RFID IN THE POSTAL LOGISTICS
Ing. Radovan Madleňák, PhD.
doc. Ing. Juraj Vaculík, PhD.
University of Žilina
Department of Communications
INTRODUCTION
In the transportation and logistics industries,
RFID is found in a wide array of applications, as
more companies begin conducting new pilots and
implementations.
 Even applications within the same market may
differ drastically from one another.
 This presentation focuses on the use of RFID in
the area postal services.

WHAT IS IT RFID ?

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a
generic term that is used to describe a system
that transmits the identity (in the form of a
unique serial number) of an object or person
wirelessly, using radio waves
TYPES OF RFID

RFID systems consist of three components in two
combinations:
a transceiver (transmitter/receiver) and antenna are usually
combined as an RFID reader.
 A transponder (transmitter/responder) and antenna are
combined to make an RFID tag.



An RFID tag is read when the reader emits a radio signal
that activates the transponder, which sends data back to
the transceiver.
There are two types of transponders, which correlate to the
two major types of RFID tags:
Passive transponders and RFID tags have no energy source
of their own, relying on the energy given off by the reader for
the power to respond. Cheaper, passive RFID tags are the
most likely to be used for consumer goods.
 An active transponder or tag has an internal power source,
which it uses to generate a signal in response to a reader.

CONCEPT OF RFID
A transponder (a microchip with an antenna) is a
placed on an item and then a reader (a device
with one or more antennas) is used to read data
off of the microchip using radio waves.
 The reader passes the information to a computer,
so that the data can be used to create business
value.

STRUCTURE OF RFID TRASPONDER
Printable face-stock
Adhesive
RFID inlay
(chip + antenna)
Adhesive
Liner
Antenna
• Major driver of read performance
• Determines how well an RFID label works with a certain
product
Chip
• Contains data
POSTAL MARKET AND RFID

The potential market for RFID in the postal and
courier service is second only to that for the retail
supply chain
POSTAL RFID APPLICATION MODEL
Postal RFID application model was proposed for
the adoption of RFID technology in postal
logistics environments
 The main environments are:

A.
B.
C.
D.
Mail Office
Mail Collection & Distribution Center
Delivery Office
Monitoring Center
RFID APPLICATION MODEL FOR POSTAL
LOGISTICS
B
A
C
D
MAIL OFFICE ENVIRONMENT
A mail office that can conduct parcel registration
through issuing an RFID tag and label printing
sends parcel issue data such as a postal code and
address automatically using an RFID reader with
an Internet connection to a postal logistics
system via a local server.
 The mail office also receives mail trace data such
as parcel processing and delivery data from a
local server after the registered parcel has moved
to the mail center.

MAIL COLLECTION &
DISTRIBUTION CENTER
A mail center that can conduct RFID tag
recognition at docks and has a sorting machine
for the auto-sorting, sending, and arrival
processing of parcels and pallets sends RFID tag
recognition data of the parcels and pallets, such
as mail center code and parcel processing data,
automatically using an RFID reader with an
Internet connection to a postal logistics system
via a local server.
 The mail center also receives mail trace data
such as parcel processing and delivery data from
the local server after the parcels and pallets have
moved to the delivery office.

DELIVERY OFFICE ENVIRONMENT
A delivery office that can conduct RFID tag
recognition for the delivery of parcels and a tag
data reset for the reuse preparation of parcel and
pallet tags sends RFID tag recognition data of
the parcels and pallets, such as delivery office
code, delivery person’s ID, and delivery data
automatically using a hand-held RFID reader
with wireless LAN and CDMA connection to a
postal logistics system via a local server.
 The delivery office also receives processing data
such as parcel registration and sorting data from
the local server after the sorted parcels have
moved to the delivery office.

MONITORING CENTER ENVIRONMENT
The monitoring center can do a real-time trace
and tracking of parcel processing and pallet
management via a local server and postal
logistics system.
 The monitoring center can also check how many
parcels are registered in real time, how many
pallets with parcels have moved among mail
centers, and how many empty pallets are stored
in each mail center.
 This is also important for the effective use of
parcel and pallet management, customer service
parcel upgrades, and for knowing which mail
center has a problem with parcel processing and
pallet management.

EXAMPLE OF RFID USING IN THE POSTAL
LOGISTICS
Link Pallet &
Parcel, & Takeover
1
Post Office
Pallet Tag Issuer
Tag Issue &
Label Print
for Parcel
2
Mail Center
Sort of the Registered Mails,
and Takeover Boxes
& Pallets
Send Pallets &
Boxes with Registered
Mails& Parcels by Truck
Send Pallet
& Parcels
by Truck
Parcel Auto-Sort System,
And Takeover of the sorted
Parcels & Pallets
3
Delivery Office
Receive Pallets
& Parcels
by Truck
Receive Pallet
& Parcels
by Truck
Real Time
Monitoring of
Parcels & Pallet on
Center
Local Server & Platform
Parcels to be
deliveried
with RFID PDA
EXAMPLES OF RFID DEVICES
Examples of RFID devices
used in postal logistic systems
FUTURE OF RFID IN POSTAL LOGISTICS


The global market for RFID
systems, including tags, in
this sector will grow
extremely rapidly to be $3
billion
Demand may be much larger
if current efforts to tag
individual items gain
widespread acceptance. In
due course, over one trillion
postal items will be tagged
yearly, making this the
second largest application of
RFID in the world after the
retail supply chain.
REFERENCIES
1.
Peter Harrop: RFID in the Postal and Courier
service
2.
Jeong-Hyun Park, Jong-Heung Park: Postal
RFID Application Model and Performance
3.
Juraj Vaculík: RFID in postal services
4.
Libor Švadlenka: RFID in Postal and Courier
Services
5.
Radovan Madleňák: Optimal model design of
postal items processing technology
6.
Lucia Madleňáková: Improving of the quality of
postal services by the monitoring transit time