A new generation of UHF RFID readers

A new generation of UHF RFID readers

Giovanni Grieco, CAEN RFID

12-13 Maggio 2008

Università di Roma Tor Vergata

Reproduction, transfer, distribution of part or all of the contents in this document in any form without prior written permission of CAEN RFID s.r.l. is prohibited

Summary

• CAEN and UHF RFID

• Readers market

• Readers architectures

• CAEN A528 Low-Cost reader

• Cost analysis

• Case histories


• Key Facts:– Costruzioni Apparecchiature Elettroniche Nucleari, founded in 1980

– Headquarters and main operation unit in Viareggio, Italy

– Operation unit in Elba Island, commercial branches in USA (New York, S. Francisco, since ’05) and Germany (Solingen, since ‘06)

– Core business: Power supplies and Data Acquisition Electronicsfor physics experiments (world leader)

– Spin-off activities: Microelectronics-Aerospace (1995), RFID (2003)

– Full-time employees: 105


CAEN RFIDThe Art of Identification

• Our Vision:

- to become the leading UHF RFID hardware manufacturer in Europe

• Our Mission:

- to provide our Customers with the best readers and tags which meet standards and protocol requirements

- to provide our best support for their integration

5


• It’s an Analog to Digital Conversion technology

• Radio waves (analog) are used to transfer data (digital) between a reader and a fixed or moving item to identify, track, etc…

• It’s a fast and reliable technology that overcomes limits of other AutoID technologies (e.g. barcode):

� Does not require physical sight or contact between the reader and the tagged item

� Can read a big number of simultaneous items in a short time

UHF RFID: Radio Frequency IdentificationUHF RFID: Radio Frequency Identification

6


• Primary functions:

– Remotely power tags

– Establish a bidirectional data link

– Inventory tags (anticollision)

– Communicate with networked server(s)

• Reader components:

– Transceiver with decoder to interpret the data

– Scanning antenna (external or embedded)

Functions and components of an UHF readerFunctions and components of an UHF reader


The reader market

• Handheld devices which can be directly manipulated by the end-users, guaranteeing the portability in a very easy way

• Fixed-position devices which are not mobile and are typically mounted on a portal

• OEM (1) objects which have the same functionality of a reader but have to be integrated into devices as printers or handheld platforms

(1) OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer


The reader market

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

handheld fixed-position OEM

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

OEM

handheld

fixed-position

OEM market increasing at a compounded annual rate of more that 30% in 5 years


Pros and Cons of reader architectures“Analog” readers

• Optimized RF performances• Fixed configurations• Low flexibility • Elevated PCB complexity due to wide number of components on board

SDR (Software Defined Radio) based readers (DSP based)• High flexibility • Possibility to manage differences among protocols and regulations • Powerful DSPs are very expensive • Strong effort in firmware design

ASIC (or chipset) based readers• Enough flexibility to handle protocol and regulations differences • Flexible enough and efficiency similar to an analog solution• Low number of components• High cost for the chipset (but with hope for reduction)

10


CAEN EASY2READ® FamilyCAEN EASY2READ® Family

• Readers design on the application

• Small costs

• Shared libraries

• Integrated solutions

• Small readers

• Medium sized

• Large sized


CAEN’s path towards new generation readers

•We started our collaboration with INTEL and released on the market our A528 reader on the same day INTEL released the R1000 chipset (CEBIT, Hannover, Mar ’07)

•The CAEN reader project was partially funded under the FP6 “BRIDGE” project

•CAEN’s objectives:– to design a new range of low cost readers, based on a specialized chipset

– to decrease the hardware costs, obtaining OEM RFID readers in the “few 100€” range


A528 – CAEN pioneering Intel chipset solution

• Monostatic operation with one RX/TX port

• Linear PA (500mW RF OUT) with variable bias

• 5V input power supply (4W peak power consumption)�

• Operation for both EU and US band

• USB and UART interfaces

• Compact dimensions: 60x42x6.3 mm3


A528 Architecture

- Monostatic operation with one RX/TX port

- Linear PA (500mW RF OUT)

- 5V input power supply

R1000


A528 RF Specifications

� RF conducted output power: 500mW max

� Protocol: ISO 18000-6C / EPC Class1 Gen2

� Regulations:

� ETSI EN 302 208 – 865.6 ÷ 867.6 MHz

Listen Before Talk

� FCC part 15 – 902 ÷ 928 MHz

Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum


A528 External View

16


Comparison with previous productsComparison with previous products

• The closest device to compare is our A941

A941

A528


Costs analysis: A528 vs A941MXO

Features comparison

A941MXO A528

Regulation compliance There exist a product compliantwith the ETSI EN 302 208 andone to the FCC part 15.

ETSI EN 302 208

FCC part 15Others configurable bySW/FW

Air protocol supported ISO 18000-6B

EPC Class1 Gen1EPC Class1 Gen2

EPC Class1 Gen2

Others in the future via FWupgrade

Output power Up to 1200 mW Up to 500 mW

Bit rate 40 kbit transmit and 40 kbitreceive only

Up to 160 kbit in trnasmit and640 kbit in receive

Dense reader mode Unsupported Supported

Antennas supported 4 1

Encoding FM0 FM0, Miller

Modulation DSB-ASK DSB-ASK, PR-ASK, SSB-ASK

Host interfaces RS232 USB, Serial port

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CAEN RFID’s future productsCAEN RFID’s future products

• An even smaller compact OEM module

• A full portal reader (4 RF outputs)

• Any other “embedded” device which the market may require

• All of the above based on INTEL chipset


Key Alliances and CustomersKey Alliances and Customers


Handheld manufacturers partnershipHandheld manufacturers partnership

• Psion TeklogixWork About Pro

• T+T NetcomTT7000-8000

• Compact OEM readers inside


RFID printers manufacturers partnershipRFID printers manufacturers partnership

• Microplex Printware AG

• Rapid T4

• Logijett4

• Logijett6

• Compact OEM reader inside


• Customer: BGN Selexyz (Netherlands)

• Request: to improve books traceability

• System Integrator: CaptureTech

• Readers: CAEN A829 ed A941

• Labels: Raflatac & Avery Dennison

• Status: Roll-out

Books tagging in a bookstoreBooks tagging in a bookstore


Garbage collection monitoringGarbage collection monitoring

• Customer: Aspropyrgos Municipality (Greece)

• Request:

− to improve the itineraries and manpower management

− to monitor the volume of produced waste

• System integrator: CAT Hellas

• Reader: CAEN A941

• Tag: CAEN A918

• Status: Pilot


Truck tracking at motorway and harbour gatesTruck tracking at motorway and harbour gates

• Customer: Samer Shipping, Trieste (Italy)

• Request:

- Real-time monitoring of flows and terminal operations

- Security management

- Speed-up of administrative and security controls

• System integrator: INSIEL Trieste


• Tag: CAEN A918

• Status: Beginning of roll out


Vehicle access control in glass manufacturingVehicle access control in glass manufacturing

• Customer: Asahi Glass Company (f.k.a. Glaverbel), Moustier (Belgium)

• Request:

- identify stillages at the receipt and exit of automatic glass packaging machine

- Real-time monitoring of entrance-exit of fork lifts

- Security management

• System integrator: IBM Belgium


• Tag: CAEN A918

• Status: Roll out


ConclusionsConclusions

• UHF RFID is today a “ripe” technology

• CAEN RFID is a pioneer in INTEL chipset basedreaders

• Performances of readers and tags are everincreasing

• Cost of readers and tags is dropping down

� all players of logistics and supply chain are more willing to adopt it

• We hope that our readers are the best choicefor your UHF RFID projects


Thanks for yourattention …

… questions?

Giovanni Grieco

CAEN RFID

E-mail [email protected]

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A new generation of UHF RFID readers