RFID Application Development Next Generation Applications Today

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RFID Application DevelopmentNext Generation
Applications Today

• Prasith Govin
• Pramari

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Introduction

• Who is Pramari?
• Leading US Based RFID Software and Consulting
  Company
• Member of EPCGlobal (Standards Group for RFID)
• Partnered with leading Software Providers (IBM,
  BEA)
• Leading Hardware Partners (AWID, Alien, Identec)
• Real Project Implementations (Gillette, Best Buy,
  UTC, Staples)
• About Prasith
• RFID Veteran with over 7 years in RFID field
• Architect of earliest EPC RFID implementations
  and middleware
• Member of EPC Global Committees for software
  standards
• Subject Matter Expert and Exam Reviewer for RFID
  Certification Exam

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Agenda

• Getting Started
• RFID System Components
• Application Development Process
• The RFID Software Stack
• Standards
• Components
• Benefits of Rifidi
• Rifidi Open Source RFID
• Conclusion

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Implementation Phases
RFID Preparation
Implementation
Full Deployment
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 1

• Determine Strategy
• Review Business Needs
• Identify Project Team
• Identify Current Business Process

• Gather Data on Current System
• Identify Current Business Process
• Develop RFID Business Process
• Implement Top Process (Pilot)

• Full System Implementation
• Company Wide Integration
• Full Volume Tag Testing
• Training and Education

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The Benefit Curve
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System Components

• RFID Tag
• Look at Cost/Value Proposition
• Active vs. Passive Technologies
• Tagging Considerations
• RFID Reader
• Start to look at features for Enterprise
• Simple or Intelligent Readers
• Self Monitoring or Software Integrated
• RFID Software
• Hosts Business Processes and Integrates RFID into
  ERP
• Lets Explore Further !

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Reference Architecture
EPCIS Accessing Application
EPCIS Query Interface
EPCIS Repository
Partner Accessing Applications
EPCIS Capture Interface
EPCIS Capturing Application
ALE Interface
Filtering/Collection Middleware
Reader
Tag
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RFID Application Process
Design
Develop
Test Deploy
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 1

• Design Infrastructure
• Design Business Process on Paper
• Prototype and Analyze
• Study Workflow and Data

• Start Working with Hardware
• Learn Hardware Interface
• Buy Middleware or Write Adapters
• Implement Workflows

• Determine Load and Quantities
• Perform Production Integration
• Full Volume Tag (Item) Testing

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The Development Problem

• RFID and its need for hardware makes regular
  Application Development Harder
• Design requires consideration of Space and
  Infrastructure
• Business Processes need to be built and tried
  requiring expensive labor and time
• Development brings Hardware Costs
• Developer needs to purchase reader and tags to
  establish his test environment. This increases
  the project costs.
• It locks the developer into a specific hardware
  vendor early in the project.
• Large Scale Load Testing is nearly impossible and
  has to be custom written

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Current Tool Landscape
Project Task Java WebServices Dev with J2EE Server RFID Development






Design Service
Design Tools
Manual
ALE Spec, Write Framework, Template
XML Spy WLS Workshop
Build Stubs for Service
Need Reader No Tools
Write code (business logic) unit test
Workshop for Unit Testing
Deploy (Integration Environment)
Real World Test, Troubleshoot
Deployment Tools
Selection of Tools for building scripts,
generating load analysis. Failure tests.
No Tools
Load Test
No Tools
Move to Production
Tools f. running test suites
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Development Summary
Regardless of the Middleware Choices there is
simply a lack of Tools to work efficiently and
cost effectively in an RFID project
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Ideal Development Scenario

• Software that can replicate all RFID Reader
  Functions
• The ability to quickly design new infrastructures
  virtually without having to wait for space and
  resources
• The ability to create and test new business
  processes
• Load Testing Capabilities with buying millions of
  tags and hundreds of Readers

The ability to do all this with Software
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The Rifidi Project
Software Defined RFID

• Key Product Features
• Simulation tool that enables the accurate
  modeling and testing of an RFID environment
• Functions exactly as an RFID reader device, even
  down to the protocol level (TCP/Serial/other)
• Ability to simulate RFID tag events and behavior
• Ability to Perform large scale load tests and
  workflow based tests

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Rifidi Components

• Rifidi Designer
• Visual framework for designing RFID workflows and
  infrastructure
• 3D Simulation IDE to mimic/create real world RFID
  scenarios
• Physics Engine for RFID reader simulations and
  tag reads
• Rifidi Emulator
• Device Emulation Software to simulate RFID
  Readers and Tags
• Eclipse IDE for cross platform development
• Only tool to emulate latest EPC Reader Standard
  (LLRP)
• Rifidi Tag Streamer
• Load Testing tool capable of multiple Readers and
  Large Tag Sets
• Used for Load Testing Workflows and more

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Rifidi Screenshot
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Benefits

• Save hardware cost in development and test
• Allows replication of scenarios outside of
  production
• Issues can be replicated without impact to real
  process
• Processes can be changed virtually
• Repeatable and accurate replication of test cases
• Test cases can be replicated from developer to
  developer
• Reduces ambiguity and errors

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Rifidi - Open Source RFID

• Completely Open Source LGPL Licensed hosted
  on SourceForge and GoogleCode.
• Collaborative effort between corporations and
  universities
• Downloaded over 8,000 times
• Over 60 subscribers to mailing lists
• Over 12 contributing members
• Led by Pramari with Key Contributions from
• FH Regensburg Students and Technical
  Partnership
• University of Arkansas Hardware and Software
  Labs
• IBM Premises Team Involved in Emulator and Tag
  Streamer
• Hardware Companies AWID, Impinj

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Next Steps

• Use Rifidi for your RFID needs
• Learn more from our sites and partners
• Download, Try and Suggest enhancements
• http//www.rifidi.org
• http//sourceforge.net/projects/rifidi
• Get the Source Code
• http//rifidi.googlecode.com
• Stop by for a demonstration from our German
  Engineers

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Pramari

• Questions and Answers