Whatever your industry or application, RFID Field Guide is your comprehensive guide to planning, designing, and deploying RFID technology into your business. Two leading RFID experts draw on their extensive experience to cut through the hype associated with RFID technology and present the realities: true costs and benefits, technical and organizational obstacles, and solutions that work.

The authors begin by explaining how RFID works, and identifying mature and emerging RFID applications that can reduce expenses, increase revenue, and drive competitive advantage. Next, they present a complete framework for assessing and deploying RFID: everything from budgeting to team building, standards to security, vendor selection to integration.

Along the way, they answer crucial questions facing every manager responsible for evaluating, planning, or implementing RFID:

• What's hype, and what isn't? What can RFID really do for my business?

• What technical advances are on the horizon? Should I wait, or act now?

• Which evolving standards will impact my RFID planning and deployment?

• What best practices exist for planning, organizing, and delivering on RFID initiatives?

• How do I assess the truecosts and benefits of RFID technologies? How do I mitigate the risks?

• What issues should I consider in choosing RFID vendors?

• How should I respond immediately to mandates and still maintain a coherent long-term RFID strategy?

• How can I manage the security and privacy implications of RFID?

• Will item-level tagging ever be a reality in the retail industry? If so, when?

• What's the future of RFID? And what's my next step, right now?

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Shahram Moradpour is CEO and co-founder of Cleritec Systems based in Silicon Valley. Cleritec provides RFID solutions for manufacturing, retail, and healthcare companies. Prior to Cleritec, Shahram was Senior Director of Market Development at Sun Microsystems where he oversaw Sun's alliances with more than 450 partners. He also sponsored and directed numerous emerging technology projects with Fortune 500 companies. He holds Master and Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science from UCLA.

Manish Bhuptani is President and co-founder of Cleritec Systems. Prior to Cleritec he was Director of Market Development at Sun Microsystems where he grew Sun's market presence in emerging and established markets. He has also worked as a management consultant at A.T. Kearney where he advised Fortune 500 companies on business strategy, and as a software engineer at IBM. He holds an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, an MS in Computer Engineering from Purdue University, and a BE in Electrical Engineering from The Cooper Union.

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Contents

About the Authors.

Preface.

I. WHAT IS RFID?

1. A Better Way of Doing Things.

    Security and Authentication

      Electronic Article Surveillance

      Document Authentication

      Access Control

      Electronic Drug Pedigree

    Safety

      People Monitoring

      Patient Care

      Environmental Sensing and Monitoring

    Convenience

      Payment and Loyalty

      Crowd Control

      Sports Timing

      Golf Ball Tracking

    Process Efficiency

      Track and Trace

      Industrial Automation

      Supply Chain Integration

    Summary

2. The History and Evolution of RFID.

    RFID Technology and the Radio

    The Early Days of RFID

    From Detection to Unique Identification

    RFID Flourishes Across the Globe

      Texas Instruments Leads Pioneering Efforts in the U.S.

      Europe Gets an Early Start

      Passive Tags Grow Up in the ’90s

    Summary

3. Components of RFID Systems.

    Operational Description of RFID Systems

    Hardware Components

      Tag

      Reader

      Antenna

      Limitations of Tag and Reader Communications

      Host Computer

    Software Components

      RFID System Software

      RFID Middleware

      Host Application

    The EPCglobal Network

      Electronic Product Code (EPC)

      The ID System

      EPC Middleware

      Object Name Service (ONS)

      EPC Information Services (EPCIS)

    Summary

II. HOW TO DEPLOY RFID.

4. Standards Related to RFID.

    Role of Standards in Technology Advancement and Adoption

    Standards and RFID–An Overview of EPCglobal

      Version 1.0/1.1 Specifications

      Implementation of EPC through EPCglobal Network

      Functions and Features of EPCglobal

    ISO and RFID Standards

    Other Standardization Initiatives

    Recommendations for the Practitioner

    Summary

5. Framework for Deployment.

    Introducing RFID Deployment Framework

    Identify Business Problem

    Define and Pilot Solution

    Build and Deploy Solution

    Sustain and Improve

    Knowledge Base

    Summary

6. Organizational Mobilization.

    Achieving Organizational Mobilization

    Provide Leadership Focus

    Communicate Shared Vision

    Engage Support and Resistance

    Institutionalize Results and Lessons

    Summary

7. Cost-Benefit Analysis.

    Analyzing Benefits

      Types of Benefits

      Finding the Right Benefit Level

    Elements of Cost

      Tags

      Readers

      Antennae

      Host Computer, Middleware, and Host Applications

      Installation

      Tuning

      Integration and Business Process Reengineering

      Support and Maintenance

    Cost-Benefit Characterization of Selected Applications

Summary

8. Vendor Considerations and Landscape.

    Vendor Selection Approach

      Best-of-Breed

      One-Stop-Shop

      Trusted Advisor

    Vendor Comparison Criteria

    Vendor Categories

      Tag and Reader Vendors

      RFID Middleware Vendors

      Computer Systems Vendors

      Application Vendors

      Systems Integration Vendors

      Value Added Vendors

      Specialty Services Vendors

    Vendor Guide

    Summary

III. THE PATH AHEAD.

9. Mandates as Business Catalysts.

    Wal-Mart and RFID

      Background

      Wal-Mart Mandate

      Implications for Suppliers

      Implications for RFID Component Vendors

    U.S. Department of Defense and RFID

      Details of the Mandate

      Implications for Suppliers

    Recommendations for Suppliers of Wal-Mart, Other Retailers, and the DoD

    RFID Initiatives at Other Organizations

    Summary

10. Security and Privacy.

    Distinguishing Between Security and Privacy Issues

      Security Challenges

      Areas of Security Vulnerability in RFID Components

      Assessing Security Risks in RFID Applications

      Solutions for Securing and Protecting RFID Data

    Privacy Considerations

      Consumer RFID Applications and Privacy

      Consumer Willingness to Disclose Personal Data

      RFID Privacy Best Practices

    Summary

11. Emerging Trends in RFID.

    Technological Advancements

      New and Improved Tags

      Architecture for the New Network

      Falling RFID Tag Price

    Business Process Innovations

      Item-Level Tagging

      Third-Party Logistics Management

      Real-Time Inventory Management

      Business Intelligence

      IT Outsourcing

      Real-Time Data Sharing for Total Supply Chain Integration

    Evolving Standards and Legislation

      Industry Standards

      Government Regulations and Mandates

      Privacy Related Regulations

    Consumer Application Innovations

    Summary

Appendix A.

    Case Study: Michigan Department of Agriculture

    Case Study: Sun Microsystems

    Case Study: Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF)

    Case Study: Woolworths, Plc.

    Case Study: Smart and Secure Tradelanes– Phase One Review

Appendix B: The Sun EPCglobal Network Architecture.

    References and Recommended Reading

Index.