RFID Inventory
System
Shaun Duncan, Thomas Keaten,
Auroop Roy
RFID – The Basics
 Used to identify unique items using radio waves.
 A reader communicates with a tag, which holds digital information
(e.g., a serial number) in a microchip.
 RFID is like a bar code reader, but the reading is done
remotely.
 RFID doesn’t require ‘line of sight’
 Serialized Identification
 The microchip, attached to an antenna, picks up signals from
and sends signals to a reader.
 Each tag contains a unique serial number, the Electronic
Product Code (EPC).
 The antenna enables the chip to transmit the identification
information to the reader.
RFID - Types
 Categories
 Passive
 Semi-Passive
 Active
 Semi-Active
 Frequency
 Low
 High
 Very High
 Ultra High
Interesting Uses of RFID
 Wireless ID Tags
 A Barcelona nightclub uses RFID tags to automatically add drinks
to member’s tabs.
 Montreal is planning to implement an RFID system to allow
registered users easy access to a new public bike system.
 Game Monitoring
 Poker tables are coming equipped with RFID systems to monitor
card movement and allow cameras to follow any desired
movement.
 Shipping Business
 RFID is beginning to proliferate in the shipping industry, allowing
for easy tracking of products.
 This is under fierce attack from many unions and other worker’s right’s
groups for infringing on worker freedom and possible health concerns.
What we are doing
 Item level RFID based system
 Room 2 Room tracking; location of equipment
 Student used, equipment reservation system
RFID Reader/Antenna
Central Server
Lab Room
Lab Room
Lab Room
What are we doing now?
Tag
Equipment
User Interface
Current- v1.0
Simple Textual
Future
Drag and Drop
Why are we doing it?
 Asset Management
 Lots of expensive equipment
 Tracking
 Multiple Users
 Accountability
 Reservation system for users
Expected
maximum
completion
time
User
email
list
intervention
list
Expected
Minimum
completion
time
Total nonconcurrent
time used
Assigned door
Item overdue
key
Actual
Total
time used
time
per item
used per
item
Max
Project list
Available
items
Group
reserve
time
Reserved
time
Able to
activate
project
What we’d like to know
 How many & which items are in the cabinet.
 Who currently has issued items.
 Which specific item(s) were removed from the cabinet, and
by whom.
 Time to completion, how items are being used, statistical
data
How to do it
 Creating a program to interact with reader
 Java, phpMyAdmin, SQL
 Creating appropriate database schema so that all required
information can be determined.
 History, times, current tags, past tags, etc
 Tag list & Reservation system
 Truncate table?
 BST?
 Current Thoughts – BST with DSW
 Appropriate DB vs. Software workload sharing
 Appropriate Queries
Q & …. A(?)