RADIO FREQUENCY

IDENTIFICATION

RFID

What is RFID?
Radio-frequency identification(RFID) is the wireless use ofelectromagnetic fieldsto transfer data,
forthepurposesofautomaticallyidentifyingandtrackingtagsattachedtoobjects.
RFIDsystemsusetinytagswithembeddedmicrochipscontainingdataaboutanitemanditslocationto
transmitradiosignalsoverashortdistancetoRFIDreaders.
TheRFIDreadersthenpassthedataoveranetworktoacomputerforprocessing.
Unlikebarcodes,RFIDtagsdonotneedline-of-sightcontacttoberead.
Maincomponents-RFID Tag, RFID Reader Antenna & transceiver(reader),Host Computer.
The RFID tag is electronically programmed with information that can uniquely identify an item plus
otherinformationabouttheitem,suchasitslocation,whereandwhenitwasmade,oritsstatusduring
production.
Embeddedinthetagisamicrochipforstoringthedata.Therestofthetagisanantennathattransmits
datatothereader.

Active RFID tags are powered by an internal battery and typically enable data to be rewritten and
modified.Activetagscantransmitforhundredsoffeetbutmaycostseveraldollarspertag.
Passive RFID tagsdonothavetheirownpowersourceandobtaintheiroperatingpowerfromtheradio
frequencyenergytransmittedbytheRFIDreader.
The reader unit consists of an antenna and radio transmitter with a decoding capability attached to a
stationaryorhandhelddevice.Rangesanywherefrom1inchto100feet.

How it works?
WhenanRFIDtagcomeswithintherangeofthereader,thetagisactivatedandstartssendingdata.
Thereadercapturesthesedata,decodesthem,andsendsthembackoverawiredorwirelessnetworktoa
hostcomputerforfurtherprocessing.

RFID Business Application

AssetTracking

Manufacturing
Retailing
Supplychainmanagement
Paymentsystem
INVENTORY CONTROL AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Largenumberofitemsareshippedtogether,RFIDsystemstrackeachpallet,lot,orevenunititeminthe
shipment
Totrackshipmentsamongsupplychainpartners.
Improvereceivingandstorageoperationsbyimprovingtheirabilitytoseeexactlywhatstockisstoredin
warehousesoronretailstoreshelves.

 Walmart has installed RFID readers at store receiving docks to record the arrival of pallets and cases of
goodsshippedwithRFIDtags.
The RFID reader reads the tags a second time just as the cases are brought onto the sales floor from
backroomstorageareas.
Software combines sales data from Walmarts point-of-sale systems and the RFID data regarding the
numberofcasesbroughtouttothesalesfloor.
Theprogramdetermineswhichitemswillsoonbedepletedandautomaticallygeneratesalistofitemsto
pickinthewarehousetoreplenishstoreshelvesbeforetheyrunout.
ThisinformationhelpsWalmartreduceout-of-stockitems,increasesales,andfurthershrinkitscosts.

PROBLEMS REGARDING RFID

RFIDsystemscanbeeasilydisrupted
RFIDReaderandtagCollision
ThecontentsofanRFIDtagcanbereadaftertheitemleavesthesupplychain
RFIDtagscanbereadwithoutyourknowledge
RFIDtagscanbereadagreaterdistanceswithahigh-gainantenna
RFIDtagswithuniqueserialnumberscouldbelinkedtoanindividualcreditcardnumber
InstallingRFIDreadersandtaggingsystems,companiesmayneedtoupgradetheirhardwareandsoftware
toprocessthemassiveamountsofdataproducedbyRFIDsystem.
Usedtobeveryexpensive
Consumerawarenesswerelow.
How would you like it if, for instance, one day you realized your underwear was reporting on your whereabouts?
CaliforniaStateSenator,2003

THANK YOU