CASAGRAS Open Seminar

1

• CASAGRAS Open Seminar
• 1th December 2008, Shanghai
• The role of RFID within the Internet of Things
• Eldor Walk, FEIG Electronic GmbH

2
RFID and the Internet of Things

• Introduction and Definitions
• Applications
• RFID Key Characteristics
• Categories of RFID Systems
• Standards and Regulations
• Summary

3
Introduction and Definitions

• Radio Frequency Identification
• Radio frequency or wireless communication used
  for
• identification purposes
• Internet of Things
• refers to a network of real world or real world
  related objects
• RFID connects the real world to the Internet

4
Applications

• CE RFID, a project funded by the European
  Commission, developed the RFID Reference Model
• The RFID Reference Model
• Designed to structure RFID applications
• Differentiates RFID application fields as mainly
  object tagging and tagging with reference or
  potential reference to individuals
• Model defines 40 RFID applications (called
  subcategories) summed up to 8 Application
  Fields

5
The RFID Reference Model
6
RFID Reference Model
http//www.rfid-in-action.eu/internal/documents/co
py_of_rfid-reference-model/ce-rfid-brochure-refere
nce-model
7
Applications

• Library
• Inventory management
• Self checkout and return of books and media
• Remote check of availability

8
Applications

• Logistics
• Tracking and tracing
• Inventory management
• Automated goods receiving and shipment

9
Applications

• Health care
• Real-time inventory management
• Monitoring of equipment
• Patient safety

10
Applications

• Public transport
• Electronic fare management
• Toll collection
• Airline baggage tracking

11
RFID and the Internet of Things

• Introduction and Definitions
• Applications
• RFID Key Characteristics
• Categories of RFID Systems
• Standards and Regulations
• Summary

12
RFID Key Characteristics related to the Internet
of Things

• Wireless connection
• Object-connected data

13
Wireless connection

• Information exchange by electromagnetic radio
  link
• Allows mobility of connected objects
• Basically no line of sight is necessary to be
  connected
• Multiple simultaneous connections
• Different frequency bands, UHF and HF, offer
  different properties

14
System Characteristics and Environmental Effects

• Communication zones
• Reflection
• Penetration
• Multiple reading

15
Communication zones
Basic layout of communication zones
Inductive system, e.g. 13.56 MHz
Antenna
Electromagnetic system, e.g. UHF
16
Reflections

• Communication zone
• of an UHF system
• without reflections

top view
side view
Communication zone with ground reflections
17
Penetration

• No necessity of line-of-sight
• Limited by absorption effects

Multiple Reading
18
Object-connected data

• Simple RFID tags carry only an identification
  code
• More sophisticated tags can carry any kind of
  digital data and content.

19
Object-connected data

• support the management or processing of any kind
  of a variety of entities
• Raw material
• Components
• Sub-assemblies
• Products
• Packages
• Pallets
• Containers
• Animals and human beings

20
RFID and the Internet of Things

• Introduction and Definitions
• Applications
• RFID Key Characteristics
• Categories of RFID Systems
• Standards and Regulations
• Summary

21
Categories of RFID Systems

• Passive RFID tags
• Active RFID tags
• Sensor tags
• Sensor nodes
• Combination of RFID and other technologies

22
Passive RFID tags

• Two main components
• Fixed or variable data memory
• Radio frontend

23
Active RFID tags

• Additional components
• Battery
• Processing Unit

24
Sensor tags

• Important components
• Sensor
• A/D converter

25
Sensor nodes

• Sensor tag plus a microcontroller
• Communication links to other sensor nodes and
  readers

26
Combination of RFID and other technologies

• Mobile RFID applications
• Information services
• Mobile payment

27
RFID and the Internet of Things

• Introduction and Definitions
• Applications
• RFID Key Characteristics
• Categories of RFID Systems
• Standards and Regulations
• Summary

28
Standards and Regulations

• Categories
• Important IoT related standards and regulations
• Challenges

29
Categories of Standards and Regulations

• Regulation
• Regional or national regulations, directives,
  decisions
• Standards
• Air interface protocols
• Data standards
• Network standards
• Application standards

30
Important IoT related Standards

• Frequency specifications and air interface
  protocols
• Tag data standards such as identifiers and codes
• Network standards (naming, addressing and
  querying the real world)

31
Challenges

• Adequate frequency spectrum for passive and
  active tags, sensor tags and sensor networks
• Interoperability between different edge
  technologies like RFID and barcode
• Interoperability between data structure and
  network standards of different formal and
  industry standardisation organisations
• Suitable security standards and guidelines.
  Different application areas need a different
  level of security.

32
RFID and the Internet of Things

• Introduction and Definitions
• Applications
• RFID Key Characteristics
• Categories of RFID Systems
• Standards and Regulations
• Summary

33
The role of RFID within the Internet of Things

• Enabling technology for the Internet of Things
• RFID connects the Internet to the real world
• RFID makes items smart and able to communicate
  with their environment
• RFID is a framework for a wide range of
  applications

34
Thank you !
Eldor Walk eldor.walk_at_feig.de Feig Electronic
GmbH www.feig.de