Intermec Demonstrates Working EPC Generation 2 Technology

Intermec Technologies has demonstrated the industry’s first working EPC UHF Generation 2 RFID reader. The recent demonstration to EPCglobal Inc used a firmware upgrade to Intermec’s currently available model IF5 Intellitag® RFID reader. The IF5 is the industry’s first intelligent reader certified under current regulations by both the FCC and ETSI, designed for use by customers around the world. The demonstration to EPCglobal Inc of a reader and RFID chip operating according to the proposed UHF Generation 2 standard is the final step before a vote on ratification of the candidate standard by EPCglobal’s Board of Governors.

Generation 2 RFID technology offers read/write capability, improved security and read rates that are up to 10 times faster than current EPC RFID standards in Europe’s stringent radio-regulated environments. It also provides up to 50 times less reader interference at close operating distances.

The IF5 Intellitag RFID reader is already deployed by the world’s fourth largest retailer, METRO Group. The German-based company is the first retailer in the world to bring RFID out of trial mode and into commercial deployment.

“Intermec is a great partner in bringing forward our RFID implementation. The IF5 provides a clear path to the next generation in standards,” said Dr. Gerd Wolfram, executive project manager of the METRO Group Future Store Initiative.

The IF5 is firmware-upgradeable to UHF Generation 2, cutting risk and cost for system upgrades. It is multi-protocol capable and is the first RFID intelligent reader based on a Linux platform. Intelligent readers perform on-board decision-making – eliminating the need for a separate “edge” server connected to an RFID reader – allowing it to filter incoming RFID tag data. This capability eliminates the need for extra servers and consequential points of failure in the system, reducing both cost and risk for users.

“The IF5 Intellitag reader is the first to demonstrate compliance with UHF Generation 2 specifications and already is giving our customers maximum utility in an RFID reader,” said Intermec Vice President Mike Wills. “Our co-development efforts with major chip suppliers clearly demonstrates that the vision of EPC Generation 2 readers and tags interoperating on a global basis is now a reality.”

Intermec’s IF5 has been tested and certified compliant with ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) radio standards for operation in Europe; both under the lower power 0.5W erp (EN300 220) standard and the newly established 2.0W erp (EN302 208) RFID standard that permits higher RF power. Intermec is the first manufacturer to complete compliance requirements under both rules.

The IF5 is a member of Intermec’s family of RFID products that include forklift systems; portal, conveyor and dock door systems; fixed, mobile and handheld readers, as well as RFID printers, smart labels and tags. Each Intermec RFID product family will soon have EPC Generation 2-compliant members.

RFID is a complement to industry’s current bar code-based tracking systems, allowing companies to automatically track inventory throughout an entire supply chain. RFID automatic data collection typically does not require line of sight or manual scanning as do most bar code-based systems. For example, information from RFID-tagged cases on a pallet can be read automatically using fixed, mobile or handheld readers rather than requiring individual bar code scanning. Read/write RFID tags and labels can be reprogrammed to update the information on each tag as it proceeds through manufacturing and supply chain processes, providing new levels of up-to-date information for timely decision making.

Alison Joyce
Mulberry PR
T: 020 7928 7676
ajoyce@mulberrymc.com