of RFID card tags and communication in a small range of distance, and developed
further details of card holder, are the three significant by Motorola. RFID’s three possible interfaces are SPI, serial
components of RFID system [5]. RFID card is an UART and I2C. In proposed methodology, only SPI protocol
identification card that stores a unique serial number, for interfacing RFID is used, because selected RFID model
consisting of a tag or transponder made up of small spiral RC522 communicates in a small range of < 1 meter.
coil shape inductor antenna and an electronic micro-chip [4]. Microcontroller Arduino Mega (AT-mega 2560) acts as a
RFID reader radiates 13.56 MHz frequency radio signals, SPI master, and RFID RC522 as a SPI slave in serial
and in addition acts as a power source for passive RFID communication from master to slave. SCLK serial-clock
using EM field. Process of RFID doesn’t need line of sight, generated by SPI master, MOSI master-output slave-input
and is also contactless, RFID reader just needs to be in range (master to slave serial-data transfer), MISO master-input
of RFID card (usually <1m) in order to read UID already slave-output (slave to master serial-data transfer), and SS
stored in that specific card [5]. Table 1 shows the technical slave-select when low allows that particular slave to start
comparison between globally available and selected communication with master, are the four prime bus-lines of
specifications in proposed methodology of RFID vending SPI bus protocol used in communication. SPI data
machine. communication is done by 8 bit data shift register i.e., in one
clock, one bit data goes from master to slave, and in next
TABLE I. TECHNICAL COMPARISON BETWEEN GLOBALLY clock one bit goes from slave to master, this is how in 16
AVAILABLE AND SELECTED SPECIFICATIONS IN PROPOSED METHODOLOGY
OF RFID VENDING MACHINE. clocks the contents of 8-bit master and 8-bit slave register is
swapped.
Specifications

Selected in
Type Globally available RFID Vending
machine
Model No. of models Mifare
MFRC522
Type Active / Passive Passive
Battery Battery / Batteryless Batteryless
Host Interfaces SPI / I2C SPI
Suceess / Accuracy variable Low power, Figure 1. SPI Arduino Master, RFID Slave serial interfacing
rate high frequency
Strength from tag to High/Very low Very low
reader
Data communicates with a B_D baud rate that shows
HF (High number of symbols transmitted per second. B_D is generated
Frequency spectrum UHF/SHF (active) frequency in master mode, with sequence of divider (2 to 128 range)
LF/HF/UHF (Passive) spectrum) stages. Baud rate register contains 8 bit-data helps to
(Passive) initializes a value that divides bus-clock. . Baud-rate
125 kHz & 134.3 kHz (LF) division is done by the following equations [11]:
3-30 MHz (HF)
Frequency ranges in 860-960 MHz (UHF, 13.56MHz
Hertz passive) (HF, passive)  (1)
433 MHz (UHF, active)
2.45 GHz (SHF, active)
Bytes in UID (unique
(2)
identification 4 or 7 bytes 4 Bytes
number) Where,

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 = Baud Rate password stored against RFID UID of consumer card are the
= SPI baud rate preselection bits key parameters for providing security in proposed
= SPI baud rate selection bits methodology. System checks the information against UID, if
= Bus clock that UID is stored against that specific RFID card, then it
= Baud Rate Divisor asks for password. After password validation, consumer is
authorized to vend. After each successful vend, an additional
C. RFID Security Sytem incorporated SMS facility sends an SMS to the respective
RFID VM provides solution to all problems (including consumer about current and after-transaction balance using
security) discussed in the introduction section. Fig 2 GSM module. So, he can report the company if he hasn’t
demonstrates the RFID security system flow chart. Input to used that vending facility. VM owner gets a low vend level
the system is provided by RFID UID, after system and GSM SMS as well for smooth working of system.
module initialization. GSM module, UID, and four digit

Figure 2. RFID VM Security System Flow Chart

stored UID unique identification number in that particular

D. Hardware and Electrical Components Desription card is read by the RFID reader. Arduino 1.0.6 software uses
RFID technology employed in vending machine consists that UID number to create a database against each RFID
of MFRC522 RFID package (RFID card and RFID reader), consumer, in which details like consumer identity, password,
AVR microcontroller Arduino AT-mega, 16*4 LCD liquid current balance, and after transaction balance against his card
crystal display, 3*4 keypad, DC motors, push buttons and are stored. LCD displays user identity and current balance
GSM global system for mobile communication as shown in and ask consumer to enter his 4 digit password already
fig 3 (a). Fig 3 (b) shows the block diagram of proposed provided to him. If entered password is correct, then he is
concept of RFID in vending machine. asked to vend item, push buttons are used for every
Every consumer holds a passive RFID card with an particular item. After a complete vending cycle, an item will
operational frequency of 13.56 megahertz. When consumer be vend deducting money from card respective to that
brings his RFID card in the range of RFID reader, already particular item as shown in Fig. 2 and 3.

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 RFID card is being read by RFID reader in fig 4 (c) and
user current balance is being displayed on LCD. Fig 4 (d)
show the final integrated vending machine using radio
frequency identification technology.
The results of the experiments performed to find the
accuracy of vending machine using radio frequency
identification technology for multiple vending items are
tabulated in Table 2. Performance is calculated for both 25
and 50 iterations, and the results are noted. Correctly vended
and percentage accuracy is measured for these vending items
i.e. soft drink bottle, snacks family pack (Lays), dry milk box,
juice box, chocolate, biscuit roll, beverage can, and M n Ms.
Plot of percentage accuracy vs type of vending Item is
Figure 3. (a) shown in Fig. 5.

TABLE II. PERFORMANCE COMPARISON OF RFID VENDING

MACHINE AGAINST VENDING ITEMS FOR DIFFERENT ITERATIONS.
Type of Vending 25 iterations 50 iterations
Item Correctly Correctly
Accuracy Accuracy
vended vended
Soft drink bottle 17 68 35 70
Snacks family
18 72 37 74
pack (Lays)
Dry milk box 21 84 45 90
Juice box 21 84 46 92
Figure 3. (b)
Chocolate 23 92 47 94
Figure 3. (a) Block diagram for proposed methodology RFID Vending
Machine (b) Electrical Components Biscuit roll 24 96 49 98
Beverage
24 96 50 100
Can
III. RESULTS M n Ms 25 100 50 100
Final implementation of separate modules on Arduino
software is done, and the mechanical part is integrated with
electrical components. Fig 4 (b) show DC motors
incorporated in mechanical structure rotating spiral coils in
fig 4 (a).

Figure 5. Percentage Accuracy vs Type of Vending Item

IV. CONCLUSION
The paper introduces the novel cashless and secure
payment system development in vending machine, using
RFID technology based on electromagnetic fields.
Contactless and battery free wireless sensor RFID, integrated
with GSM and Arduino provides numerous benefits, and has
Figure 4. (a) Spiral coils to hold vending items (b) DC motors to rotate also solved the issues related to traditional coin and note
spiral coils (c) LCD show user’s current balance in RFID card (d) based payment methods like insecurity, auditing and storing
Final RFID based vending machine.
of cash. Introduced system also bring improvements in

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sensing and communication capabilities. RFID’s potential [5] T. Good and M. Benaissa, "A low-frequency RFID to challenge
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envisioned now. This system has low maintenance cost, but
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Coin / Note Handling 9 ×
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based system to store and process big consumer’s data online. Vegas, NV, 2014, pp. 71-72.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT [16] A. Nizam Ansari, A. Navada, S. Agarwal, S. Patil and B. A.
Sonkamble, "Automation of attendance system using RFID,
This work was encouraged and supported by Dr. Aqib biometrics, GSM Modem with .Net framework," 2011 International
Perwaiz (Assistant Director R&D), and Dr. Saad Rehman Conference on Multimedia Technology, Hangzhou, 2011, pp. 2976-
2979.
(Assistant Professor) NUST University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
[17] I. Zalbide, E. D'Entremont, A. Jiménez, H. Solar, A. Beriain and R.
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