1. RFID: A condensed overview
Prof. Maarten Weyn
19/02/2016

2. RFID: A Condensed Overview
Radio Frequency Identification

3. What is RFID?
Radio Frequency Identification
• A system consisting a tag, antenna and a
processor capable of wirelessly communication
data over radio waves

4. History
Source: Wolfgang Kratzenberg

5. RFID - Basics
Superior capabilities to
barcode:
• Non Line of Sight
• Hi-speed, multiple reads
• Can read and write to tags
• Unit specific ID

6. RFID - Basics

7. Classification
• Passive tags
• Transponder’s energy is supplied by the reader through the EM signal
• € 0.10 – 10
• Low data capacity (128 bits - 32kb)
• Limited rage
• Long Life
• Semi-passive tags
• The readers supplies only the energy that the transponder needs for its
communication, the remaining part of the transponder have their own
energy supply
• Active
• Both, reader and transponder have their own
energy supply
• €10 - 100
• Long Range (up to 300 m)
• Limited life (few months,
few years)

8. Classification – Communication method
• Capacitive coupling
A high-frequency electrical field is used to transfer energy and data
• Inductive coupling
A high-frequency magnetic field is
used to transfer energy and data
• Backscatter
Electromagnetic waves are used to transmit
energy and data to the transponders;
backscattering (cf. radar technology:
reflection of energy by the transponder) is
used to transmit responses to the reader

9. Classification: Distance
• Close coupling: ~1 centimeter
 capacitive and inductive coupling, freq, ≤ 30 MHz
• Remote coupling: up to 1 meter
 inductive coupling, ~135 kHz, 13.56 Mhz, 27.12 MHz
• Long-range: more then 1 meter
 backscatter: ~900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz

10. Frequencies
LF (125 – 134 kHz)
HF (13.56 MHz)
UHF
433-434 MHz
868-870 MHz
902-928 MHz
UHF – μW (2.4 GHz)

11. Frequencies
Frequency
Read Range
(Passive tag) [m]
Data transfer rate
[Kbits/sec]
Environmental
sensitivity
(metal & water)
Directional
125-134 kHz
(LF)
Induction
< 1 2 - 4 Low Not
13.56 MHz
(HF)
Induction
< 1.5 10 - 20 Limited Hardly
868 – 870 MHz
902 – 928 MHz
(UHF)
Backscatter
2 – 4 20 – 150 High More
2.45 GHz
(UHF – μW)
Backscatter
± 1  100 High Very

12. Tags
Reusable RF Tags
Disposable RF Tags

13. RFID vs Barcode
• Low cost
• Broad Utilization
• Human Readable
• Integrated in printed material
• Data transfer requires line of sight
• Data storage is limited
• Environmentally sensitive
• No line of sight
• Large memory – data moves with
product / asset
• Dynamic data reads
• Higher costs
• Read sensitive to product attributes
(metal, H2O)
• Limited adoption

14. Flexible Manufacturing Environment

15. Process Control

16. Data Lineage
• Tracing all components to their source
• Critical for:
– Recall information
– Liability claims
– Regulatory compliance

17. Tracking Options
RFID Tag on Pallet RFID Tag on Part

18. Tracking Options
• Asset Tracking
• Reduce non-productivity times and asset losses
• Asset’s ID, location, condition, availability, …

19. E-Kanban: Automated Replenishment
• Reduce levels of in-process inventory
• Tight control of inventory levels
• Just-In-Time inventory flow

20. Talbot House
BELIGUM

23. IoT
Internet of Things

24. Wat is IoT?
“The Internet of Things (IoT) is the
network of physical objects,
devices, vehicles, buildings and
other items which are embedded
with electronics, software, sensors,
and network connectivity, which
enables these objects to collect and
exchange data.”
--"Internet of Things Global Standards Initiative - ITU“

25. NFC
Near Field Communication

26. NFC

27. RFID to Near Field Communication
• NFC was developed in 2002
• By NXP Semiconductors and Sony
• NFC is based on the proprietary contactless smartcard systems
• NXP Mifare (ISO/IEC 14443 Type A)
• Sony FeliCa
• NFC is compatible to proximity coupling systems
• Vicinity coupling system may co-exist using the same RF but are not
part of the NFC technology)
• NFC is compatible to existing contactless smartcard infrastructure
• Payment, ticketing & access control systems
• Integration of contactless payment, ticket & access control into
mobile phone

28. Near Field Communication
• Contactless communication technology
• Distance up to 10 centimeters
• Carrier Freq. : 13.56 MHz
• Interface standardized in ECMA and ISO/IEC
• ECMA-340 = ISO/IEC 18092 = NFC Interface and Protocol (NFCIP-1)
• ECMA-352 = ISO/IEC 21481 = NFC Interface and Protocol-2 (NFCIP-2)
• Further standards for
• Interface & protocol test methods
• NFC over a wired interface
• Secured communication over NFC
• Why standardized in both ECMA & ISO?
• Standardized in process in ECMA (industry driven) is fast
• Adoption of ECMA standards by ISO is fast
 Shorter standardization process

29. Touch a Go Philosophy
• Touching an object or NFC device
automatically triggers an action
• Technology should disappear for the
user
• Interaction should be
• Reliable
• Simple
• Instant
• Effective

30. Operating Modes of NFC Devices
• Peer-to-Peer mode
• Bidirectional connection to exchange data between two devices
• Reader/Writer mode
• NFC device acts as Proximity Coupling Device
• NFC device can read & write contactless smartcards / NFC tags
• Card Emulation mode
• NFC device acts as a proximity integrated circuit cards
• NFC device imitates a contactless smartcard

31. Thank you!
maarten.weyn@uantwerpen.be
+32 496 50 31 67
@maartenweyn