What is RFID?
RFID, also known as radio frequency identification, it is a contactless communication technology, automatically read and write the target object chip and obtains the relevant data through the radio frequency signal.
How does RFID work?
The reader sends a radio frequency signal at a certain frequency, after the same frequency RFID tag entering the magnetic field, receive the radio frequency signal from the reader, with the energy gained by the induced current to send product information stored in the chip (passive RFID), or active send a frequency signal with the tag(active RFID), reader reads the information and the decoding, then sent to the central information system for data processing.
The basic components of an RFID system
RFID Tag, Reader, Reader antenna, Processing terminal hardware and software.
The classification of RFID
1) Active RFID, powered by a built-in battery. The distance between the active RFID tag and the RFID reader can reach tens of meters, or even hundreds of meters. Working frequency 433Mhz, 2.45GHz and 5.8G.
2) Passive RFID, does not contain a battery and its power is obtained from the RFID reader electromagnetic wave.
a) LF(Low Frequency), working frequency 125kHz and 134.2kHz, related protocol ISO11784/11785(used for animal identification), ISO18000-2
b) HF(High Frequency), working frequency is 13.56Mhz, related protocol ISO14443, ISO15693, ISO18000-3
c) UHF(Ultra High Frequency), 860-960Mhz, reading distance 1-10 metres or more, related protocol ISO18000-6C, ISO18000-6B
What is the difference between LF, HF and UHF?
a) LF RFID tags, reading distance is 1-10cm, can work in a variety of harsh environments, and are little affected by temperature, humidity and obstacle. Read only one label at a time. LF RFID tags can be used for access control and livestock tracking.
b) HF RFID tags reading distance is 1-10cm, ISO15693 reading distance can reach 50cm. HF RFID tags have bigger memory, readable and writable, usually used for data transfer applications and higher security requirement venue, like payment, ticketing system, library document management system, asset tracking, item management.
c) UHF RFID tags reading distance is 1-15meters, depend on reader and operating environment. Out of the three frequencies, UHF is the most sensitive to interference. With better read ranges, faster data transfer, reading multiple tags in one time and low cost, UHF RFID tags usually used for the inventory management, automatically track, or parking management.
What are the advantages of RFID?
a) RFID technology automates data collection and vastly reduces human effort and error.
b) RFID supports tag reading with no line-of-sight or item-by-item scans required.
c) RFID readers can read multiple RFID tags simultaneously, offering increases in efficiency.
What is NFC?
NFC short for Near Field Communication, allows users to make secure transactions, exchange digital content, and connect electronic devices with a touch. NFC transmissions are short range (from a touch to a few centimetres) and require the devices to be in close proximity.
What is the difference between NFC and RFID?
RFID is the process by which items are uniquely identified using radio waves, NFC is a branch of High-Frequency (HF) RFID, and both operate at the 13.56 MHz frequency. NFC is designed to be a secure form of data exchange, and an NFC device is capable of being both an NFC reader and an NFC tag. This unique feature allows NFC devices to communicate peer-to-peer.
How far can RFID be scanned?
Passive low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) tags usually under 10 cm (4 inches), and some chips can reach a distance of up to 3 feet (0.9 meter), while passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID transponders can typically be read from 3 to 30 feet (1 to 10 meters) away.
What information can we store on a RFID tag?
Usually we use the chip’s unique ID number for identification, and all the information will be stored on the terminal server, which could make the transmit faster. If there is specific requirement encoding to the chip, the information could be stored according to your software.
What are the problems with RFID?
Trouble to work with metals and liquids, as both make it harder to get proper reads on assets. Metal surfaces reflect energy emitted from RFID readers and create interference for RFID tag antenna. And liquids can absorb RFID signals sent from a tag.
Can RFID read through plastic?
Yes. RFID tag can be read through plastic materials. So embedding a tag in a plastic container would actually protect the tag. However, the tags used must be able to survive the injection-molding process.