How the RFID

Technology Works

The radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology has been around for

quite some time now. While today’s society has found many good uses for

it, be it livestock tagging or military logistics, not many users know how it

works exactly. With more industries making good use of it, it pays to

understand the functions and capabilities of RFID now. Here is how the

technology works:

Technology Works

Data Transmission

A typical RFID system uses two components:

tags attached to the object, and readers that are

two-way radio transmitter-receivers. The reader

transmits encoded radio signals to a tag. The

tag then responds with the information

encoded in it, from serial numbers to other

product-related information.

Powering the Tags

There are three kinds of RFID tags today: the active, the passive, and the battery-assisted

passive. The active and battery-assisted RFID tags use internal batteries to power the internal

circuits. They allow users to still get the signal even though the reader is far from the tags. The

passive tags, on the other hand, rely on readers for energy. They last longer than the other two

types, though.

Tag Interference

As an RFID tag transmits signals over an electromagnetic spectrum, it must be differentiated

from signals coming from other electronics or RFID tags. Fortunately, the frequency is variable

– users can choose the exact frequency to avoid interfering with the other signals. Tags that

operate in low and high-frequency bands, for example, often modulate the reader-produced

field. This lets the reader differentiate the particular tag from the others.

The RFID technology is relatively simple to understand. With all the important components,

one can write, store, and read information in a matter of seconds. It is little wonder asset-

intensive industries like military supplies management rely on such technology to improve

and to make their operations more streamlined. They get accurate data and make better

decisions in the long run.

Resources:

http://milpac.com/resources/mil-std-129/

http://www.rfidjournal.com/