1

the auto-id center

sanjay sarma, research director

2

outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

3

What’s wrong with bar-codes?

• Line-of-sight• One-at-a-time• Manual handling• Limited range• Limited data

• Non-line-of-sight• 100(s) at a time• Automatic handling• ~1 meter• 50 bits -Kbits

4

Radio frequency identification systems (RFID)

5

network with rf tags? yes.

6

RFID Example

RFID-Handbook

"Radio-Frequency Identification: Fundamentals and Applications " 1st edition, Wiley and Sons Ltd.ISBN 0-471-98851-0)

                                                                                                     

7

example rfid applications

• Supply chain– Asset tracking, reduce out of stocks, reduce

inventory, reduce bull-whip effect, speed up delivery, check freshness, track and trace, produce to demand, identify sources of diversion, identify counterfeiting, theft prediction, faster recalls

• Consumer applications– Direct order from home, smart appliances, (e.g.

microwave, washing machine, refrigerator), smart healthcare, assisted living

• New and less expected applications– Customized products, smart recycling, checkout-less

stores

8

why low cost?

4

9

outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

10

low cost rfid

time

5

10

15

20

die

size

/cos

t, ce

nts

handling costSilicon: 4c/mm2

11

why is rfid expensive today?

increased chip size greater functionality

reduce functionality(Networking & software)

reduce chip size(handle small chips)

12

Cheap protocol

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

905 910 915 920

Frequency (MHz)

No

ise

Gaussian Fit 0.8912 1002 Meters, 4 KHz,SQW, 1 dBm

13

context-aware router context-aware

router

context-aware router

context-aware router

sensor

context-aware router

context-aware routercontext-aware

routercontext-aware router

context-aware router

context-aware router

context-aware router

sensor sensor sensor

01. 203D2A. 916E8B. 8719BAE03C

Manufacturer 24 bits

Product 24 bits

Serial Number 40 bitsHeader 8 bits

the hypothesis or bet

• Place unique number on tagElectronic Product Code, EPC64 bit, 96 bit, and upwards

• Develop manufacturing technology for small chips and tags

• Move data on the networkNetwork service for resolving EPCNetwork architecture for gathering and routing data

14

Low cost RFID

 

Antenna Manufacture

Antenna/IC Assembly

Conversion to Package

End users

IC Manufacture

20¢ 5¢ 5¢ 20¢

IC Design

$X MillionNumber of tags

1-2¢ 1¢ 1¢ 1¢

IC Design

$X Million Billions

15

Slicing and Dicing

• Standard saw-dicing wasteful• Instead, use separation

by thinning

C. Landesberger, S. Scherbaum, G. Schwinn, H. Spöhrle: “New Process Scheme for Wafer Thinning and Stress-free Separation of Ultra Thin IC’s,” Proceedings of Microsystems Technologies 2001, Mesago, Stuttgart, pp. 431-436, 2001.

16

low cost rf tags

100m

17

Fluidic Self Assembly

Courtesy Alien Technology

18

vibratory assembly

Chip Assembl

yChip Design

Label Converting

Inlet Assembly

Silicon Manufacturi

ng

Antenna Manufacturin

g

End UserLabel / Tag Manufacturi

ng

Wafer Treatment

Vacuum cylinder

Courtesy Philips

19

vibratory Assembly

Chip Assembl

yChip Design

Label Converting

Inlet Assembly

Silicon Manufacturi

ng

Antenna Manufacturin

g

End UserLabel / Tag Manufacturi

ng

Wafer Treatment

Orientation Check

Courtesy Philips

20

Antenna

• Screen printing• Etching• Forming

M. Feil, C. Adler, G. Klink & M. König: “Interconnection Techniques for Ultra Thin ICs and MEMS Elements”, Proceedings of Microsystems Technologies 2001, Mesago, Stuttgart, pp. 437-442, 2001.

21

conversion

• Paper/package/label industry expertise• Scales well with mass production• Capital equipment expenditure

software

paperhardware

22

outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

23

how do we obtain the information?

Connect Physical Objects to the Internet

Automatic

Seamless

Low cost

Ubiquitous

Standard

24

networking the physical world

RF Tag

Networked Tag Readers

SavantControlSystem

25

Architecture: Local

Reader

01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C

Tag Local database

Reader

Local network

DataProcessing

26

Architecture: Global

01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C

Reader

Local database

Reader

Local network

Local system

ONS

Internet<PML> <TIME=2000.4.28:10:05.05HRS>

<EPC= 01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C > <TEMPERATURE=15 DEG C> </EPC> </TIME></PML>

01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C ????

Quality control specialist

XQL

PML Server

18.72.100.100

18.72.100.100

PML

<PML> … … ... <MaximumTempearture> 40 DEG C </MaximumTempearture> <MinimumTemperature> 5 DEG C </MinimumTempearture></PML>

DataProcessing

27

23AB.36C2.AB21.6733

Tag

Reader

Local database

Reader

Local network

Local system

ONS

Internet<PML> <TIME=2000.4.28:10:05.05HRS>

<EPC= 01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C > <TEMPERATURE=15 DEG C> </EPC> </TIME></PML>

01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C ????

Quality control specialist

XQL

PML Server

18.72.100.100

18.72.100.100

PML

<PML> … … ... <MaximumTempearture> 40 DEG C </MaximumTempearture> <MinimumTemperature> 5 DEG C </MinimumTempearture></PML>

DataProcessing

01.203D2A.916E8B.8719BAE03C

Inference

Temperature OK

28

outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

29

bull-whip today

RETAILER40

20

0

0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36

Week

Ord

ers

WHOLESALER

DISTRIBUTOR

FACTORY

Sterman’s control policy

30

bull-whip with auto-id technology

RETAILER40

20

0

0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36

Week

Ord

ers

WHOLESALER

DISTRIBUTOR

FACTORY

Joshi 2000

31

Areas of Supply Chain Research

• Strategic• Tactical• Operational Excellence

32

Strategic applications

• EvolutionaryTransportation Synchronization

Inventory Management Algorithms

Agile and Lean Supply Chains

Make-To-Stock,

Make-To-Order

Engineer-To-Order Environments

• RevolutionaryDistributed Intelligent Products

Distributed Business Processes

33

application: supply chain management

Global Supply Chain

34

Retail applications

• Shrinkage• On-shelf stockout• Customer service• Product recall• Regulatory

35

outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

36

field trial

COCA COLA BOTTLERCLEVELAND, TN

JOHNSON & JOHNSONOLIVE BRANCH, TN

KRAFT FOODSFORTH WORTH, TX

GILLETTE DIST. CENTERCHICAGO IL

PILOT TEST FACILITYBENTONVILLE, AR

WAL-MART DEPOTBENTONVILLE, AR.

WAL MART STORECLEVELAND, TN

HOME DEPOT

Warehouse Retail Floor Staging Area Retail Floor

UNILIVER DIST. CENTERBALTIMORE, MD

P & G FACTORYCAPE GIRADEAU , MO

SAM'S STORETULSA

P & G DCIOWA CITY, IO

SAM'S DEPOTKANSAS CITY, MO

WAL-MART STOREBROKEN ARROW, OK

Pilot facility is being used as a mini warehouse TBD

37

field trial began 1 oct 2001, 9:41am edt

38

Field Test Plan

• Phase I, software test: Sep 01 – Feb 02 Successful

• Phase II, open reader test: Ongoing

• Phase III, Cheap tags test

• Phase IV, Japan, Europe

39

outline

• RFID Systems• Low Cost RFID• Software• Applications• Field Trial• Research opportunities• Conclusions

40

Research Issues

• Tag anti-collision• Reader anti-collision• Security and privacy• Advanced sensor networks • Data routing and handling• IC Design• IC manufacturing

Silicon processing

Chip assembly• Polymers• Controls/automation• Manufacturing systems• System Synthesis• Supply chain issues

41

Sensors

Open tag

Agile reader

Savant

Interoperability

internet

class ii tags

42

conclusions

• RFID will happen• Supply chain the first application• Costs designed for retail• Automotive applications clear• Caveat: metal content creates new

challenges