RFID Solution to Counterfeit Products

RFID, Radio Frequency Identification of products and the Internet makes it possible to insure that any single product can only be sold once. Cryptography is not necessary to insure that a once only sold item is not a counterfeit.

If a product can be tracked from the producer to the end user with a unique identification, and a data base maintained when that product is sold, then it is a simple matter to prevent counterfeiting. The pharmaceutical companies and their customers would benefit greatly by solving the counterfeit problem.

When a product is scanned at the sales counter, that information would be sent to the company data base and recorded as sold. If that identification were ever reported as sold again, it would then be flagged as counterfeit. If an identification were reported as sold that was not produced by that company, it would be flagged as counterfeit. This process could be used through the entire distribution chain to insure that counterfeit product are not introduced at the distribution level. When the same identification shows up in two different locations then it would signal that one of them was counterfeit.

If the retailer scans the product and reports the transaction to the company that produced the product, the buyer could be assured that the product is genuine.

Cryptography is useless because anyone with the right equipment can copy or produce the Data Security Tag. So just being able to read the tag does not insure that it is not a counterfeit. You would have to know if that was in fact produced by whom you think produced it and know that there is not another one out there waiting to be sold or already sold.

This solution is only valid for products that should be sold to the end user once, such as pharmaceuticals. I would hope that if pharmaceutical companies are not already studying this approach, they would do so now so that I can be assured that I will get what I pay for.

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The Disadvantages of RFID Credit Cards

RFID credit cards are taking the nation. Also known as Radio Frequency Identification, RFID for short, these cards allow you to make purchases with your credit card without even having to type in a pin number, swipe your card through a reader, or even sign for the sale. Instead, a coil radio transmitter insider your card?imagine how small it must be!?sends out a tagged radio signature, that then gets transformed by the way you move your finger over the card.

In essence, your personal way of "swiping" your card with your finger gives the signal a distinct "shape" that acts like an electronic fingerprint. In theory, no one else could have this electronic fingerprint. It?s not so much theory anymore. Some credit card companies are already experimenting with RFID technology. You can use them at gas stations, convenience stores, maybe even vending machines.

But is this technology as secure as all the experts say it is? It may be, but the thought of not signing for your purchase may make you have the heebie-jeebies. Also, usually with regular credit cards, the cashier is supposed to look at your card and compare signatures, to make sure you are you, each and every time you make a purchase. With RFID cards, you forgo this extra step of security.

Another issue with RFID cards, and one you won?t hear the credit card companies make, is that RFID cards make it possible to too easily to spend and drive up your debt. If all a person has to do is wave their card at the fast food restaurant, to get gas, to buy that expensive new flat-screen televisions set, then chances are they may start waving their card more and more. In the long run, that will make a ton more money for the credit card companies. But for the buyer, that could mean a long lifetime of living in debt.

Another potential issue with RFID technology is that it could be the next wave of the future for everything from passports to security to get into buildings. It could be used possibly to even track your movements throughout the day, the week, and the year. Just imagine?your car, every building that you enter into, your house, your work?all of them have RFID security technology. That makes for a chance for Big Brother to keep an eye on you. A scary thought, and pretty far-fetched, yes, but a possible reality none the less thanks to RFID.

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RFID: A Smart Tag Primer

Good things come in small packages. This familiar clich usually refers to precious stones, but today it's taken on new meaning, in that small things are now protecting items we deem valuable.

Good things come in small packages. This familiar clich usually refers to precious stones, but today it's taken on new meaning, in that small things are now protecting items we deem valuable.

Analysts estimate that the retail industry loses US $50B a year to theft and up to ten times that much to counterfeiting. High-end products such as cosmetics, fragrances and pharmaceuticals are most likely to be stolen or counterfeited. Many retailers and manufacturers believe that this big problem may have a tiny solution RFID smart tags.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is an automatic data capture technology that offers unparalleled accuracy in inventory control and supply chain management. Although RFID is a relative newcomer to the media spotlight, the technology has been quietly working its way into our culture and into our lives since it was drafted by the military 60 years ago.

The US Department of Defense first used RFID to track military aircraft during World War II. Since then, this compelling technology has been used extensively in highway toll collection, building security, library circulation, parcel delivery and airport luggage transportation.

What exactly is RFID and how does it affect the future of packaging?

RFID functions as a network of microchip smart tags and receivers. Each smart tag is embedded with a unique electronic product code (EPC) and a micro-antenna. Once assigned, the EPC becomes a DNA-like marker for the item, identifying it from every other item in the world. When a tagged item passes within range of a reader, the reader retrieves the EPC via radio waves, identifies the item and its exact location, and relays this real-time information to a central computer. Taken together, the series of transactions comprise a comprehensive record of the tagged items movement from point of origin to point of sale.

The greatest promise of RFID lies in its application versatility. Smart tags can be affixed to either individual products or to pallets containing multiple units, and can be read through most materials. RFID readers can scan multiple items at one time, making them functionally superior to traditional, uni-task bar code scanners.

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Auto-ID Center began to explore commercial applications of RFID in 1999. Wal-Mart, The Gillette Company and Proctor & Gamble were among the first to conduct pallet-level pilot tests. They quickly found that RFID offers improved supply chain visibility and more accurate inventory forecasting. Because RFID does not require line-of-sight operations (contrary to manual bar code scanning) the end users achieved improved inventory control with reduced labor costs.

Encouraged by their success, British retailers Marks & Spencer and Germanys Metro AG quickly adopted RFID applications in their production and distribution channels. The US Department of Defense, Benetton, CVS, Home Depot, Gap, Target, Kohls, Tesco, Coca Cola and Albertsons have all begun incorporating RFID into their supply chain operations. In 2004 Wal-Mart issued a mandate that their Top 100 suppliers become RFID compliant by 2005, and the FDA plans to convert to item-level RFID distribution tracking by 2007.

In spite of strong industry support for RFID, widespread adoption of the technology has been slow. One reason for the delay is the lack of uniform standards for network and data management. For example, smart tags are currently available in low, high or ultra-high frequency versions, with read ranges of as little as a few inches to as much as 30 feet. AIM Global is a consortium of RFID developers and suppliers who are working to establish global RFID standards. Their goal is to educate manufacturers and suppliers about the potential benefits of RFID, and to provide the education and resources necessary to realize ROI from the use of this technology.

Cost and quality concerns have further dampened enthusiasm for RFID. Tag failure rates are reported to be as high as 20% to 30%. At an average cost of $.30 per tag, many suppliers find the prospect of item-level tagging prohibitive.

So far, RFID compliance has been the responsibility of suppliers. Retailers have generally refused to accept any price increases resultant from RFID start-up expenses. As a result, suppliers have had to either absorb the cost of becoming RFID compliant or risk losing lucrative commercial contracts.

However, as RFID becomes the norm manufacturers will look for converters who can provide pre-tagged packaging that is market-standard compliant and ready for entry into the RFID regulated supply chain.

Technology is inherently evolutionary. The logistics of RFID are changing rapidly, with ongoing advancements in ink, labels and methods of smart tag attachment. In a future article I will explore specific developments in converting techniques and the impact of this compelling technology on the packaging industry.

 

Dennis Bacchetta is the Marketing Manager at Diamond Packaging. He frequently writes on industry topics and technical issues. You may contact him at dbacchetta@diamondpkg.com.

Radio Frequency Identification

RFID is being touted as the best source of identification and tracking in today?s world. RFID or Radio Frequency Identification is an automatic identification method that uses RFID tags and readers.

RFID technology uses radio waves and it is possible to find a product or an object with an RFID tag without coming in contact with it. An RFID tag having a unique tracking number or identification data is embedded into the object. The RFID tag or the microchip is connected to an aerial. This aerial helps the chip to transmit radio waves with the stored information. The signal is picked up by an RFID tag reader and the reader transmits this information to a computer in digital format, letting us find out the information with a push of a button.

Though there are many advantages of using RFID technology. However, only a few that are common in all RFID tags are mentioned.

? Ability to read and write
? Contact not required to read the data
? The functioning is completely automated
? It is resistant to things like paint and dirt
? Can function at different frequencies
? Distance of reading can range from few inches to several feet

RFID technology is not just about collecting data but ensuring that the data is turned into actionable information that businesses can use. By using RFID technology businesses can reduce costs through increased productivity and reduction in lost items. RFID technology can give businesses a competitive advantage never before envisioned. There is great potential for using RFID technology in retail, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.

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The Skinny on RFID

RFID is the abbreviation for Radio Frequency Identification. RFID is a method used to store and retrieve data using RFID transponders or tags. RFID tags have antennas that allow them to accept and respond to queries from the RFID transceiver. There are passive and active RFID tags. The difference between the two is that passive tags do not need an internal power source, but active tags do. RFID technology is already used in many technologies today. The future of RFID technology seems limitless as new ways to utilize its effectiveness are discovered frequently.

Passive and Active Tags

As stated before, passive RFID tags do not have an internal power supply. There is a minute electrical current induced in the antenna by the radio signal it receives. This small current is enough to power the tag to respond to the signal. Passive RFID tags have a very brief response because of their limited power. They are very small, and may be used in the future for medical purposes or, as some fear, tracking devices. Passive RFID tags can be embedded within the skin because of their small size. The smallest RFID tag in existence in 2005 was 0.4 mm by 0.4 mm. Passive tags have a read distance that ranges from 10mm to almost 6 meters. Passive tags are cheaper than active RFID tags and as a result are more commercially available. Active RFID tags have a longer range and larger memory capacity than passive RFID tags and may therefore be able to store a significantly higher amount of information. Active RFID tags may have a battery life of up to 10 years.

How it Works

In order to understand the uses, and potential uses, of RFID technology, one must understand the RFID system. RFID systems consist of tag readers, tags, edge servers, middleware, and application software. Having an RFID system will allow data to be transmitted by a tag, which is then read by the RFID reader and processed in accordance with the application’s specifications. Data transmitted can have information about the location of the tag, or specifics concerning the product tagged. Typical RFID systems have a small and inexpensive tag on a product. There is then an “interrogator” which has a certain range in which to detect the RFID tag, activate it, and receive the response.

Current and Potential Uses

RFID technology is used in every day life. RFID tags are found in CD stores and in library books. When an alarm goes off because an item was not purchased or checked out, that is the RFID tag responding. Wal-Mart has even used RFID tags on shipments to improve supply chain management. Other RFID tags are used to track trucks in shipping yards. More recently, RFID tags have been used in automated tool booth systems like the E-ZPass system on the east coast. Mobile gas also implemented RFID technology to allow customers to simply pull up to the pump, pump gas, and then leave without having to scan a credit card or pay a cashier.

RFID technology has great potential and is constantly being improved. RFID workers are constantly trying to improve the current usage in systems like E-ZPass. It was recently announced that the eastern states will be improving E-ZPass so that cars can move faster through the tool-booth (35mph rather than 5mph). RFID technology may also be used to monitor inmates, and potentially parolees. Some consumers worry as to citizen privacy invasions by the government. RFID technology is always growing, and the government may be able to use RFID to inspect citizens, or keep track of them. Currently, however, RFID technology seems to be limited to the innovation sphere. RFID technology has been utilized to make the lives of consumers easier and more efficient. Despite the qualms of some citizens, RFID has a very bright future.

John Hanson writes about RFID technology for RFID Lowdown ( http://www.rfidlowdown.com ).

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National Archives Needs to Embed RFID Tags in Ink

Perhaps we should have printers with ink which has metallic properties which would simulate RFID Tags in pages scattered throughout the reports and papers of secret documents, then if one decides to do something unethical to steal the paper work then the report itself will trigger an alarm, even if one puts it in their socks or underwear, under a hat. As one leaves the building through a detector like at the bookstores, gotcha!!

These technologies are being developed now, so we may as well put them to good use. It is fascinating that we even have these problems with those instilled with the citizen trust to serve us, yet not so unpredictable, this could answer the problem of secret information leakage in FBI, Pentagon, CIA, National Archives, even DOE, Los Alamos, Defense Contractors and may as well apply it to library, especially for the two most books stolen: "The Bible" and "The Joy of Sex". Yes this is true, and it shows how clearly divided we are a species between morals and desires, guilt and honor, power and force, flesh and abstinence.

Certain books in libraries would be sprinkled with some type of odor smart dust, which would also prevent decay of the paper and set off an odor detector on the way out. There are mini odor detectors used now for nuclear material, explosives, bio-pathogens, anthrax and a multitude of other things, used for anti-terrorism, illegal immigration, drug trafficking, etc.

The National Archives are a national treasure and should be guarded as such. We need to put this technology to work to keep integrity of our system, our government and our leadership.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington