Impinj brings all the pieces of the RFID solution together into the GrandPrix Evaluation Kit. This kit provides users with a means to analyze the complete UHF Gen 2 answer for any RFID application, from pallet- and case-level down to item-level. By combining Impinj's Speedway® reader, near- and far-field antennas, and Monza™-powered tags into one easy-to-install demonstration kit, customers can quickly verify the efficacy of an entire UHF Gen 2 RFID solution. And, with the addition of the MultiReader™ host application software package, customers can easily configure one or more readers, specify settings, and conduct tests that highlight the performance and operational differences between near- and far-field tags. Available to qualified partners, distributors, VARs, system integrators, middleware vendors, universities, test labs, and end users, the GrandPrix Evaluation Kit delivers powerful tools for demonstrating the unmatched capabilities of the Impinj brand of UHF Gen 2.

Find out more: http://www.impinj.com/rfid/rfid-evaluation-kit.aspx

 

 

It’s easy to overlook the importance of the tag antenna to overall RFID system performance. But the fact remains, the combination of the tag chip and the antenna design leverages better, more robust, and innovative RFID solutions. As it turns out, choosing the right tag antenna is key to your successful RFID experience.

Convenient as it would be, there is no single best antenna design for every application operating in every region of the world, which is why there has been such a proliferation of specially optimized forms and configurations. Available in a plethora of shapes and sizes, many antenna designs also feature creative geometries that, like a Rorschach ink blot, conjure up the images that inspire their names.

Fine art considerations aside, antenna design is concerned with managing the many tradeoffs—size, cost, orientation sensitivity, range—for the application at hand. Some antennas are optimized for a particular frequency band, while others are tuned for good performance when attached to certain materials (e.g., cardboard versus metal). Other antennas are more general purpose in scope, working reasonably well across the entire UHF spectrum, in free space or affixed to an item.

In addition to the performance requirements, the tag should also exhibit a size and shape appropriate to the particular tagged item, whether it's a corrugated carton, cola can, or casino chip. As might be expected, the requirements of antenna geometry impact the form factor just as form factor requirements constrain the antenna geometry. As form follows function, the size and shape of the tag is closely aligned with the requirements of its end use application. The following table illustrates antenna designs that Impinj licenses free of charge to its RFID chip customers.



Learn more about tag antennas with these resources:

 
• UHF Gen 2 Tag Antenna Designs Selection Guide
• The RFID Tag Antenna: Optimizing Dipole Tag Placement
• The RFID Tag Antenna: Antenna Loading Effects
• The RFID Tag Antenna: Conductive Ink
• The RFID Tag Antenna: Orientation Sensitivity
• The RFID Tag Antenna: Maximizing Range
• The RFID Tag Antenna: Maximizing Power Transfer
• The RFID Tag Antenna: Form Factor
• The RFID Tag Antenna: Basic Considerations
• RFID Tag FAQs

 

 

INDUSTRY INSIDER: LOWRY
INTERVIEW WITH JEFF TAZELAAR

Jeff Tazelaar, Lowry’s RFID Product Manager, offers an inside look at Lowry’s business and experience with the RFID market.
Read the interview ...

 

 

In April, EPCglobal ratified the Low Level Reader Protocol (LLRP) standard, which describes the interface between RFID readers and middleware or controllers. Having already standardized the tag and reader radio frequency, air interface protocol with UHF Gen 2, this specification was the practical, logical next step for EPCglobal to tackle in facilitating the adoption of RFID. LLRP achieved backing from a consortium of end users, RFID infrastructure vendors, middleware vendors, industry experts, and networking professionals specifically because it standardizes the control interface, yet still supports reader differentiation via a rich set of extension points.

A standard interface provides many advantages:

• The separation of reader functionality into a standard set of functions with available extensions means middleware writers can write common code for core reader operations—and write them just once for any reader.
 
• Using LLRP, client software may poll the readers on a network for their particular capabilities (which can vary by vendor), so as to take full advantage of extensions where available—and the superior performance offered by innovative reader vendors.
 
• LLRP does not rely on real-time interaction between the application software and the reader, yet readers can still be commanded to perform all of the UHF Gen 2 time-critical functions. As such, this interface supports a wide range of applications from high-speed, autonomous operations, to secure, remotely-controlled systems.
 
 
• Standardized interfaces expedite the development of common libraries, common toolkits, and common test methods.
 

Businesses desiring to use RFID will welcome control client interface standardization because it reduces their long-term deployment costs while maintaining system flexibility.