Radio Frequency Identification

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is the means by which an object can be identified through Radio Frequency waves that carry its information. In the way that barcodes allow machines to see an object, RFID gives them the ability to hear them.

In the simplest terms, an RFID system incorporates a tag (transponder) and a reader/antenna (interrogator). Information on a tag is gathered from communications between the tag and reader, and can range from a simple identification number to kilobytes of data written to, or read from a tag.

Dynamic information, such as product temperature and humidity history, can be stored and retrieved on an RFID transponder. It can be presented to a human operator on a hand-held reader or automatically managed by a host computer.

The Following Critical Performance Variables Must Be Considered in Selecting an RFID System:

• The range at which communications can be maintained
• Amount of information space on a tag
• Tag communication rate
• Ability to communicate with multiple tags simultaneously
• The robustness of a technology to communicate in its environment

Important Performance Level Factors:

• A country's legal/regulatory emission levels of radio frequency
• Is the system passive or active (battery assisted)?
• Frequency of the carrier used to transport the data between reader and tag

Over the course of decades of RFID development, the industry has focused on a few frequencies where the vast majority of today's technologies reside. These special RF bandwidths are located at: 125/134 KHz or Low-Frequency (LF), 13.56 MHz or High-Frequency (HF), 433/ 860-96 MHz or Ultra High-Frequency (UHF) and 2.45/5.8 GHz or MicroWave (uW).