How to Choose the Right
RFID System: A Step-by-Step Guide

Choosing the proper radio frequency identification system for your application can be a daunting task, and systems integrators often try to sell customers the solution with which they are most familiar—even if it isn't the most suitable for the job. Now, for the first time, RFID Journal provides a guide to choosing the right system for your needs, and explains the pros and cons of different RFID solutions for different applications.

This report details the many types of RFID technologies, including passive low-frequency (LF), high-frequency (HF) and ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) 433 MHz, 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz active systems; ultra-wideband (UWB); ZigBee; Wi-fi; and more. Plus, it features descriptions covering a wide variety of hybrid tags, including tags that combine RFID with infrared, GPS and sensors. This ultimate guide will help ensure that you choose the most suitable system to do the job at the lowest cost—get this newly released report now, at this special rate.

RFID Journal's editors created this special report to help businesses choose the RFID technology that can best meet their needs in both the short and long term. It is designed to walk companies through the process of determining their needs, and then matching those requirements to the proper RFID system. This document provides detailed information regarding the performance characteristics, standards, strengths, weaknesses and common applications for each type of passive, active and battery-assisted RFID system.

No report can conclusively determine the right RFID system for a company's particular needs, but this guide will help those charged with selecting a system narrow the options. Our goal is to reduce the time businesses spend researching the appropriate system, and to provide the information they need to choose a systems integrator and, perhaps, hardware and software providers (a good systems integrator will help with the technology-selection process).

Table of Contents

Part 1
What Is RFID?

The Major Types of RFID Systems
          Passive
          Active
          Battery-Assisted

Part 2
A Step-by-Step Guide to Choosing the Right RFID System for Your Application

          1. Determine whether you want to deploy RFID as a point solution to solve one problem, or as an infrastructure approach to solve multiple problems.
          2. Determine which objects and/or people you would like to track.
          3. Determine over what distance each object or person needs to be identified and tracked.
          4. Determine the location accuracy required for each item being tracked, as well as the layout of the environment.
          5. Create a table within which you can place each item on your list.
          6. Consider other factors that might influence which system is most appropriate.

• How large is the asset?
• How critical is knowledge of the asset's location?
• What other RF devices are in operation in the area in which the RFID system will be used?
• Do you need to monitor the item's condition?
• How much will deploying the system disrupt existing operational activities?
• Does the system need to be intrinsically safe or HERO-compliant?
• How important is data security?
• What is the total cost of ownership?

          7. Prioritize the benefits of tracking and managing the objects, or groups of objects, on your list.
          8. Engage the services of a good system integrator.
          9. Pilot the system.
          10. Roll out the system and expand it as needed.

Part 3

The Different Types of Passive RFID Systems

Passive
          Low-Frequency
          High-Frequency
          Ultrahigh-Frequency

Passive Real-Time Locating Systems
          Ultrahigh-Frequency
          Ultra-Wideband

Part 4

The Different Types of Active RFID Systems

Active
          ISO-18000-7
          RuBee
          Proprietary Systems

Active Real-Time Locating Systems
          ZigBee
          Wi-Fi
          Ultra-Wideband
          Proprietary Systems

Part 5

Battery-Assisted RFID Systems

Part 6

Hybrid RFID Systems
          RFID and Infrared
          RFID and GPS
          RFID and GPRS

Part 7

RFID Sensor Networks

Part 8

Chipless RFID Systems
          RF-Resonant Fibers
          RF-Resonant Inks

Part 9

Alternatives to RFID
          Infrared
          Ultrasound

Appendices

          1. The Components of an RFID System
          2. RFID Applications
          3. Leading RFID Technology Providers

See Complete Agenda »

RFID Journal LIVE! 2011 is produced by RFID Journal, the World's RFID Authority.