RFID Technology Explained

Radio Frequency Identification or more commonly known as RFID is the base technology of an umbrella of radio wave identification.  RFID is communicated by RF or Radio waves, which is transmitted from an RFID tag back to the receiver, which would be the RFID reader.

The RFID reader also known as the transceiver sends a signal or radio wave to the RFID tag or label, the tag then wakeup and transmits back the ID of the RFID tag or label.

RFID Frequencies:

RFID readers, tags, and labels are designed with specific frequencies, which are usually, but not always designed for specific uses and applications. LF or Low Frequency which is usually 125.0 KHz and 134.2 KHz for most popular applications and actual goes up to 150 KHz on the scale of frequencies. LF 125.0 KHz is mostly used for industrial applications, where 134.2 KHz is used for animal identification.

Low Frequency RFID: LF (125.0 KHz and 134.2 KHz)

LF 125.0 KHz is used most often in industrial applications, such as asset management. Typical LF RFID tags are disc transponders made with PVC or epoxy casing.  Low frequency RFID tags come in many other forms including glass transponders.

LF Disc Tag

LF 134.2 KHz is used exclusively for animal identification. The most popular 134.2 KHz tags for animal identification are ear tags, Bolus, and injectable glass transponders. The 134.2 KHz RFID tags are regulated and exclusive to the animal identification market, with the RFID ear tags and glass transponders encoded with the country code of the animal. An example would be a typical ear tag for the United States with the beginning tag ID being 840, which represents animals from the United States. Canada would have ear tags or glass transponders with the country code 124.

High Frequency RFID: HF (13.56 MHz)

Smart Card

HF 13.56 MHz technology is one of the most often used frequency of RFID, typically used for smart card technology. High frequency RFID is used for asset management, access control, supply chain, and mobile transactions such as peer to peer communications and wireless payments as used in Near Field Communications, more commonly known as NFC. HF tags, labels, and cards provide a more secure form of identification, such as the ISO standard for smart cards and NFC.

Ultra High Frequency RFID: UHF (860 – 960 MHz)

UHF RFID technology is one of the newest frequencies that have become popular over the last 5 years, due to its increased read range over LF and HF based tags. Although UHF tags have a read range over 10 meters under ideal conditions, UHF is considered passive technology along with LF and HF tags. 

UHF Inlay

UHF tags can provide more flexibility for more applications than HF or LF technology, but has its limits on feasibility with secure identification. UHF technology is mostly used for supply chain management, inventory control, and vehicle identification, but like all other frequencies can be used in many different applications.  

UHF frequencies on RFID readers and tags have different frequency ranges that are regulated for different countries; the most popular is 868-870 MHz (Europe) and 902-928 MHz (North America).

Active RFID 2450 – 5800 MHz (Microwave)

Active RFID is different from passive RFID (LF, HF and UHF). Active tags are battery assisted and have a read range of 100’s of meters. Most common use of active RFID tags would be RTLS (Real Time Located Systems) applications, such as patient tracking in health care, employee tracking in harsh environments such as the mining industry. 

Most typical RFID applications use passive RFID technology, due to the cost effectiveness versus active RFID. The most common applications for RFID such as asset management, inventory control, and access control are all based on passive tags. 

This brief article explains RFID technology and is the basics of RFID, to learn more about typical applications that use RFID technology feel free to contact us at any time for inquiries. We are application experts and can provide RFID readers, RFID tags and labels based on your requirements and application needs.

(C) Copyright 2012 The RFID Tag Store

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RFID Deters Counterfeiters in Asia

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) can be used in many applications, from asset management and inventory control, to identification verification. In Asia, counterfeiters have a new arch enemy to contend with, RFID. The Malaysian government has started using RFID to battle counterfeiters, to protect a resource in their agricultural industry.

Counterfeiters in Asia are synonymous with creating and selling illegal products, as an original. This has been an ongoing problem for years and financial loss to businesses, companies, and governments. RFID technology is being tapped to combat the illegal activity of the counterfeiting trade.

HF Inlays

RFID Technology offers something no other identification can, and that is unique identification (UID). RFID tags or labels are encoding during the manufacturing process with a UID on the chip. The identification on the chip is unique and never duplicated. The UID cannot be manipulated or changed on the chip, therefore making an RFID tag or label a secure and reliable form of identification.

RFID tags can then be encoded with additional information, in another section of the chip by the company using RFID readers to write to the tag. The RFID tags store valuable information for manufactures and distributors such as Lot numbers, manufacturing dates or quality control ID, and so on.

In Malaysia, the agricultural industry is testing, and will introduce an RFID solution as a deterrent to counterfeiters, to protect one of their valuable natural resources, the bird’s nest saliva.

The bird’s nest saliva is an ingredient for a soup made in China, which is considered a delicacy. The Malaysian government reports it is a 1.5 billion dollar (USD) industry, which in recent years has been plagued by counterfeiters in Asia. You can read more about this unique application and solution, as reported by the BBC here.

RFID tags can store information that can also be encrypted and or password protected, depending on the application. Contact us at The RFID Tag Store for more details on the many applications, where RFID can be used as an asset, in more ways than one.

Passive RFID tags are available in many forms for different applications, from hard tags and labels, to metal mount tags, available in UHF (Ultra High Frequency), HF (High Frequency) and LF (Low Frequency).

(C) Copyright 2012 The RFID Tag Store

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The RFID Tag Store: Application Experts

The RFID Tag Store is a comprehensive website that sells RFID tags, and labels in various form factors for all applications. Unique tags for specific applications, and tagging solutions to meet the application requirement.

The RFID Tag Store is a group of industry leading consultant and application professionals, with years of experience in RFID systems, implementations, and real world tagging experience. Regardless of your application and needs, The RFID Tag Store has a tag to meet your identification needs. 

Working with all leading tag, label and IC manufactures, The RFID Tag Store can deliver RFID tags, NFC tags or labels to meet your application requirements. We also offer unique and tailor made tags, labels, keyfobs and wristbands for specific applications. 

The RFID Tag Store

The RFID Tag Store, is not just another online reseller, we are application specialists that provide unique tags and labels, along with tag solutions that are exclusive to The RFID Tag Store. 

Systems Integration for complete RFID systems is possible; The RFID Tag Store has alliances and networks with qualified independent systems integrators throughout North America, to fully install all aspects of a complete and integrated RFID system. 

Our RFID blog will focus on various tags, labels, and forms of RFID tags and NFC technology. We will showcase and provide real case scenarios of the various applications that use Radio Frequency Identification, and Near Field Communications (NFC). 

What is the difference between NFC and RFID?

As we set up shop and our website, we are available immediately for any product requests. Feel free to contact us at any time, contact details are listed on the RFID tag store blog, and on The RFID Tag Store website here

Don’t forget to sign-up for our RFID Tag newsletter here, our subscribers will receive information privy to public knowledge, and insight on application know how. Have a question? Contact us today. 

(C) Copyright 2012 The RFID Tag Store

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