UHF RFID Technology and its Applications
Petra ADAMCO VA', Zdenek TOBES'
METRA BLANSKO a.s., Prazskai 7, 678 49 Blansko, Czech Republic
petra.adamcovagmetra.cz, tobesgmetra.cz
Abstract. In the paper is presented a short overview of the
RFID technology and its applications, realized in the UHF
band. First, main problems of this technology are
mentioned, then the newly developed antenna for RFID
applications is introduced and the main types of RFID
applications and its special problems are presented.
Keywords
Radiofrequency 'idnicto
antenna, logistics. t possibility to scan a lot of tags very quickly. That is why
1. Introduction
RFID is contactless identification technology working
on the physical basis of alternating electromagnetic fields.
RFID systems consist of three main components - an
antenna, a transceiver and a transponder (tag). The antenna
enables communication between the tag and the
transceiver, which is also called reader. The RFID system
can work in a range exceeding 30 m, which depends on
used tag and frequency. RFID systems use low-frequencies
(125 kHz), high-frequencies (13.56 MHz) and ultra-high
frequencies (865 - 868 MHz in Europe). The advantage of
using low-frequency is low costs, however these systems
have short reading ranges; on the other hand, the advantage
of using high-frequency is a higher range, but the
drawback is greater costs.
A tag can consist of a plastic base strip, microchip
(having different memory size), which is able to store the
data, and an antenna. The tag is to be placed on the object,
which should be identified by the tag identification
number. Regarding the tag power supply, there is a
difference between passive and active tags. Active tags are
powered by its internal battery. These tags have greater
memory capacity and operating range than passive tags,
which are powered by transmitting signal from the
read/write device. The function of a semi-passive tag iS
combination of the both previously mentioned principles.
Active tags are greater and more expensive than passive
tags. The main disadvantage of passive tags is lower
memory storage capacity and lower operating ranges. The
function of passive tags is based on backscattering the
carrier signal from the reader. The tags can be produced as
a part ofthe product itself.
1-4244-0822-9/07/$20.00 ©)2007 IEEE.
The tag serves as a medium carrying unique identifier
of the object, which is to be assigned to the tag. If the tag is
in range of the RFID reader, it receives the signal
transmitted by the reader and answers by transmitting the
data stored in the chip. These data are received by the
reader and transferred to the computer for further
processing. An active tag can also transmit information
regarding the actual state of its neighborhood, for example
temperature. The great advantage of RFID compared to the
barcode identification is no need of optical contact between
the identifier of the object and the reader and therefore
RFID provides possibility to create systems, which enable
for example identification, localization and objects
monitoring (wide list of possible applications is obtained in
the literature [1]). The outcome of the RFID system could
be eliminating of errors, reduction of labor time and
therefore lower labor costs.
RFID technology was used since the 1920's, whereas
the attention paid to RFID started to increase in the 1980's.
However, great progress of the RFID has started in recent
years due to technological advances, which have enabled
production of smaller tags, better accuracy of RFID readers
and decreasing of costs of RFID systems. The costs of the
RFID solutions are significant for further progress of
RFID, especially for its enforcing compared with the
barcode identification. RFID technology was initially used
in military applications, but later it has expanded to the
commercial sector as well. An important task joined with
RFID technology today is transport of the RFID data to
recent IT systems.
To advantages of RFID technology belongs:
* no direct intervisibility needed,
* multiple tags reading,
* constant availability of the data on the product,
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However, the RFID technology brings also
disadvantages. One of them is the fact, that RFID
technology in comparison to barcode identification can
cause interference by the return signal of the tag [2].
Another disadvantage belongs to the social area -while the
barcode identification of products is useless out of the
department store, the RFID tag is able to transmit signal
also after the sale of the product. This creates possible
danger for privacy of customers. Such problem could be
solved by disabling the RFID tag when the product is sold.
With above mentioned problem is connected also the
problem of unauthorized data exchange, which could be
avoided by using cryptography (for example challenge-
response protocols could be used). But cryptography brings
higher requirements on tags, concerning production costs
and power. For the protection of privacy against risks
connected with RFID technology, special legal regulations
were issued in some states of the USA. Other problems,
connected with the RFID technology, are caused by
properties of the neighborhood of the tag (see also [4]),
because tags transmit electromagnetic waves, which are
absorbed by water and other liquids and reflected by
metals. That is why there is a problem with identification
of objects containing liquids and metals, because these
materials cause communication problems.
2. RFID standards
Because the RFID solutions can be realized in
different ways, some RFID standards were developed. The
most important RFID standard is the world-wide used EPC
standard (Electronic Product Code), which was developed
by the organization EPCglobal. The EPC standard defines
standard requirements for hardware, software and data
exchange. The EPC standard as a whole consists of several
documents, which defines standard requirements for
individual components of the RFID solution. The EPC Tag
Data Standard defines the data formats, which are used for
storing the data in the tag - GTIN format represents data
format of the Global Trade Item Number, which should
guarantee uniquity of the identification number of 14
digits, SSCC fonrat defines the data fornat of Serial
Shipping Container Code (which is e.g. used for
identification of palettes), GRAI format defines the data
format of Global Returnable Asset Identifier (which is e.g.
used for identification of transport cages of supply chains)
etc. These data formats are based on the standard GS 1,
which was fonrerly called EAN.UCC (the system eAN
European Article Numbering - was created in 1977 as a
system for identification of goods; it was administered by
the organization EAN International, which member was
also the organization Uniform Code Council - UCC -
operating in USA and Canada) and which also defines the
barcode standards. Another EPC standard is the EPC Tag
Data Translation Standard, which describes details of the
structure of machine-readable markup files and its possible
use in the application software. The Class 1 Generation 2
UHF Air Interface Protocol Standard, known as Gen 2
standard, describes technical and logistical requirements
for passive backscatters and RFID readers of RFID
systems, working in the frequency range 860 - 960 MHz.
The Application Level Events (ALE) Standard 1.0 defines
the interface and XML query language for client
applications, which allows the client application to obtain
EPC data from different sources, almost from RFID
readers. The Object Naming Service (ONS) Standard 1.0
defines using of the Domain Name System to locate the
items of EPC and is used for application development. This
system use Root ONS at the top of a hierarchical structure,
searching for the Local ONS, which should have each
organization.
The standardization in the area of RFID is y
important because it enables the individual subjects, which
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3. Antennas
In RFID applications are used two main types of
antennas - with linear and with circular polarization;
however, both these types could be realized in very
different ways (see [3]).
The typical gain of antennas for RFID applications is
about 8 dBi and radiation angle is about 60 degrees. These
requirements are met by the patch antenna with side
dimension of k/2. Other types of patch antennas (for
example circular patch antenna [5] and rectangular U-slot
microstrip antenna [6]) can be used for these purposes too,
but its construction is more complicated and required
broadband and high gain cannot be ever reached.
Fig. 1. The newly developed antenna for REID.
Our development team has designed the antenna for
RFID applications in logistics and related branches. The
circular polarization of the antenna is right-hand oriented.
In Europe, the standards ETSI EN 300 220 and ETSI EN
302 208 define frequency bands usable for UHF RFID in
range 865 - 868 MHz with channel step 200 kHz and with
the maximal power 0.5 W or 2 W. The bandwidth of the
antenna should be at minimum 0.6 00O, however in praxis is
necessary to increase the bandwidth because of great
influence of the antenna neighborhood to the antenna
properties.
 <5x*;~ [dB]| .1-o
Therefore, the antenna should have greater bandwidth
with guaranteed gain and defined impedance matching.
Impedance of the antenna port of the reader is 50 ; and
required SWR is 1.5. The designed antenna has a
bandwidth 30 MHz, which can be seen from Fig. 3.
The developed antenna is specific by the greater
bandwidth 3.4 00. This is reached especially by placing the
supply point out of the axis of the patch radiator.

Fig. 2. The newly developed antenna in ABS plastic housing.

The antennas are often placed in spaces, where are
moving various objects with unknown dielectric properties
in various distances to the antennas. But reliability of the
system must be ensured also under these complicated
conditions.
5.00 1 8 50 M'H 1 3d

0.00
sL 0 Fig. 5. The directivity pattern of the newly developed antenna
I I I for vertical polarization, E-plane.
-15.00
^ l | 1 1The Fig. 4-7 show directivity patterns of the
-20.00 0 developed antenna in various planes. The developed
.225.00
antenna fulfills required gain and radiation angle F/B -

ratio changes in range 16-17 dB and radiation angle

30.00 jchanges in range 620-720.
-5.0000

-4000

-45.00
Ch1: Start 840.000 MH- Stop 900.000 iHz,
Fig. 3. Matching of the newly developed antenna.

Th drctviypatenofth ewyeelpd anenn

6..
Fig.'''/X
00 -10 --xZ -10 .° Th backlobe fte ietvtypten aecue
IdDl~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o vetia poarztin H-plane. by the way of supplying of the pc whih is sa o

4.\ The directivity pattern of the newly developed antenna

XFig. oftepchai.Hwvrtisdsntrpeeta
fohoiona poaizto E plne rwbc forvuertofatheldeveloped
Hpantenna
 *01|~ ENTRYXl cEI
<-2;...........e
[dB]
Fig. 7. The directivity pattern of the newly developed antenna
for horizontal polarization, H-plane.
4. Projects
4.1 Industrial process monitoring
RFID technology supports industrial process
optimization, view of actual status of the production, input
assets identification, tracking and operating etc. The huge
advantage of RFID technology is the possibility to use not
only the tag identification number, but also the user
memory of the tag, which can contain any products data. In
the industrial process, the input material is marked by
RFID tags and the information stored in tags is loaded to
the database of the information system. Then, the marked
material can be tracked by static monitoring gates or by
mobile monitoring terminals, equipped by antennas, which
should communicate with the tag and which transfer its
output signal to the RFID reader, providing conversion of
the antenna output signal to the digital signal, which can be
processed by the information system. In this way, it is
possible to gain important information about material
consumption, time of material consumption, movement of
this material etc., which enables to plan manufacturing and
logistic operations efficiently. The RFID technology also
enables collecting information about productivity and
workload of machine or workers productivity. The
information technology used to process the data obtained
from RFID readers offers possibility to store the history of
the product flow through the industrial process.
4.2 Assets inventory
RFID technology can be efficiently used for objects
identification, especially for assets inventory (for example
for inventory of books in libraries). Objects marked by
RFID tags are registered quickly and efficiently and also
their protection against stealing is ensured. Because the
RFID tags need not be visible in order to identify the
object, unlike barcodes, it is possible to use a monitoring
gate with the antennas and RFID reader, which can protect
from unauthorized taking out the objects from the
monitored area. Using a mobile terminal, equipped by
antenna and RFID reader, it is possible to carry out the
inventory efficiently and conveniently. A certain drawback
of the RFID identification of books is a certain probability
Xofnon-reading of all tags of the books placed in one row
each on the other if the books are thin and the mobile
0.
Ni--s _ moves too quickly. RFID technology also enables
*ee;i>e-e._°°terminal
identification of the place, where a book or other object
should be found.
4.3 Logistics warehouse
RFID technology can be applied also in the branch of
logistics in order to reach high level of logistics
automatization and supplier services. Savings of working
time and staff costs are enabled by multiple tags reading,
which leads to simply identification process by reading all
items in one transport unit simultaneously.
RFID technology is very useful for cooperation
among the warehouse and its delivering subjects, because it
enables the warehouse to take over the delivered goods
very quickly and to manage its effective storing (regarding
intended place of storing and movement of the goods). The
information systems, connected with RFID readers, enable
the warehouse and its delivering subjects or customers to
share the product data and therefore to decrease the cost of
the logistic operations. Nevertheless, the RFID technology
brings some requirements, which must be observed. First,
some rules for handling the goods must be kept in order to
reach high probability of reading the tag by the reader - for
example, the tag should be placed on such part of the
product, which is optimal for communication between the
reader and the tag, and moving the goods should not be
performed in high velocity.
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Some problems can be caused by physical properties
of the goods, for example using RFID for identification of
drinks or metal objects leads to the necessity to place the
tag on some underlay made from a dielectrical material,
which significantly increases the efficiency of reading tags
by the reader. An important role in this case plays also used
type of the tag.
5. Conclusion References
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perspective in future due to supposed decreasing of costs of the EPCglobal Network for Supply Chain Management. Berlin:
of RFID components, which should enable its wide use in Springer Verlag, 2007.
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systems depend on the properties of RFID components -sChristians Should Resist RFID and Electronic Surveillance.
tags, antennas and readers, which significantly influence at
first the quality of the communication between the object, [3] POLIVKA, M., HOLUB, A., MAZANEK, M. Collinear Microstrip
marked with the RFID tag, and the information system. Patch Antenna. Radioengineering, 2005, vol. 14, no. 4, p. 63 - 69.
Such requirements are followed also by the above [4] LAM, S. F., NIKITIN, P. V., RAO, K. V. S. Antenna Design for
mentioned newly developed antenna for RFID UHF RFID Tags: A Review and a Practical Application. IEEE
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system asbarholeing
sytem as a whole,alsopvariousre remetsof using marked [5] ADITYA,
concering problems S., KARMAKAR,
Dual Polarized N. C.,
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Circular C. L.,Antenna
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Using
A
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Acknowledgements Analysis and Design of Broad-Band
Slot Microstrip Patch Antennas.
IEEE
Single-Layer Rectangular U-
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The development of the antenna for RFID technology Propagation. 2003, vol. 51, no. 3, p. 457-468.
was realized in cooperation with an unnamed antenna
designer from the Institute of Radioelectronics of Brno
University of Technology, Faculty of Electrical
Engineering and Communication.