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ISO/IEC 18000 - RFID Air Interface Standards Quick Links

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ISO/IEC 18000 is a series of standards being created by ISO/IEC/JTC 1/SC31/WG4/SG3. They are creating RFID air interface standards for the item identification world. ISO/IEC 18000 has been published. You can visit the ISO web site to get more details and order the documents or you can get them from your local National Body. Visit ISO. The ISO/IEC 18000 series of standards are currently in revision to make them more up-to-date and bring in new information. Each of the parts are at different stages (see below). The updates are in one main area but also include other things as detailed below: A revision to all the parts of 18000 will include fixes to the standards based on actual issues discovered during the use of the standards along with the addition of the capabilities to use batteries and sensors with the existing technologies.

What Are Standards? How Does ISO Work? Standards Update Bar Code Standards RFID Standards What Do We Do? Quoted in the Media AIDC Newsletter Newsletter

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For more information on this and any other RFID standard, contact steve@hightechaid.com The standard is a seven part (currently) standard with the following parts:

ISO/IEC 18000 Information Technology AIDC TechniquesRFID for Item Management - Air Interface
18000-1 Part 1 Generic Parameters for the Air Interface for Globally Accepted Frequencies 18000-2 Part 2 Parameters for Air Interface Communications below 135 kHz

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18000-3 Part 3 Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 13.56 MHz 18000-4 Part 4 Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 2.45 GHz 18000-5 Part 5 Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 5.8 GHz (Withdrawn) 18000-6 Part 6 Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 860 to 960 MHz 18000-7 Part 7 Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 433 MHz

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As can be seen, each of these parts deals with a different aspect of RFID. The first part is the defining document that explains how the standard works and the rest are divided by frequency.

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18000-1 Part 1 Generic Parameters for the Air Interface for Globally Accepted Frequencies
Scope

The Scope of this Standard is to describe the Reference Architecture for Radio Frequency Identification for Item Management and to establish the Parameters that shall be determined in any Standardised Air Interface Bottom of Form Definition in the ISO 18000 series. The subsequent parts of this Standard providing specific values for Air Interface Definition Parameters shall then, Newsletter once approved, provide the frequency specific values and value ranges from Top of Form which compliance to (or non compliance with) this Standard can be Signup for the Free established.

HighTechAIDCourie This Standard limits its Scope to transactions and data exchanges across r the air interface at Reference Point Delta. (See Section 4, fig 1. below). The

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means of generating and managing such transactions, other than a requirement to achieve the transactional performance determined within this Standard, are outside the scope of this Standard, as is the definition or specification of any supporting hardware, firmware, software or associated equipments. Standardisation of other Reference Points are outside the scope of this Standard. (See fig 1. Below) This standard is an enabling standard which supports and promotes several RFID implementations without making conclusions about the relative technical merits of any available option for any possible application.

18000-2 Part 2 Parameters for Air Interface Communications below 135 kHz
Scope This document specifies:

never give away, sell or trade your email address

To change your The protocol and the commands email address, remove your old The method to detect and communicate with one tag among several address and retags ("anticollision") s u b s c r i b e w i t h Tag types the new one.
This standard specifies two types of tags: Type A (FDX) and Type B (HDX).

The physical layer that shall be used for communication between the interrogator and the tag. The interrogator shall be capable to communicate with tags of both Type A (FDX) and Type B (HDX).

These two types differ only by their physical layer. Both types support the same anti-collision and protocol. FDX tags are permanently powered by the interrogator, including during the tag-to-interrogator transmission. They operate at 125kHz. HDX tags are powered by the interrogator, except during the tag-tointerrogator transmission. They operate at 134.2kHz. An optional anticollision is described in the informative annex D.

Tag

Compliance rules To claim compliance with this standard, a tag shall be of either Type A or B.

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NOTE Nothing in this standard prevents a tag to be of both types, although for technical reasons, it is unlikely that such tags are ever marketed. Interrogator To claim compliance with this standard, an interrogator shall support both Types A and B. Depending on the application, it may be configured as Type A only, Type B only or Types A and B. When configured in Types A and B, and when in the Inventory phase, the interrogator shall alternate between Type A and Type B interrogation. See Annex C.

HTA Comment: Two type A and B, interrogator must support both. Frequency is slightly different and they are Type A (Full Duplex) and Type B (Half Duplex). Powered by g r o u p s . y a h o o . c o 18000-3 Part 3 Parameters for Air Interface m Communications at 13.56 MHz Scope The scope of this Standard is to provide Physical Layer, Collision management System and Protocol Values for RFID Systems for Item Identification operating at 13.56 MHz in accordance with the requirements of ISO 18000-1 This Standard provides Parameter Value for each MODE determined in the Requirements Clause below. In this version of the Standard, 3 non contending MODES are defined. The MODES are NOT interoperable The MODES, whilst not interoperable, are non contending. HTA Comment: Three Modes. Mode 1 is based on 15693 with additions/changes to better suit the Item management market and improve the compatibility between

vendors. The Interrogator to Tag data rate is 1.65 kbps (fc/8192) or 26.48 kbps (fc/512) The Tag to Interrogator data rate is 26.48 kbps (fc/512). The protocol extension has a precursor data rate ~ 52.97 kbps (fc/256) and a main reply data rate ~105.94 kbps (fc/128). Mode 2 is a high speed interface. The Interrogator to Tag data rate is 423.75 kbps The Tag to Interrogator data rate is 105.9375 kbps on each of 8 channels Mode 3 is a high speed interface with two options. Option 1 is ASK based, option 2 is PJM based. Both use the 18000-6C command structure to be compatible with EPCglobal In option 1 the Interrogator to Tag data rate is 26.7 kbit/s to 100 kbit/s (assuming equally probable data), in option 2 it is 212 kbit/s In option 1 the Tag to Interrogator data rate is FM0, 424 kbit/s or 848 kbit/s; Sub-carrier modulated, 53 kbit/s to 212 kbit/s, in option 2 it is 105.9375 kbps on each of 8 channels

18000-4 Part 4 Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 2.45 GHz

Scope 1.1 Frequency This standard is intended to address RFID devices operating in the 2450 MHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) frequency band. 1.1.1 Interface Definitions This standard supports a standard API (ISO/IEC 18000-1) and standard air interface implementations for wireless, non-contact information system equipment for Item Management applications. Typical applications operate at ranges greater than one meter. HTA Comment: Two modes. Mode 1 is a passive tag, mode 2 is a battery assisted, tag talks first tag. MODE1: PASSIVE BACKSCATTER RFID SYSTEM The FHSS backscatter option or the narrow band operation RFID system shall include an interrogator that runs the FHSS backscatter option 1 RFID protocol or in narrow band operation, as well as one or more tags within the interrogation zone MODE 2: LONG RANGE HIGH DATA-RATE RFID SYSTEM This clause describes a RFID system, offering a gross data rate up to 384 kbps at the air interface in case of Read/Write (R/W) tag. In case of Read Only (R/O) tag the data rate is 76.8 kbps. The tag is battery assisted but back scattering. By using of battery powered tags such a system is well designed for long-range RFID applications. This air interface description does not explicit claim for battery assistance in the tag, also real passive tags or tags for mixed operation are conceivably.

18000-5 Part 5 Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 5.8 GHz

Scope The scope of this Standard is to provide Physical Layer, Anti collision System and Protocol Values for RFID Systems for Item Identification operating at 5.8

5.9 GHz in accordance with the requirements of ISO 18000-1 This part of the standard was abandoned due to insufficient global interest

18000-6 Part 6 Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 860 to 960 MHz
Scope This standard describes: the physical interactions between the interrogator and the tag the protocols and the commands, the collision arbitration schemes

HTA Comment: Three types, Types A, B and C. For the forward link, Type A uses Pulse interval encoding at 33 kbit/s, Type B uses bi-phase modulation and Manchester encoding at 10 or 40 kbit/s. For the collision arbitration, Type A uses an Aloha-based mechanism, Type B uses an adaptive binary tree mechanism. Both types uses the same bi-phase space FM0 return link encoding, at 40 or 160 kbit/s. Type C is meant to be identical to EPCglobal's UHF Gen 2 specification. In the forward link it uses Pulse Interval Encoding at 26.7 to 128 kbit/s and in the reverse it uses Baseband FM0 or Miller-modulated subcarrier return link at FM0: 40 kbps to 640 kbps, or Subcarrier modulated: 5 kbps to 320 kbps

18000-7 Part 7 Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 433 MHz

Scope 1.1 Frequency Information Technology AIDC Techniques - RFID for Item Management - Air Interface, Part 7 Parameters for an Active RFID Air Interface Communications at 433 MHz. This standard is intended to address RFID devices operating in the 433 MHz frequency band. 1.1.1 Interface Definitions. This standard supports a standard API (ISO/IEC 18000-1) and standard air interface implementations for wireless, non-contact information system equipment for Item Management applications. Typical applications operate at ranges greater than one meter. 1.1.1.1 RFID System Definition The RFID system shall include a host system and RFID equipment (interrogator and tags). The host system runs an application program, which controls interfaces with the RFID. The RFID equipment shall be composed of two principal components: tags and interrogators. The tag is intended for attachment to an item, which a user wishes to manage. It is capable of storing a tag ID number and other data regarding the tag or item and of communicating this information to the interrogator. The interrogator is a device, which communicates to tags in its field of view. Additionally, the interrogator can use its transmitted RF carrier to power the tag. Systems, which rely on the transmitted interrogator carrier for powering the tag, are typically referred to as passive tag systems. The interrogator controls the protocol, reads information from the tag, directs the tag to store data in some cases, and ensures message delivery and validity.

1.1.1.2 Minimum Features RFID systems defined by this standard provide the following minimum features: Identify tag in range Read data Write data or handle read only systems gracefully Selection by group or address Graceful handling of multiple tags in the field of view Error detection

HTA Comment: One Mode, long distance capability, active tag system RFID Standards from SC31 An explanation of how ISO standardization works RFID Standards (Two Presentations - Jan 2002, April 2002) Standards Update

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Iso standard works

What are Standards? Quick Links
Standards How does ISO work Current SC31 standards Bar code standards RFID standards ISO 18000 RFID standards Data Carriers Standards Data Structure standards Conformance standards RFID standards RTLS standards Mobile Item ID Reference Material Technology links

Have you ever wondered about standards for the AIDC industry? Some of you are probably aware of the fact that they exist, but you may not know where they come from, and who actually created them. In this update, I will try to dispel some of the myths and help you to understand the processes involved. For more on the subject of Standards see the links at the bottom of the page. First thing to understand is that there are two different types of standards.

Technology Standards
The first type of standard is a technology standard or specification. This type of standard is the base line for the creation of a product that uses the technology. An example of this is a barcode symbology standard. The majority of the symbology standards that exist today have been created by AIM (For a list of AIM Symbology standards visit this link). Some of these barcode standards are currently being used as the basis for standardization at the ISO/IEC JTC 1 level by SC31. Others where the international demand is not there will remain as AIM standards. An explanation of how ISO standardization works

Biometrics standards are just starting to be developed and a good reference to the work that is going on can be found at http://www.biometrics.org/html/standards.html. RFID standards are being developed by SC31 along with barcode, data syntax, and conformance standards. There is also work being done at national levels by some countries. For a list of some of the international, regional, and national standards bodies visit http://www.aimglobal.org/standards/stndrdorgs.asp Bar Code standards have been developed mostly by AIM (http://www.aimglobal.org) though some of these have now been adopted by ISO. See a summary of Bar Code Standards.

Application Standards

The second type of standard is what I will term an application standard. In this case a standard is written that will call upon a technology standard as the basis for the implementation of an application. An example of this might be the AIAG standard for Parts Identification and Tracking Application. This application standard defines specifications for both direct marking and labeling of individual parts, kits, assemblies/ subassemblies, unit packs and subpacks, using both Code 39 linear bar codes and Data Matrix two dimensional symbols. The standard describes technical requirements for the symbols, format rules for the data in the symbols, and rules for printing the human-readable interpretation. In the case of an application standard it is typically the application industry that writes the standard (as in the case above where AIAG wrote the standard for automotive parts marking). The application standard makes reference to the technology standard(s) (in this case Code 39 and Data Matrix), so that the implementation of the symbology itself is correct, but the application standard details how to use the symbology to encode the needed information and what that information should be.

For a list of application standards developers for various industries see this link. You will see that this list of standards developers covers a wide variety of applications and is probably not all inclusive. You should be able to find a link to the standards you are looking for from this page. Once you have the basic technology standard written then it becomes available for everyone to use and interpret for their particular use. An example of the use of the barcode technology standards would be the use by the Health Industry Business Communications Council (HIBCC) (http://www.hibcc.org/AUTOIDUPN/standards.htm) of various barcode symbologies in the health care industry. HIBCC have written a series of application standards that use several symbologies to define how bar code technology is used in healthcare. Each of these application standards refers to a technology standard for the rules on creating the symbology, but they add the rules for the data side of the barcode.

So, if you are looking for a standard for barcode technology, then you need to look in two places, the symbology standard first and then the application standard from the industry association. From the American Production & Inventory Control Society Inc. (APICS) to the Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) there will be an association for your industry that has created an application standard.

More information on Standards:

An explanation of how ISO standardization works Bar Code standards Standards Update

Standards Updates
Standards Explained

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What is RFID What are card techs Standards Reference Material Technology links Standards Updates - Index An introduction to RFID standards Why do we need standards? ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31 - Automatic Identification and Data Capture Techniques The ISO process

The ISO process - part 2 AIDC Standards AIDC Bar Code Standards AIDC Card Standards

This is a series of articles that were written to help explain the standards world to someone not involved. These had been published on a magazine web site, but are no longer available. They are republished along with some new articles for your information.

Standards Update 1 - An introduction to RFID standards Standards Update 2 - Why do we need standards? Standards Update 3 - ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31 - Automatic Identification and Data Capture Techniques Standards Update 4 - The ISO process Standards Update 5 - The ISO process - part 2 Standards Update 6 - AIDC Standards Standards Update 7 - AIDC Bar Code Standards Standards Update 8 - AIDC Card Standards

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How does ISO Work?

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Standards How does ISO work Current SC31 standards Bar code standards RFID standards ISO 18000 RFID standards Data Carriers Standards Data Structure standards Conformance standards RFID standards RTLS standards Mobile Item ID Reference Material Technology links

Int

Ever wondered about the process that creates an ISO standard? Or even who ISO is? Here are the answers to some of those questions. At the International Standards Organization (ISO) the standards for our industry fall in the Information Technology area. A committee called JTC1 (Joint Technical Committee 1), uniting the various groups within ISO and IEC (International Electrotechnical Committee), has been formed for all IT (Information Technology) standards. The Sub-Committee that is responsible for Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) is SC31. The secretary for this international committee is GS 1 US (was UCC), with AIM acting as the administrator for the United States national position. The process to create an ISO standard is complicated and based on a six step process: Stage 0 (preliminary stage): A study period is underway. Stage 1 (proposal stage): An NP (New Project) is under consideration. Stage 2 (preparatory stage): A WD (Working Draft) is under consideration. Stage 3 (committee stage): A CD/FCD (Committee Committee Draft) is under consideration. Draft/Final

Stage 4 (approval stage): An FDIS (Final Draft International Standard) is under consideration. Stage 5 (publication stage): An IS (International Standard) is being prepared for publication.

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These six steps form the foundation for the creation of an ISO standard, so we will go through each one in turn to better

understand the process. Stage 0: This is a time when a group of people think that there may be a need for a standard. It is an optional stage in the process, and usually only occurs when there is agreement that standardization is likely, but there are no specific projects identified. This stage allows a workgroup to create a plan and get international approval for standardization before significant amounts of effort are expended. Stage 1: A proposal for a new work item (NP) can be submitted by JTC 1, a National Body (NB) (USA, UK etc.), a subcommittee (SC) or Technical Committee (TC), or certain liaison members of JTC 1. An NP document includes enough information about the project to allow a NB to decide if it is going to participate in a project. This information includes the obvious things like title, scope, and program of work as well as a business case that sets out the purpose and justification for doing the standardization. Once an NP is submitted, all the NBs in JTC 1 have to vote on accepting the work. This is a three month ballot. In order to be accepted, a majority of the P (Principal) members of JTC 1 must approve the work and at least five P members must agree to participate in the work. (Not every NB must participate in every standard at the working level, though all P members have a vote to approve the work).

Stage 2: After approval of the NP, it is assigned to a subcommittee for the work to be done. The subcommittee establishes a workgroup to take responsibility, and work starts on the project. The workgroup identifies a project editor for the project, and work commences to create a document. This working draft (WD) will typically go through several revisions as more of the technical detail is created and consensus of the group is achieved. This process can take some time, and so JTC 1 has some procedures to flag anything that is still in this stage at the third year anniversary of the NP date. At some point the workgroup decides that the document is materially complete (main elements included), it is in a format approximating a standard, and there is consensus as to its content. At this point the workgroup recommends that the WD be sent for registration as a Committee Draft (CD). Stage 3: The document is forwarded by the SC into JTC 1 for registration as a CD. With this recommendation is a letter which states whether this is a Committee Draft (CD) or a Final Committee Draft (FCD). If the workgroup considers that this document is basically complete and that there are unlikely to be any changes suggested during the ballot process then it may recommend that this is an FCD immediately. However, if changes are likely, the CD is the route to go. The document is put up for CD ballot as many times as needed to get enough consensus to get it through the FCD ballot. A CD ballot is a 3 month ballot, whereas a FCD ballot is a four month ballot. However, if a document fails FCD ballot it must go back to the CD ballot stage, so it is better to be sure of the consensus before submitting to FCD. In both cases, votes may be for or against the document, though negative votes must include reasons. After the close of the ballot the workgroup is required

to consider every comment made and produce a disposition of comments report that explains their reasons for their actions (the workgroup is not required to accept all the comments, but they must explain their decisions). Following a successful FCD ballot the document is registered for Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) ballot. Stage 4: The document is now sent out for a FDIS ballot. This is a two month ballot, that requires at least two thirds of the P members approval, along with no more than one-quarter of the total number of cast votes being negative. The vote can only be approval or disapproval (for stated technical reasons) and abstention. If the vote fails, the document goes back to the CD stage. If it passes only minor editorial changes are possible to the document before it goes to the next stage and is published. Stage 5: The document is finally sent to JTC 1 to be published. As you can see, the process takes time. The balloting process alone takes a minimum of 12 months, assuming that there are no needs for multiple CD of FCD ballots. With the extra time taken to actually write the technical details of the standard and get consensus about the content, you can see that the standardization process is not a quick one.