Radio Frequency Identification FAQs

When would I want to use read write (R/W) versus read only (R/O) tags in my application that employs radio frequency identification?

It is necessary to assess your entire information management infrastructure before selecting the best type of tag for your application. There are pros and cons to both centralizing your data processing (using R/O tags) or de-centralizing (using R/W, and using the tag as a data carrier.) RFID tags collect a wealth of real-time data. To put this to the best use for good decision-making, the information has to be quickly available up and down the supply chain to all the individuals who can use the input. Typical legacy systems often do not have this capacity nor capability. And, in fact, the information about an item usually moves more slowly through the supply chain than does the item itself. Therefore, it might be best to store data right on the R/W tag with the moving item so that it can be updated and others can take advantage of it locally. If, however, your operation does have an advanced central data processing capability, then a less expensive R/O tag that uniquely identifies an item, can be coupled with time/date stamping or other information at certain points, and relate back to a file held in a central location.

Reprinted with permission from AIM, Inc.
www.aimglobal.org

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