UHF RFID Tags

Written By Dan Dobkin with an introduction by Louis Sirico

This article is one of the most in-depth technical references I've ever read. It is chapter 5 from “The RF in RFID: Passive UHF RFID in Practice” written by Daniel M Dobkin printed with permission from Newnes, a division of Elsevier. Copyright 2008.

I've had the pleasure of working with Dan for over a year in contributing content for the RFID Essentials suite of e-learning courses developed by RFID Revolution.

Dan helped create the YouTag Virtual Workshops in Course 1 of the suite, which will be on the market this fall. You can try it by clicking on the link to the right. Anyone that spends more than a few minutes with Dan will quickly realize he knows a lot about the RF in RFID.

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You can read Dan's profile by clicking on his name, but let me point out he has a PhD in Physics from Stanford. After reading this chapter, you will understand why we consider Dan a subject matter expert and trusted adviser in our community.

Members of our community can receive a 20% discount when purchasing Dan's book. Visit www.newnespress.com and use code 91090. Or call 1-800-545-2522. Offer expires 12/31/2007.

Here's Dan's in-depth piece on UHF RFID Tags:

Tags identify objects. When the objects are very expensive, the cost of the tags is of little consequence, but their endurance is of great import, since expensive objects, and our interest in them, are usually also long lived. When the objects are cheap, the tags must be cheaper. These are the fundamental dynamics of tag design.

As a consequence, tags that are intended to label long-lived, expensive objects (typically viewed as assets on someone’s books) are usually active tags, with their own radio transmitter and receiver, powered by a local battery. Since battery technology has progressed very slowly relative Since battery technology has progressed very slowly relative to semiconductor technology, the key issues in designing a active tag are to . . . Read more . . .

CA Bans Forcing RFID Implants

Written By Louis Sirico

Earlier this month, SB 362, introduced by Senator Joe Simitian, (D-Palo Alto, CA), was unanimously passed by California lawmakers. The new law, which goes into affect on January 1, 2008, protects a person from being forced to have an 'identification device' subcutaneously implanted. The law defines an “Identification device”as "anything that is passively or actively capable of transmitting personal information, including, but not limited to, devices using radio frequency technology".

This is one of the bills I wrote about this past July (found here: Getting Personal to Prevent Banning RFID). After publishing this article, and contacting the offices of Senator Simitian, Senator Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro, CA), and California Governor Schwarzenegger , the bill was amended from 'any unique identifier' to 'any unique personal identifier' as per our recommendation. I consider the passing of the bill to be a huge victory. Everyone I have spoken to in our community agrees that no one should be forced to have a tag implanted under their skin. Read more . . .

"RFID Middleware is not a long term solution".

It has taken me some time to muster the nerve to publicly proclaim what many experts in the RFID industry have whispered behind closed doors for years. This should be a little less surprising as several big name providers have recently dropped out of the market. Yet, now that I have published this bold announcement, I'm left with the enormous task of backing it up and describing the evolutionary process that has taken place. Read More . . .

As a C-level exec, you’ll cut more complex deals with people you’ll never meet, overcoming more demands on your attention. And if you’re smart you’ll make innovation a priority – rather, finding new paths of innovation.

Industry thinktank and consultancy The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) surveyed 247 senior executives between July 2006 and April 2007, and compiled them in “The Changing Nature of Leadership." CCL clientele includes Cargill, Avaya, Bayer and Xerox. Their charter is to “equip clients around the world with the skills and insight to achieve more than they thought possible through creative leadership… the capacity to think and act beyond the boundaries that limit our effectiveness.”

Their findings, in order: . Read More . . .

ABI Research survey results have shown that North American business customers spend 23% more on mobile services than consumers do. But until now, mobile productivity application development has lagged behind mobile entertainment services development, limiting the opportunities for serving the business customer.

That is now starting to change and by 2012, driven by mobile productivity applications, data services will account for more than one third of North American business’s mobile services spending. Such applications increase employee productivity and have demonstrable ROI, and as a result can command high ARPUs. Read More . . .

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