RFID Radio-frequency identification

RFID

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the use of an object (typically referred to as an RFID tag) applied to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification and tracking using radio waves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader.


Radio-frequency identification comprises interrogators (also known as readers), and tags (also known as labels).

Most RFID tags contain at least two parts. One is an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating aradio-frequency (RF) signal, and other specialized functions. The second is an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal.

There are generally three types of RFID tags: active RFID tags, which contain a battery and can transmit signals autonomously, passive RFID tags, which have no battery and require an external source to provoke signal transmission, and battery assisted passive (BAP) RFID tags, which require an external source to wake up but have significant higher forward link capability providing greater range.

There are a variety of groups defining standards and regulating the use of RFID, including: International Organization for Standardization (ISO),International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), ASTM International, DASH7 Alliance, EPCglobal. (Refer to Regulation and standardizationbelow.)


History
RFID was developed out of the radar experiments and development during the Second World War.

1948 - The actual date of invention.

1970 – First commercial RFID implementations. At this time the cost of the tags was prohibitive and use was limited.

1973 – First true ancestor of modern RFID.

1980 - Significant development had occurred

1983 – First patent to be associated with the abbreviation RFID by Charles Walton

1987 - Norway implemented the first successful toll collection system

1990s – Warehouses applications started

Mid 1990s - The first Library suppliers started to market their systems

RFID Applications
Payment by mobile phones :

Since summer 2009, two credit card companies have been working with Dallas, Texas, based DeviceFidelity to develop specialized microSD cards. When inserted into a mobile phone, the microSD card can be both a passive tag and an RFID reader

Transportation :

Governments use RFID applications for traffic management, while automotive companies use various RFID tracking solutions for product management. Many of these solutions may work together in the future, though privacy regulations prevent many initiatives from moving forward at the same pace that technology allows.

Economical alternative to car-ownership: car-sharing – (Zipcar) :

The Zipcar car-sharing service uses RFID cards for locking and unlocking cars and for member identification.

Season parking tickets – Singapore / Vietnam :

Housing & Development Board (HDB) Singapore called two tenders in 2006 to implement RFID to replace the paper Season Parking Ticket (SPT).

Toll roads (OGS):

In Turkey, RFID has been used in the motorways and bridges as a payment system since Nov 2008

Public transit (bus, rail, subway) :

Mind the GAP

Asset management and retail sales :

RFID combined with mobile computing and Web technologies provide a way for organizations to identify and manage their assets

IT asset tracking :

In 2008 more than a dozen new passive UHF RFID tags emerged to be specifically mounted on metal. ODIN technologies of Ashburn, Virginia, produced a benchmark which showed varying performance of metal mount tags, with the greatest read distance being just over 25 feet in real-world conditions. In 2010 there are more than 60 metal mount specific RIFD tags

Animal identification:

RFID tags for animals represent one of the oldest uses of RFID technology. Originally meant for large ranches and rough terrain, since the outbreak of Mad Cow Disease, RFID has become crucial in animal identification management.

RFID tracking and tracing for meatpackers :

The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency began using RFID tags as a replacement for barcode tags. The tags are required to identify a bovine's herd of origin and this is used for tracing when a packing plant condemns a carcass

Inventory systems :

An advanced automatic identification technology such as the Auto-ID Labs system based on the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has significant value for inventory systems.

RFID mandates – Wal-Mart / Department of Defence :

Wal-Mart and the United States Department of Defense have published requirements that their vendors place RFID tags on all shipments to improve supply chain management

RFID Problems and Concerns

The use of RFID technology has engendered considerable controversy and even product boycotts by consumer privacy advocates.

Global standardization :

There is no global public body that governs the frequencies used for RFID. In principle, every country can set its own rules for this. The main bodies governing frequency allocation for RFID are:

• USA: FCC (Federal Communications Commission)
  
• Canada: CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission)
  
• Europe: ERO, CEPT, ETSI, and national administrations (note that the national administrations must ratify the usage of a specific frequency before it can be used in that country)
  
• Malaysia: Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)
  
• Japan: MIC (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)
  
• China: Ministry of Information Industry
  
• Taiwan: NCC (National Communications Commission)
  
• South Africa: ICASA
  
• South Korea: Ministry of Knowledge Economy
  
• Australia: Australian Communications and Media Authority.
  
• New Zealand: Ministry of Economic Development
  
• Singapore: Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
  
• Brazil: Anatel (Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações)
  

Security concerns :

A primary RFID security concern is the illicit tracking of RFID tags. Tags, which are world-readable, pose a risk to both personal location privacy and corporate/military security. Such concerns have been raised with respect to the United States Department of Defense's recent adoption of RFID tags for supply chain management. More generally, privacy organizations have expressed concerns in the context of ongoing efforts to embed electronic product code (EPC) RFID tags in consumer products.

Exploitation :

RFID buffer overflow bug that could infect airport terminal RFID databases for baggage, and also passport databases to obtain confidential information on the passport holder.

Passports :

In an effort to make passports more secure, several countries have implemented RFID in passports. However, the encryption on UK chips was broken in under 48 hours.

Shielding :

Some people claim that aluminum shielding, essentially creating a Faraday cage, does work.

Temperature Exposure:

Currently, RFID tags are created by gluing an integrated circuit (IC) to an inlay. This poses a problem as vibration and high temperatures will loosen the connection.

Privacy :

Since the owner of an item will not necessarily be aware of the presence of an RFID tag and the tag can be read at a distance without the knowledge of the individual, it becomes possible to gather sensitive data about an individual without consent.

If a tagged item is paid for by credit card or in conjunction with use of a loyalty card, then it would be possible to indirectly deduce the identity of the purchaser by reading the globally unique ID of that item (contained in the RFID tag). This is only true if the person doing the watching also had access to the loyalty card data and the credit card data, and the person with the equipment knows where you are going to be.

Human implantation :

Implantable RFID chips designed for animal tagging are now being used in humans. An early experiment with RFID implants was conducted by British professor of cybernetics Kevin Warwick, who implanted a chip in his arm in 1998.










Scope :

• To be innovative and leader in technology usage in parcel delivery service.
  
• Keep company up to date about new , emerging technologies.
  
• We do not want to say "We are late and missed the train".
  
• Eliminate process botenlecks. Increase efficency.
  
• 
  
  
  Create more value for customer in terms of
  • Speed
    
  • Accuracy
    

Track :

• 
  
  
  An increasing number of manufacturers and suppliers are choosing to incorporate RFID technology into their supply chain management (SCM) system .
  • either voluntarily or because they must comply with regulations .
    
  • or large retailers such as Wal-Mart force the suppliers .
    
• 
  
  
  Parcell Service Implementations arround globe .
  • IPC AMQM - the largest RFID network in the world.
    
  • Correos - Europe's largest UHF EPC project.
    
  • DHL, temperature monitoring pharmaceuticals, USA
    
  • DHL postal packages, Belgium
    
  • China Post, mail bags China
    
  • DHL postal packages, Belgium
    
  • UPS courier packages, USA
    
  • Parcell Service Implementations arround globe .
    
  • FedEx NetReturn/ Intellareturn courier returns USA
    
  • DHL Time/temperature recording, Belgium
    
  • La Poste, measurement of mail flow, France
    
  • European Commission ParcelCall project, Europe
    
  • Royal Mail, mail flow monitoring, new system UK
    
  • Royal Mail, monitoring letters, UK
    
  • US Postal Service, mail flow item level, USA
    
  • DHL Fashion apparel , France
    
  • Deutsche Paket Dienst parcels Germany
    
  • Home Office, TRI-MEX International Ltd, Nokia and DHL, UK/ Finland
    
  • Saudi Post post box identification , Saudi Arabia
    

Track & Rank

Barcode vs RFID in franking systems.

PROs

• Postal operators are looking forward to introducing innovative franking systems.
  
• it not only determines the way the mail is handled and processed, but it also determines the services and products offered to the customers.
  
• Barcode responds to the majority of current customers' demands and allows for mail processing automation.
  
• Compared with the RFID, barcodes present some limitations in terms of the encoded information and the efficiency to track mail.
  

CONs

• Negative aspects of the RFID are related to privacy, security, and environmental issues.
  
• RFID can invade people's privacy since people carrying mails with scanned RFID can be tracked and profiled.
  
• RFID tags are a potentially dangerous waste since they contain silicon, adhesives, and nickel.
  
• Lack of international standards concerning the radio frequency used.
  
• Systems of the different postal operators are not interoperable, international mail has to be treated manually.
  
• No possibility to track and trace the mail outside of the national borders.
  
• Most important concrern COST of RFID .
  
• However, ICF-Consulting has estimated that the RFID solution used for individual postal package does not have a better read rate than the current 2D barcode system
  

Eveluate :

• The RFID appears to present many advantages when compared to the barcode. We have observed a gradual deployment of the RFID as a support technology for the franking system and all factors seem to indicate that this will be the technology of the future.
  
• Despite the existence of a first mover's advantage, the majority of the operators are still waiting to see how the RFID technology and the market evolve. And this evolution will very much depend upon standardization and thus upon regulation.
  

Conclusion :

• We assume a pilot project is possible, if it hasn't been started already. The key issue is to set expectations relatively low. A key to keeping things sane is to start with a project that minimizes reading tags while in motion. In other words, start with a project that tracks static warehouse inventory, and leave tracking tagged supplies moving down a fast conveyor belt for phase II.