GS1 Romania – UNIC LICENTIAT ALOCARE CODURI DE BARE EAN

RFID tags

Like a bar code or an electronic data interchange (EDI) network, an RFID tag is a data carrier. A bar code carries data in a visible symbol and is read at optical or infrared wavelengths; an RFID tag carries data programmed into a chip and operates at a wide range of radio frequencies.

Essentially tags comprise a semi-conductor chip with memory, processing capability and a transmitter connected to an antenna (aerial). Memory can vary with simple tags having a small amount of fixed memory (typically between 64-128 bytes) and more complex tags ranging up to 64 kilobytes.

Some tags have onboard batteries to increase range, and are known as active tags. These tags are more expensive, but can be justified for some specific applications. The great majority of tags in supply chain management will be passive, taking their energy from the electromagnetic field emitted by the reader.

The information on read only tags cannot be changed. A suitable interrogator can change the information in read/write tags