the auto-id center sanjay sarma, research director

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the auto-id center

sanjay sarma, research director

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outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

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What’s wrong with bar-codes?

• Line-of-sight• One-at-a-time• Manual handling• Limited range• Limited data

• Non-line-of-sight• 100(s) at a time• Automatic handling• ~1 meter• 50 bits -Kbits

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Radio frequency identification systems (RFID)

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network with rf tags? yes.

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RFID Example

RFID-Handbook

"Radio-Frequency Identification: Fundamentals and Applications " 1st edition, Wiley and Sons Ltd.ISBN 0-471-98851-0)

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example rfid applications

• Supply chain– Asset tracking, reduce out of stocks, reduce inventory,

reduce bull-whip effect, speed up delivery, check freshness, track and trace, produce to demand, identify sources of diversion, identify counterfeiting, theft prediction, faster recalls

• Consumer applications– Direct order from home, smart appliances, (e.g.

microwave, washing machine, refrigerator), smart healthcare, assisted living

• New and less expected applications– Customized products, smart recycling, checkout-less

stores

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why low cost?

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outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

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low cost rfid

time

5

10

15

20

die

size

/cos

t, ce

nts

handling costSilicon: 4c/mm2

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why is rfid expensive today?

increased chip size greater functionality

reduce functionality(Networking & software)

reduce chip size(handle small chips)

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Cheap protocol

0102030405060708090

100

905 910 915 920

Frequency (MHz)

Noi

se

Gaussian Fit 0.8912 1002 Meters, 4 KHz,SQW, 1 dBm

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context-aware router context-aware

router

context-aware router

context-aware router

sensor

context-aware router

context-aware routercontext-aware

routercontext-aware router

context-aware router

context-aware router

context-aware router

sensor sensor sensor

01. 203D2A. 916E8B. 8719BAE03C

Manufacturer 24 bits

Product 24 bits

Serial Number 40 bitsHeader 8 bits

the hypothesis or bet

• Place unique number on tagElectronic Product Code, EPC64 bit, 96 bit, and upwards

• Develop manufacturing technology for small chips and tags

• Move data on the networkNetwork service for resolving EPCNetwork architecture for gathering and routing data

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Low cost RFID

  Antenna Manufacture

Antenna/IC Assembly

Conversion to Package

End users

IC Manufacture

20¢ 5¢ 5¢ 20¢

IC Design

$X MillionNumber of tags

1-2¢ 1¢ 1¢ 1¢

IC Design

$X Million Billions

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Slicing and Dicing

• Standard saw-dicing wasteful• Instead, use separation

by thinning

C. Landesberger, S. Scherbaum, G. Schwinn, H. Spöhrle: “New Process Scheme for Wafer Thinning and Stress-free Separation of Ultra Thin IC’s,” Proceedings of Microsystems Technologies 2001, Mesago, Stuttgart, pp. 431-436, 2001.

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low cost rf tags

100m

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Fluidic Self Assembly

Courtesy Alien Technology

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vibratory assemblyChip

AssemblyChip

DesignLabel

ConvertingInlet

AssemblySilicon

Manufacturing

Antenna Manufacturin

g

End UserLabel / Tag Manufacturi

ng

Wafer Treatment

Vacuum cylinder

Courtesy Philips

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vibratory Assembly

Chip Assembl

yChip Design

Label Converting

Inlet Assembly

Silicon Manufacturi

ng

Antenna Manufacturin

g

End UserLabel / Tag Manufacturi

ng

Wafer Treatment

Orientation Check

Courtesy Philips

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Antenna

• Screen printing• Etching• Forming

M. Feil, C. Adler, G. Klink & M. König: “Interconnection Techniques for Ultra Thin ICs and MEMS Elements”, Proceedings of Microsystems Technologies 2001, Mesago, Stuttgart, pp. 437-442, 2001.

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conversion

• Paper/package/label industry expertise• Scales well with mass production• Capital equipment expenditure

software

paperhardware

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outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

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how do we obtain the information?

Connect Physical Objects to the Internet

Automatic

Seamless

Low cost

Ubiquitous

Standard

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networking the physical world

RF Tag

Networked Tag Readers

SavantControlSystem

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Architecture: Local

Reader

01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C

Tag Local database

Reader

Local network

DataProcessing

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Architecture: Global

01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C

Reader

Local database

Reader

Local network

Local system

ONS

Internet <PML> <TIME=2000.4.28:10:05.05HRS> <EPC= 01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C > <TEMPERATURE=15 DEG C> </EPC> </TIME></PML>

01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C ????

Quality control specialist

XQL

PML Server

18.72.100.100

18.72.100.100

PML

<PML> … … ... <MaximumTempearture> 40 DEG C </MaximumTempearture> <MinimumTemperature> 5 DEG C </MinimumTempearture></PML>

DataProcessing

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23AB.36C2.AB21.6733

Tag

Reader

Local database

Reader

Local network

Local system

ONS

Internet<PML> <TIME=2000.4.28:10:05.05HRS> <EPC= 01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C > <TEMPERATURE=15 DEG C> </EPC> </TIME></PML>

01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C ????

Quality control specialist

XQL

PML Server

18.72.100.100

18.72.100.100

PML

<PML> … … ... <MaximumTempearture> 40 DEG C </MaximumTempearture> <MinimumTemperature> 5 DEG C </MinimumTempearture></PML>

DataProcessing

01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C

Inference

Temperature OK

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outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

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bull-whip today

RETAILER40

20

00 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36

Week

Orde

rsWHOLESALER

DISTRIBUTOR

FACTORY

Sterman’s control policy

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bull-whip with auto-id technology

RETAILER40

20

00 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36

Week

Orde

rsWHOLESALER

DISTRIBUTOR

FACTORY

Joshi 2000

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Areas of Supply Chain Research

• Strategic• Tactical• Operational Excellence

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Strategic applications

• EvolutionaryTransportation SynchronizationInventory Management AlgorithmsAgile and Lean Supply Chains

Make-To-Stock,Make-To-OrderEngineer-To-Order Environments

• RevolutionaryDistributed Intelligent Products Distributed Business Processes

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application: supply chain management

Global Supply Chain

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Retail applications

• Shrinkage• On-shelf stockout• Customer service• Product recall• Regulatory

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outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

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field trial

COCA COLA BOTTLERCLEVELAND, TN

JOHNSON & JOHNSONOLIVE BRANCH, TN

KRAFT FOODSFORTH WORTH, TX

GILLETTE DIST. CENTERCHICAGO IL

PILOT TEST FACILITYBENTONVILLE, AR

WAL-MART DEPOTBENTONVILLE, AR.

WAL MART STORECLEVELAND, TN

HOME DEPOT

Warehouse Retail Floor Staging Area Retail Floor

UNILIVER DIST. CENTERBALTIMORE, MD

P & G FACTORYCAPE GIRADEAU , MO

SAM'S STORETULSA

P & G DCIOWA CITY, IO

SAM'S DEPOTKANSAS CITY, MO

WAL-MART STOREBROKEN ARROW, OK

Pilot facility is being used as a mini warehouse TBD

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field trial began 1 oct 2001, 9:41am edt

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Field Test Plan

• Phase I, software test: Sep 01 – Feb 02 Successful

• Phase II, open reader test: Ongoing

• Phase III, Cheap tags test

• Phase IV, Japan, Europe

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outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

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Research Issues

• Tag anti-collision• Reader anti-collision• Security and privacy• Advanced sensor networks • Data routing and handling• IC Design• IC manufacturing

Silicon processingChip assembly

• Polymers• Controls/automation• Manufacturing systems• System Synthesis• Supply chain issues

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Sensors

Open tag

Agile reader

Savant

Interoperability

internet

class ii tags

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conclusions

• RFID will happen• Supply chain the first application• Costs designed for retail• Automotive applications clear• Caveat: metal content creates new

challenges