RFID Key Terms – Radio Frequency Identification

RFID is a system of identifying unique objects by using wireless non-contact radio waves to communicate information from a tag to a reader for the purposes of identifying and tracking tags attached to objects.

Active RFID tag

An RFID tag with a battery power source for operation.

Antenna

A tuned coil of wire to allow fixed RFID readers to read tags.

API

Application programming interface specifying how software components should interact to achieve the desired outcome.

Battery Assisted Passive  (BATS & BAPS)

An RFID tag utilising a battery to wake the tag up when a reader is within range reducing the drain on the battery. Best of both worlds of passive and active.

Beacon

Active tags “beacon” their availability to be read over long distances waiting for a reader to come into range to receive their ID and information.

Cabling

Cables associated with carrying data to and from readers and antennas.

Circular Polarized Antenna

Direction the RF radiates from the antenna to ensure maximum readability of the tag.

Closed Loop Systems

A software and hardware solution with parameters set to satisfy its own purpose with no external data exchange.

Commissioning a Tag

A process of programming and installing an RFID tag.

Compliance Labeling

Labeling of hardware which denotes the standards the hardware conforms to.

Dead-Tag

An RFID tag which can no longer be read.

De-Tune

The ability to alter the electrical properties of an RFID tag or antenna to change its readability.

Dipole

An antenna consisting of 2 poles.

EIRP

This is the actual power being omitted in all directions from the appropriate antenna.

Electronic Product Code

A code which adheres to the standards associated with product identification.

EPC Global

A global standard setting the identification of products.

EPC Tag

Data on an RFID tag which adheres the standards associated with product identification.

EPC Reader

A barcode or RFID reader which adheres to the standards associated with product identification.

Faraday Shield

A grounded shielding technology to control the spread of radio waves.

Gen2

A standard of EPC labeling.

Gen3

A standard of EPC labeling.

Kill Command

A command sent to a tag to render it unreadable.

Linear Polarized Antenna

Direction the RF radiates from the antenna to ensure maximum readability of the tag.

Passive RFID tag

An RFID tag with no battery acting as a power source reliant upon a reader being in range to read the tag.

Read Range

The distance a tag can be read from a reader.

Readers (Fixed and Mobile)

Fixed readers are placed in environments where the RFID tags can pass by to be read. Mobile readers are used where the reader passes by the RFID tag to be read.

Read Write

An RFID tag which can have data written to it as well as having data read from it.

RFID Reader (also referred to as RFID Interrogators)

A RFID reader contains the Radiotronics which triggers the tags to respond and then decodes the information from the tag’s modulated RF waveform.

RFID Tags

RFID Tags can be either active or passive.  An active tag has it’s own power source, more memory and can be read at greater ranges than passive tags.  A passive tag is briefly activated by the RF scanner or the RFID reader.

A RFID tag is an electronic tag that is attached to an object.

RTLS – Real time locating system

A system which uses beaconing tag technology to locate items tagged in real time

Transponder

An electronic circuit containing data.

UHF

Ultra High Frequency is a frequency range for some RFID tags.