What Are the Different Uses for RFID Technology?

The radio frequency identification system is a non-contact automatic identification system. It automatically identifies the target object through radio frequency wireless signals and obtains related data. It consists of an electronic tag, a reader and a computer network. The radio frequency identification system uses electronic tags to identify objects. The electronic tags exchange data with the reader via radio waves. The reader can transmit the read and write commands of the host to the electronic tag, and then transmit the data returned by the electronic tag to the host. The data exchange and management system is responsible for the storage, management and control of the electronic label data information.

The basic working principle of the RFID system is:

In the actual RFID solution, whether it is a simple RFID system or a complex RFID system, it contains some basic components. Components are divided into hardware components and software components. From an end-to-end perspective, an RFID system consists of electronic tags, reader antennas, readers, sensors / actuators / alarms, communication facilities, controllers, and application software. From the perspective of function realization, the RFID system can be divided into two parts: the edge system and the software system. This view is consistent with modern information technology. The edge system mainly completes information perception and belongs to the hardware component part; the software system completes the processing and application of information; the communication facility is responsible for the information transmission of the entire RFID system.

The hardware components in the RFID system include electronic tags, readers (including sensors / actuators / alarms and edge interfaces), controllers, and reader antennas; of course, there must be a host in the system, an application software program for processing data And connect to the network.

The software components in the RFID system mainly complete the storage and management of data information and the read-write control of the RFID tag. They are independent of the RFID hardware. In the final analysis, the RFID system serves applications. The interface between the reader and the application system is usually completed by software components. Generally, RFID software components include: edge interface; middleware, that is, middleware developed to realize the transmission and distribution of collected information; enterprise application interface, that is, enterprise front-end software, such as the system provided by equipment vendors Demo software, driver software, interface software, RFID front-end software developed by integrators or customers, etc. Application software mainly refers to enterprise back-end software, such as background application software, management information system (MIS) software, etc. ^[1]

The RFID system has a basic work flow. It can be seen from the work flow that the RFID system uses wireless radio frequency to perform non-contact two-way data transmission between the reader and the electronic tag to achieve the purpose of target identification, data transmission and control. The general workflow of an RFID system is as follows:

The reader sends radio frequency signals of a certain frequency through the transmitting antenna.

When the electronic tag enters the working area of the reader antenna, the electronic tag antenna generates sufficient induced current, and the energy obtained by the electronic tag is activated.

The electronic tag sends its own information through the built-in antenna.

The reader antenna receives the carrier signal sent from the electronic tag.

The reader antenna transmits the carrier signal to the reader.

The reader demodulates and decodes the received signal, and then sends it to the high-level system for related processing.

The high level of the system judges the legitimacy of the electronic tag according to logical operations.

The high-level system makes corresponding treatments for different settings, sends out instruction signals, and controls the actions of the actuators. ^[2]

The main problem with RFID systems is incompatible standards. The major RFID vendors provide dedicated systems, leading to different application ranges and different industries using different manufacturers' frequencies and protocol standards. At present, RFID standards are in a state of segregation, and railways, highways, aviation, and other fields have their own standards. This chaotic situation has affected the growth of the entire RFID industry and increased the cost of cross-industry applications.

Many organizations in Europe and the United States have already begun to solve this problem and are expected to find some commonalities among competing RFID systems. In 1996, the United States began to develop RFID standards, and the "National Committee for Information Technology Standards (NCITS)" convened major RFID manufacturers and users to draft a draft of 2.45GHz for ISO adoption.

Just as standardization has stimulated the rapid growth and widespread application of barcode technology, the cooperation of RFID manufacturers is also very important for the development and promotion of this technology. ^[3]

According to the different functions performed by the RFID system, the RFID system can be divided into four types.

Electronic surveillance technology

Electronic surveillance technology (Electronic Article Surveillance, EAS) is an RFID technology that is installed at the doorway where items need to be controlled. The typical application of this technology is in stores, libraries, data centers, and other places. When unauthorized people illegally remove items from these places, the EAS system will issue a warning. When applying the EAS technology, first attach the EAS tag to the item. When the item is normally purchased or legally removed, the EAS tag is deactivated through a certain device at the settlement office, and the item can be removed. When an item passes through a doorway equipped with an EAS system, the EAS device can automatically detect the activity of the tag, and the EAS system that detects an active tag will issue a warning. The application of EAS technology can effectively prevent theft of items, whether it is large items or small items. With the EAS technology, items no longer need to be locked in glass cabinets, allowing customers to freely view and inspect the products, which has very important practical significance in today's increasingly popular options.

2. Portable data acquisition system

A portable data acquisition system uses a handheld data collector with an RFID reader to collect data on RFID tags. This system has relatively large flexibility and is suitable for application environments where it is not suitable to install a fixed RFID system.

The hand-held reader (data input terminal) can read data at the same time as transmitting data to the host computer system by radio wave data transmission (RFDC) in real time, or temporarily store the data in the reader, one by one Transfer data in batches to the host computer system.

3. Logistics control system

In the logistics control system, the fixedly arranged RFID readers are scattered in a given area, and the readers are directly connected to the data management information system. The signal transmitter is mobile and is generally installed on moving objects and people. When an object or a person passes the reader, the reader will automatically scan the information on the tag and enter the data information into the data management information system for storage, analysis, and processing to achieve the purpose of controlling logistics.

4. Positioning system

The positioning system is used for positioning in the automatic processing system and supporting the positioning of vehicles and ships. The reader is placed on a moving vehicle, ship, or moving material, semi-finished product, or finished product in an automated assembly line. The signal transmitter is embedded under the surface of the operating environment and stores position identification information. The reader is generally connected to Master Information Management System. ^[3]