RFID and its application

1. BMS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BANGALORE-19
(Autonomous Institute, Affiliated to VTU)
Department of ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION
RFID and It’s Applications
Presented by,
Hemanth. K 1BM17LVS07
Sunil. S.V 1BM17LVS21
Faculty in charge Sreenikethan.J.S 1BM17LVS19
Dr. Jayanthi K Murthy
Associate professor

2. Contents
• Introduction to RFID
• RFID Tags
• RFID Readers
• Advantages and Disadvantages of RFID
• Application of RFID
• Python code to depict the usage of RFID tags while
making purchase of grocery items in a supermarket

3. Introduction
Radio Frequency Identification(RFID):
 RFID is an Automatic Data Capture technology that
uses radio-frequency waves to read a movable item to
identify, categorize & track...
 RFID is fast, reliable, and does not require physical
line of sight or contact between reader/scanner and
the RFID tagged item.

4. RADIO FREQUENCY
IDENTIFICATION (RFID)
 Radio Frequency identification is a technology which uses
tags as a component in a solution set that will evolve over
the next several years.
 RFID tags contain a chip which holds an electronic
product code (EPC) number that points to additional data
detailing the contents of the package.
 Readers identify the EPC numbers at a distance, without
line of sight scanning or involving physical contact
middleware can perform initial filtering on data from the
readers.
 Applications are evolving to completely with shipping
products to automatically processing transactions based on
RFID technology.

5. RADIO FREQUENCY
IDENTIFICATION (RFID)

6. RFID Tags

7. RFID TAGS
 A Tag is a transponder which receives a radio signal and in
response to it sends out a radio signal.
 Tag contains an antenna, and a small chip that stores a small
amount of data
 Tag can be programmed at manufacture or on installation
 Tag is powered by the high power electromagnetic field
generated by the antennas – usually in doorways
 The field allows the chip/antenna to reflect back an extremely
weak signal containing the data
 Collision Detection – recognition of multiple tags in the read
range – is employed to separately read the individual tags.

8. DIFFERENT TYPES OF TAGS

9. TAG ATTRIBUTES

10. Active Tags

11. Active Tags
 In active RFID systems, tags have their own transmitter and
power source.
 Usually, the power source is a battery.
 Active tags broadcast their own signal to transmit the
information stored on their microchips.
 Active RFID systems typically operate in the ultra-high
frequency (UHF) band and offer a range of up to 100 m.
 In general, active tags are used on large objects, such as rail
cars, big reusable containers, and other assets that need to
be tracked over long distances.

12. Passive Tags

13. Passive Tags
 In passive RFID systems, the reader and reader
antenna send a radio signal to the tag. The RFID tag
then uses the transmitted signal to power on, and
reflect energy back to the reader. This is
called Backscatter Modulation.
 Passive RFID systems can operate in the low frequency
(LF), high frequency (HF) or ultra-high frequency
(UHF) radio bands.

14. Backscatter Modulation

15. Passive Tags
 As passive system ranges are limited by the power of
the tag’s backscatter (the radio signal reflected from
the tag back to the reader), they are typically less than
10 m.
 Because passive tags do not require a power source or
transmitter, and only require a tag chip and antenna,
they are cheaper, smaller, and easier to manufacture
than active tags.

16. Semi-Passive / Battery Assisted
Passive (BAP) Tags

17. Semi-Passive / Battery Assisted
Passive (BAP) Tags
 A Battery-Assisted Passive RFID tag is a type of passive
tag which incorporates a crucial active tag feature.
 While most passive RFID tags use the energy from the
RFID reader’s signal to power on the tag’s chip and
backscatter to the reader, BAP tags use an integrated
power source (usually a battery) to power on the chip,
so all of the captured energy from the reader can be
used for backscatter.

18. Electronic Product Code (EPC)

19. Electronic Product Code (EPC)
 The electronic product code (EPC) stored in the tag chip's memory is
written to the tag by an RFID printer and takes the form of a 96-bit
string of data.
 The first eight bits are a header which identifies the version of the
protocol.
 The next 28 bits identify the organization that manages the data for
this tag;
 the organization number is assigned by the EPC global consortium.
The next 24 bits are an object class, identifying the kind of product, the
last 36 bits are a unique serial number for a particular tag.
 These last two fields are set by the organization that issued the tag.
 The total electronic product code number can be used as a key into a
global database to uniquely identify that particular product.

20. Tag Antennas

21. Tag Antennas
 Tag antennas collect energy and channel it to the chip to turn it on. Generally,
the larger the tag antenna's area, the more energy it will be able to collect and
channel toward the tag chip, and the further read range the tag will have.
 There is no perfect antenna for all applications, It is the application that
defines the antenna specifications. Some tags might be optimized for a
particular frequency band, while others might be tuned for good performance
when attached to materials that may not normally work well for wireless
communication (certain liquids and metals, for example). Antennas can be
made from a variety of materials; they can be printed, etched, or stamped with
conductive ink, or even vapor deposited onto labels.
 Tags that have only a single antenna are not as reliable as tags with multiple
antennas. With a single antenna, a tag's orientation can result in “dead zones”,
or areas on the tag where incoming signals cannot be easily harvested to
provide sufficient energy to power on the chip and communicate with the
reader. A tag with dual antennas is able to eliminate these dead zones and
increase its readability but requires a specialized chip.

22. RFID Readers
 An RFID reader, also known as an interrogator, is a
device that provides the connection between the tag
data and the enterprise system software that needs the
information.
 The reader communicates with tags that are within its
field of operation, performing any number of tasks
including simple continuous inventorying, filtering
(searching for tags that meet certain criteria), writing
(or encoding) to selected tags, etc.

23. RFID Readers
 The reader uses an attached antenna to capture data
from tags. It then passes the data to a computer for
processing. Just like RFID tags, there are many
different sizes and types of RFID readers.
 Readers can be affixed in a stationary position in a
store or factory, or integrated into a mobile device such
as a portable, handheld scanner.
 Readers can also be embedded in electronic
equipment or devices, and in vehicles.

24. Reader Antennas
 RFID readers and reader antennas work together to
read tags. Reader antennas convert electrical current
into electromagnetic waves that are then radiated into
space where they can be received by a tag antenna and
converted back to electrical current.
 Just like tag antennas, there is a large variety of reader
antennas and optimal antenna selection varies
according to the solution's specific application and
environment.

25. Reader Antennas
 Antennas that radiate linear electric fields have long
ranges, and high levels of power that enable their
signals to penetrate through different materials to read
tags.
 Linear antennas are sensitive to tag orientation;
depending on the tag angle or placement, linear
antennas can have a difficult time reading tags.
 Conversely, antennas that radiate circular fields are
less sensitive to orientation, but are not able to deliver
as much power as linear antennas.

26. Linear polarization Antenna

27. Linear polarization Antenna
 Linear polarization occurs when electromagnetic waves
broadcast on a single plane (either vertical or horizontal).
 Linear polarized antennas must have a known RFID tag
orientation and the RFID tag must be fixed upon the same
plane as the antenna in order to get a consistent read.
 Some examples of linear polarized antennas are theMTI
MT-263003 Outdoor Antenna, and the Times-7 A5531
Indoor Antenna.
 Due to the concentrated emission, linear polarized
antennas typically have greater read range than circular
polarized antennas of the same gain.

28. Circular polarization Antenna

29. Circular polarization Antenna
 Circular polarized antennas, such as the Laird
S9028PCR Indoor RFID Antenna and the MTI MT-
242043 Outdoor RFID Antenna, emit
electromagnetic fields in a corkscrew-like fashion.
 Technically speaking, they are broadcasting
electromagnetic waves on two planes making one
complete revolution in a single wavelength.
 Compared to linear polarized antennas, circular
polarized antennas lose about 3 dB per read because
they split their power across two separate planes.

30. Reader Control and Application
Software
 Reader control and application software, also known
as middleware, helps connect RFID readers with the
applications they support.
 The middleware sends control commands to the
reader and receives tag data from the reader.

31. Advantages of RFID
 Contactless. An RFID tag can be read without any
physical contact between the tag and the reader.
 Writable data. The data of a read-write (RW) RFID
tag can be rewritten a large number of times.
 Absence of line of sight. A line of sight is generally
not required for an RFID reader to read an RFID tag.

32. Advantages Contd.
 Variety of read ranges.
 Wide data-capacity range.
 Support for multiple tag reads.
 Perform smart tasks.

33. Disadvantages of RFID
 Poor performance with RF-opaque and RF-
absorbent objects.
 Impacted by environmental factors.
 Limitation on actual tag reads.
 Impacted by hardware interference.

34. Technical Issues
 Tag Collision
 Reader Collision
 Tag Readability
 Read Robustness

35. Application of RFID
 As manufacturing costs dropped, RFID systems began
to be used for lower-value items in industries besides
transport.
 Automobiles, railcars, and shipping containers are all
high value items, with ample physical space that can
accommodate more expensive and bulky RFID devices.
 Early commercial examples of RFID applications
include automatic tracking of train cars, shipping
containers, and automobiles

36. Application contd.
 Livestock, particularly cattle, are often labeled with a RFID
device that is clamped or pierced through their ear,
attached to a collar, or swallowed.
 Unlike implanted pet tags, these RFID Devices are rugged
and able to be read from greater distances. Concerns over
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (mad cow) disease
have motivated proposals for universal tracking of livestock
with these types of RFID systems.
 Like transport applications, animal tracking is still
essentially a low-volume, high-value market that may
justify relatively expensive RFID systems.

37. Python code to depict the usage of RFID
tags while making purchase of grocery items
in a supermarket
PROPOSED ALGORITHM
 Design Considerations:
 Design of a web portal using python, html and php for
creating a user friendly interface for paying bills and
knowing the map of the mall.
 Use of Raspberry Pi so as to simplify the communication
as it has inbuilt Wi-Fi module.
 Display of product details in the card via LCD.
 Automatic scanning of products in the cart using RFID.

38. Contd...
Description of the Proposed Algorithm
 The smart shopping system consists of trolleys that are incorporated
with RFID readers and in all the commodities present in the shopping
complex a RFID card is separately attached that has distinctive RFID
number.
 As soon as the customer place the product they want to buy into the
cart, the RFID reader attached to the cart detects the RFID card
number of the product to identify it. Each RFID card number is linked
to the product it describes. All the information regarding the product
associated with the RFID card is stored in the database which can be
retrieved using a centralized server.
 All the activities are coordinated together using a Raspberry Pi
controller. Each customer is given a membership card.

39. Contd...
 When the customer swipes the membership card, all his login
information is displayed on the web application.
 The application is dynamically updated as and when the customer
places the bought commodities into the cart.
 The informative details of the commodity is flashed on the screen
attached to the trolley. The addition and removal of the products from
the trolley is monitored using IR sensors.
 When the customer finishes shopping, he/she has to swipe the
membership card again and the server calculates the total bill which
would be displayed on the web application.
 The customer can pay the bill online or through mobile wallet. After
the payment of the bill, the database is updated and the user can leave
the store.
 At the exit gate, the RFID reader and an IR sensor checks the bill for
confirming that no non billed product is taken by the customer.

40. Block Diagram of the system

41. Contd..
 Server: It integrates all the components of the together.
 LCD Display: It displays the current product that is purchased and the
total bill.
 IR sensor: It is used to count the number of products at the exit door as
well as for addition and deletion of products from the cart.
 Wi-Fi module: It is in-built in raspberry pi and is used to communicate
information between the cart, server and the web application.
 DC Motor: It is used as a gate to reflect anti theft.
 RFID modules: it is used for scanning the products.
 Web Application: It contains the front end design for customer login
and the map of the supermarket. It also displays the amount to be paid
and mode of payment.
 Raspberry Pi: It is a controller which controls all the system
components.

42. Python code
 Algorithm for the frontend:
 Pre-requisites for algorithm to work:
 The customer has to be a registered user.
 The customer has to know the address of the webpage.
 The user should first swipe the membership card and
only then login in the webpage.

43. Contd..
 Begin
Enter Login credentials
If (user is admin)
Display the admin page with inventory and new user registration.
End If
If(user is customer)
Display dashboard, cart and route buttons.
If( dashboard is clicked)
Display the discounts available.
End If

44. Contd..
If(cart is clicked)
Show the cart details dynamically.
End If
If(route is clicked)
Show the route map of the shopping mall.
End If
Pay the bill via cash, credit card or wallet.
If(credit card)
Redirect to the bank website
End If
End If
Customer has to log out.
End

45. Contd..
Algorithm for hardware:
 Pre-requisites for the algorithm to work:
 All the components should be connected to the right GPIO
pins of the Raspberry Pi.
 The LCD had to be initialized using the python code.
 There shouldn’t be any object near the IR sensor as it may
detect it.
 The DC motor should be supplied with 5V power supply.
 NOOBS OS must be installed in the Raspberry Pi with all
the backend code in its SD card.

46. Contd..
 Begin
If (IR sensor is activated)
Open the gate via the DC motor.
Display welcome message on the LCD.
If (Membership card is scanned)
Display the customer information on LCD.
Prompt budget entry.
While (Products are being scanned)
Display the product information on LCD.
Alert if the product is expired.
Alert is budget is exceeded.
End While

47. Contd..
If (Membership card is re-swipped)
End of shopping.
Display the bill
Open the gate after payment of the bill.
End If
End If
Else
Keep the gate closed.
End If
End