RFID for smart equipment

A short introduction to technology and application.

Radio Frequency Identification

  • Silicon chip for storing data
  • Contactless data transmission between reader and tag (wear-free)
  • Tags (mostly) without their own energy source
  • Direct contact between the transmitter and the receiver is no longer necessary
Echolon Radio Frequency Identification RFID Chip

RFID technology: there is no such thing as the RFID tag

  • Important differentiating criteria:
  • Active and passive tags
  • 1.) Ranges and coupling types:
  • 2.) Close coupling up to approx. 1cm
  • 3.) Remote coupling up to approx. 1.5 m
  • Long range up to approx. 10 meters passive, active approx. 100 m
  • Transmission speeds: 20 times faster than barcodes
  • Storage capacities
  • Anti-collision procedure
  • Encryption / cryptographic procedures
EcholoN Radio Frequency Identification aktives RFID-Tag

Principle of data transmission with a passive tag

Figure: Principle of data transmission with passive label / tag

EcholoN Prinzip Datenuebertragung passives RFID Tag

Basic functionality of RF identification

EcholoN Grundlegende Funktionsweise RF-Identifikation RFID

Classic RFID tracking

  • Reader gates are strategically positioned. “The world” must be known
  • Central server collects tracking information about the locks (communication network
Klassisches RFID-Tracking Fest installierte RFID Lesegeräte
  • stationary reading devices for incoming goods
Klassisches RFID-Tracking - stationäre Lesegeräte für den Wareneingang
  • Stationary reading devices for incoming goods via conveyor system
Klassisches RFID-Tracking - stationäre Lesegeräte für den Wareneingang via Fördersystem

"Mobile RFID tracking"

  • We assume that the position change of the objects to be tracked (mostly) takes place through the carrier of the reader
  • “The world” may also be unknown beforehand within certain limits
Mobiles RFID-Tracking - mobile RFID Lesegeräte
  • Schematic structure of the mobile reader
RFID Tracking - Schematischer Aufbau mobiles Lesegerät

"Distributed mobile RFID tracking"

Multiple mobile readers

When reading device encounters, “RFID tag sightings” are mutually updated

The more reading device carriers, the more up-to-date and more accurate the tracking data ("external movements" are better recognized or can be directly evaluated and alarmed)

verteiltes mobiles RFID-Tracking - mehrere mobile Lesegeräte

Anti-collision strategies

1. „Slotted ALOHA“

  • Several response slots, each with an address length
  • Every tag within reach selects one of the slots at random
  • Detected tags are muted
  • Fast (but only within reach for very few tags)

2. „Binary search tree“

  • Bit-accurate collision detection
  • Address bit masks
  • Detected tags are muted
  • Slower (but always works)

Security issue

  • Lack of anonymity, as tag ID = tag address
  • Eavesdropping on the communication between the reader and the RFID tag is possible with most systems, since encryption requires a relatively large amount of electrical energy
RFID Sicherheitsthema
  • The "repeater attack" - general attack on the "authentication by possession" method
RFID Sicherheitsthema - Repeater-Angriff

Use cases

Primary areas of application (tracking & process tracing)

  • Logistics in trade, industry and services
  • Monitoring of goods and objects (people etc.)
  • Identification of goods and objects
  • Position determination, access etc.

Contactless acquisition of data without direct visual contact
Electronic programming and storage of data
Robustness of the transponder (up to 1,000 ° C, under water, etc.)
Bulk acquisition (large number of transponders in one step, also called batch acquisition)

Basic structure IoT & IoS

Grundaufbau IoT und IoS - Infobroker-Middleware-Rule Workflowengine RFID

Use case questions

  • What does it look like or do the use cases look like?
  • What should be achieved / what is “the big goal”?
  • In which phases should what be achieved?
  • Quantities and masses to be considered?
  • What else is there to consider?
  • What are your wishes for such a project?
  • Success: what should be measured so that a success / failure can be determined?
  • Structure of a PoC / frame?
  • Time horizon / schedule?

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