Design and implementation of UHF RFID smart readers

Abstract

The traditional process of integrating RFID technology into business processes can be very costly and tedious. The readers were only capable of doing a single task which is listen for requests from a client application, execute the task whether an inventory round; reading the available RFID tags in the area of coverage, tracking a single tag or any other task that the reader can handle internally. This old way of doing things mean the businesses not only have to acquire RFID readers and write the necessary applications to make use of them but also provide the different parts needed to orchestrate the whole process. That means computers where the software is deployed, servers, smart phones in the case of handheld RFID readers, networking gear and more depending on the scale and complexity of the project. This thesis is written as part of the new line of smart UHF RFID Linux readers project at Nordic ID. The project aims to study, design and implement a new way of doing things using customer feedback. This new breed of readers is intended to ultimately replace the old generation by offering more features that facilitate the development, integration and deployment of RFID enable systems. The main objective of the thesis is to design from the ground up a new series of UHF RFID readers based on customer feedback and ensure that the product meets the specifications and answers the requirements accurately. First understanding the contexts and environments where the readers will be deployed, understanding the needs of users from the integrators building and maintaining the project to the end user interacting with system. The thesis will then answer those needs and requirements in the design phase by describing the parts used in building the readers and how they fit in the context. After addressing the physical components of the project, the thesis will define the software part with all its sub modules and interactions.