Conference Technology

Solutions

The Feature of Identification in Conference Technology

RFID in Conference Technology

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders.

Applications

Access control - many places which employ traditional swipe cards for access control are slowly shifting towards RFID contactless based solutions in their cards.
Meetings and conventions have also implemented RFID technology into attendee badges allowing the ability to track people at conferences. This provides data that can display what rooms people have entered and exited during the day. This data is available to show organizers to help them improve the content and design of the conference. RFID is also being used to improve the lead retrieval process for exhibitors at exhibitions.

Brähler ICS has developed a solution with the congress centre in Mannheimto use the RFID system to:

• sell seminars (organized by the congress centre)
• provide access control for the different rooms (40 in Mannheim)
• save money on one way identification cards (less in price as ChipCards)
• provide the delegate one card type for several services

Passive tags

An RFID tag is an object that can be applied to or incorporated into a product for the purpose of identification using radio waves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader.

Most RFID tags contain at least two parts. One is an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a (RF) signal, and other specialized functions. The second is an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal. A technology called chip less RFID allows for discrete identification of tags without an integrated circuit, thereby allowing tags to be printed directly onto assets at a lower cost than traditional tags. Passive RFID tags have no internal power supply. Simple laboratory printed tags operating at 13.56 MHz.

Active tags

Unlike passive RFID tags, active RFID tags have their own internal power source, which is used to power the integrated circuits and broadcast the signal to the reader. Many active tags today have practical ranges of hundreds of meters, and a battery life of up to 10 years. Active tags typically have much longer range (approximately 500 m/1500 feet) and larger memories than passive tags, as well as the ability to store additional information sent by the transceiver.

Extended Capability

Examples of extended capability RFID tag technologies with extended memory (e.g. 64Kb), and active RFID has the ability to extend the read range of standard passive technologies to well over 30 meters.

Antenna types

The antenna used for an RFID tag is affected by the intended application and the frequency of operation. Low-frequency (LF) passive tags are normally inductively coupled, and because the voltage induced is proportional to frequency, many coil turns are needed to produce enough voltage to operate an integrated circuit. At 13.56 MHz (High frequency or HF), a planar spiral with 5–7 turns over a credit-card-sized form factor can be used to provide ranges of tens of centimetres.