Rfid Standards and Regulation

While the potential benefits of RFID technology are clear and abundant, there is a definite need to regulate the development and implementation of the RFID technology. Not only must standards of regulation and operation be developed, but RFID technology raises privacy and security issues because of the passive and open nature of the technology.

In order for the RFID tag industry to be successful in implementation there needs to be uniform standards and regulation so that tags and readers from different manufactures will be able to communicate with each other. The Internationals Organization Standardization in partnership with the International Electronics Commission has begun to ratify standards surrounding the RFID technology. There are three ISO standards that are currently adopted, each focusing on one area of the technology.

The first ISO standard focuses on the management and implementation guideline of the RFID tag. The RFID tag will be the part of the technology that is most versatile in its role and ability to communicate information with the reader or antenna assembly. Because tags broadcast RF signals across airwaves, dedicated frequency ranges have been reserved for RFID communication. The tags themselves have also been broken down into classes based on the performance and ability of the tag.

There are currently 5 classes of RFID tags. The tags are organized in a hierarchy, Class 0 through Class IV. Each class becomes more complex in the tags ability as you move up the scale. Class zero tags are passive "read only" passive tags that are programmed in the manufacturing process. Class I tags are "write-once, read many" tags that are programmable by the customer and then locked. Class II though class IV tags can be programmed many times and the ability of the tag to generate it's own RF signal increases with class to active tags in class IV which constantly broadcast a signal. (Matrix RFID Standards)  

The Third ISO standard describes the... [continues]

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