RFID - Basics

What is RFID: 

RFID is called “Radio frequency identification, initially used to identify different aircrafts in 1940s, RFID is part of our daily lives – in car keys, toll tags, access cards

A RFID contains a microchip and a transmitter. 

Motivation to use RFID: 

• RFID price is cheap. 
• Can be implanted. 
• Barcode scanning requires line of sight of barcodes. 

RFID attributes / characteristics: 

• type: Active / Passive / Semi-Passive
• Range: in meters Eg., 6m, 100m, 150m, 
• Operating frequency:  Example: 915 mhz, 
• data rate upload / download: in kb/sec (eg., 115 kb/s). 
• Dimension
• memory to hold data - 64b, 32 kb, 
• Battery
• Type: Coin, Double A
• Life time of battery: in years > 2yr, 6 yr
• Replace type: Can be replaced / cannot be replaced. 

Ultra-wide band RFID: 

• high data rate. 
• low average radiated power. 
• Advantages: 
• Long range, accurate. 
• Cost: approximately 5$

Vendors comparison.

• Zebra
• Precise asset tag
• Gemalto

How much data you can store: Normally less say in bits (serial numbers) or in kbs (8 kb for example). 

Can data be written to RFID tags: Microchips in RFID tags can be read-only, read-write, write once read many. 

Some chips can also be read-only

Types of RFID tags

• Active 
• Passive
• don’t have power source
• less cost, lesser in size. 
• ID cards

Technology application areas: 

• Asset tracking
• Data acquisition
• Payment systems
• Security access control
• Personnel tracking. 

Applications of RFID: 

• Retail: 
• RFID enable shop cards can help store identify customers and buying patterns and suggest discounts in displays in shopping carts. The cart can scan rid and calculate the product costs when you place the carts. 
• Improve steps on stock inventory - just scan and the system updates automatically. 
• search for products types of different sizes (say shoes). 
• Track products from manufacturing till point of sale. 
• Transport
• Keys used to open car is based on RFID
• Parking management
• Environment
• Animal tracking
• General
• Cars can have RFID tags which can be used by security personnel to find information about the vehicle details and authenticate the user. 
• Find your car in the parking lot. 

• Automatic payment passage to tolls
• Building access cards
• Passports
• Toll payments. 
• Payment cards
• Bluetooth headsets also use rFID for wireless identification.