RFID Operating Frequency Guidelines and Typical Applications

1, Low frequency (from 125KHz to 134KHz)
In fact, RFID technology was first widely applied and promoted in low frequencies. This frequency mainly works through inductive coupling, which means there is a transformer coupling effect between the reader coil and the inductor coil. The voltage induced in the inductor antenna through the alternating field of the reader is rectified and can be used as a power supply voltage. The magnetic field area can be well defined, but the field strength decreases too quickly.

Features:
(1) The general operating frequency of sensors operating at low frequencies ranges from 120KHz to 134KHz, while the operating frequency of TI is 134.2KHz. The wavelength of this frequency band is approximately 2500m
(2) In addition to the influence of metal materials, low frequencies can generally pass through objects of any material without reducing their reading distance.
(3) There are no special licensing restrictions for readers and writers working at low frequencies worldwide.
(4) Low frequency products come in different packaging forms. A good packaging form is too expensive, but it has a lifespan of more than 10 years.
(5) Although the magnetic field region at this frequency decreases rapidly, it can generate a relatively uniform read and write region.
(6) Compared to RFID products in other frequency bands, the data transmission rate in this frequency band is relatively slow.
(7) The price of sensors is relatively higher compared to other frequency bands.

Main applications: Management systems for animal husbandry; The application of car anti-theft and keyless door opening systems; The application of marathon running system; Automatic parking lot toll collection and vehicle management system; The application of automatic refueling systems; The application of hotel door lock system, access control and security management system.

Compliant international standards:
Application of ISO11784 RFID in animal husbandry - coding structure;
Application of ISO11785 RFID in animal husbandry - Technical theory;
Application of ISO14223-1 RFID in animal husbandry - Air interface;
Application of ISO14223-2 RFID in animal husbandry - Protocol definition;
ISO18000-2 defines the physical layer, collision avoidance, and communication protocol for low frequencies;
DIN 30745 is mainly the European standard for defining waste management applications.

2, High frequency (operating frequency is 13.56MHz)
Sensors at this frequency no longer require coils to be wound, and antennas can be made through corrosion or printing. Sensors generally operate through load modulation. That is, by turning on and off the load resistance on the sensor, the voltage on the reader/writer antenna is changed, achieving amplitude modulation of the antenna voltage using a remote sensor. If people control the on and off of load voltage through data, then this data can be transmitted from sensors to readers and writers.

Features:
(1) The working frequency is 13.56MHz, and the wavelength of this frequency is approximately 22m.
(2) Except for metallic materials, the wavelength at this frequency can pass through most materials, but often reduces the reading distance.
(3) This frequency band is recognized globally without any special restrictions.
(4) Sensors are generally in the form of electronic tags.
(5) Although the magnetic field region at this frequency decreases rapidly, it can generate a relatively uniform read and write region.
(6) The system has anti-collision characteristics and can read multiple electronic tags simultaneously.
(7) Some data information can be written into labels.
(8) The data transmission speed is faster than low-frequency, and the price is not very expensive.

Main applications: the application of library management systems; Management and application of Vance steel cylinders; Management and application of clothing production lines and logistics systems; Three meter pre payment system; Management and application of hotel door locks; Large scale conference personnel channel system; Fixed asset management system; Management and application of pharmaceutical logistics systems; Management of intelligent shelves.

Compliant international standards:
ISO/IEC 14443 close coupled IC card, with a maximum reading distance of 10cm;
ISO/IEC 15693 sparse coupled IC card, with a maximum reading distance of 1m;
The ISO/IEC 18000-3 standard defines the physical layer, anti-collision algorithms, and communication protocols of a 13.56MHz system;
13.56MHz ISM Band Class1 Definition 13.56MHz complies with the interface definition of EPC.

3, Ultra high frequency (operating frequency between 860MHz and 960MHz)
Ultra high frequency systems transmit energy through an electric field. The energy of the electric field does not decrease very quickly, but the area read is not well defined. The reading distance of this frequency band is relatively far, and it can reach about 10m without a source. Mainly achieved through capacitive coupling.

 

Features:
(1) In this frequency band, the global definition is not very consistent - the frequency defined in Europe and some parts of Asia is 868MHz, the frequency defined in North America is between 902 and 905MHz, and the recommended frequency band in Japan is between 950 and 956. The wavelength of this frequency band is approximately 30cm.
(2) At present, the power output of this frequency band is defined uniformly (defined as 4W in the United States and 500mW in Europe). It is possible that the European restrictions will rise to 20000 EIRP.
(3) Radio waves in the ultra-high frequency band cannot pass through many materials, especially suspended particles such as water, dust, fog, etc. Compared to high-frequency electronic tags, electronic tags in this frequency band do not need to be separated from metals.
(4) The antenna of electronic tags is generally long and tag shaped. There are two types of antenna designs, linear and circularly polarized, to meet the needs of different applications.
(5) This frequency band has a good reading distance, but it is difficult to define the reading area.
(6) It has a high data transfer rate and can read a large number of electronic tags in a very short time.

Main applications: management and application in the supply chain; Management and application of production line automation; Management and application of air parcels; Management and application of containers; Management and application of railway parcels; The application of logistics management system.
ISO/IEC 18000-6 defines the physical layer and communication protocol for ultra-high frequency; The air interface defines two parts: TypeA and TypeB; Supports both readable and writable operations.
EPCglobal defines the structure of electronic item coding, as well as the very high frequency air interface and communication protocol. For example: Class 1UHF Gen2.
UbiquitousID is an organization in Japan that defines the UID encoding structure and communication management protocol.
In the future, ultra-high frequency products will be widely used.