TI delivers RFID asset visibility in harsh and metallic environments with two new products

The tags incorporate a number of TI’s patented RFID technology and quality innovations including half-duplex (HDX) radio communication. HDX boosts read range by 50 percent compared with full-duplex (FDX) LF and offers a stronger RF signal because the HDX reader shuts down during the HDX tag’s response. This allows the HDX reader to concentrate on receiving the signal thereby obtaining an accurate read as compared to FDX. In FDX systems, the reader signal remains on and may create RF interference as it attempts to read the FDX tag. HDX also features frequency shift keying technology which makes TI’s tags more immune to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and other ambient environmental noise, allowing the reader to effectively read and differentiate tags that are close together.

Based on his experience with TI’s LF HDX technology, Gerald Dittrich, research & development director of Brooks Automation Germany said, “Our customers have challenging conditions that require TI’s LF HDX technology because it offers excellent read/write performance. The TI MUSA transponder delivers on that promise. We found that it’s both shock resistant and performs particularly well in customer installations where metal resides.”

TI’s new tags are designed for rugged applications like container tracking in waste management, vehicle identification and access control, as well as other applications in highly metallic environments, such as oil refineries, oil drilling and tool production. The tags can also be applied to carbon fiber products, including aerospace, automotive and bicycle parts, and are developed to withstand the high temperatures of the manufacturing process.

“Low frequency HDX is the workhorse we recommend for applications where metal, temperature, and noisy environments often challenge other technologies,” said Mikael Ahlund, director of asset tracking for Texas Instruments RFID Systems. “The performance and quality innovations we continue to make in our LF product portfolio ensure that the technology continues to find new applications.”

In addition to being able to be directly mounted on metal, TI’s 12 mm Multi-Usage Wedge Transponder also features 208 bits of flexible, user programmable memory and a password protected write capability that allows users to build a level of security into their application. For example, a company can have one portion of the tag’s memory programmed with a factory-locked number, such as a manufacturer’s ID code, while some of the other data sections can be freely used to record status, maintenance, or location updates over the life of an asset. Security can be imposed with a password that allows data updates only by authorized parties.

The 24 mm LF Circular Inlay is available with 80 bits of read/write memory or 64 bits of read only memory. The inlay is ISO/IEC 11785 compliant and can be easily encapsulated into a variety of materials and form factors. The inlays undergo complete inline parametric and functional testing to provide optimum off-the-reel yield. Both products are compatible with TI’s reader portfolio. TI’s HDX tag-reader combination offers the most optimized performance in addition to ease of installation and use.

TI’s 134.2 kHz LF product family includes more than 40 transponder, inlay, antenna and reader products incorporating 20 years of the company’s RFID design and manufacturing experience.