NEWS DESK

RFID Patent Pool Signals Turning Point for Industry

Eight major RFID players sign on as core members of the consortium
An intellectual property (IP) licensing consortium (or "patent pool") has been announced that currently includes about 20 RFID vendors. Similar to the successful patent licensing consortium created for the DVD and MPEG-2 industries, the plan is to manage patents and eliminate confusion. The consortium's intention is to give a structure for holders of necessary RFID patents to be properly compensated for those patents at a reasonable cost to the end-user. This should help promote the implementation of RFID.

The agreement aims to simplify users' access to RFID intellectual property. Patents related to UHF RFID systems based on both EPC and ISO will be covered under the agreement. The group's licensing work will be complementary to and supportive of the EPC Gen 2 standards developed by EPCglobal.

An efficient patent management approach would be established under the consortium that would offer patent holders competitive benefits by assimilating technologies and reducing transaction costs. This can relieve customers from having to deal with the burden and expense of licensing agreements. A single license will be accessible to interested companies through which all essential RFID patents owned by consortium members can be obtained.

Eight companies have signed term sheets to become members of the consortium: Alien Technology, Symbol Technologies, Avery Dennison, ThingMagic, Moore Wallace, Applied Wireless Identification Group, Tyco Fire & Security, and Zebra Technologies. One notable absence is Intermec who has control over a significant number of patents (around 140) and has yet to declare whether or not to join the pool. It began its own licensing program earlier this year, called Rapid Start. Regardless, the patent pool will move forward.

The consortium needs to receive approval from the Department of Justice, which will be looking for anti-trust concerns. It will submit its licensing plan to the Department of Justice for formal business review. Bell, Boyd & Lloyd LLC attorneys William Dolan and Christopher Bloom are acting as special counsel.

ABI Research claims that if silicon manufacturers such as Texas Instruments and Philips gain charter membership to the consortium, it will help the pool to gain credibility. More companies that have not joined the pool have either attended meetings or are in the process of joining. Any companies or individuals with RFID patents are urged to join the proposed patent pool.

Additional companies involved in, and supportive of, the consortium include Magellan Technology Pty Ltd., Precisia LLC, Printronix Inc. and others. An RFID patent pool website is in development to provide further details and background about the consortium. In the interim, for information about joining the consortium, e-mail rfidlicensing@comcast.net or call 312-807-4399.

EPCglobal Meeting Holds Gen 2 Technology Demo

Zebra Technologies recently collaborated with Texas Instruments and ThingMagic to demonstrate EPC Gen 2 tags from Texas Instrument in a Zebra printer/encoder during the EPCglobal Fast Moving Consumer Goods Business Action Group meeting in Houston, TX. Zebra is the only company to successfully demonstrate printer/encoder communication with Gen 2 inlays from several leading suppliers.

The demonstration featured Zebra's R110Xi printer/encoder embedded with ThingMagic's RFID reader module and Texas Instruments' EPC Gen 2 inlays incorporated into label rolls. Demonstrating a print-on-demand solution using rolls of commercially available Gen 2 tags (designed for high-volume label conversion and printing) is something only Zebra has been able to accomplish successfully. Zebra's R110Xi and R170Xi are the only printer/encoders to embed ThingMagic's Mercury4e RFID reader module, which uses advanced software radio technology to read and encode most EPC tags without compromising the performance. The distinctive software architecture of the reader allows remote firmware upgrades for new tags and protocols, as displayed with Texas Instruments' Gen 2 inlays.

"The success of this demonstration and the tenfold performance improvement of Gen 2 over Gen 1 prove that this new global standard is ready for CPG and retailer transition and adoption," says Julie England, Vice President of Texas Instruments and General Manager of TI RFID Systems.

NCR Expands its RFID Demonstration Center

NCR Corporation plans to open a newly expanded RFID demonstration center called TransitionWorks in Atlanta, GA, in September. The center will serve to facilitate concept development learning while emphasizing the company's end-to-end RFID capabilities. Also being planned for the near future are centers in Europe and Asia.

"NCR's vision for this center is to provide a resource for manufacturers and retailers as they transition to a new era of business solutions marked by the application of RFID technology," says NCR Vice President for RFID Solutions, John Greaves. "TransitionWorks will focus on developing new concepts and solutions, as well as on providing an opportunity for NCR's clients and partners to learn about the possibilities, best practices, and pitfalls associated with implementing RFID in their businesses."

NCR's portfolio of current or soon-to-be-announced RFID solutions and services provide end-to-end service with comprehensive global consulting services, a UHF Gen 2 reader, a middleware solution, hand-held RFID scanners, an RFID labeling solution, and data warehousing solutions.

HK Systems Starts VAR Partnership with SAMSys

HK Systems, a provider of logistics management and RFID solutions, announced a value-added reseller (VAR) partnership with SAMSys Technologies Inc., an international provider of RFID hardware solutions. The agreement states that HK Systems will offer SAMSys RFID reader and antenna equipment as part of their integrated RFID solutions.

SAMSys RFID readers can support multiple protocols and frequencies, offering the most options in tag selection and adaptability to regional regulations. SAMSys has just released the first reader in the industry that can read tags that comply with the EPC Gen 2 standard, while also supporting first-generation tag protocols to enable organizations to deploy Gen 2 tags alongside previous RFID installations without having to alter the entire tag infrastructure. Because of these and other features, SAMSys readers can be used in contrasting EPC application environments with varying RFID technologies.

ADT Chosen for RFID Drug Tracking Pilot Program of Cephalon

ADT Security Services, a unit of Tyco Fire & Security, has agreed to develop an RFID pilot program for Cephalon, Inc., an international biopharmaceutical company. The program will track branded pharmaceuticals throughout the supply chain, providing complete visibility of the goods as they travel from the manufacturer though the pharmaceutical supply chain to the consumers.

The use of RFID technology will enable the company to not only track the movement of its products, but also manage inventories and ensure that the consumers are getting the correct prescriptions. The use of the RFID system will satisfy major retailers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, who have been requesting that the tagging system be implemented. ADT will supply its Sensormatic Agile 2 readers and antennae, as well as comprehensive testing services, such as RFID label preparation, evaluation, and placement. Optimum performance of the system will be guaranteed by ADT's compliance lab testing the conveyors, portals, and dock doors.

Videojet Web Site Has Coding Information in Easy-To-Use Format

Videojet Technologies Inc. has launched a redesigned and streamlined Website, www.videojet.com, that allows visitors to quickly and easily find information on marking and coding solutions for many applications. There is a section dedicated to the consumer packaged goods market that gives fine points on appropriate coding technologies and case studies of customers who solved coding problems.

Brochures, case studies, whitepapers, and material safety data sheets are now searchable and easier to locate. The site also includes information on training opportunities and a locator of local dealers from Videojet's service and support network. The Web site also provides access to VideojetDirect.com, the online tool for ordering Videojet parts and supplies. It provides 24/7 access to account data on purchases for invoices, payment history, and order status.

Lockheed Martin Chooses Zebra for RFID Labels

Zebra Technologies has been awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin Corp. to provide RFID label printer/encoders, media, and printer management software. Lockheed Martin, the largest U.S. defense contractor, will use Zebra's equipment and supplies to generate smart labels for items it ships to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), satisfying the DoD's RFID requirements.

Some of the products that Zebra will provide Lockheed Martin include RFID printer/encoders, smart label media, and ZebraNet Bridge software for printer management. Zebra and Lockheed Martin previously agreed to jointly market Lockheed Martin's I-GUIDES software to help suppliers meet DoD Unique Identifier (UID) marking requirements. Lockheed Martin will use I-GUIDES software with the new Zebra printers. EPCglobal Class 1 RFID labels will be created first, and then Lockheed Martin will transfer to EPC Gen 2 in accordance with DoD requirements.

U.S. Army Awards CODEplus Software Purchasing Agreement

The U.S. Army has awarded CODEplus, Inc., with a blanket purchasing agreement for the acquisition of passive RFID integration software and technical engineering services. The agreement provides the U.S. Army with a contract vehicle to leverage CODEplus' expertise as a leading RFID solutions and service provider. The agreement is part of an effort to improve the Department of Defense's logistic processes and operations and help meet its RFID mandates.

The blanket purchasing agreement spans two years. It can be used to issue various RFID-related task orders, each with a ceiling of up to $5 million. The terms of the agreement are that CODEplus will provide the Army with its eManageIT™ RFID Tag & Ship Solution, eManageIT™ RFID Network Health Monitor, and technical engineering services that include software development, system integration, training, and deployment. The eManageIt™ RFID solutions are designed to read and write both 64- and 96-bit tags, and they offer a flawless migration path from UHF Gen 1 to EPC Gen 2 technology.

Printronix Forms Alliance with Microsoft

Printronix's alliance with Microsoft involves contributing RFID printers to Microsoft's technology centers throughout the world. The contributions are designed to enable Mircrosoft customers to replicate real world RFID application in a lab environment.

"Microsoft believes that RFID is a powerful technology that will add significant value to customers. Our vision is to develop leading technology and align ourselves with industry-leading hardware providers to ensure that we have a cohesive ecosystem for our customers," says Ted Kummert, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft Corp., regarding the alliance of Printronix and Microsoft. Andy Chapman, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Product Marketing and Chief Technology Officer of Printronix adds: "Microsoft is using its vast technology expertise and developer network so companies worldwide will be able to track and ship merchandise more effectively using RFID, and we're eager to share our RFID encoding and printing knowledge with the Microsoft community."

Lowry Computer Products And Texas Instruments To Make Gen 2 RFID Labels

Lowry Computer Products Inc., a provider of wireless, RFID, bar code, and data collection solutions, announced an agreement with Texas Instruments Inc. to utilize Lowry's label conversion facility to integrate TI's EPC Gen 2 inlays into its Smart Trac™ RFID labels. These will be used in retail and Department of Defense RFID supply chain applications.

The EPC Gen 2 standard is the newest and most advanced of the RFID specifications for the UHF band. The tags feature multiple read/write capabilities and can communicate equally well with readers operating at various frequencies between 860 MHz and 930 MHz, including UHF reader frequencies used in North America and Europe. They exhibit an improved performance in denser reader environments, and there is no need to apply different types of tags on goods based on their destinations.

Sato Introduces Special Contracts and Warranties

SATO America announces the introduction of its Direct-to-Factory Service Contracts and extended warranties. The benefits of the SATO Direct-to-Factory Service Contracts are: discounts for multiple printers (10 or more), fixed service costs, guaranteed turnaround time of five days or less from date of receipt, free preventative maintenance, free mechanical updates (hardware improvements), free firmware upgrades upon written request, guaranteed use of SATO parts, guaranteed service based on factory standards, and fully warranted repairs.

Now customers can buy SATO Direct-to-Factory Service Contracts on any eligible SATO printers at any time after their purchase. Extended warranties will also be offered at a 10% discount within 60 days of the original printer purchase.