RFID Tag Types: Definition, Comparison, & Applications

In RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) expertise, clever and distinctive identifiers are viable to embed digital progress in objects. With out these identifiers, there’s no approach for RFID tags to establish objects. These distinctive identifiers are often known as RFID tags that function on totally different frequency ranges in line with the calls for of purposes. Not solely frequency ranges, however the RFID tags additionally come in several sizes, shapes, dimensions to amass the type of paper, objects, buttons, keys and far more. Antenna, microchip and battery are the important parts of those RFID tags. They’re additional labeled into three sorts; lively, passive and semi-passive. In as we speak’s weblog, we focus on RFID tag sorts and evaluate them primarily based on frequency, efficiency, velocity and utilization.

Earlier than shifting forward, customers should know the features of primary parts of RFID tags;

1. Antenna: the aim of the antenna in an RFID tag is to speak with the RFID reader.
2. Microchip: it acts as a storage of RFID tag. It retains the file of information or identification quantity.
3. Battery: some tags include a battery to energy the microchip required for studying/writing functionalities.

Now, let’s start with RFID tag sorts;

1. Table of Contents

   Toggle

   Energetic RFID Tags

Energetic tags are the tags that don’t require an interrogator for an influence supply. The built-in circuit (IC) of those tags incorporates battery, transmitter, energy processing unit. The battery is important to energy the IC and transmitter. Thus, it doesn’t need interrogator for energy and transmitting the radio indicators; as a substitute, it exploits battery to speak with the reader by way of radio indicators. Extra processing unit comes helpful when inner sensors of lively tags must setup reference to exterior sensors of the opposite lively tags or environment.

The lively tags vary from 300 to 750 ft. Though lively tags are important for purposes that require longer learn ranges, they’re additionally susceptible to radio intrusion and noise interference. The dimensions, weight and value of lively tags are extra complete than different tags. One other drawback of lively tags is that their life length is lower than passive and semi-passive tags.

2. Passive RFID Tags

Not like lively tags, passive RFID tags don’t include energy sources on IC. It relies on the interrogator for an influence supply. The radio waves emitted by interrogators are the supply of energy for passive tags. As these tags don’t have their energy supply, they’re restricted when it comes to functionalities. The board of passive tags doesn’t include lively transmitters; in consequence, they’re much less expose to radio intrusion.

Passive RFID tags function at low, excessive and ultra-high frequencies. Inductive coupling is obligatory for tags working at high and low frequencies, whereas radiative coupling is important for tags working above excessive frequencies. The learn vary of former tags is 2 ft solely, and the learn vary of later one is equal and greater than 20 ft.

Passive tags solely work when it’s required; subsequently, the life of those tags is best, and the absence of an lively transmitter together with battery reduces the failure ratio of the IC. They’re easy, cost-effective and dependable tags.

On the draw back, passive tags have restricted storage and don’t have the potential for including extra traits. On account of their easy nature, they don’t connect any temperature, stress, mild sensors like lively tags.

3. Semi-passive RFID Tags

The built-in circuit (IC) of semi-active tags incorporates a battery and exploits the backscattering mechanism to speak with the interrogator. Just like passive tags, their ICs don’t have an lively transmitter. The absence of lively transmitter makes them invulnerable in direction of radio interference, however the presence of battery permits them to embed environmental sensors and presents longer learn ranges in comparison with passive tags. In different phrases, we will say that these are the evolution and enhanced model of passive tags as they could learn as much as 100 ft.

On the flip aspect, semi-passive or battery-assisted tags (BATs) are pricey, temperature-sensitive, giant in measurement or weight and have restricted life length in comparison with passive tags.

The desk beneath exhibits a comparability between RFID tags.

Desk 1: Comparability Between Energetic, Passive and Semi-passive Tags

NXP MIFARE Traditional®EV1 1k (S50) RFID Card ISO14443-A CR80

RFID Card NXP MIFARE Ultralight®EV1 ISO14443-A CR80

RFID Card NXP MIFARE Ultralight®C ISO14443-A CR80

RFID Card NXP MIFARE Traditional®EV1 4k (S70) CR80