If you need greater read distances or quicker response times than can be achieved with ordinary RFID tags, the answer may be in battery assisted passive tags.
Conventional RFID tags use the power from the readers signal to turn on and then to run the chip, power the memory and power the transmission back to the reader. As a result the distance between the reader and the tag has to be close enough for the power to be collected.
Battery assisted (or semi-passive tags) only use the power of the reader to identify that reading is in progress. Then they use their own on-board battery to power up, run the chip and the memory and transmit and receive data. Because the tags are self powered they can transmit their data over greater distances. Batteries have a defined life of course and battery assisted tags are bulkier than their passive equivalents but battery life can be over 5 years (after which tags behave as passive so nothing is lost) and in comparison to most UHF long range tags the difference in size is small.
| | Key Features
| Benefits |
| | Work with standard RFID readers
| Uses existing UHF readers, avoids the need for specialised or non-standard reader devices or software. |
| | Higher success rates. | Re-reading is rarely needed. Reading of tags passing through a portal is far more reliable. |
| | Longer read ranges.
| Makes the design of systems easier, may make the positioning of readers and antenna less critical. |
| | Lower latency.
| Tag responds to the reader more quickly; important if the tag is triggering some other process.
|
CoreRFID has worked with battery assisted passive tags on a number of projects. You can learn about our experiences from our case study of using them for Vaillant Group's manufacturing operations in the UK or check out the You-Tube video (see Resources) which shows tests carried out by the RFID Network demonstrating just how much of a difference these tags can make.
A battery assisted tag gives greater read range and more reliable reading.