What technology is right for the application, Active or Passive? Passive tags require a signal from the reader to “power the chip” and supply the current necessary to transmit or receive data. The effective range of passive tags is typically around 3 to 10 meters with new advancements in 2012 that enable certain passive chips to be read at a range of 30 meters. Active tags are powered by a battery and are used to transmit data as far as 200 meters. Active tags transmit data constantly or periodically, on a user defined schedule, according to specified parameters.
Active RFID Techonology
Why Implement an Active RFID Solution?Conventional Active RFIDWi-Fi RFIDUWB RFID Why Implement an Active RFID Solution?
Active RFID tags use internal batteries to power their circuits and broadcast singals to a reader. Because these tags contain more hardware than passive RFID tags, they are more expensive. Active tags have increased reading distances and offer advanced integration capabilities with higher cost assets. Broadcasting high frequencies from 850 to 950 MHz, advanced technology active tags can be read as far as 200 meters. Supply chain and logistics professionals can improve the speed, performance and reliability of their operations with active tags that deliver dramatic improvements in range, reliability, battery life, storage capacity and computing capability. Users can automatically identify and track critical assets over much longer ranges, which is critical given the demanding nature of asset tracking and global, mission critical, supply chain logistics.
Conventional Active RFID
The majority of active RFID systems deployed to date make use of a transmitting device to send a unique ID number to a receiver or network of receivers. The most commonly used frequencies are 433 MHz, 868 Mhz (EU) and 915 MHz (USA). RFIDENTITY’s software solutions work with the latest available protocols from leading hardware suppliers to transmit tag data—ultimately reducing the length of data transmission and limiting extended run times. Our team of consultants will work with you to identify the right active technology for your application and then develop a custom solution that meets your business needs.
Wi-Fi RFID
Wi-Fi RFID (2.45 Ghz) leverages your existing IEEE 802.11 infrastructure to implement RTLS systems with unparalleled asset location and tracking characteristics. Increased functionality and reading distances can be achieved by deploying a Wi-Fi solution allowing integration enhancements and increased coverage areas.
UWB RFID
Ultra Wide Band or UWB RFID uses frequencies in the microwave broad band spectrum and is available for deployment with RTLS systems. The key advantage of UWB is the very precise locating of a tag within a 3 dimensional space making this an excellent solution for precision location within a 50 meter range.
Passive RFID Techonology
The Future of Passive RFIDLF vs. HF RFIDBAP RFID The Future of Passive RFID
Over the past 10 years, passive RFID tags have been widely adopted by Fortune 500 companies to reduce cost and increase capacity throughout their supply chain. Passive tags can enhance production efficiency and improve the overall competitiveness of enterprises without adding additional labor cost. UHF passive RFID tags work on the frequency of 860MHz~960MHz and offer the longest read distances available, from 3m to 20m. UHF tags offer higher read rates for production applications where multiple tag identification is necessary. RFIDENTITY will analyze your current flow process and provide the best industry solution for your application.
LF vs. HF RFID
Low Frequency versus High Frequency RFID Low-Frequency versus High-Frequency RFID. When determining which hardware solution fits your application, it is important to take into consideration several important factors that contribute to product performance, such as passive versus active tags, read range, and signal attenuation. What’s the best technology to deploy in your environment? LF or HF? There is an industry misperception regarding LF technology and many companies promote HF as a more viable solution. Without properly evaluating the application, analyzing the implementation cost and calculating the ROI, picking the right technology can feel overwhelming. Even within LF and HF systems, there are proprietary systems that have better performance characteristics than similar solutions. That’s where RFIDENTITY can help. We work only with a network of top tier hardware providers to ensure that our customers achieve the highest ROI for their investment.
BAP RFID
Battery Assisted Passive RFID is a type of RFID that is a semi-passive tag. These are similar to active tags in that they contain a battery, but it only provides power to the tag in response to a signal of the proper frequency. This saves battery power, but allows these tags to work in warehouses or other settings that might preclude bringing scanners in close proximity to tagged items. Instead, a single pulse from a fixed RFID scanner triggers every tag in range, and the battery-boosted responses travels farther than passive RFID signals.
RFID Technology Solutions and Advancements
Read Range Active and Passive RFID Tags
Read ranges depend on whether the tag is active or passive. Active tags broadcast a signal, so they have a much longer read range—300 feet or more—than passive tags. The read range of passive tags depends on many factors: the frequency of operation, the power of the reader, and interference from other RF devices. In general, LF and HF tags are read from within 1 meter and UHF tags are read from 3 to 10 meters. Readers with phased array antennas can increase the read range of passive tags to 30 meters or more.
RFID Active and Passive Capabilities
One functional area of great relevance to many supply chain applications is the ability to monitor environmental or status parameters using an RFID tag with built-in sensor capabilities. Parameters of interest may include temperature, humidity, and shock, as well as security and tamper detection. Because Passive RFID tags are only powered while in close proximity to a reader, these tags are unable to continuously monitor the status of a sensor. Instead, they are limited to reporting the current status when they reach a reader. Active RFID tags are constantly powered, whether in range of a reader or not, and are therefore able to continuously monitor and record sensor status, particularly valuable in measuring temperature limits and container seal status. Additionally, Active RFID tags can power an internal real-time clock and apply an accurate time/date stamp to each recorded sensor value or event.
Active and Passive Data Storage
Both Active and Passive RFID technologies are available that can dynamically store data within the tag. However, because of power limitations, Passive RFID typically only provides a small amount of read/write data storage, on the order of 128 bytes (1000 bits) or less, with no search capability or other data manipulation features. Larger data storage and sophisticated data access capabilities require the tag to be powered for longer periods of time and are impractical with Passive RFID. Active RFID has the flexibility to remain powered for access and search of larger data spaces, as well as the ability to transmit longer data packets for simplified data retrieval. Active RFID tags are in common use with 128K bytes (1 million bits) of dynamically searchable read/write data storage.
The Future Of Hybrid Tags
Recent market developments have brought yet another category of RFID tag into the spotlight. Known as hybrid or multimode tags, these combine several different tag technologies into a versatile package that can be tracked by one or more location technologies. Multimode RFID tags are typically low power, small form factor devices that allow a single physical tag to assume multiple personalities and perform tasks that previously would have required several individual physical tags to be attached to the asset. A multimode tag, for example, may combine multiple active tag subcategories along with a passive tag into a single homogenous product.
GPS, Satellite, Cellular Integrated RFID, The Future!
Intelligent hybrid tags combine active RFID, satellite communications and Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies. These tags are designed to track assets anywhere within a global supply chain, whether they are in a warehouse, being loaded onto a ship or being transported between mines in the Atacama Desert. Better than stand alone GPS systems, intelligent hybrid tags can be deployed in subterranean applications and internally switch between technologies depending on the location and application.
Bimodal RFID Advantages
Bimodal tags provide visibility across the supply chain deploying different protocols. For example, an ISO 24730 RTLS system can track assets tagged with the bimodal technology throughout the distribution system. Then the tag would access a traditional 802.11 access point as assets are delivered at a dock door in the back of a store. Bimodal tags can be preprogrammed to support either ISO 24730 or 802.11 alone, or both simultaneously provided advantages in a mixed environment. When programmed to deploy both protocols, tags automatically alternate between the technologies, sending out signals in both modes. The nearest available access point (either ISO 24730 or 802.11) will receive and record the signal.
RFID software solutions designed to automate business and increase productivity!
“Oil and gas companies are adopting radio frequency identification technology to better manage assets and inventory, improve drilling and maintenance operations, and protect workers in dangerous environments. But industry experts say they’re missing out on a powerful application,” says Jennifer Zaino of RFID Journal. RFIDENTITY’s suite of applications is the answer for companies that want to build a scalable RFID infrastructure that will reduce operating costs, increase productivity and provide their workforce with the safest PPE technology available today.
