Knowledge base on RFID technology

RFID technologies are a link between a physical object (a product in a warehouse or store) and its digital attributes (size, cost, date of receipt, shipment). The technology is similar to a barcode, but it has significant advantages, such as more secure protocols. RFID allows you to save a lot of time and minimize the use of manual labor, and subsequently the human factor.

RFID technology is based on the contactless exchange of signals between the tag located on the tracked object and the reader. It is based on radio frequency electromagnetic radiation (RFID is Radio Frequency IDentification, i.e. radio frequency identification).

RFID technology in the library automates a large number of processes that affect the speed and quality of service: reducing time for inventory, issuing and receiving books, and searching for the right publication on the shelves. RFID also controls the unauthorized removal of books from libraries, thus preserving the integrity of the collection of publications.

In commercial business, every entrepreneur is concerned about the protection of goods from theft. With the use of RFID technology, theft by both staff and customers is minimized. The speed of inventory and the correctness of documentation are also increasing, which directly affect the profit for the business.

Business automation is needed, first of all, in order to increase the scale of the company's activities. As the company grows, the volume of work in this area also increases. The introduction of RFID technologies into a business gives it the opportunity to save time, increase the accuracy and efficiency of processes, simplify work with a large number of people.

The radio signal transmitted from RFID tags is many times inferior in power to mobile phones, computers or televisions that are present in our daily lives. RFID technology is approved for use in medical institutions to protect medicines and medical equipment from counterfeiting.

RFID readers are designed to read or write information to tags, as well as upload the information received to a database for storage or analysis. The equipment has the ability to read a large number of tags in the RFID field, and the anti-collision function ensures that there are no errors during reading.

RFID readers are divided into two types:

• stationary readers

As a rule, they are installed in control areas, for example: checkpoints or points of reception / delivery of goods, they provide a large area for reading objects and high power of equipment. The use of stationary readers is important and convenient in large industries — factories, enterprises, factories. This allows you to identify the exact quantity of goods in production at any time.

• manual readers

Such readers have a wider range of applications due to their mobility. They are equipped with internal memory for storing information that comes from readable objects or labels.

The RFID antenna for the reader is a connecting element in the radio frequency identification system, which is responsible for communication between the tag and the reader.

RFID antennas come in several types:

• near-field antennas

The distance of less than 30 cm between the patch antenna (an antenna with one emitter) and the RFID tag is called the near field, and the antenna is called the near field. Near-field antennas solve the problem of using tags in hard-to-reach places, difficult climatic and operational conditions. The near-field antennas have compact dimensions and high power.

• far-field antennas

Far-field antennas have a pronounced directivity, and the reading range depends on the gain and polarization. The orientation of the antennas of both the tag and the external device must be such that the antennas have the same polarization. Antenna polarization can be either circular or linear.

• Round-the-clock book return stations

They allow the reader to return books back to the library at any time of the day. The reader goes to the terminal, applies his reader's card, then selects the books that need to be handed in and puts the editions in a specially opened slot. This technology reduces the queue for returning books to and reduces the burden on librarians during periods of increased reader activity.

• Self-return stations for books

They improve the quality of service to library visitors by giving them the opportunity to borrow a book on their own, without the participation of a librarian. They significantly reduce the burden on library staff, saving them from routine operations.

• Independent book publishing stations

They allow readers to register the publications borrowed from the open fund on their own electronic reader's card and return them to the library. The friendly software interface and voice prompts make the station easy to use for people of all ages.

RFID belongs to the class of short-range devices and does not interfere with mobile communications and, accordingly, does not require any additional protection against disruptions in the provision and quality of communication.

RFID tags consist of two parts: a microchip and an antenna contour. The antenna in the tag is needed in order to receive and reflect the signal, as well as record incoming information on the second element, the microchip, where it will be securely stored.

• Passive RFID tags

Passive tags do not have a power source, so they only work from contact with a reader that emits radio waves. The advantages are low price, ease of production, so they are widely used in the field of trade for labeling goods.

• Active tags

The active tags have their own power source. The radio signal allows the tags to "contact" the reader at a distance of more than 300 meters. This makes it possible to record and store a large amount of data, as well as expand the use of labels.

• Microchip and antenna placed on the substrate
• Stickers are shaped like a paper sticker. Information about the object can be printed on paper, for example, the company's name or logo.
• Encased tags — The tags are located in protective enclosures, which prevents interference from the microchip and antenna.
• Heavy duty tags — used at very high or very low temperatures.

• Tags for metal

The tags are designed so that the internal antenna of the tag is removed from the metal at a distance necessary for error-free reading of information. They are more often designed to account for metal objects inside the room.

This type of tag is intended for use in difficult conditions — at very high or low temperatures, as well as for accounting for special machinery and equipment in large enterprises.

• RFID tags

They can be used in agriculture to monitor and record the number of animals and their location. It becomes possible to track sick individuals and monitor animal health in real time.

A reader is installed to take into account the number of animals at the entrance/ exit from the pens. As soon as the animals cross the area where the reader is installed, the tag identification number is transferred to the database of the farm or enterprise along with information such as the time of entry/ exit, the number and type of animals. This greatly facilitates the work of agricultural enterprise employees in accounting for individuals, monitoring their health and condition.

• RFID tags for wood

Specialized tags for marking trees or wood raw materials help secure wood supplies, as well as protect against illegal logging.

In the process of marking logs, a plastic tag containing an RFID tag is nailed to the end with special nails. The tags are made of radio-transparent material and equipped with an RFID transponder. It is possible to read information from tags contactlessly, up to 11 meters.

These tags can be used in parks to monitor the condition of trees and the time of their watering. The technology can be used to account for plants, which will reduce counting errors caused by the human factor and reduce budget expenditure on personnel.

• RFID key rings

They have an unlimited service life and are used as contactless keys. They are used as identity identifiers for entry into offices or access to parking lots through a barrier.

• RFID Wristbands

An analogue of RFID keyfobs and similar identity identifiers. It is used for entrances to the territory or for passageways inside the building. This identification method is most often used in gyms or offices.

• RFID flasks

They are available in glass or plastic forms. Designed to identify animals. They are placed under the skin of animals.

• Labels for linen stock

They are designed taking into account the specifics of the work of laundries, hotels, medical centers, rental and rental companies of workwear. The use of such tags allows you to save time when working with large batches of the same type of products and monitor the entire linen stock.

The tag is immune to water, hot steam and mechanical stress — the RFID chip is reliably protected from external influences by a thermoplastoelastomer housing. The tag functions during all technological processes — washing, ironing, transportation, etc. and can withstand temperatures of +220 ° C for 10 seconds.

Type of memory:

1. Reserved memory. The memory bank stores the password for deletion and the access password. It only includes information about two codes and passwords for them. Most users do not use this type of tag unless there is a need for privacy.

2. A memory bank that stores the electronic product code for RFID tags. According to the tag number, the initial data of the accounting item differs from each other during identification.

3. TID memory (Transponder ID) — this memory is used only to store the chip model and the unique identification number of the manufacturer's tag. Depending on the tag, an additional ID of each individual tag and its serial number (Serialized ID) is available, which is used as a means of protecting the tag from forgery.

4. User Memory is an optional additional memory bank if the user needs a larger amount of data than in the EPC section to store additional information.

RFID tags are extremely difficult to fake, as they have two main types of protection. The first level is a unique code that can optionally be password—protected from third-party attempts to read it. In addition, during the manufacturing process, each chip in the tag is assigned its own TID (Tag Identifier) code, which will require a tag manufacturing plant and a large amount of money to record. Due to the high level of protection and the constant development of technology, RFID is chosen by many business areas.

LF (Low Frequency) — 135 kHz tags are designed to be read at short distances, where they can be brought close to the reader, for example, intercom keys, electronic passes.

HF (High Frequency) высокая частота — 13.56 MHz tags are read at a distance of up to 1 meter. The HF frequency has anti-corrosion properties, which allows you to read multiple tags at a time. Such equipment is used for user identification, inventory, contactless payment systems, as well as in libraries and bookstores to automate the issuance of books and their accounting in the database.

UHF (Ultra-High Frequency) очень высокая частота — 865-868 MHz — operating distance up to 100 meters when using active UHF tags. The large working distance allows you to count the maximum number of labels in a short period of time. Due to its anti-corrosion properties, the equipment can read up to about 2,000 tags at a time in the reader's working condition.

RFID technology in libraries makes it possible to optimize and automate processes such as the issuance and return of books, accounting and inventory, and the search for books that are incorrectly placed. This significantly unloads the staff, thereby speeding up and simplifying the library's activities.

Three components are necessary to ensure proper automation process:

1. Tags are used to mark all book publications and equipment in the library.

2. Readers are used to recognize and record information, as well as changes to the database in the library.

3. Software – connects the equipment into a single ecosystem for full-fledged operation.

RFID technology is used to ensure access to enterprises. Employees are given RFID cards or RFID wristbands, with which they can get to work or move around the premises within the company. RFID in the access control system shows what time employees come or leave work, and also controls access to premises that only a small group of people is allowed to access. This prevents both theft within the company and ensures safe passage, for example, to the production or finance department.

RFID technology provides anti-theft protection from both staff and customers. Due to the inconspicuous installation of equipment, a bank of potential thefts is formed by collecting statistics. RFID tags are applied to the goods or sensors are attached that track the movement of goods and have an anti-theft function. The label is removed only at the checkout after payment for the product, which prevents theft of goods.

Retail is constantly improving the processes of interaction between sellers and customers. To meet market demands, trade must use increasingly new technologies, automate logistics chains and mechanisms, and simplify accounting and inventory processes.

Among the main advantages of RFID for trade are:

• sharing single-use labels and overwritable labels;
• protection of identifiers from climatic conditions, forgeries and break-ins;
• no need for label visibility (they can be read through almost any obstacle);
• the ability to integrate tags inside objects to provide better protection;
• Readers can identify information from multiple tags and simultaneously read large batches of goods.

RFID tags in durable plastic cases are used in factories and construction sites, and they work well in difficult climatic conditions. They are placed on cargo containers, large and construction equipment for their identification, control of movement around objects and control of the workflow.

RFID technology allows you to automatically collect information about the movements of employees inside an office or enterprise. Employees are given RFID passes in the form of a plastic card, badge, and a special bracelet. RFID passes are assigned to each employee in the database. RFID readers are installed in areas where it is necessary to monitor the movement and general activity of employees. When an employee passes through the control area, all information stored on the RFID pass is automatically transferred to the organization's database (full name, position, time of arrival/departure, etc.).

The system is able to detect a textile product even if it was hidden in a bag. When trying to take out a product, the RFID equipment will notify the staff using sound and light alerts or simply display information on the manager's PC screen with a warning about an attempted theft of a specific product.

To account for the linen stock, IDlogic offers an RFID tag that has been designed specifically for such purposes. Its use allows you to save time when working with large batches of homogeneous products and keep records of the entire linen stock in real time.

Car parking is an essential element of urban infrastructure, and creating a parking system is not an easy task for any large city. Car parking has become an integral part of the modern city today. Automated parking systems are becoming more widespread in the equipment of car parks. Car parking, whether paid or free, will become much more comfortable for the user and more efficient for its owner thanks to the installation of a parking automation system. The free parking automation system will calculate the number of available spaces on each floor and display it on special scoreboards.

Today, a huge number of organizations are faced with the problem of storing a large volume of corporate documents, in other words, with the problem of effective archive management. There are several basic processes in the archive's activities: receiving files, taking inventory, searching and issuing files, and placing them in archives.

Objects are identified using a unique digital code read from the memory of an electronic tag attached to the identification object.

The reader contains a transmitter and an antenna, which emit an electromagnetic field of a certain frequency. The radio frequency tags that fall within the range of the reading field "respond" with their own signal containing information (product identification number, user data, etc.). The signal is picked up by the reader's antenna, the information is decrypted and transmitted to a computer for processing.

Usually, even with the use of information technology, most routine operations are performed by humans. This process leads to delays in the search and issuance of files, discrepancies between the file cabinet and the current state of the archive. RFID technologies are designed to optimize the main processes of the archive.

RFID technology allows you to get statistics on class attendance. The fitness instructor does not need to be distracted from classes and count the arrivals.

All user tracking is automated as much as possible. Registration for the class takes place at the reception manager, the registration information is recorded in the RFID card / bracelet of the club. Special RFID antennas are installed above the entrance. They read data about customers who went to the gym and transmit all the information received to the responsible manager. This way, you can track the activity of visitors, see which classes are popular and which are not. An additional function is group monitoring, so that classes are not attended by those people who are not enrolled in them or their subscription does not include this type of service.

The introduction of RFID in logistics offers great advantages:

Workflow optimization

Reducing the number of employees thanks to an automated product identification system: inventory and shipment of goods will be faster when using RFID in warehouses.

Up-to-date information about the location of the product.

This is especially important for large warehouses and transportation companies. After entering the item number into the database, the warehouse employee can determine exactly where the product is located. This reduces the time spent searching for it, which has a positive effect on the speed of shipment or unloading of goods.

Speeding up inventory

Upon arrival at the warehouse, each item will have its own unique code and label. With their help, the product will be entered into the company's database. During the inventory, staff with mobile readers will add new items or delete those that go on shipment. This significantly speeds up and simplifies the process.

Accurate accounting of objects, tracking their movements, and theft prevention are issues relevant not only to large enterprises. The introduction of RFID technologies in small and medium-sized businesses makes it possible to manage existing resources more efficiently and allows not only to save money, but also to earn more. Investments in RFID for enterprises are justified in most cases. The use of advanced technologies frees up human resources, reduces costs by organizing a more efficient procurement and sales system, which ultimately provides the company with serious competitive advantages. With the introduction of RFID technology into the enterprise, it is possible to improve the company's performance and optimize interaction processes.

Improving the accuracy and speed of work allows the company to optimize and improve the logistics chains on which the shipment and unloading of goods from warehouses depends, and allows employees to perform their duties faster and better, as well as:

• Reducing the risk of management errors and inaccuracies in all types of accounting and operational management of production processes.
• Reducing labor costs by eliminating the influence of the human factor in production and safety.
• Acceleration of acceptance and shipment in warehouses, fast and error-free inventory.
• Control of your employees when moving and using equipment.
• Ensuring the safety of goods on sale.

The main advantage of RFID over barcodes is the wide variety of equipment and technologies used for any business area, as well as:

• accuracy of information reading;
• large amount of data storage;
• the ability to overwrite information;
• long distance reading of RFID tags;
• there is no need for the label to be visible for reading.