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

Number of pages: 37

Price: $295—$100 off the retail price

Energy companies face special challenges in choosing the proper radio frequency identification system for their needs because their operations are complex, and they often operate in harsh environments. The editors of RFID Journal have created this guide to explain the standards, performance characteristics and strengths and weaknesses of different RFID solutions for a wide variety of applications in the oil and gas, mining and utility sectors.

This report covers all of 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 guide was written to help energy companies choose the RFID technology that can best meet their needs in both the short and long term. It is designed to walk hospital executives through the process of determining their system requirements, and then matching those requirements to the proper RFID system.

No report can conclusively determine the right RFID system for an energy 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?
            • Will the tagged object be exposed to extreme conditions?
            • 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?
            • 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

Part 7
RFID Sensor Networks

Part 8
Chipless RFID Systems
      RF-Resonant Fibers
      RF-Resonant Inks

Part 9
Alternatives to RFID
      Infrared
      Ultrasound
      2-D bar codes

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