What are the international RFID industry standards?

The Internet of Things is another revolution in the world's information industry after computers and the Internet. The Internet of Things is defined as "connecting any item with the Internet through information sensing devices (such as RFID) for information exchange and communication, which can realize intelligent identification, positioning, tracking, monitoring and management. ” RFID is a non-contact automatic identification technology that automatically identifies target objects and obtains relevant data through radio frequency signals. It has the characteristics of small size, easy installation, contactless reading, no need for manual intervention, recognition of high-speed objects, and recognition of multiple tags.

A typical RFID system includes electronic tags, readers, and information processing systems. When an item with a radio frequency identification tag passes through a specific information reading device, the tag is activated by the reader and begins to transmit the information carried in the tag to the reader and computer system through radio waves, completing the automatic collection of information.

And the process of dialogue between this reader and electronic tag must follow specific standards, which are international RFID industry standards, just like language, they must be the same language to recognize each other. Moreover, there may be different communication standards depending on the application scenario and frequency band.

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Low frequency band

ISO 11784、ISO 11785

The operating frequency range in the low frequency range is 30kHz to 300kHz. Typical operating frequencies are: 125KHz, 133KHz, 134.2kHz. The communication distance of low-frequency tags is generally less than 1 meter.

ISO 11784 and ISO11785 respectively specify the code structure and technical guidelines for animal identification. The standards do not specify the style and size of responders, so they can be designed in various forms suitable for the animals involved, such as glass tubes, ear tags, or collars.

The technical standards specify the data transmission methods and reader specifications for low-frequency RFID. The working frequency is 134.2KHz, and there are two types of data transmission methods: full duplex and half duplex. The reader data is represented by differential biphasic codes. Due to the limitations of longer charging time and operating frequency of the responder, the communication rate is relatively low.

high band

ISO 14443A&B and ISO 15693

The operating frequency of high-frequency electronic tags is generally between 3MHz and 30MHz. The typical operating frequency is 13.56MHz. The basic characteristics of high-frequency standards are similar to low-frequency standards, and due to the increase in their operating frequency, higher data transmission rates can be selected.

ISO14443 defines two types of protocols, TYPE A and TYPE B. Their differences mainly lie in the modulation depth of the carrier and the encoding method of the bits. ISO 14443A is generally used for access Cards, bus Cards, and small value stored consumer Cards, and has a high market share. ISO14443B is more suitable for CPU Cards due to its high encryption coefficient, and is generally used for ID Cards, passports, UnionPay Cards, etc. The current second-generation electronic ID card adopts the ISO 14443B protocol.

The carrier frequency specified in ISO15693 is 13.56MHz, which defines the air interface and data communication specifications for smart tags and readers operating at 13.56MHz. Tags that comply with this standard have a maximum recognition reading distance of 2 meters, making them more flexible in application.

UHF

ISO 18000-6 B and ISO18000-6C (EPC C1 G2)

Ultra high frequency electronic tags have a long reading distance, with typical operating frequencies of 433.92MHz and 902-928MHz. Ultra high frequency tags are mainly used for automatic recognition of railway vehicles and containers, and can also be used for highway vehicle recognition and automatic toll collection systems.

The application of ISO18000-6B standard is relatively mature, the product performance is relatively stable, and the data format and standards are relatively simple. In terms of reading speed and tag quantity, in applications such as checkpoints and dock operations where the number of tags is not large, using ISO18000-6B standard tags can basically meet the requirements. At present, the "electronic license plate recognition system" used in China's customs logistics supervision system uses electronic tags according to the ISO18000-6B standard.

ISO18000-6C (EPC C1 G2) is fast with data rates ranging from 40kbps to 640kbps. It can read a large number of tags simultaneously and has multiple write protection methods, ensuring strong security. But currently, the user data area is small and the capacity is insufficient.

For suppliers or users, establishing RFID standards can help improve the interoperability of RFID products. It not only ensures the safety of collaborative work and implementation, but also provides guidance for manufacturers on different types of products such as RFID readers, RFID electronic tags, RFID antennas, and software.

The main purpose of RFID standards is to address coding, communication, air interface, and data sharing issues by developing, publishing, and implementing standards, and to maximize the application of RFID technology and related systems.

In the future, RFID standards will continue to be updated, and it is believed that there will be greater breakthroughs in the development of RFID technology under these standards in the near future.