RFID TAG AND READER:

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology relates to

short-range

wireless

communications

and

uses

the

radio

frequency to read certain information on a device known as a tag

shown in figure 3.4. They are commonly used for wireless data
communication with R/W devices at distances ranging from a few
millimeters

to

several

meters.

Due

to

its

flexibility

and

convenience RFID technology is now used in a variety of

applications including supply chain processing, security systems,
inventory

control,

mail

delivery

and

counterfeit

product

prevention.
There are three fundamental RFID architectures in use today:
passive, battery assisted passive (BAP), and active. Passive RFID
tags do not carry their own energy source. They operate by
harvesting energy from the reader and send data by reflecting
energy back to the reader. Active RFID operates by utilizing
energy from a battery or an equivalent local energy source. They
send data to a reader by producing a low-power modulated signal.
BAP RFID is a hybrid architecture that sends data by reflecting
energy from the reader in the same manner as passive RFID, but
utilizes a battery for its overall operation.
Most RFID tags contain integrated circuit (IC) chip, to store
and process data, and also an integrated antenna, which is used
as the communication interface with read and write antenna
system. The IC chip requires power to operate, which in the initial

designs was supplied by a battery. Recently, most applications

require the tags to be small and inexpensive, so the so-called
passive (no-battery) chips became common and widely used.

Figure 3.3 RFID Tag

Here we use a passive RFID tag as shown in figure 3.3.
Passive RFID tags are the most physically robust RFID tags. A
passive tag is an RFID tag does not contain a battery and the
power is supplied by the reader. Such tags can have memory
anywhere from 64 bits to 1KB.
When an RFID reader has to read data in the tag, radio
waves from the reader are encountered by an RFID tag, the coiled
antenna within the tag forms a magnetic field. The tag draws
power from it, energizing the circuits in the tag. The tag then
retrieves and sends the information encoded in the tags memory.
The majority of passive tags use EEPROM memory. Some are
laser programmed at the silicon level. The tag functions without a
battery and these have a useful life of twenty years or more.

Figure 3.4 RFID Reader

In our project RFID reader as shown in figure 3.4 is placed
at the gate. It reads the data and compares it with the data in the
database in the PC and allows the access accordingly by
opening/closing the gate.
3.4 SERIAL COMMUNICATION:
Serial

communication

is

basically

the

transmission

or

reception of data one bit at a time. Todays computers generally

address data in bytes or some multiple thereof. A byte contains 8
bits. A bit is basically either a logical one or zero. Every character
on this page is actually expressed internally as one byte. The
serial port is used to convert each byte to a stream of ones and
zeros as well as to convert a stream of ones and zeros to bytes.
The serial port contains an electronic chip called a Universal
Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) that actually does the
conversion.
The serial port has many pins. Electrically speaking,
whenever the serial port sends a logical one (1) a negative
voltage is effected on the transmit pin. Whenever the serial port
sends a logical zero (0) a positive voltage is effected. When no

data is being sent, the serial ports transmit pins voltage is

negative (1) and is said to be in a mark state. The serial port can
also be forced to keep the transmit pin at a positive voltage (0)
and is said to be the SPACE or BREAK state. (The term MARK and
SPACE are also used to simply to denote a negative voltage (1) or
a positive voltage (0) at the transmit pin respectively).
3.4.1 RS 232
On looking at the connector pin out of the RS 232 port, two
pins are present which are used for flow control. These two pins
are RTS, request to send and CTS, clear to send. With DTE/DCE
communication (i.e. a computer communicating with a modem
device) RTS is an output on the DTE and input on the DCE. CTS
are the answering signal coming from the DCE.
Before sending a character, the DTE asks permission by
setting its RTS output. No information will be sent until the DCE
grants permission by using the CTS line. If the DCE cannot handle
new requests, the CTS signal will go low. This is a simple but
useful mechanism by allowing flow control in one direction.

Figure 3.5 Pin diagram of RS 232

For further control of the information flow, both devices have
the ability to signal their status to the other side. For this purpose,
the DTR data terminal ready and DSR data set ready signals are
present. The DTE uses the DTR signal to signal that it is ready to
accept information, whereas the DCE uses the DSR signal for the
same purpose.
The pin diagram of RS232 is shown in figure 3.5. The last
flow control signal present in DTE/DCE communication is the CD
carrier detect. It is not used directly for flow control, but mainly an

indication of the ability of the modem device to communicate link

between two modems devices.
3.4.2

UNIVERSAL

ASYNCHRONOUS

RECEIVER/TRANSMITTER
A Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter, abbreviated UART is a
type of "asynchronous receiver/transmitter", a piece of computer hardware that
translates data between parallel and serial forms. UARTs are commonly used in
conjunction with communication standards such as EIA, RS-232, RS-422 or RS485. The universal designation indicates that the data format and transmission
speeds are configurable and that the actual electric signaling levels and methods
(such as differential signaling etc.) typically are handled by a special driver circuit
external to the UART.
A UART is usually an individual (or part of an) integrated
circuit used

for serial

communications over

computer

or

peripheral device serial port. UARTs are now commonly included

in microcontrollers. A dual UART, or DUART, combines two UARTs
into a single chip. Many modern ICs now come with a UART that
can also communicate synchronously. These devices are called
USARTs.
3.4.2.1 TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING SERIAL DATA
The Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART)
takes bytes of data and transmits the individual bits in a
sequential fashion. At the destination, a second UART reassembles the bits into complete bytes. Each UART contains

a shift register which is the fundamental method of conversion

between serial and parallel forms. Serial transmission of digital
information (bits) through a single wire or other medium is much
more cost effective than parallel transmission through multiple
wires.
The UART usually does not directly generate or receive the
external signals used between different items of equipment.
Separate interface devices are used to convert the level signals of
the UART to and from the external signaling levels. External
signals may be of different forms. Examples of standards for
voltage signaling are RS-232, RS-422 and RS-485 from the EIA.
Some signaling schemes do not use electrical wires. Some
signaling schemes use modulation of a carrier signal (with or
without wires). Examples are modulation of audio signals with
phone line modems, RF modulation with data radios, and the DCLIN for power line communication. Communication may be "full
duplex" (both send and receive at the same time) or "half duplex"
(devices take turns transmitting and receiving).
3.4.2.2 CHARACTER FRAMING
Frame format for UART is shown in the figure 3.6. The idle, no data state is
high-voltage, or powered. The line is held high to show that the line and transmitter
are not damaged. Each character is sent as a logic low start bit, a configurable
number of data bits (usually 8, but legacy systems can use 5, 6, 7 or 9), an
optional parity bit and one or more logic high stop bits. The start bit signals the
receiver that a new character is coming. The next five to eight bits depending on

the code set employed, represent the character. Following the data bits may be a
parity bit. The next one or two bits are always in the mark (logic high, i.e., '1')
condition and called the stop bit(s). They signal the receiver that the character is
completed. Since the start bit is logic low (0) and the stop bit is logic high (1) there
are always at least two guaranteed signal changes between characters.

Figure 3.6 Frame Format of UART

Obviously a problem exists if a receiver detects a line that is low for more
than one character time. This is called a "break." It is normal to detect breaks to
disable a UART or switch to an alternative channel. Sometimes remote equipment
is designed to reset or shut down when it receives a break. Premium UARTs can
detect and create breaks.