Full E3 Glossary
Active RFID Tag: An active RFID tag is battery powered, has an active onboard transmitter/antenna, and generates RF energy to the tag antenna. Active tags can transmit at greater distances then passive RFID tags.
Agile Reader: A reader that can read various types of RFID tags that are either produced by various manufactures and/or operate on different frequencies.
Air Interface Protocol: Standards that control how RFID readers and tags communicate.
Antenna: An antenna is basically a transducer designed to receive radio waves. Antennas have the ability to convert RF current into EM waves vice-versa.
Anti-Collision: Method of reading information from multiple RFID tags from a single RFID reader field simultaneously without interference (see collision).
Backscatter: The method of communication between an RFID reader and passive RFID tag - the reader transmits an RF signal to the tag and a modulated signal is "reflected" back to the reader from the RFID tag.
Collision: Signals from tags and readers interfering (colliding) with one another.
Contactless Smart Card: Is a buyer or credit card with an onboard RFID chip that can transmit its information without being swiped like a typical credit card.
EPC: Electronic Product Code: A 96-bit standard format code.
Far-Field Communication: Where the RFID reader and tag are separated by a distance of one full wavelength.
Gen 2: Generation 2: Beginning in 2006, a second generation protocol. RFIDs operate in the UHF frequency range (860-960 MHz). Gen 2 conforms to FCC, European, and Asian UHF radio regs. Gen 2 protocol permits large amounts of data to be stored on a tag and allows customization of the content.
GS1: global organization created to design and implement global standards and solutions to improve supply and demand chains globally. The GS1 system has four main areas: Barcodes, eCom, Global Data Synchronisation Network, and EPCglobal.
High-Frequency (HF) RFID: RFID uses 13.56 MHz. This frequency allows a read distance of 3 to 4 inches for handheld readers and roughly up to 6 feet with a portal reader.
Interrogator: Another name for RFID reader.
Line-of-sight (LOS): Unlike some devices that require unobstructed line of sight to the object being read, RFID devices usually do not require LOS. Most RFID tags can be read through boxes, crates, packaging or dirt.
Near-field UHF: Where the RFID reader and tag are separated by a distance of less than one full wavelength.
Passive RFID Tag: The passive RFID tags do not contain a battery and use the reader for their power. The reader transmits a low-power signal to the tag. The tag microchip is powered by the low power signal received by the tag antenna. The passive tag usually transmits up to distances of 10 feet.
Reader: Also referred to as the interrogator. The reader's function is to read or interrogate the RFID tag using radio waves to read the microchip contents and pass this information (in digital format) to a computer for processing. The RFID reader can be handheld, portal, or convey or mounted.
Read-only Microchip: Unique data is written to the microchip by the manufacturer at the time it is produced. This data cannot be changed once it is written to the chip.
Read-write Microchip: Allows the microchip data to be overwritten when the chip is close to a reader. The read-write chip is more expensive then the read-only chip.
RFID: Radio Frequency Identification: Uses radio waves to identify items. RFID systems are typically composed of a reader and tags. The reader (also referred to as the interrogator) sends out and receives back radio frequency (RF) data from the tags using an antenna. The tag (sometimes referred to as transponder) is composed of a microchip and an antenna. The microchip and antenna can be mounted on a carrier.
Semi-passive Tags: The RFID tag is uses a battery only to run the RFID chip - the battery is not used for transmitting information back to the reader.
Smart Label: A label with an RFID microchip and antenna attached.
Tag: Part of an RFID system that contains a microchip and antenna assembly. Also referred to as a smart label.
Transponder: A combination transmitter and receiver in one unit. RFIDs are commonly referred to as a transponder since they can both transmit and receive radio waves.
Ultra-high Frequency (UHF): Operates in the 860-960 MHz frequency range. The read range for a UHF RFID is typically up to 20 feet. However, the cons of UHF are absorption by liquids and unpredictability near metal containers or surfaces. Because congestion in this frequency range, interference problems may result.
Write Once Read Many Times (WORM) Microchip: A microchip that can be written to only once (then becomes Read Only), but can be read by an RFID reader many times.
