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Glossary of RFID TermsA | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z AA/N: Alphanumeric Active tag: An RFID tag that has a transmitter to send back information, rather than reflecting back a signal from the reader, as a passive tag does. Most active tags use a battery to transmit a signal to a reader. However, some tags can gather energy from other sources. Active tags can be read from 300 feet (100 meters) or more, but they're expensive (typically more than US$20 each). They're used for tracking expensive items over long ranges. For instance, the U.S. military uses active tags to track containers of supplies arriving in ports. Addressability: The ability to write data to different fields, or blocks of memory, in the microchip in an RFID transponder. Agile reader: A generic term that usual refers to an RFID reader that can read tags operating at different frequencies or using different methods of communication between the tags and readers. Air interface protocol: The rules that govern how tags and readers communicate. Alignment: In an automatic identification system, the relative position and orientation of a scanner to the symbol Alphanumeric: The character set which contains letters, numbers and may contain other characters such as punctuation marks or control characters Amplitude modulation: Changing the amplitude of a radio wave. A higher wave is interpreted as a 1 and a normal wave is interpreted as a zero. By changing the wave, the RFID tag can communicate a string of binary digits to the reader. Computers can interpret these digits as digital information. The method of changing the amplitude is known as amplitude shift keying, or ASK. Amplitude: The maximum absolute value of a periodic curve measured along its vertical axis (the height of a wave, in layman's terms). ANSI: The American National Standards Institute is a non-governmental organisation responsible for the development of voluntary industry standards Antenna gain: In technical terms, the gain is the ratio of the power required at the input of a loss-free reference antenna to the power supplied to the input of the given antenna to produce, in a given direction, the same field strength at the same distance. Antenna gain is usually expressed in decibels and the higher the gain the more powerful the energy output. Antennas with higher gain will be able to read tags from farther away. Antenna: The tag antenna is the conductive element that enables the tag to send and receive data. Passive, low- (135 kHz) and high-frequency (13.56 MHz) tags usually have a coiled antenna that couples with the coiled antenna of the reader to form a magnetic field. UHF tag antennas can be a variety of shapes. Readers also have antennas which are used to emit radio waves. The RF energy from the reader antenna is "harvested" by the antenna and used to power up the microchip, which then changes the electrical load on the antenna to reflect back its own signals. Anti-collision: A general term used to cover methods of preventing radio waves from one device from interfering with radio waves from another. Anti-collision algorithms are also used to read more than one tag in the same reader's field. Aperture: The opening in an optical system (scanner) that establishes the field of view ASCII: The character set and code described in American National Standard Code for Information Interchange, ANSI X3.4-1977. Each ASCII character is encoded with 7-bits (8 bits including parity check). The ASCII character set is used for information interchange between data processing systems, communication systems and associated equipment. The ASCII set consists of both control and printing characters. Aspect Ratio: In a barcode symbol, the ratio of bar height to symbol length. Auto-discrimination: The ability of barcode reading equipment to automatically recognise and correctly decode more than one symbology (code). Auto-ID Center: A non-profit collaboration between private companies and academia that pioneered the development of an Internet-like infrastructure for tracking goods globally through the use of RFID tags. Automatic Identification: A broad term that covers methods of collecting data and entering it directly into computer systems without human involvement. Technologies normally considered part of auto-ID include bar codes, biometrics, RFID and voice recognition. Average Background Reflectance: Expressed as a percent; the simple arithmetic average of the background reflectance from at least five different points on a sheet BBackground: The spaces, quiet zones, and area surrounding a printed symbol. Backscatter: A method of communication between passive tags (ones that do not use batteries to broadcast a signal) and readers. RFID tags using backscatter technology reflect back to the reader radio waves from a reader, usually at the same carrier frequency. The reflected signal is modulated to transmit data. Bar code: A standard method of identifying the manufacturer and product category of a particular item. The barcode was adopted in the 1970s because the bars were easier for machines to read than optical characters. Barcodes’ main drawbacks are they don’t identify unique items and scanners have to have line of sight to read them. Bar Height: The bar dimension perpendicular to the bar width Bar Width Reduction: Reduction of the nominal bar width dimension on film masters or printing plates to compensate for ink spread in some printing processes Bar Width: The thickness of a bar measured from the closest to the symbol start character to the trailing edge of the same bar. Bar: The darker element of a printed barcode symbol. Barcode Character: A single group of bars and spaces that represent an individual number, Setter, punctuation mark, or other symbol. Barcode Density: The number of data characters which can be represented in a linear unit of measure, barcode density is often expressed in characters per inch (CPI) or low Medium or high density. (Ultra high density codes: Codes with a narrow element 0.1mm. (.004") or less. High density code Codes with a narrow element 0.2mm. (.008") or less. Medium density code: Codes with a narrow element 0,5: 0.25 mm (.020": .010") Low-density code: Narrowest element is above 0.5mm. (.020") Barcode Label: A label which carries a barcode symbol and is suitable to be affixed to an article. Barcode Reader: A device used to read a barcode symbol. Barcode Symbol: A complete barcode beginning with the quiet zone before the code, a start character, one or more characters, a stop character and trailing quiet zone. Below there may be an eye-readable translation of all or part of the data. Barcode: An automatic identification technology which encodes information into an array of varying width parallel bars and spaces. Battery-assisted tag: These are RFID tags with batteries, but they communicate using the same backscatter technique as passive tags (tags with no battery). They use the battery to run the circuitry on the microchip and sometimes an onboard sensor. They have a longer read range than a regular passive tag because all of the energy gathered from the reader can be reflected back to the reader. They are sometimes called "semi-passive RFID tags." BCD: Binary Coded Decimal (see "Decimal, Binary") Bidirectional: Capable of operating in either of two directions which are the opposite of each other. For example, a tag, which can be read or written, from either side is bi-directional. Binary: The number system that uses only 1's and 0's Bit: An abbreviation for "binary digit". A single element 1) in a binary number CCapacity: The number of bits or bytes that can be programmed into a tag. This may represent the bits accessible to the user or the total number including those reserved to the manufacturer e.g. parity or control bits. Capture Window/Field: Region of the scanner field in which a tag will operate. Capture Window: In an automatic identification system employing RF, that volume which defines the active portion of the radio frequency antenna pattern Carrier Frequency: The main frequency of a transmitter, or RFID reader, such as 915 MHz. The frequency is then changed, or modulated, to transmit information. CCD Scanner: An optical, remote barcode reading de using a low energy LED fight source as its source of illumination. Usually hand held. Character Set: Those characters available for encode a particular automatic identification technology. Check Digit: A character included within a message v value is used for the purpose of performing a mathematic check to ensure the accuracy of that message. Checksum: A code added to the contents of a block of data stored on an RFID microchip that can be checked before and after data is transmitted from the tag to the reader to determine whether the data has been corrupted or lost. The cyclic redundancy check is one form of checksum. Chipless RFID tag: An RFID tag that doesn't depend on a silicon microchip. Some chipless tags use plastic or conductive polymers instead of silicon-based microchips. Other chipless tags use materials that reflect back a portion of the radio waves beamed at them. A computer takes a snapshot of the waves beamed back and uses it like a fingerprint to identify the object with the tag. Companies are experimenting with embedding RF reflecting fibers in paper to prevent unauthorized photocopying of certain documents. Chipless tags that use embedded fibers have one drawback for supply chain uses—only one tag can be read at a time. Circular-polarized antenna: A UHF reader antenna that emits radio waves in a circular pattern. These antennas are used in situations where the orientation of the tag to the reader cannot be controlled. Since the waves are moving in a circular pattern, they have a better chance of hitting the antenna, but circular-polarized antennas have a shorter read range than linear-polarized antennas. Clear area: Area before and after a barcode with no printing Closed Systems: A system in which relevant data regarding the attributes of the object is stored in a common database, accessible via data link by referencing the individual ID code. It usually refers to a system under the control of a single owner or authority. Closed-loop systems: RFID tracking systems set up within a company. Since the tracked item never leaves the company's control, it does not need to worry about using technology based on open standards. Codabar: (2 of 7 Code, Code 27) A numerical barcode consisting of seven modules, two of which are wide. See ANSI/AIM X5-3 USS-Codabar for specifications. Code 128: A full alphanumeric barcode capable of encoding all 128 ASCII characters. See ANSI/AIM X5-4 USS128 for specifications. Code 16K: See stacked codes. See ANSI/AIM X5-6 Code 16K for specifications. Code 39: (3 of 9 Code). A full alphanumeric barcode consisting of nine modules, three of which are wide. See ANSI/AIM X5-2 USS-39 for specifications. Code 49: See stacked codes. See ANSI/AIM X5-7 Code for specifications. Code 93: A full alphanumeric barcode capable of encoding all 128 ASCII characters. See ANSI/AIM X5-5 USS93 for specifications. Code Plate: See Tag Commissioning a tag: This term is sometime used to refer to the process of writing a serial number to a tag (or programming a tag) and associating that number with the product it is put on in a database. Concentrator: A device connected to several RFID readers to gather data from the readers. The concentrator usually performs some filtering and then passes only useful information from the readers on to a host computer. Contactless smart card: An awkward name for a credit card or loyalty card that contains an RFID chip to transmit information to a reader without having to be swiped through a reader. Such cards can speed checkout, providing consumers with more convenience. Continuous Code: A barcode symbology where all spaces within the symbol are parts of characters, e.g. USS I 2/5. is no inter-character gap in a continuous code. Controller: See Multiplexer Coupling: See inductive coupling CPI: Characters per inch (see "Barcode Density") Cyclic redundancy check (CRC): A method of checking data stored on an RFID tag to be sure that it hasn't been corrupted or some of it lost. (See Checksum.) DData Capacity: The amount of memory available in an RF tag or in a buffer. Data Field Protection: The ability to prevent data stored in a specific area of memory of an RFID microchip from being overwritten. Companies might want to protect the data field that stores an Electronic Product Code, which doesn't change during the life of the product it's associated with. Data Field: An area of memory on an RFID microchips that is assigned to a particular type of information. Data fields may be protected (see below) or they may be written over, so a data field might contain information about where an item should be sent to. When the destination changes, the new information is written to the data field. Data Rate: In an automatic identification system employing RF, the rate at which data is communicated between the identification tag and interrogator. Typical units are bits per second or bytes per second. Data Transfer Rate: The number of characters that can be transferred from an RFID tag to a reader within a given time. Baud rates are also used to quantify how fast readers can read the information on the RFID tag. This differs from read rate, which refers to how many tags can be read within a given period of time. Datamatrix: A two dimensional code with ability to carry a large amount of information. Decibel (dB): A measure of the gain of an antenna. Decimal, Binary Coded (BCD): A numbering system using base 2 that represents each decimal digit by four binary bits, with the place values equal to 8, 4, 2, and 1, reading from left to right. Decoder: As part of a barcode or RFID reading system, the electronic package that receives the signals from the scanner, performs the algorithm to interpret the signals into meaningful data, and provides the interface to other devices. Density: See "Barcode density". Depth of Field: The distance between the maximum and minimum plane in which a barcode reader is capable of reading symbols. (Dependent on print quality and narrow bar width) De-tune: UHF antennas are tuned to receive RFID waves of a certain length from a reader, just as the tuner on the radio in a car changes the antenna to receive signals of different frequencies. When UHF antenna is close to metal or metallic material, the antenna can be detuned, resulting in poor performance. Die: The silicon block onto which circuits have been etched to create a microchip. Diffuse Reflection: The component of reflected light, which emanates in all directions from the reflecting surface. Direct Thermal: A printing system where dots are selectively heated and cooled and drag upon a heat sensitive paper. The paper turns dark in the heated areas. See AIM document T-20. "Direct Thermal Printing". Discrete Code: A barcode symbology where the spaces between characters (inter-character gap) are not part of the code. e.g. Code 39. Dot Matrix: A system of printing where individual dots are printed in matrix (5x7, 7x9, etc.) forming bars, alphanumeric characters, and simple graphics. See AIM document T11, "Matrix Impact Printing", for specifications. Dot Size: (Ink Jet, Dot Matrix, and Thermal) The size of the printed dot laid down on a substrate in a matrix or line to form characters. Dot Size: (Scanner) The diameter of the beam of light used to scan a barcode symbol: ideally the beam width should be approx. 70% of the width of the narrowest bar. Duplex: A channel capable of transmitting data in both directions at the same time. (Half duplex is a channel capable of transmitting data in both directions, but not simultaneously.) Duty cycle: The length of time the reader can be emitting energy. Regulations in the European Union say readers can be on only 10 percent of the time. EEAN: European Article Numbering System, the international standard barcode for retail food packages. EAS: Electronic Article Surveillance. (Security tagging system) EC: Electronic Commerce. ECN: Engineering Change Notice. EDI: Electronic Data Interchange. EDIFACT: EDI for Administration, Commerce, and Trade. EDP: Electronic Data Processing EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory): A method of storing data on microchips. Usually bytes can be erased and reprogrammed individually. RFID tags that use EEPROM are more expensive than factory programmed tags, where the number is written into the silicon when the chip is made, but they offer more flexibility because the end user can write an ID number to the tag at the time the tag is going to be used. Effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP): A measurement of the output of RFID reader antennas used in the United States and elsewhere. EIRP is usually expressed in watts. Effective radiated power (ERP): A measurement of the output of RFID reader antennas used in Europe and elsewhere. ERP is usually expressed in watts and is not the same as EIRP. Electromagnetic Coupling: Systems which in use a magnetic field as a means of transferring data or power are said to use a electromagnetic coupling. Electromagnetic Interferance (EMI): Interference caused when the radio waves of one device distort the waves of another. Cells phones, wireless computers and even robots in factories can produce radio waves that interfere with RFID tags. Electronic article surveillance (EAS): Simple electronic tags that can be turned on or off. When an item is purchased (or borrowed from a library), the tag is turned off. When someone passes a gate area holding an item with a tag that hasn't been turned off, an alarm sounds. EAS tags are embedded in the packaging of most pharmaceuticals. They can be RF-based, or acousto-magnetic. Electronic Label: Label that has an electronic RFID tag embedded within. Electronic Product Code (EPC): A serial, created by the Auto-ID Center, that will complement barcodes. The EPC has digits to identify the manufacturer, product category and the individual item. Electrostatic coupling: Systems, which use the inducing of a voltage on a plate as a means of, transferring data or power are said to use electrostatic coupling. Electrostatic: A method of printing that utilises a special electrostatic paper or a charged drum, both of which attract toner to the charged area. See AIM document T-12, "Electrostatic Printing". Element: In a barcode symbol, a single bar or space. EM: Electro Magnetic (Security tagging system) EPC Discovery Service: An EPCglobal Network service that allows companies to search for every reader that has read a particular EPC tag. EPC Information Service: Part of the EPC Network. The EPC Information Service is a network infrastructure that enables companies to store data associated with EPCs in secure databases on the Web. The EPC Information Service will enable companies to provide different levels of access to data to different groups. Some information associated with an EPC might be available to everyone. Other information might be available only to a manufacturer's retail customers. The service also includes a number of applications, such as the EPC Discovery Service. EPC Global Network (or EPC Network): The Internet-based technologies and services that enable companies to retrieve data associated with EPCs. The network infrastructure includes the Object Name Service, distributed middleware (sometimes called Savants), the EPC Information Service and Physical Markup Language. EPCglobal: A non-profit organization set up the Uniform Code Council and EAN International, the two organizations that maintain barcode standards, to commercialize EPC technology. EPCglobal is made up of chapters in different countries and regions. It is commercializing the technology origianally developed by the Auto-ID Center. ERP: Enterprise Resource Planning Error Correcting Code: A code stored on an RFID tag to enable the reader to figure out the value of missing or garbled bits of data. It's needed because a reader might misinterpret some data from the tag and think a Rolex watch is actually a pair of socks. Error correcting mode: A mode of data transmission between the tag and reader in which errors or missing data is automatically corrected. Error correcting protocol: A set of rules used by readers to interpret data correctly from the tag. Error Management: Techniques used to ensure that only correct information is presented to the user of the system. Error Rate: The number of errors per number of transactions. Error: Any operation or data which is not in accord with the design or input to the system. European Article Numbering (EAN): The bar code standard used throughout Europe, Asia and South America. It is administered by EAN International. European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI): The European Union body that recommends standards for adoption by member countries. Excite: The reader is said to "excite" a passive tag when the reader transmits RF energy to wake up the tag and enable it to transmit back. Exciter: The electronics which drive an antenna are called the exciter or transmitter. Together with the antenna they are called a scanner. Expansion Port: A plug accessing additional I/0 capability on a computer or peripheral device. eXtensible markup language (XML): A widely accepted way of sharing information over the Internet in a way that computers can use, regardless of their operating system. FFactory Programming: The programming of information into a tag occurring as part of the manufacturing process resulting in a read only tag. Far-field communication: RFID reader antennas emit electromagnetic radiation (radio waves). If an RFID tag is outside of one full wavelength of the reader, it is said to be in the "far field." If it is within one full wavelength away, it is said to be in the "near field." The far field signal decays as the square of the distance from the antenna, while the near field signal decays as the cube of distance from the antenna. So passive RFID systems that rely on far field communications (typically UHF and microwave systems) have a longer read range than those that use near field communications (typically low- and high-frequency systems). Field Programming: Programming information into the tags may occur after the tag has been shipped from the manufacturer to an OEM customer or end user or in some cases to the manufacturer's distribution locations. Field programming usually occurs before the tag is installed on the object to be identified. This approach enables the introduction of data relevant to the specifics of the application into the tag at any time; however, the tag would typically have to be removed from its object. In some cases, change or duplication of all data in the tag is possible. In other cases, some portion is reserved for factory programming. This might include a unique tag serial number, for example. Field programming: Tags that use EEPROM, or non-volatile memory, can be programmed after it is shipped from the factory. That is, users can write data to the tag when it is placed on a product. Field Protection: The ability to limit the operations which can be performed on portions or fields of the data stored in a tag. Flat Panel Antenna: Flat, conductive sheet antennas, usually made of metal plate or foil. Fluidic Self-Assembly: A manufacturing process, patented by Alien Technology. It involves flowing tiny microchips in a special fluid over a base with holes shaped to catch the chips. The process is designed to mass assemble billions of RFID tags at very low cost. Frequency hopping: A technique used to prevent readers from interfering with one another. In the United States, UHF RFID readers actually operate between 902 and 928 MHz, even though it is said that they operate at 915 MHz. The readers may jump randomly or in a programmed sequence to any frequency between 902 MHz and 928 MHz. If the band is wide enough, the chances of two readers operating at exactly the same frequency is small. The UHF bands in Europe and Japan are much smaller so this technique is not effective for preventing reader interference. Frequency: The number of repetitions of a complete wave within one second. 1 Hz equals one complete waveform in one second. 1KHz equals 1,000 waves in a second. RFID tags use low,high, ultra-high and microwave frequencies. Each frequency has advantages and disadvantages that make them more suitable for some applications than for others. GGain: See Antenna gain. GTAG (Global Tag): A standardization initiative of the Uniform Code Council (UCC) and the European Article Numbering Association (EAN) for asset tracking and logistics based on radio frequency identification (RFID). The GTAG initiative was supported by Philips Semiconductors, Intermec, and Gemplus, three major RFID tag makers. But it was superceded by the Electronic Product Code. Guard Bars: The bars, which are at both ends and centre of a U.P.C. and EAN symbol. They provide reference points for scanning. HHand Laser Gun: See "Laser Scanner". Harvesting: A term sometimes used to describe the way passive tags gather energy from an RFID reader antenna. Helium Neon Laser: A type of laser commonly used in barcode scanners. It emits coherent red light at a wavelength of 633 nanometers.. He-Ne: Common name for helium neon laser. High-density code: Codes with a narrow element of 0.15 to 0.25mm. (0.006" to .010") High-frequency: From 3 MHz to 30 MHz. HF RFID tags typically operate at 13.56 MHz. They typically can be read from less than 3 feet away and transmit data faster than low-frequency tags. But they consume more power than low-frequency tags. Horizontal barcode: A barcode or symbol presented in such a manner that its overall length dimension is parallel to the horizon. The bars are presented in an array, which look like a picket fence II.D. Filter: Software that compares a newly read ID with those in a data base or set. I-CODE: Popular RFID chip from Philips operating at 13.56MHz. to IS015693 ID: Identification. Impact Printing: Any printing system where a microprocessor controlled hammer impacts against a ribbon and a substrate. In Use Programming: Many applications require that new data or revisions to data already in the tag, be entered into the tag, while it remains attached to its object. The ability to read from and write data to the tag while attached to its object is called in-use programming. Tags and systems with this capability are called read/write tags and systems. Inductive coupling: A method of transmitting data between tags and readers in which the antenna from the reader picks up changes in the tag’s antenna. Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) bands: A group of unlicensed frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum. Ink Jet: A method of printing using liquid ink, projected a drop at a time against a substrate. Inlay: An RFID microchip attached to an antenna and mounted on a substrate. Inlays are essentially unfinished RFID labels. They are usually sold to label converters who turn them into smart labels. Ino-tag: RFID label available in a range of sizes / formats from inotec. Input/output (I/O): Ports on a reader. Users can connect devices, such as an electronic eye to the input port so that when an object breaks the beam of the electronic eye the reader begins reading. Devices can also be connected to an output part, so that when a tag is read, a conveyor is turned on or a dock door opened. Integrated circuit (IC): A microelectronic semiconductor device comprising many interconnected transistors and other components. Most RFID tags have ICs. Inter-character Gap: The space between two adjacent barcode characters in a discrete code. For example, the space between two characters in USS-39. Interleaved barcode: A barcode in which characters are paired together using bars to represent the first character and spaces to represent the second, e.g., USSI 2/5 (see also "Continuous Code"). Interleaved Two of Five Code: (12/5) A number-only barcode symbology consisting of five bars. two of which are wide. In this code both the bars and spaces carry information. See ANSI/AIM X51 USS I 2/5 for specifications. Interrogator: In an automatic identification system employing RF, the device, which triggers the identifying, tags to respond with a modulated RF message. Ion Deposition: See "Electrostatic". ISO: International Organisation for Standardization. IT: Information Technology. IVR: Interactive Voice Response JJTC: Joint Technical Committee KLLadder Code: See "Vertical barcode". LAN: Local Area Network. Laser Scanner: An optical barcode reading device using a low energy laser light beam as its source of illumination. Often hand held. LED: Light emitting diode. A semiconductor that produces llight at a wavelength determined by its chemicall composition. The light source often used in barcode readers. LF: Low frequency. 30-300 kHz. Licence plate: This term generally applies to a simple RFID that has only a serial number that is associated with information in a database. The Auto-ID Center promoted the concept as a way to simplify the tag and reduce the cost. Life: Functional period within which no maintenance, adjustment or repair is to be reasonably expected. Light Pen: In a barcode system, a hand held scanning wand, which is used as a contact barcode reader held in the hand (see "Wand Scanner"). Linear-polarized antenna: A UHF antenna that focuses the radio energy from the reader in a narrow beam. This increases the read distance possible and provides greater penetration through dense materials. Tags designed to be used with a linear polarized reader antenna must be aligned with the reader antenna in order to be read. LOGMARS: Logistics of Marking and Reading Symbols. A US Department of Defence program to place a Code 39 symbol on all federal items. For specifications see MilStd 1189.M Low density code: A barcode in which the narrowest element is above 0.5mm. (.020") Low-frequency: From 30 kHz to 300 kHz. Low-frequency tags typical operate at 125 kHz or 134 kHz. The main disadvantages of low-frequency tags are they have to be read from within three feet and the rate of data transfer is slow. But they are less subject to interference than UHF tags. MMedium density code: A barcode with a narrow element 0.25--0.5mm (0.010" to 0.20") Memory block: Memory on the microchip in an RFID tag is usually divided into sections, which can be read or written to individually. Some blocks might be locked, so data can't be overwritten, while others are not. Memory Cards: A read/write or reprogrammable tag in credit card size Memory Modules: A read/write or reprogrammable tag Memory: The amount of data that can be stored on the microchip in an RFID tag. MF: Medium Frequency. 300 KHz to 3 MHz. MH10.8.3: ANSI Standard for Unit Loads and Transport Packages: Two Dimensional Symbols. MICR: Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. The stylised printing on the lower left of personal and bank checks which can be read electronically. Microwave tags: A term that is some time used to refer to RFID tags that operate at 5.8 GHz. They have very high transfer rates and can be read from as far as 30 feet away, but they use a lot of power and are expensive. (Some people refer to any tag that operates above about 415 MHz as a microwave tag.) Microwave: A radio wave between 0.1 and 100 centimetres in wavelength or 1-100 GHz. Several automatic RF identification systems use this frequency band. MIS: Management Information Systems. Misread: A condition, which occurs when the data output of a reader does not agree with the data encoded in the barcode symbol. (Usually due to poorly printed barcodes or scanner/symbol mismatch.) Mobile Inventory Vehicle: Vehicle equipped with a system for locating tagged vehicles, containers, and other objects for the purpose of inventory control. Modulation, amplitude (AM): Data is contained in changes in amplitude of the carrier. Modulation, continuous wave (CW): Data is contained in a carrier which is switched on and off. Modulation, frequency (FM): Data is contained in the changes in the frequency of the carrier. Modulation, frequency shift keyed (FSK): Data is contained in the changes between two frequencies of carrier. Modulation, phase (PM): Data is contained in the changes in the phase of the carrier. Modulation, pulse duration (PDM): Data is contained in the duration of pulses. Modulation: Changing the radio waves traveling between the reader and the transponder in ways that enable the transmission of information. Waves be changed in a variety of ways that can be picked up by the reader and turned into the ones and zeroes of binary code. Waves can be made higher or lower (amplitude modulation) or shifted forward (phase modulation). The frequency can be varied (frequency modulation), or data can be contained in the duration of pulses (pulse-width modulation). Module: The narrowest nominal width unit of measure in a barcode. Modulo Check Digit or Character: See "Check Digit", Moving Beam Scanner: A scanning device where scanning motion is achieved by mechanically moving the light beam through the bars. (Appears as a solid red line when aimed at the barcode) Multiple access schemes: Methods of increasing the amount of data that can be transmitted wirelessly within the same frequency spectrum. Some RFID readers use Time Division Multiple Access, or TDMA, meaning they read tags at different times to avoid interfering with one another. Multiplexer: An electronic device that allows a reader to have more than one antenna. Each antenna scans the field in a preset order. This reduces the number of readers needed to cover a given area, such as a dock door, and prevents the antennas from interfering with one another. NNanoBlock: The term Alien Technology uses to describe its tiny microchips, which are about the width of three human hairs. Nanometer: A unit of measure used to define the wavelength of light. Many standards require scanning in the B633-B900 range. Near-field communication: RFID reader antennas emit electromagnetic radiation (radio waves). If an RFID tag is within full wavelength of the reader, it is said to be in the "near field." If it is more than the distance of one full wavelength away, it is said to be in the "far field." The near field signal decays as the cube of distance from the antenna, while the far field signal decays as the square of the distance from the antenna. So passive RFID systems that rely on near-field communication (typically low- and high-frequency systems) have a shorter read range than those that use far field communication (UHF and microwave systems). Noise: Print show through, which makes a label unreadable or misread usually due to thin or translucent materials being used for the labels. Also can refer to false signals from extraneous sources in RFID interfering with the readability of a tag. Noise: Unwanted ambient electrical signals or electromagnetic energy found in the operating environment of RFID equipment. Noise can be caused by other RF devices, robots, electric motors and other machines. Nominal Range: The range at which a systems can assure reliable operation, considering the normal variability of the environment in which it is used. Nominal: The value at which a system is designed to assure optimal operation. Tolerance considers the "normal" deviation of variable factors. Non-read: In a barcode system, the absence of data at the scanner output after an attempted scan due to no code, defective code, scanner failure or operator error. Null spot: Area in the reader field that doesn't receive radio waves. This is essentially the reader's blind spot. It is a phenomenon common to UHF systems. Number System: A method of identifying individual or groups of objects. Number systems are of two types: 1)Significant digit where each item is uniquely identified and 2) Non-significant digit where sequential numbers are assigned regardless of product or item description. Numeric: A character set that includes only numbers OObject Name Service (ONS): An Auto-ID Center-designed system for looking up unique Electronic Product Codes and pointing computers to information about the item associated with the code. ONS is similar to the Domain Name Service, which points computers to sites on the Internet. OCR-A: (Optical Code Readable A) An abbreviation commonly applied to the character set contained in ANSI Std. X3.17-1981 (ISO 1073 Part 1). The code is both human and machine-readable. OCR-B: (Optical Code Readable B) An abbreviation commonly applied to the character set contained in ANSI Std. X3.49-1975. (ISO 1073 Part II). The code is both human and machine-readable. Omnidirectional: Capability of a tag to operate in any orientation. One-time programmable tag: Also called a field-programmable tag. An RFID tag that can be written to once and read many times (see WORM). Opacity: The optical property of a substrate material that minimises show-through from the background or the next sheet. The ratio of the reflectance with a black backing to the reflectance with a white backing. Ink opacity is the property of an ink that prevents the substrate from showing through. Open Systems: Application in which reader/writers do not have access to a common database. Orientation Sensitivity: The degree range is decreased by nonoptimal orientation. Orientation: Alignment of the tag with respect to the scanner, measured in pitch, roll, and yaw. Overhead: In a barcode system, the fixed number of characters required for start, stop and checking in a given symbol. For example, a symbol requiring a start/stop and two check characters contains four characters of overhead. Thus, to encode three characters, seven characters are required to be printed PPassive tag: An RFID tag without a battery. When radio waves from the reader reach the chip’s antenna, the energy is converted by the antenna into electricity that can power up the microchip in the tag. The tag is able to send back information stored on the chip. Today, simple passive tags cost from U.S. 20 cents to several dollars, depending on the amount of memory on the tag and other features. Patch antenna: A small square reader antenna made from a solid piece of metal or foil. PCS: Print Contrast Signal. A measurement of the ratio of the reflectivity between the bars and spaces of a symbol, commonly expressed as a percent. PCS is calculated as: PDF417: A 2D Stacked barcode symbology for encoding larger amounts of data. Pen Scanner: A pen like device either connected by wire to a device or self-contained, used to read barcodes. Requires direct contact with the symbol. Penetration: The ability of a particular radio frequency to pass through non-metallic materials. Low-frequency systems have better penetration than UHF systems. Phantom read (also called a phantom transaction or false read): When a reader reports the presence of a tag that doesn't exist. Photo-composed Codes: Photo composition. A system to produce very high quality labels by computer/photography. Photo-composed Labels: Labels with a high degree of repeatability and readability "A' class scan results at most bar-code densities. Print contrast ratio over 90% 100% first time readability rate. High resistance to UV. (Sunlight) Very robust & durable Ideal for high and ultra high density codes and where 100% barcode readability is important. Physical Markup Language (PML): An Auto-ID Center-designed method of describing products in a way computers can understand. PML is based on the widely accepted eXtensible Markup Language used to share data over the Internet in a format all computers can use. The idea is to create a computer language that companies can use to describe products so that computer can search for, say, all "softdrinks" in inventory. Picket Fence Code: See "Horizontal barcode". PIN: Personal Identification Number. Pitch: Rotation of a barcode symbol about an axis parallel to the direction of the bars. PML Server: A server that responds to requests for Physical Markup Language (PML) files related to individual Electronic Product Codes. The PML files and servers will be maintained by the manufacturer of the item. The name PML server has been replaced by EPC Information Service. Polymaster: Tough polyester based substrate under surface printed for total protection. Only available from inotec PPBM: Positive Passenger Bag Matching. (Airline terminology) Port Concentrator: A device that accepts the output from a number of communication interfaces and introduces them into a communication network. POS: Point-of-Sale. Power level: The amount of RF energy radiated from a reader or an active tag. The higher the power output, the longer the read range, but most governments regulate power levels to avoid interference with other devices. Pre-printed Symbol: A symbol that is printed in advance of application either on a label or on the article to be identified. Print Contrast: See "PCS Print Quality: The measure of compliance of a barcode symbol to the requirements of dimensional tolerance, edge roughness, spots, voids, reflectance, PCS, quiet zone, and encodation. Programmability: In order to be identifiers of specific objects, tags must at some point have their identity and/or other data entered into them. This capability is called programmability. Programmer: Some tags which can have their contents changed by a set of electronics in close proximity or in electrical contact with it. Those electronics and their packaging are called a programmer. Programming a tag: Writing data to an RFID tag. This is sometimes called "commissioning a tag." Projected Life: This is defined in terms of number of read and/or write cycles, or in active tags this may include shelf life. Protocol: A set of rules that govern communications systems. (See Air-interface protocol.) Proximity sensor: A device that detects the presence of an object and signals another device. Proximity sensors are often used on manufacturing lines to alert robots or routing devices on a conveyor to the presence of an object. They can be used in RFID systems to turn on readers. QQR Code: A 2D Matrix barcode symbology. Quiet Zone: A clear space, containing no machine-readable marks, graphics or characters (ænoise'.) which precedes the start character and follows the stop characters of a barcode symbol. Sometimes called the "Clear Area". Typically this measures at least 10 X the narrow bar width or 2.5mm (Which ever is larger) Dependent upon the scanner used additional space may be needed. RRadio Frequency Identification (RFID): A method of identifying unique items using radio waves. Typically, a reader communicates with a tag, which holds digital information in a microchip. But there are chipless forms of RFID tags that use material to reflect back a portion of the radio waves beamed at them. Radio Frequency Tag: An electronic tag capable of receiving/storing and/or transmitting digital information by means of, and in response to, RF energy. Range: In a radio frequency system, range is defined as the maximum allowable distance between the antenna and the tag. Ratio (R): The ratio of the widest to narrowest element ie.R=2.5:1 Read Only Tag: An RF tag that is capable of being read only. Read range: The distance from which a reader can communicate with a tag. Active tags have a longer read range than passive tags because they use a battery to transmit signals to the reader. With passive tags, the read range is influenced by frequency, reader output power, antenna design, and method of powering up the tag. Low frequency tags use inductive coupling (see above), which requires the tag to be within a few feet of the reader. Read rate: Often used to describe the number of tags that can be read within a given period. The read rate can also mean the maximum rate at which data can be read from a tag expressed in bits or bytes per second. (See Data transfer rate.) Read/Write Tag: In an automatic identification system employing RF, an electronic tag capable of receiving, storing, and transmitting digital information. Read/Write: Many applications require that new data or revisions to data already in the Tag, be entered into the Tag, while it remains attached to its object. Tags with this capability are said to be reprogrammable and are called read/write tags, memory cards or memory modules. Read: The process of retrieving data stored on an RFID tag by sending radio waves to the tag and converting the waves the tag sends back into data. Readability: The ability to extract data under less than optimal conditions. Reader (also called an interrogator): The reader communicates with the RFID tag via radio waves and passes the information in digital form to a computer system. Reader field: The area of coverage. Tags outside the reader field do not receive radio waves and can't be read. Reader talks first: A means by which a passive UHF reader communicates with tags in its read field. The reader sends energy to the tags but the tags sit idle until the reader requests them to respond. The reader is able to find tags with specific serial numbers by asking all tags with a serial number that starts with either 1 or 0 to respond. If more than one responds, the reader might ask for all tags with a serial number that starts with 01 to respond, and then 010. This is called "walking" a binary tree, or "tree walking." (See Singulation.) Reader/Writer: The set of electronics can change the contents of tags while they remain attached to their object are called a reader/writer. (See also reader). Reader: A device used to communicate with RFID tags. The reader has one or more antennas, which emit radio waves and receive signals back from the tag. The reader is also sometimes called an interrogator because it "interrogates" the tag. Read-only tags: Tags that contain data that cannot be changed unless the microchip is reprogrammed electronically. Read-write tag: an RFID tag that can store new information on its microchip. These tags are often used on reusable containers and other assets. When the contents of the container are changed, new information is written to the tag. Read-write tags are more expensive than read-only tags. Reflectance: The ratio of the amount of light of a specified wavelength or series of wavelengths reflected from a test surface to the amount of light reflected from a barium oxide or magnesium oxide standard under similar illumination conditions. Reprogrammable: Many applications require that new data or revisions to data already in the tag, be entered into the tag, while it remains attached to its object. The ability to read from and write data to the tag while attached to its object is called in-use programming. Tags with this capability are said to be re-programmable and are called read/write tags, memory cards or memory modules. Resolution: In a barcode system, the narrowest element dimension which can be distinguished by a particular reading device or printed with a particular device or method. RF/AIS: Radio Frequency Automatic Identification Systems RF/DC: Systems, which communicate over a radio link between a host computer and a data source e.g. keyboards, data terminals, readers for OCR, Bar Codes, Mag Stripes, RF/ID etc. RF/DC enhances the capabilities of Automatic ID Systems by providing the capabilities of hard wired data communications without the physical restrictions interconnecting wires. RF: Radio Frequency. An electro-magnetic wave. RFID tag: A microchip attached to an antenna that is packaged in a way that it can be applied to an object. The tag picks up signals from and sends signals to a reader. The tag contains a unique serial number, but may have other information, such as a customers' account number. Tags come in many forms, such smart labels that can have a barcode printed on it, or the tag can simply be mounted inside a carton or embedded in plastic. RFID tags can be active, passive or semi-passive. RFlD: Systems that read or write data to RF tags that are present in a radio frequency field projected from RF reading/writing equipment. Data may be contained in one (1 ) or more bits for the purpose of providing identification and other information relevant to the object to which the tag is attached. It incorporates the use of electromagnetic, or electrostatic coupling in the radio frequency portion of the spectrum to communicate to or from a tag through a variety of modulation and encodation schemes. Ribbon: A cloth or plastic tape with several layers of material, one of which is ink-like, that produces the visible marks on a substrate. Used on formed font impact, dot matrix, thermal transfer and hot stamp printers. Also called "Foil". SSavants: Middleware created by the Auto-ID Center to filter data from EPC readers and pass it on to enterprise systems. It was envisioned that Savants would reside on servers across the EPC Network and pass data to one another and act as a kind of nervous system for the network. The term is being phase out by EPCglobal and many of the functions of Savants are being incorporated in commercial middleware products. SAW: Surface Acoustic Wave. A technology in which radio frequency signals are converted to acoustic signals in a piezolectric crystalline material. Variations in phrase shift ion the reflected signal can be used to provide a unique identity. Scanner: The antenna's, transmitter (or exciter) and receiver electronics integrated in a single package called the scanner. They may be combined with additional digital electronics including a microprocessor in a package called a reader. SCC-14: Shipping Container Code. Self-checking: A barcode or symbol using a checking algorithm which can be independently applied to each character to guard against undetected errors. Semi-passive tag: Similar to active tags, but the battery is used to run the microchip's circuitry but not to broadcast a signal to the reader. Some semi-passive tags sleep until they are woken up by a signal from the reader, which conserves battery life. Semi-passive tags can cost a dollar or more. These tags are sometimes called battery-assisted tags. Sensor: A device that responds to a physical stimulus and produces an electronic signal. Sensors are increasingly being combined with RFID tags to detect the presence of a stimulus at an identifiable location. Separation: Operational distance between two tags. Show-through: The generally undesirable property of a substrate that permits underlying markings to be seen and may adversely affect read rate. Signal attenuation: The weakening of RF energy from an RFID tag or reader. Water absorbs UHF energy, causing signal attenuation. Signaling Technique: A complete description of the modulation, encodation, protocol, and sequences required to communicate between two elements of a system. Silent Commerce: This term covers all business solutions enabled by tagging, tracking, sensing and other technologies, including RFID, which make everyday objects intelligent and interactive. When combined with continuous and pervasive Internet connectivity, they form a new infrastructure that enables companies to collect data and deliver services without human interaction. Singulation: A means by which an RFID reader identifies a tag with a specific serial number from a number of tags in its field. There are different methods of singulation, but the most common is "tree walking", which involves asking all tags with a serial number that starts with either a 1 or 0 to respond. If more than one responds, the reader might ask for all tags with a serial number that starts with 01 to respond, and then 010. It keeps doing this until it finds the tag it is looking for. (See Reader talks first.) Skew: Rotation of a barcode symbol about an axis parallel to the symbol's length. Smart cards: See Contactless smart cards. Smart label: A generic term that usually refers to a barcode label that contains an RFID transponder. It's considered "smart" because it can store information, such as a unique serial number, and communicate with a reader. Sniff Mode: Occurs when some radio frequency based systems are searching for a radio frequency tag. The interrogator continually emits trace amounts of radio waves until a tag is detected. Upon detection, interrogation is made at the maximum power. Space Width: The thickness of a space measured from the edge closest to the symbol start character to the trailing edge of the same space. Space: The lighter element of a barcode usually formed by the background between bars. Spectral Response: The variation in sensitivity of a reading device to light of different wavelengths. Specular Reflection: The mirror-like reflection of light from a surface. Speed: The rate at which something occurs. Spot: The undesirable presence of ink or dirt in a space. Stacked Codes: 16K and Code 49 are examples where a long symbol is broken into sections and "stacked" one upon another similar to sentences in a paragraph. Extremely compact codes. Standard: A set of rules, specifications, instructions and directions to use a barcode or other automatic identification system to your profit Usually issued by an organisation, e.g. LOGMARS, HIBCC, U.C.C, etc. Start Stop Character or Pattern: A special barcode character that provides the scanner with start and stop reading instructions as well as a scanning direction indicator. The start character is normally at the left-end of a horizontally oriented symbol. The stop character is normally at the right-end of a horizontally oriented symbol. Substitution Error: A mis-encodation, mis-read, or human key entry error where a character that was to be entered, is substituted with erroneous information. Example: Correct information 1,2,3,3,4. substitution 1,2,3,4,4 Substrate: The surface on which a barcode symbol is printed. Symbol Density: The number of data characters per unit length. Symbol Length: The distance between the outside edges of the quiet zones. Symbol: A combination of barcode characters including start/stop characters, quiet zones/data characters, and check characters required by a particular symbology, which form a complete, scannable entity. Synchronization: Timing readers or reader antennas near one another so that they don't interfere with one another. TTag talks first: A means by which a reader in a passive UHF system identifies tags in the field. When tags enter the reader's field, they immediately communicate their presence by reflecting back a signal. This is useful when you want to know everything that is passing a reader, such as when items are moving quickly on a conveyor. In other cases, the reader wants to simply find specific tags in a field, in which case it wants to broadcast a signal and have only certain tags respond. (See Reader talks first.) Tag: The transmitter/receiver pair or transceiver plus the information storage mechanism attached to the object is referred to as the tag, transponder, electronic label, code plate and various other terms. Although transponder is technically the most accurate, the most common term and the one preferred by the Automatic Identification Manufacturers is tag. TAG-IT: Popular RFID chip from Texas Industries operating at 13.56MHz. to IS015693 Telepen: A European code capable of encoding the full ASCII set. Thermal Transfer: A printing system like thermal except a one-time ribbon is used and common paper is used as a substrate. Reduces the problems of fading or changing colour inherent in thermal. Thermal: A printing system where dots are selectively heated and cooled and drag upon a heat sensitive paper. The paper turns dark in the heated areas. See AIM document T-20, "Direct Thermal Printing". Tilt: Rotation of a barcode symbol about an axis perpendicular to the substrate. Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA): A method of solving the problem of the signals of two readers colliding. Algorithms are used to make sure the readers attempt to read tags at different times. Transceiver: A device that both transmits and receives radio waves. Transponder: A radio transmitter-receiver that is activated when it receives a predetermined signal. RFID transponders come in many forms, including smart labels, simple tags, smart cards and keychain fobs. RFID tags are sometimes referred to as transponders. TTR: Thermal transfer ribbon UU.P.C.: Universal Product Code: The standard barcode symbol for retail food packages in the United States. UCC: Uniform Code Council, (see Uniform Product Code Council); the organisation which administers the U.P.C. and other retail standards. UCS: Uniform Container Symbol UHF: Ultra-High Frequency. 300 to 3000 MHz. Ultra-high frequency (UHF): From 300 MHz to 3 Ghz. Typically, RFID tags that operate between 866 MHz to 960 MHz. They can send information faster and farther than high- and low-frequency tags. But radio waves don’t pass through items with high water content, such as fruit, at these frequencies. UHF tags are also more expensive than low-frequency tags, and they use more power. Uniform Code Council (UCC): The nonprofit organization that overseas the Uniform Product Code, the barcode standard used in North America. Unique Identifier (UID): A serial number that identifies the transponder. The U.S. Department of Defense has also developed an identification scheme called UID. Universal Product Code (UPC): The barcode standard used in North America. It is administered by the Uniform Code Council. USS: Uniform Symbol Specification. The current series of symbology specifications published by AIM. UV: Ultra Violet.: Light source found in sunlight, which fades images printed by certain technologies. VVerifier: A device that makes measurements of the bars, spaces, quiet zones, and optical characteristics of a symbol to determine if the symbol meets the requirements of a specification or standard. Verify: To assure that the intended operation was correctly performed. Vertical barcode: A code pattern presented in such orientation that the axis of the symbol from start to stop is perpendicular to the horizon. The individual bars are in an array appearing as rungs of a ladder. Void: The undesirable absence of ink in a bar WWand Scanner: A hand held scanning device used as a contact barcode or OCR reader. (Also called pen scanner) Wedge: A device that plugs in between a keyboard and a PC. includes a pen scanner allowing data to be entered either by keyboard or pen scanner. WIP: Work in Progress/Process WORM: Write once, read many. A tag that can be written to only once by the user. Thereafter, the tag can only be read. Write Rate: The rate at which information is transferred to a tag, written into the tag's memory and verified as being correct. It is quantified as the average number of bits or bytes per second in which the complete transaction can be performed. Write: The transfer of data to a tag, the tags internal operation of storing the data and it may include reading the data in order to verify the operation. XX Dimension: The nominal dimension of the narrow bars and spaces in a barcode symbol. XML Query Language (XQL): A method of searching a database based on the extensible markup language (XML). Files created using the Auto-ID Center’s Physical Markup Language can be searched using XQL. XML: See eXtensible Markup Language. YYaw: Angle of a barcode symbol relative to the scanner Z
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