Geared to general interest readers and entry-level practitioners, this paper takes an in-depth look at the elements of an RFID infrastructure, including its tags and readers and protocol layers, and the roles they play. History has taught us that a technology cannot and will not be deployed pervasively and globally without a robust set of standard protocols specified between these entities.

Originally published in IEEE Applications & Practice, September 2007, Vol. 1, No. 2

This paper discusses a systemic approach to accurately determining the real locations of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in dense reader environments by using Reva's Location Virtualization (LV) algorithm to deliver dynamic tag location services. For the purpose of this paper we will focus specifically on multiple dock door situations, but the dynamic locationing concepts embodied by LV can be, and are, applied to other scenarios requiring granular determination of true tag location.

This paper discusses the benefits and challenges of deploying centralized, next-generation RFID network infrastructure solutions to support emerging production-scale RFID management, data correlation and enterprise network integration requirements.

The second generation UHF air protocol for Class 1 RFID tags and readers (Gen2) promises to solve many of the problems discovered in pilot deployments based on the first generation protocols. Gen2 provides powerful capabilities that will enable broader adoption of passive RFID. It is a complex specification that contains many features which, when exercised in the proper ways, can achieve a level of performance not previously seen in RFID.

The Reva Tag Acquisition Processor (TAP) family of products enable scalable deployment of RFID for production operations in any environment and deliver the accurate, actionable data that enterprises need to create ROI from RFID implementations. The TAP 331 is built to deliver the benefits of RFID Network Infrastructure at facilities that require modest numbers of RFID readers. The TAP 331 is well suited to deployments at retail stores, branch offices, satellite processing centers, temporary operations, small manufacturing plants, RFID start up or pilot sites and other facilities where a small number of read points are currently required.

The Reva Tag Acquisition Processor 701 (TAP 701) is the industry's first intelligent RFID device to combine real-time adaptive control of readers, location-aware tag data processing, and standards-based data services for the applications that consume RFID data. The TAP 701 is a purpose-built, standardsbased device that delivers cost-effective, system-level performance to support RFID adoption across a wide range of vertical markets. The TAP 701 provides seamless data integration with enterprise applications, predictable operation of RFIDenabled facilities, and includes a powerful management console for configuration and commissioning of RFID systems.

The TAP 721 is built to deliver the benefits of RFID Network Infrastructure at facilities that have dynamic environments creating considerable tag processing loads and/or require significant numbers of RFID readers. The TAP 721 is designed to deploy at major warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturing campuses, food processing plants, postal sorting centers, airports, military bases, hospitals and other facilities where there are large numbers of tagged objects.

Enterprises implementing RFID at more than one facility require RFID infrastructure management capabilities. The RFID devices and processes they rely on must integrate with existing enterprise IT management strategies. The Reva Management System (RMS) suite of products interact with Reva TAPs deployed at facilities where RFID is utilized to address enterprise RFID management requirements.

Sharing accurate RFID-based data within business units and between trading partners drives benefits up and down the supply chain. EPCIS (EPC Information Service) is the standard mechanism by which enterprises will enable this critical data exchange. Before companies share EPCIS data it must be accurately captured and interpreted. Reva’s EPCIS data capture services and reports make it simple to deploy these capabilities in any environment, anywhere in the world.

Retail Stores are a natural environment to deploy RFID. Typically high employee turnover, ever changing product assortments, promotions and demanding consumers combine to make structured store operations a challenge for even the best retail operators. RFID, or more specifically the data provided by store-level RFID implementations, can be used to improve store operations and enhance the consumer experience.

The Reva Systems' Tag Acquisition Processor™ (TAP) offers enhanced support for Microsoft's BizTalk Server via the Reva device plug-in which is part of the BizTalk RFID platform. This support is a culmination of Reva's joint efforts with Microsoft and is aimed at customers who need to scale RFID device implementations while leveraging Microsoft integration and application development tools for business process change and value.

Reva Systems enables Oracle e-Business Suite customers to utilize the superior analytics and process management capabilities made possible by the high-quality RFID data that Reva Tag Acquisition Processors™ (TAPs) deliver. Reva TAPs are purpose-built RFID Network Infrastructure appliances that provide RFID device control and data processing. TAPs install at a facility level to optimally manage the operations of RFID readers and other equipment from many leading providers, collect the raw tag data, process the data for accuracy and then pass only relevant RFID information to Oracle e-Business applications and data repositories. Reva also provides a set of enterprise RFID management tools which Oracle users can rely on to remotely operate RFID infrastructure and devices across global sites.

Reva Systems are one of the first companies in the RIFD space to provide a product that combines hardware and software into one black box. A term that has been used to describe this subset of the market is "RFID Network Infrastructure". Reva applies proven networking principles similar to those employed in LANs, wireless LANs, and storage-area networks (SANs) to integrate RFID operations with existing enterprise infrastructure for RFID deployments. If your organisation is looking at the use of RFID and is looking for solution that allows you to run systems at the edge, then Reva Systems TAP is product that ought to be on short list to evaluate in depth.

Since its inception in 2004, Reva Systems has shown significant progress and has remained focused on providing quality network infrastructure products for RFID that provide an additional layer of intelligence between readers and application software. The experience Reva Systems has gained by collaborating with other key market participants has positioned the company very well to gain from the increasing level of RFID activity in the European arena. The Tag Acquisition Processor from Reva Systems therefore looks poised to be used in a wide range of supply chain applications throughout Europe.

Reva Systems, an emerging leader among radio frequency identification (RFID) network infrastructure providers, today announced $13.5M insecond-roundventure funding that includes a capital contribution and technology standards collaboration with Cisco Systems, Inc. and a capital investment and strategic relationship with SAP Ventures, a division of SAP AG (NYSE: SAP). The announcement brings welcome relief to customers struggling with RFID network and application integration challenges.

The challenges of implementing RFID are only just starting to be recognized. Companies working under customer mandates are seeing increased demands for RFID tagged cases. Others are using the technology to raise the level of performance in areas such as asset management and tracking, counterfeit detection, security and supply chain visibility. Enterprises are planning to implement RFID on a broad scale, and with this comes the inevitable question of how to integrate technology and information at the "edge" with the rest of the enterprise.

Through a survey of companies across multiple industries, this report by the AberdeenGroup examines how organizations will expand the scope of their RFID deployments to take advantage of the unique value that RFID promises to deliver. While most of the attention is currently fixed on managing around the obstacles that the laws of physics presents at a shipping dock or manufacturing line, more difficult challenges will arise when RFID moves out of pilot stage, and is deployed across the enterprise.

Intel and Reva Systems are driving real-world, scalable, cost-effective RFID solutions by enabling a standards-based approach that drives cost down and performance up, all while increasing choices and making integration easier.

RFID adoption in Europe has been hampered to date by limited spectrum availability and even more so by the Listen Before Talk (LBT) regulations that were imposed to deal with RF constraints. The European community recognizes these challenges and has been working through EPCglobal and ETSI to address realistic alternatives that are good for both RFID users and other low power radio application users.