Mysterious RFID
The development to a certain extent is a spell. RFID is a typical example: a customer picks up goods full of purchase cars, when you go to the supermarket export, you don't need any bar code scan, a few seconds The total payment is clearly displayed on the screen clearly; when a customer wears "Nike" sneakers walk through a street LCD billboard, the originally played Coca-Cola advertisement suddenly switches into the tourist flames of the Alps, and draws the proud To this customer: "Go to such a wonderful place, or wear Nike shoes."
In fact, RFID itself is not a special advanced technology. RFID (RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION) is a wireless RF identification technology. Its main core component is an electronic tag, which is only 2 mm, and a radio wave transmitted by a few centimeters to a few meters away. The electronic tag can be read. Information stored in the store, identify the identity of items, people and appliances represented by electronic tags.
The US military began researching RFID technology as early as the 20th century, and this technology has been widely used on weapons and logistics management systems. The United States uses RFID in "Iraq" to use RFID to prepare weapons and materials very accurately, ensuring accurate supply of frontline ammunition and materials. Different from the previous "adequate" supply, modern management emphasizes accurate supply, which is to provide much, because excess supply will increase unnecessary management costs.
RFID technology can be widely used in the civilian field benefits from two promotion power: the first is that the chip manufacturing cost is greatly reduced, from the initial tens of US dollars to several cresses, so that the RFID electronic tag can be managed by the supermarket Accepted; the second is the wide acceptance of RFID technology. Europe's largest supermarket Madon and the United States's largest supermarket Wal-Mart tried RFID in 2003 and 2004 to accelerate the popularity of RFID technology.
RFID's driving power is a market, and this is different from other IT technology. However, because ordinary consumers have no clear impression, the focus of supermarkets and management agencies have made the people have a mystery, and there are still many people who don't understand new technologies began to doubt RFID's violation of privacy rights. As RFID's veil is unveiled, its huge business value is also known by the public, and the US legislature is also considering protecting the privacy of the people through legal forms, and RFID's application prospects are gradually clear.
Changed not just label
When it comes to the label, people will naturally began to start the barcode. The barcode played an important role in a considerable period of time. However, the popularity of RFID technology will greatly improve the original function of the barcode.
First, the barcode relies on the passive manual reading method, the staff needs a scan of the handheld read device, and the RFID read device utilizes radio waves, and can fully read a large number of labels information; second, barcodes belong to the fragile label, Due to physical and chemical reasons, it is torn, and RFID belongs to electronic products, which can be used in a harsh environment; third, barcodes are small, and the RFID tag is embedded with storage devices, the amount of information is huge; Of course, the problem with barcodes is that it will always be disposable, not changeable, and RFID can be written or modified.
The advantage of RFID will far beyond the layers of labels. We only have the effect of RFID on the logistics industry as an example.
Since the storage capacity of the RFID tag is 2, the logistics industry first discovered that they can represent every item in the world in the unique code. In the past, barcodes used, due to the limitations, the logistics industry can only define a category for each type of product, that is, a group of milk, no matter which day, they are the same in the mall, the mall cannot pass code Determine the exact inventory period of each product. RFID completely abandoned this limit, and now all products can enjoy a unique ID. This is a revolutionary breakthrough for ERP and SCM systems. The past material numbers cannot achieve tracking of single components, and today, the accuracy management of materials will extend the tentacles to every part of each part, regardless of It is quality control, automation management, and product lifecycle management will face the past that cannot be imagined in the past. For example, an analysis of product probability can position a source of defective sources at a certain point, and a product in the warehouse will not be placed separately because of excessive number of products.
The effect of RFID is not only these. EPC Global is a non-profit organization, which plans to build a huge "Internet of Things" around the world, which is the coding network involved in circulating items. The Internet of Things, which consists of many servers and the current computer Internet and wireless communication networks, constitute a new generation of network systems, people, computers, and goods to accurately position on the network, and the concept of calculation will also change.
IBM's view is that the arrival of this era, and companies need to be fully prepared. RFID will enter the real practical phase around 2006. When this phase arrives, everything will change.
Realize RFID
Many businesses have used RFID technology, and RFID technology will be widely used in identity. RFID technology can also be applied to property protection, automotive tracking, parking lot and highway crossing. When the logistics industry uses RFID technology, from the production of products, the sales of products to products will be intelligent. That is to say, from the person to the machine to the goods, RFID achieves comprehensive intelligence.
IBM has established laboratory in the United States, Japan, and France, including RFID technology testing and solution research, including both chips, readers, middleware tests, including special products and special requirements, while The IBM's laboratory also conducts an experiment in a radio frequency environment, a specific standard. Since it is necessary to invest a lot of money due to building a complete RFID environment, IBM will assist users in the design and testing of RFID solutions, and IBM can help them build their own test environment and complete laboratory according to user requirements.
IBM provides an overall solution for RFID, in addition to the construction of electronic tags and card reader environments, more importantly, including comprehensive consultants services integrated into middleware products. Since RFID technology requires a new data standard and unique management method, users have to consider optimizing IT management.
IBM believes that when users apply RFID technology, they can follow this idea: select the appropriate technology, design, and define solutions, implement solutions, operation training, install RFID management systems, install support, and help systems, and implement maintenance services. During the entire implementation, in addition to IBM's consulting services, IBM's own software, hardware products, IBM also help users build RFID business new models with global partners. For the user, recognizing the advantage of RFID is only the first step in implementing the RFID scheme, IBM will experience and advance the implementation process.
