"Radio Frequency Identification - RFID"

"MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS ARTICLE"

ü Know what is RFID?

ü Know the components of an RFID System

ü Applications of RFID and implementation of RFID in respective fields

“Radio Frequency Identification” - (RFID) can be seen as a micro-chip in a label used to transmit data when it is exposed to radio waves. RFID use of radio waves to read and capture information stored on a tag attached to an object.  A tag can be read from up to several feet away and does not need to be within direct line-of-sight of the reader to be tracked. 

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. The tags contain electronically-stored information. Passive tags collect energy from a nearby RFID reader's interrogating radio waves. Active tags have a local power source (such as a battery) and may operate hundreds of meters from the RFID reader. Unlike a barcode, the tag need not be within the line of sight of the reader, so it may be embedded in the tracked object. RFID is one method for Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC).

RFID tags are used in many industries, for example, an RFID tag attached to an automobile during production can be used to track its progress through the assembly line; RFID-tagged pharmaceuticals can be tracked through warehouses; and implanting RFID microchips in livestock and pets allows for positive identification of animals.

Since RFID tags can be attached to cash, clothing, and possessions, or implanted in animals and people, the possibility of reading personally-linked information without consent has raised serious privacy concerns. These concerns resulted in standard specifications development addressing privacy and security issues. ISO/IEC 18000 and ISO/IEC 29167 use on-chip cryptography methods for intractability, tag and reader authentication, and over-the-air privacy. ISO/IEC 20248 specifies a digital signature data structure for RFID and barcodes providing data, source and read method authenticity. This work is done within ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31 Automatic identification and data capture techniques. Tags can also be used in shops to expedite checkout, and to prevent theft by customers and employees.

Components of RFID

A RFID system is made up of:

1.     A tag or label

RFID tags or labels are embedded with a transmitter and a receiver. The RFID component on the tags have two parts: a microchip that stores and processes information, and an antenna to receive and transmit a signal. The tag contains the specific serial number for one specific object. 

Following images shows the RFID Tags:

There are two types of RFID tags:

·       Passive tags

A passive RFID tag will use the interrogator’s radio wave energy to relay its stored information back to the interrogator.

·       Active/battery powered tags

A batter powered RFID tag is embedded with a small battery that powers the relay of information. 

1.     A Reader.

RFID reader is a device used to gather information from an RFID tag, which is used to track individual objects. Radio waves are used to transfer data from the tag to a reader.

RFID is a technology similar in theory to bar codes. However, the RFID tag does not have to be scanned directly, nor does it require line-of-sight to a reader. The RFID tag it must be within the range of an RFID reader, which ranges from 3 to 300 feet, in order to be read. RFID technology allows several items to be quickly scanned and enables fast identification of a particular product, even when it is surrounded by several other items.

Applications of RFID

• Asset Tracking
• Automation at Toll Plaza.
• Supermarket Membership Card
• Home Automation using RFID
• Automation in Library Using RFID Technology
• Race Timing
• Data Access Automation at Institutes

There are a lot of other examples apart from this but we listed few of them. Let’s see the implementation of few of them.

• Automation at Toll Plaza

  

  
  

We can implement a system at toll plaza to collect the toll automatically which will save a lot of time taken in this process. Above figure gives a basic idea about the system. To implement this system, we need to fix a reader at toll plaza which will be directly connected to the workstation at tool booths. In addition, it is required to provide tags with unique identification codes known as, Electronic Product Codes(EPC).

It is necessary to map the bank accounts to that EPC codes in order to collect toll. A Tag will be fixed on a car. Whenever that car reaches toll booth, the Reader will read the tag information and send it to the respective workstation which will process the transaction and the toll amount will be deducted automatically and gate will be opened. This is a very fast process of toll collection.

The best live example of this system is project called, FASTag. This project is an initiative of ICICI Bank and adopted by most of the toll plazas.

•  Data Access Automation at Institutes

I personally worked on this project. These kind of applications aims to provide ease of access and easy maintenance and support for the data of an organisation. In my project we provided RFID activated smart cards which will help to identify a student uniquely based on EPC. We can use RFID tags with other objects also.

The main aim of this project was to provide automation in data access system of an institute. Let’s see example of one module of that project which was made for library system.

We can manage the library system with help of RFID tags and readers. Each book will have a RFID Tag attached with it. While making an entry of new book details to system we have to store EPC of tag attached to it. Whenever a student issues a book librarian do not have to anything, first he will read the students tag and after that the tag of book which will make entry in database telling which student issued which book and time will be taken as system time.

In another case, we can use these tags for shelf management as well. The information of book with particular tag belongs to which shelf will be stored in system. By using this student can easily come to know where the book is and it will reduce the time wasted in finding the books.

Same tags can be used for Anti-Theft Detection. A reader will be there at entrance of library which will read the EPC of tag associated with those books when somebody passes through the door. If there is no issue entry found for that book the it will make use of alert system to notify the librarian.

•  Race Timing 

Timing marathons and races are one of the most popular uses of RFID, but often race participants never realize they’re being timed using RFID technology, and that’s a testament to RFID’s ability to provide a seamless consumer experience.

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