SYNOPSIS ON RFID BASED

ATTENDANCE SYSTEM

DHRUV ARYA 8EC29

GAURAV SUMAN 8EC32

MAYANK AGGARWAL 8EC56

MAYANK YADAV 8EC57

INTRODUCTION

The major problem faced by many organizations is the time consuming and

sometimes, cumbersome process of manual attendance. ‘RFID BASED

ATTENDANCE SYSTEM’ is designed to collect and manage student’s attendance

records from RFID devices installed in a class rooms. Based on the verification

of student identification at the entrances system, the RFID tag can be

embedded in the ID card of the individual. Our project is going to solve these

problems by using RFID technology. The project is designed to store up to 50

card IDs but it is easily scalable up to 65000 card IDs (for that it will require

external memory). Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an automatic

identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using

devices called RFID tags or transponders. So, the RFID is a wireless

identification.

Normally the RFID system comprises of two main parts: an RFID Reader and an

RFID Tag. An RFID Reader is an integrated or passive network which is used to

interrogate information from RFID tag. The RFID Reader may consist of

antenna, filters, modulator, demodulator, coupler and a microprocessor.

An antenna is a feature that is present in both readers and tags, essential for

the communication between the two.

BLOCK CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION

COMPONENTS OF SYSTEM

The figure below shows the basic block diagram of the AUTOMATED

ATTENDANCE USING RFID. It contains the following blocks:

1. RFID reader

2. RFID tags

3. LCD display

4. Microcontroller

5.MAX232

6. Power supply unit

RFID READER

A reader (or more typically, referred to as an RFID interrogator), is basically a

radio frequency (RF) transmitter and receiver, controlled by a microprocessor

or digital signal processor. The reader, using an attached antenna, captures

data from tags, then passes the data to the controller for processing. The

reader decodes the data encoded in the tags integrated circuit (silicon chip)

and the data is passed to the microcontroller for processing.

RFID TAGS

Tags also sometimes are called “transponders”. RFID tags can come in many

forms and sizes. Some can be as small as a grain of rice. Data is stored in the IC

and transmitted through the antenna to a reader. The two commonly used

RFID Transponders are Active (that do contain an internal battery power

source that powers the tags chip) and Passive (that do not have an internal

power source, but are externally powered typical from the reader) RFID

Transponders.

LCD DISPLAY

The display supports 2X16 characters, which means, the LCD can support 2

lines on the display and each line can display up to 16 characters which is

relevant as the only essential output to be displayed is the student’s name and

ID. Besides LCD Display, the output is displayed on LCD.

MICROCONTROLLER

The microcontroller used is PIC 16F877A. Microcontroller is a general-

purpose device, but one that is meeting to read performs limited

calculations on data, and contained is its environ based on these

calculations. The prime use, of Microcontroller is to control the

operation of a machine using a fixed program that is stored in and does

not change over the lifetime of the system.

MAX232

The MAX232 is an integrated circuit that converts signals from an RS-232 serial

port to signals suitable for use in TTL compatible digital logic circuits. The

MAX232 is a dual driver/receiver and typically converts the RX, TX, CTS and RTS

signals.

POWER SUPPLY

These form an important equipment of any Electronics laboratory. Power

supplies are essential for the testing and implementation of any useful

electronic circuit. If power supplies are not available then the only way to

provide power to a circuit is the battery. For long-term use and frequent

manipulation these are not feasible. More over these are not as flexible as

modern day power supplies. They do not provide for overload protection and

thermal protection.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

WORKING OF RFID

An RFID reader is basically a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and receiver,

controlled by a microprocessor or digital signal processor. The reader, using an

attached antenna, captures data from tags, then passes the data to the

controller for processing. The reader decodes the data encoded in the tags

integrated circuit (silicon chip) and the data is passed to the microcontroller for

processing.

Information is sent to and read from RFID tags by a reader using radio waves.

In passive systems, which are the most common, an RFID reader transmits an

energy field that “wakes up” the tag and provides the power for the tag to

respond to the reader. Data collected from tags is then passed through

communication interfaces (cable or wireless) to PIC16F877A in the same

manner that data scanned from bar code labels is captured and passed to

computer systems for interpretation, storage, and action.

Communication of data between tags and a reader is by wireless

communication. Two methods distinguish and categorize RFID systems, one

based upon close proximity electromagnetic or inductive coupling and one

based upon propagating electromagnetic waves. Coupling is via ‘antenna’

structures forming an integral feature in both tags and readers. While the term

antenna is generally considered more appropriate for propagating systems it is

also loosely applied to inductive systems.

Applications of RFID

Potential applications for RFID may be identified in virtually every sector of

industry, commerce and services where data is to be collected. The attributes

of RFID are complimentary to other data capture technologies and thus able to

satisfy particular application requirements that cannot be adequately

accommodate by alternative technologies. Principal areas of application for

RFID that can be currently identified include:

� Transportation and logistics

� Manufacturing and Processing

� Security

A range of miscellaneous applications may also be distinguished, some of

which are steadily growing in terms of application numbers. They include:

� Animal tagging

� Waste management

� Time and attendance

� Postal tracking

� Airline baggage reconciliation

� Road toll management

As standards emerge, technology develops still further, and costs reduce

considerable growth in terms of application numbers and new areas of

application may be expected.

Some of the more prominent specific applications include:

� Electronic article surveillance - clothing retail outlets being typical.

� Protection of valuable equipment against theft, unauthorized removal or

asset management.

� Controlled access to vehicles, parking areas and fuel facilities - depot

facilities being typical.

� Automated toll collection for roads and bridges - since the 1980s,

electronic Road-Pricing (ERP) systems have been used in Hong Kong.

� Controlled access of personnel to secure or hazardous locations.

� Time and attendance - to replace conventional “slot card” time keeping

systems.

� Animal husbandry - for identification in support of individualized feeding

programs.

� Automatic identification of tools in numerically controlled machines - to

facilitate condition monitoring of tools, for use in managing tool usage

and minimizing waste due to excessive machine tool wear.

� Identification of product variants and process control in flexible

manufacture systems.

� Sport time recording.

� Electronic monitoring of offenders at home.

� Vehicle anti-theft systems and car immobilizer.

A number of factors influence the suitability of RFID for given applications. The

application needs must be carefully determined and examined with respect to

the attributes that RFID and other data collection technologies can offer.

Where RFID is identified as a contender further considerations have to be

made in respect of application environment, from an electromagnetic

standpoint, standards, and legislation concerning use of frequencies and

power levels.

Advantages

• An RFID smart card-based fare collection system may reduce operation costs in

the long run.

• Public transportation authorities will be able to monitor ridership in real-time

and will minimize delays by committing extra resources (buses or trains) to

specific congested routes.

• RFID does not require line of sight. The reader can communicate with the tag

via radio waves. An individual can potentially be identified and charged the

right fare by simply carrying the RFID smart-card in his/her pocket.

• RFID equipment damage occurs much less frequently than is the case with

magnetic strips or bar codes present on Charlie Tickets.

• The combination of all above mentioned advantages will result in improved

convenience and boost public transportation ridership.

Drawbacks:

• In the short run, costs of diffusion and implementation for an RFID smart card-

based fare collection system can be rather high.

• An RFID-based fare collection system has the potential of seriously invading

people's privacy.

• RFID technology ultimately involves software that allows each user to be

identified by a central database. This infrastructure will certainly be under

attack by hackers.

• Poor read rate can occur if the reader and receiver are not properly aligned.

• In cases when multiple tags and readers are at work simultaneously, double

charges may occur.