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Active RFID tags have a battery, whereas passive tags do not. The battery in an active tag is used as a power source to supply the microchip's circuitry and to transmit a signal to a reader. Passive tags, on the other hand, draw their power from the reader, which sends out electromagnetic waves that induce a current in the tag's antenna. A third type of tag – semi-passive (or semi-active) tags – use a battery to run the chip's circuitry but communicate by drawing power from the reader. Active and semi-passive tags are commonly used to track high-value goods that need to be scanned over long ranges, such as industrial containers on the docks of a large seaport, but like read-write tags they are too expensive to put on low-value goods. Another distinction to be made between active and passive tags is their read range: a passive tag's read range is normally less than three meters, while an active tag can be read at 30 meters or more.
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 What are the technological benefits of Active RF compared to passive? |
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To begin with, the reasons why passive tags fall short of their promises and users' expectations include the following:
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• Passive tags require that energy for their actuation be transmitted to them from antennas attached to the readers. This energy and the response from the tags are limited by the laws of physics. The physics dictate that the energy is limited in the distance and area that it can cover. Thus tags and readers must be in relative proximity of one another.
• The energy of passive tags is weak, and can be interrupted by a body or object that is in the near field vicinity or that passes in front of the reader or tags as they are being read.
• Ferrous metals will absorb, deflect or distort this energy field and thereby cause the tags to be missed by the reader unless the alignment is perfect or the reader is moved very close to the tags. Reading passive tags affixed to ferrous metals is very difficult. Some manufacturers have clamed this ability by enhancing the distance between tags and a metal surface by enhancing the collection of energy and focusing it on the tags directly. While this certainly improves the situation, not only does it not solve the fundamental problem but it also increases the cost of the tags.
• Passive tags embedded in packages can also be very difficult to read. In this case the orientation of the antenna can be a contributor as is the material surrounding the tag itself. For instance, aluminum foil wrapped packages will definitely block the reader energy from reaching – and reading –an embedded tag. Therefore tags placed on or in frozen food containers, for example, simply do not work. |
This solution to the operating glitches listed above is the use of active, or battery powered, tags. This class of RFID device offers functional attributes that far outweigh those of passive tags. One active tag in particular, the Active RFID Systems, Inc. dual mode infrared/RF tag, was designed to achieve the lowest possible cost while adding considerable features that enable ROI to be obtained from applications totally outside the previously considered applicability.
Among these attributes are the following:
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• Long tag life – these tags can operate from 5-10+ years. Thus if employed on high value assets or if reusable, the actual cost of a tag is in fact as low as $1.00 per year.
• The tags have considerable read range from which data can be obtained. The RF range is typically 10-30 meters, while the infrared range is 1-10 meters.
• The system can be operated not only from fixed apparatus such as portal readers but is 100 percent usable in the field or in remote sites using adaptations of common PDTs and PDAs. This enables operation on board aircraft as well.
• The system can be used in the same mode as an affixed infrastructure passive system would be used but without any of the limitations discussed above. In fact, a combination of infrared tags on the outside of packages and bi-directional RF tags inside the packages ensures a 99.9 percent reliable system.
• The tags have considerable memory options available that enable data storage such as complete manifests or descriptors to be embedded on the tags.
• These tags have the ability to incorporate sensors to gather additional data.
• The tags have the ability to be “searched” for any “on tag” data field. This attribute alone enables one particular item to be located in a field of many items. The tags will blink a visible LED to assist in locating the item, thus reducing considerable labor.
• The tags have the ability to be placed into a “beacon” mode temporarily or permanently in which their particular and unique ID value is broadcast on a continuous basis. This enables both presence detection and approximate location tracking to be affected.
• This system enables tags to be read singularly even in the presence of many; or, when desired, the tags can be read en masse.
• The inclusion or addition of an infrared illuminator in an infrastructure enables precise location tracking to be achieved as the tags will respond to a signal via an RF transmission indicative of their trigger ID (and therefore location) as well as the tags' ID and reader ID.
• The tags are designed to operate in all environments that passive tags would be designed to operate in, but also have the ability to function in harsh environments, which passive tags cannot always do.
• These tags can be placed directly on metal objects, including ferrous materials, and therefore they operate without restriction.
• The reader/control system can be powered from primary power sources or powered via “power over Ethernet”, thus reducing permanent infrastructure costs an immediately and automatically interfacing with a networked database system.
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Active tags are the ideal data collection solution for any business requiring sophisticated information from their assets.
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| Why choose Active RFID Systems, Inc.'s Easy-Trak solutions? |
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The Active RFID Systems battery-powered RFID tags and readers can be used to track virtually any product at a cost that enables a realistic ROI because they utilize existing infrastructure elements or low cost additions to infrastructure. All of our tags can be used to track and locate metallic or water-filled items to which they are attached.
Easy-Trak tags and readers employ a wide range of communications options that comply to open standards. This approach coupled with innovative technology such as the patented IR technology and low power design means the most efficient, cost-effective solution can be implemented.
Businesses require total solutions and not just a single product that must be made to fit. Active RFID Systems, Inc. provides a family of products that enable such system solutions.
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| What is a dual-mode tag and how does it work? |
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Most RFID devices are single mode of operation devices. This means that they operate at a specific frequency for both transmitting and receiving data (or commands). Almost all passive devices are single mode. For instance operation at 13.56 MHz or 868/915 MHz means that the devices are commanded at this frequency and modulate a return signal at the same frequency. Semi-active devices are generally single frequency devices but use a battery to boost signals. Dual-mode devices operate at more than a single frequency. For instance, our system can use the infrared frequency for both transmitting and receiving data (or commands) but can also transmit data using radio at a different frequency. Our systems can also operate with both infrared in both transmit and receive modes as well as RF in both transmit and receive. In addition, we can operate our readers in three modes of operation, infrared, RF at one frequency and RF in an entirely different frequency.
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| What are the advantages of a dual-mode tag? |
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Dual mode provides the ability to achieve one-on-one tag communication and control. This “singularity” is absolutely essential if 99.9% reliability is to be achieved under all conditions. Conversely, the ability to affect a broad area of control and communication is also necessary and this attribute is achievable through a dual mode of operation. The RF mode enables long distance read/write and also the ability to channel data into secondary RF, such as WiFi networks.
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| What is a beacon tag and how does it work? |
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A beacon tag is the simplest and lowest cost active RF tag available. These devices are factory set to transmit a periodic RF signal that can be used for location, process and presence detection and tracking. These devices can be placed into non-metallic enclosures and will transmit an RF to a reader located at a distance of 3-10 meters.
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| What is the difference between a reader and a trigger device? |
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In the Active RFID Systems, Inc. operational system, tags can be controlled through either infrared or through bi-directional RF. A trigger device is a handheld or inexpensive infrastructure-mounted device that generates infrared signals from which tag control and response is attained. A reader also contains the same infrared control. However, it would also be equipped for unidirectional or bi-directional RF transceiver operation. This causes the reader to be larger and more expensive than a trigger. It should be noted that a single reader can be used to receive the RF signals emitted from 100s of tags triggered by any number of trigger devices.
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| How do your networking tags get triggered? Are they all beacon tags? |
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There are several types of networking tags. We will address only the 802.11.b/g WiFi tags as an example. These devices also have an infrared triggering mechanism. They can be controlled from a handheld device such as the Active RFID Systems, Inc. EZCC-7500 or from a PDA/PDT. They can be placed in automatic connection mode wherein they periodically communicate with the existing network. A secondary mode of operation is that they can be triggered thru the infrared to communicate either with a network or directly with a handheld device. Using the existing network apparatus, they can determine tag location thru the periodic link with the network. Secondarily, a very precise location can be determined thru the use of infrared trigger devices and this information can be overlaid with the network location software.
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| Can you have only triggers? Or do you need readers and also triggers in |
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| case you want to wake up the tags? Which of them is mandatory? |
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Active RFID Systems, Inc. offers a variety of tag products. For instance, a bi-directional infrared tag can communicate directly with trigger and no readers are necessary. On the other hand, if the tag has unidirectional RF, bi-directional RF or tri-mode operation, then a reader is necessary to receive the RF signals regardless of how the tag is commanded to transmit RF.
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| What are some of the benefits of implementing an active RFID system? |
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Undoubtedly one of the fastest paybacks to RFID is in the reduction of direct labor costs. However, this is only valuable when such reduction is tied to increased throughput and the elimination of redundant, error-prone manual tasks such as data entry, bar-code scanning, and paperwork. An enterprise can realize labor savings in the following areas, as an example:
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1. reduced time to find, sort or warehouse
2. automation of recordkeeping with data written to and derived from a tag
3. automatic location keeping
4. real time ITV
5. real time condition monitoring |
Expanding upon the first item in this list is the ability to attain real time, automatic inventory and location or in process tracking. Active RFID Systems can provide an accurate item count of what enters and exits a facility through controlled portals. The ability to capture a continuous accounting of this inventory enables a reduction in manual labor to obtain the same information, a reduction in errors and the benefit of knowing the actual value at any instant it is required.
RFID can increase process throughput. Faster processing allows greater efficiency, which allows a company to do more with the same amount of resources. This is especially important during peak seasons when companies tend to staff up to handle greater volumes. If you do not have to add extra hours, or to hire the temporary workers you needed before RFID, then savings are easily measurable. Faster through-put also means reduced order lead time for your customers, which may lead to more orders. In fact, additional sales are often an overlooked variable in the ROI equation.
Perhaps the most important aspect of RFID is that enables process change. With continuous process improvements, all of the benefits described in this document plus many not yet discussed are possible. As an example, if the contents of a forklift of deliverable items is known as it is unloaded, the receipts, invoices, inventory/item count and time and place of delivery can be printed on the spot for the delivery person. If the customer has a similar system, then they can both derive the automatic, real time delivery information and immediately issue orders for further disposition of this material.
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| Is there any ROI to be gained through cost-sharing of recurring costs and |
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| interoperability of systems? |
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Cost sharing of recurring costs and interoperability of systems can often produce the ROI not available when a single entity deploys an active RFID system.
Supply chain is often limited to the shipping and storage (warehousing) of goods. However, the cost of RFID is often too high for a single handler to pay. The value in ROI can be attained and shared if the supply chain model is extended from manufacturer to retailer. For instance, if a tag was placed into all high value goods (such as high-priced televisions, for instance) at the point of manufacture, then the producer gets supply chain and manufacturing visibility, the shipper gets ITV and security, the distributor gets all of the above plus higher throughput, and the retailer gets it all including real-time presence detection and general location as well. Sharing the cost of a $10.00 tag over 5 separate enterprises results in a $2.00 tag price for each of the end users.
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| When seeking to improve visibility, what should one look for? |
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It is necessary to have visibility in the mobile environment and not just in fixed installation chokepoints.
Many organizations say that handling errors and exceptions is a disproportionately costly part of their business. RFID improves exception handling. The ability to quickly identify and track exceptions, including special orders, saves time and money. If you are looking at a work-in-progress tracking application, then RFID can help track at what point products are pulled off the line and help guarantee they go back to the right cell.
What's more, having automated methods of capturing the location of assets leads to more accurate physical inventory, which means less time spent looking for lost, or misplaced items, improved accuracy in internal systems, and better forecasting.
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| How do you determine the right benefit level in an RFID deployment? |
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To make the right cost-benefit decisions an organization needs to look at its business environment and organizational readiness for innovation. Calculation of the benefits due to RFID deployment requires a compilation of the savings across the enterprise-wide business process. The proper calculation means breaking down the result into components. For example, in a container-tracking environment it is necessary to break down ‘better supply chain visibility' into its components such as reduction in safety stock, reduction in (inventory) pipeline, reduction in service charges, administrative savings, and reduction in pilferage/losses.
In analyzing the ROI, it helps to think outside of the box. It is not sufficient to think of what items should be tagged. Rather it is important to describe the process items undergo and then to think about how a modified process would save money. Does the enterprise require field data? Do choke points exist where data can be obtained? Is pallet-level aggregation and tracking useful in addition to item level tracking? Is environmental data useful? Here is a brief list of some specific places to look for ROI:
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• Labor intensive processes or processes with a bottleneck: Consider how RFID's non-line of sight capability or the ability to scan more rapidly, or even non-sequentially, can reduce the time required for various routine processes. Consider the ability to achieve singularity of tag reads as a means of improving the information gleaned. Active RFID enables both area and singular overages.
• Areas of product loss and high shrinkage. In this instance, can costs be shared?
• Tracking in rugged, harsh environments where bar-codes do not hold up. Especially true of outdoor usage. In fact, consider the cost of bar code replacement which is not a few cents. The total costs involve labor to find the item, ensure the correct replacement ID and re-entering the data into the system. |
Since one primary benefit to RFID is asset visibility, a logical start is to focus on the order fulfillment processes. Anytime anyone touches a product, are they touching the right product for the right reason, at the right time, doing the right thing with it, and putting it in the right place? One company going through this process had facilities with more than 100 truckloads of outbound product per day, so their goal became to accelerate the order fulfillment processes. Another goal was to ensure that their customers are getting what was ordered with an even lower error rate than their current low rate.
But the challenge is not with putting RFID tags on every shipping container, pallet, and case traveling around the world. The challenge is building the systems that make decisions based on asset visibility events. Such events occur not only in your own company's supply chain, but in your trading partners' supply chains, and all the ripple effects those events create.
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| How do you calculate the cost of an RFID installation? |
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The costs involved in implementing an RFID system can be broken down into three categories: hardware (tags, readers, antenna, and software); creation or upgrade of middleware and other applications, and services (installation, tuning, component integration, training, maintenance and support, and business process re-engineering).
Tag cost can be a considerable issue in an RFID deployment, as the actual cost of a tag depends on its configuration features and capabilities. With active RFID, tags should not be considered recurring cost as tags can last 5-12 years with indefinite re-use. If you can realize a $40.00/hour cost reduction over a year, then the savings amounts to $10,000.00 annually!
In a closed-loop environment the tags are re-used again and again, and so the initial cost of a tag must be factored in with the number of times or the number of years the tag will be used. So, for instance, instead of purchasing a 15-cent passive tag that can be used just once, a decision maker decides to purchase active tags at a cost of around 15 dollars each. Although the acquisition cost of the active tag is initially 100 times higher than its passive counterpart, the active tag can be used thousands and even tens of thousands of times, over a period of often more than ten years, which therefore brings the cost of the active tag down to just a fraction of what the passive tag actually costs.
If the decision to use active tags is taken at the enterprise level, then it is essential to plan for the growth of usage over a long time period. One way to realize the potential is too ensure that a single function tag is not considered. For example, if the usage first recognized is for a beacon tag which merely “transmits” once every several seconds, then it is likely that a reader to receive these signals can be purchased and installed at a very low cost. However, if the future applications may require that the readers be transceivers for bi-directional RF communications, then cost will increase only fractionally but the future is secured. Taking this even further, one installation incorporated beacon tags and then added bi-directional RF and then added WiFi connectivity. We strongly recommend that such fixed infrastructure decisions be made with the growth in communication needs accounted for at the beginning.
The consideration for mobile devices to enable operation at any point in the supply chain must also be considered at this point. For instance, the ability to retain bar code reads, to read/write data to tags, to obtain RF communications remotely, the ability to achieve singularity of operations as well as wide-area modality and the ability to affect either docked, WiFi or cellular data linkages should be considered. Some suppliers offer the totality of such operations by combining proprietary tag communications with ubiquitous PDT/PDAs.
Having installed fixed infrastructure the need for middleware/software must then be considered. Enterprises will often utilize third party providers for the maintenance of the database and IT apparatus. If this is the case, then the only requirement for the RFID provider should be the ability to provide a proper Software Interface Specification from which reader/data control can be realized. However, in the case where third party software is not installed and running it is essential to purchase the system with the essential data and protocols inherent in the system. Such basics would include the tag, reader, interrogator/trigger ID, time and date stamp and data payload. Be sure and factor in the cost of software licenses and data/tag recurring costs which will not be offered up front by all suppliers.
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| What are some of the applications that implement active RFID today? |
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Active RFID is currently being used in a wide range of applications. By nature, active RFID is deployed whenever and wherever users need a very high degree of accuracy in tracking high-value assets. Here are just a few examples of active RFID deployments currently underway:
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Location |
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Healthcare |
People, assets, conveyances, vehicles |
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Military |
Assets, consumables, vehicles, conveyances |
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Smart and Secure Tradelanes Initiative |
Intermodal containers |
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Other logistics |
Items, assets, vehicles, conveyances |
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Passenger transportation/automotive |
Vehicle, presence and computer access, vehicles, assets, ticketing
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Correctional facilities and parole services |
People |
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Consumer goods and retail |
Items, assets, conveyances, vehicles |
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Postal and courier |
Items, assets, conveyances, vehicles |
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Leisure |
People |
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| What other technologies are being used or combined with active RFID? |
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There are many systems, devices, and interfaces that are currently being used – or soon will be – used or combined with active RFID in small portable devices. In addition to Active RFID Systems, Inc.'s line of active tags that incorporate WiFi, infrared, and Zigbee capabilities, others include GPS, GSM, Bluetooth, WiMax and Near-Field Communications (NFC).
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| How can we ensure that the solution we pick can accommodate enterprise |
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| growth and change? |
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The most important part of this decision is proper planning. The first step is to realize that the attributes being sought for an RFID system should be determined at the Enterprise level. A list of all the functionality required should be generated. For instance, if you need to track warehouse locations, read & write to pallet level tags, track pallets you can use a single type of tag. If you add the ability to effect bi-directional RF communications with tags placed inside containers you now have defined a need for two types of tags. If you now add the requirement for network data throughput to a centralized database you have added a third significant requirement. It is essential to choose a supplier that can meet all of these diverse requirements with a system that is both inter operable as well as having a growth capability to expand even further. Active RFID Systems, Inc. has developed the entire product line to facilitate such diversity.
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