Table of Contents

Preface 1. An Introduction to RFID The Case for RFID The Eras of RFID Application Types Summary 2. RFID Architecture A Confluence of Technologies Key Functionalities RFID System Components Systemic Quality Considerations Architecture Guidelines System Management Summary 3. Tags Basic Tag Capabilities Physical Characteristics Power Source Air Interface Information Storage and Processing Capacity Standards Summary 4. Tag Protocols Protocol Terms and Concepts How Tags Store Data Singulation and Anti-Collision Procedures Tag Features for Security and Privacy Learn to Troubleshoot Tag Communications Summary 5. Readers and Printers Physical Components of an RFID Reader Logical Components of an RFID Reader Parts of an RFID Printer and Applicator Types of Readers Layout for Readers and Antennas Configuring Readers Summary6. Reader Protocols Parts of a Reader Protocol Vendor Protocols EPCglobal Protocol Overview Simple Lightweight RFID Reader Protocol Future Protocols Summary 7. RFID Middleware Motivations Logical Architecture Application Level Events Specification Commercial RFID Middleware Summary 8. RFID Information Service RFID Data The EPCglobal Network The Object Naming Service The EPC Information Services Summary 9. Manageability Edge Deployment Options Capabilities Needed for Edge Management Standards and Technologies Summary 10. Privacy and Security Privacy and Security Issues RFID Privacy RFID Security Summary 11. The Future Standards Technology Business Summary Appendix A. EPC Identity Encodings Appendix B. References Glossary index

About the Author

Bill Glover makes his living explaining simple concepts to complex people who tend to work for large companies. Bill believes that anything you do three times should be scripted, and that if a piece of code is 100 lines long it can probably be done better in 10. Bill is a Pisces who enjoys long walks in the hills, full personal state vector uploads and chatting about completely harmless things over strong, public key encryption. Himanshu Bhatt is the Software Services Practice Manager for Sun Microsystems, Dallas Office. Himanshu has fourteen plus years of IT experience, and has been published twice in JavaReport. He presented at JavaOne 2000, 2003, SunNetwork Conference and the Lonestar Symposium.