RFID Networking Solution Enables Single Reader to Support Thousands of Antennae
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Item-level “smart shelf,” invisible to the user
and powered by Intelligent Systems technology, was first tested at
Tesco in the U.K., in the selling of DVDs. |
Intelligent Systems, a division of MeadWestvaco, is offering its integrated
RFID networking infrastructure solution, featuring software and hardware
components that enable the cost-effective deployment and management of scalable
RFID item-level tracking solutions, according to the manufacturer.
The company’s networked RFID software offering comprises several elements.
ItemAuthority offers a centralized, enterprise-level EPC number management system
and data repository, while ItemTrack is a distributed RFID management software application
that reads, writes, and associates RFID tags with specific SKUs, and then associates
the items with the appropriate case and pallets to establish an item’s e-pedigree,
thus providing secure tracking throughout the supply chain, says the company.
IntelliManager is an in-store and enterprise-level network management application
within the system, while IntelliServices is a cross-platform, Web services RFID
infrastructure designed to facilitate integration with legacy systems.
Intelligent Systems’ RF/data networking devices
include RF and data routing and switching capabilities, which enable highly
distributed antenna networking, thus making it possible to support hundreds
to thousands of antennae with a single reader.
The company’s technology is frequency-, tag-,
and reader-agnostic, says the manufacturer. Its products support either
HF 13.56-MHz or UHF 850- to 950-MHz frequency ranges, and interoperate with
tags and readers from most RFID manufacturers. Further, device management
is fully compatible with the standards under development by EPCglobal and
ISO.
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Download a detailed white paper about the new technology
from Intelligent Systems and technology partner R4 Global Solutions
here.
First Gen 2-Compliant System Introduced by Impinj
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The GrandPrix Gen 2 solution
offers a 15 tags/sec write rate, the fastest in the industry, says
Impinj chief executive Bill Colleran (left, holding silicon wafer). |
Impinj, Inc. has announced the release of
its GrandPrix solution, a high-performance Gen 2-compliant RFID system
that supports all features of the EPCglobal Generation 2 protocol.
GrandPrix is built around Impinj’s Monza Gen 2 RFID tag chip and Speedway
multi-protocol reader platform. Monza, the world’s first 100% Gen 2-compliant
and certifiable RFID tag chip, implements all mandatory features of
the Gen 2 standard, is sampling today, and will be in full production by the
end of Q2, according to the manufacturer.
The robust tag chip features an eight-meter read range and
six-meter write range, with a 15 tags/sec write rate–the fastest in the industry,
say Impinj officials. The Monza tag, which is 100% tested by the manufacturer
to ensure reliability, also features proprietary noise filtration capability
that rejects interference.
Impinj’s Speedway reader platform, designed to support Gen 2 as well as Class
0 and Class 1 UHF RFID protocols, eliminates ghost reads and supports the most challenging
operating modes of the Gen 2 protocol– dense-reader environments and
640-kbps tag data rates. It offers a read rate of more than 1,500 tags/sec.
Say Impinj officials, Monza will be available in chip, inlay,
or label form both from Impinj as well as its manufacturing partners; likewise,
the Speedway reader platform is available for license to Impinj’s reader
and manufacturing partners. Both system components have been engineered to
be low-cost, says the manufacturer.
Impinj’s existing RFID product line includes its ZumaRFID tag, a rewriteable
Class 0 offering with long-range, high-speed readability and rewriteability.
According to Impinj, ZumaRFID has up to 144 bits of lockable user memory,
and includes consumer privacy features such as the ability to disable fielded
tags.
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Quick-Turnaround Offering Delivered in One Week
Sun Microsystems offers a complete, entry-level solution
for suppliers that need an immediate RFID solution, say company officials.
The Sun Java System RFID Tag and Ship Solution provides a cost-effective
way to meet the minimum requirements set forth in many RFID mandates,
say Sun officials. A complete solution–including
on-site assessment, planning, hardware, software, integration and configuration,
and user training–is typically delivered in one week’s time. The
Java system is a standalone station configuration that processes individual
cases or pallets at a rate of one to two seconds per unit. Throughput
can be increased by adding more stations.
The solution is based on open APIs and standards,
including Electronic Product Codes (EPC) from EPCglobal. The Java
system RFID software and Sun 2100z Opteron workstation with flat-panel
monitor provides the foundation for the overall solution. Integrated
software adapters are available for all major RFID readers. A barcode
scanner reads the existing case or pallet barcode; the software translates
this into a unique EPC code. An RFID printer creates an EPC tag, which
is placed on the products. An RFID reader and antenna verifies the
tag as the product is queued for shipment. Once the shipping order
is closed, the software generates and transmits an advanced shipping
notification.
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Battery-Assisted RFID Label System Improves Reliability
Power Paper Ltd. showcases its PowerID System, a turnkey
RFID system that improves the reliability of remote monitoring, processing,
and transmitting data in the supply chain and other environments.
Designed to provide Fortune 500 companies with the tools needed to
comply with recent RFID mandates from leading U.S. retailers and government
offices, the PowerID System contains UHF-based, battery-assisted backscatter
labels, readers, and system software that integrates into and complements
existing enterprise software, say Power Paper officials. PowerID’s
battery-assisted backscatter labels (semi-passive or semi-active) combine
the best features of both active tags and passive backscatter labels,
according to the company. The labels provide a reading distance of
up to 60 feet in tough RF environments for supply chain and asset management,
transport and logistics applications, and works-in-progress production
environments, claim company officials. In hostile RF environments,
including metal containers filled with fragrance liquid, aluminum cartons,
canned foods, and a variety of liquids, oils, and detergent products,
PowerID achieved 100% reading reliability at vastly extended ranges,
states the company. PowerID also solves the problem of reading labels
set at different angles and sandwiched in-between crates.
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Operational Expertise Paired with RFID
Menlo Worldwide debuts two RFID compliance solutions:
Tag & Ship,
and Tag & Ship
Plus. These packages combine Menlo’s supply chain and operational expertise
with leading RFID technology to enable customers to attain compliance
with RFID supply chain mandates, says the manufacturer. Menlo officials state
that the company’s
solutions include all of the necessary software, RFID hardware, configuration,
services, and training to help customers put together a completely RFID-compliant
operation. With Tag & Ship, RFID tags are applied according to compliance
specifications at the case and pallet level. Tag & Ship Plus provides
RFID shipping portals for final tag verification during the shipping process.
The additional reporting feature that comes with Tag & Ship Plus allows
customers to produce various reports to improve overall compliance performance
and tracking, says Menlo. Both offerings are powered by Shipcom’s Catamaran
software, which may be expanded as business and RFID needs grow.
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RFID Solution Improves Accuracy Of Production Data
Brooks Software showcases its comprehensive manufacturing
RFID solution for aerospace and defense, automotive, medical device,
and other discrete manufacturing industries. The solution set extends
from tag readers to automation execution, and enables real-time operational
data to be integrated into ERP, supply chain management, and other
enterprise applications. The solution includes RFID readers that have
been widely implemented in mission-critical environments over the
past 10 years. Additionally, Brooks middleware provides RFID reader
and event management, tracking the physical location of material and
mobile equipment, as well as the relationships between tagged and
virtual objects. Say company officials, the middleware also supports
read/write capabilities for higher-capacity RFID tags. Event and state
data from RFID readers, ERP, warehouse management systems, and other
enterprise software systems is collected and cross-referenced in Brooks’ temporal data repository.
Brooks provides a temporal reporting tool that shows a complete view
of a manufacturer’s operation at any
instant in time, says the company.
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All-In-One Kit Makes RFID Plug-and-Play, Says Firm
Richardson Electronics offers a ready-to-use RFID systems
developer, making RFID almost plug-and-play, says the manufacturer.
The company’s
all-in-one kit features a total system solution, which includes tags,
antenna, WJ Communications reader engine PCMCIA card (Gen 2 upgradeable),
UHF 903- to 928-MHz (US ISM) operating level, Windows and Windows CE
compatibility, CD-ROM user guide and demo software, and a technical
support hotline.
Select Reader Service 2026
Product and Service Package Prepares Suppliers for
RFID
Alien Technology features its RFID Ready Kit for Retail,
a product and service package designed to assist suppliers in preparing
to meet retail mandates for RFID. The package includes Alien EPC
RFID readers, antennas, and tags, as well as training, services,
and information needed for the successful planning and deployment
of RFID, say company officials. Additionally, Alien’s RFID Academy
training course provides a two-day intensive experience with hands-on
application of RFID. The Academy offers training on RFID, from hardware
and software to retail use-case assessment and experimentation in
the Alien Customer Solution Center. As follow-up, additional training
includes an overview of the retail compliance use case, performance
metrics, and lessons learned. Together, retail suppliers and the Alien
consultant design a solution and implementation strategy suited to
a user’s specific needs.
Included in the kit is an Alien Gen2 Ready Reader, with the option
of the EPC Class 1 high-performance package or EPC Class 0/1 flexibility
package. Both packages include 96-user-bit EPC Class 1 RFID labels,
antennas, and accessories. Further, a software developer kit provides
documentation including a hardware set-up guide, reader interface guide
with API definitions, and hardware technical specifications.
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Compliance
Solution for Low-Volume Retail Suppliers
Franwell, Inc.’s entry-level
RFID Genesis Lite compliance solution enables low-volume suppliers
to comply with retail mandates easily and in a cost-effective manner,
says the company. The offering, designed to be utilized by companies
that need to ship RFID-tagged cases and pallets but are not ready
for a complete rollout, consists of software and the following hardware:
multi-protocol RF reader, antenna, cables, and 200 RFID tags (EPC
Classes 0, 0+, 1). Additionally, Franwell offers two-day on-site training
and implementation instruction. The solution enables encoding and
validation of product for $6,500, an economically reasonable expenditure
compared to the larger investment of full-scale deployment, say company
officials. Organizations that use RFID Genesis Lite can receive full
benefit from their RFID software by upgrading to the standard version
at a later date. Also, the RFID Genesis database enables efficient
operation as a standalone unit, or it can be integrated within a company’s
legacy system.
Select Reader Service 2028
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