RFID Technology: RFID to be used to track global post systems

From InSourced, UK ... Key to the project is radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. RFID uses small transponders that communicate to electronic receivers via radio waves. ...

Airgate Technologies is a development stage company specializing in wireless technologies. The Company designs and develops network applications utilized in WiFi ("hotspots") and RFID ("radio frequency identification") deployments. According to Allied Business Intelligence, annual shipment volume of RFID tags, or transponders, is expected to grow from 323 million in 2002 to several billion in 2007. RFID integration will occur at all levels -- government, manufacturing, distribution, health care, retail, even Homeland security. Retail giant Walmart is asking suppliers to attach RFID chips to their crates and cases of products. At this point, only those large shipping containers would be tagged, not individual products. Most suppliers have until 2006 to add the chips, but the top 100 suppliers have to do it by 2005, the retailer says.

RFID technology uses tags or transponders to transmit EPCs and communicate wirelessly to readers over radio frequency waves. Attached to physical objects, including items, cartons, pallets and containers, the tags uniquely identify objects. Readers receive data from the RFID tags via radio frequency waves once the tags are within reading range. This data is captured, accepted and executed against by RFID solutions, such as those offered by Manhattan Associates.

The Matrics RFID system is comprised of EPC-compliant RFID tags (Class 0 read only and read/write) and its new, multi-protocol reader (AR 400 RFID Reader), which is designed to enable real-time, seamless tag reading and writing capability for all EPC-compliant tags including Class 0 and Class 1. Matrics' RFID technology reads farther and faster and costs less than comparable systems, providing unsurpassed real-time visibility into products and assets in factories, distribution centers and retail outlets.

Wal-Mart announced plans back in June that it will require their suppliers to place EPC transponders on pallets and cases beginning in January 2005. RFID vendors finally got what they had asked for years ago: a public commitment from Wal-Mart.

Highlights of Wal-Mart's RFID system requirements are as follows:

- Transponders: Durable, temporary or permanent read-only 96-bit Class 0 (factory programmed), Class 0+ (read-write version of Class 0), or Class 1 version 1 (write once-read many) EPC-compliant transponders (supplier's choice dependent on number of turns). Existing 64-bit EPC are not compliant with the mandate. Wal-Mart noted they are driving toward Class 1 Version 2 whenever the specifications and compliant products are available.

- Antennas: 1 antenna required on each side of dock door/portal; 1 antenna above dock door; 1 antenna on each side or underneath a conveyor moving up to 600 ft/min for case tagging (cases have to be read 100% of the time at 540 ft/min).

- Readers: Should be agile (largely due to eventual migration to Class 1 version 2 EPC transponders that allow for one common protocol); be Power over Ethernet-based; have flexible output options and RF environment awareness; include security; and have the ability to disable unused features such as Web servers. More details on reader deployment are expected in the weeks and months ahead.

EM Microelectronic is a semiconductor manufacturer that designs and produces ultra-low-power, low-voltage, digital, analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits for battery-operated and field-powered devices in consumer, automotive and industrial applications. The company's product portfolio includes RFID circuits and transponders, ultra-low-power microcontrollers, voltage reset ICs and microprocessor supervisors, regulators, smart card ICs, LCD drivers and displays, sensor and optoelectronic ICs, mixed analog and digital gate arrays and application- specific integrated circuits (ASICs). EM also produces LCD modules and offers bumping services.