RFID Information Sources

Introduction

Radio Frequency identification systems are used in a large number of commercial markets including: consumer goods, manufacturing, automotive, health care, electronics, transportation, telecommunications, chemical, textiles, shipping, warehousing and distribution, military and government, food packaging and distribution, aerospace, education, security, construction, entertainment, hospitality, and retail.

Some typical commercial applications include:

• Automatic fare collection on bridges, toll roads, and public transit
• Wireless pay-at-the-pump payment programs like exxonmobil speedpass.
• Hands-free access control security systems in offices and factories
• Competitors in marathon races sometimes wear an RFID tag in their shoelaces for identification along the course and at the instant they cross the finish line.
• Reading the entire contents of mixed pallets all at once during material handling operations.
• Identifying returnable packaging material.  Automatically recording materials shipped and finding material in shipping yards or docks stacked with thousands of items belonging to dozens of companies.
• Prescription bottles used by the blind and vision impaired are tagged.  Reading devices identify the contents and then, using text-to-speech conversion software, “speak” the drug contents and  dosage instructions to the patient.
• In healthcare, RFID is commonly used on patient wristbands to provide tamper-proof, accurate identification for facility access control and security. Alzheimer’s disease facilities install RFID readers at all their doors to lock and sound alarms automatically if patients try to wander through.
• Amusement parks and recreational facilities provide RFID wristbands to control or limit access to certain locations and track people.
• RFID cards or wristbands have also be used for a cashless payment systems, where guests prepay and load the monetary value onto the card. Because the card is rewritable, guests can recharge the card after the stored value has been depleted.
• RFID tags are used for work-in-process tracking.
• Libraries and video stores around the world have implemented RFID to speed check-in, checkout, shelf inventory, and security applications.
• Tags on clothing items taken into dressing rooms automatically identify all of the items taken into the rooms and display additional information about each item on a touch screen monitor.
• The US uses RFID to track rail cars.
• Farmers use RFID to track livestock.
• Pets are tracked using RFID injectable tags.

RFID Codes

An RFID code is a unique number, or combination of numbers and characters, that identify a specific item.  The RFID code is stored in a radio frequency identification tag.  The following commercial companies are involved with the issue and coordination of RFID codes.

EPCglobal (www.epcglobalinc.org)

The Electronic Product Code (EPC) is a unique number authorized by EPCglobal that identifies a specific item in the commercial product supply chain. The EPC is stored on a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

RFID Tags

An RFID Tag is an electronic memory and communications device that can store an RFID Code and communicate this code to an RFID interrogator using radio frequency communications.  The following commercial companies issue and coordination of RFID Tags. (This is not a comprehensive list.)

ACCU-SORT SYSTEMS INC

http://www.accusort.com/

ACG Identification Technologies is considered one of the fastest growing smart card companies that has evolved into Leading RFID Services Company. We offer a comprehensive RFID Reader Product Family to include our recently Announced Multitag Readers. Together, we bundle the demand for components on behalf of semiconductor manufacturers with our in house RFID expertise to offer design and support services along with cost effective RFID solutions to our customers.

ACG IDENTIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES US

http://www.acg.de/

ACG Identification Technologies is considered one of the fastest growing smart card companies that has evolved into Leading RFID Services Company. We offer a comprehensive RFID Reader Product Family to include our recently Announced Multitag Readers. Together, we bundle the demand for components on behalf of semiconductor manufacturers with our in house RFID expertise to offer design and support services along with cost effective RFID solutions to our customers.

ACSIS INC.

Acsis Inc. product DataPass provides turnkey data collection/barcode solutions for ERP Application Software. DataPass also employs RFID technology, which offers significant advancements in the identification, tracking and control of valuable assets, making information from the entire supply chain - from data on raw materials to products on the retail floor - more readily accessible to decision makers.

Glossary

A glossary of RFID terminology can be found on the Texas Instruments RFID site:

http://www.ti.com/tiris/docs/manuals/termabbs.pdf

An additional 25 pages of pertinent companies are listed.

Additional Sections

Two additional report sections follow this one. They are duplicates of sections in the Technology Summary.

Abbreviations

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