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NFC is an acronym for Near Field Communication. NFC is a somewhat recent ‘labeling’ for a subset of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) for short-range, wireless protocols. While NFC type RFID can apply to low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and ultra-high frequency (UHF) types, it’s most commonly associated with HF and used for close-range applications (hence the […]

Although NFC is a subgroup of RFID technology, there are many varieties of NFC tags/inlays to choose from for different solution needs. This page is a summary guide showing common NFC inlay and tag type options available for many common RFID solutions and application needs. This article is a part of the series of articles intended

There are many, many applications for NFC technology — from the chip embedded in your credit card to streamlining other technologies, such as Bluetooth pairing. The combination of close-range data transfer, ease of use, and versatility make NFC perfect for environments where data transactions have a requirement for location-specific access (for example, you don’t want

Several factors affect RFID Read Range. RFID, NFC, or UHF tag read ranges. If you’re interested in understanding the various aspects that affect RFID read range to improve your RFID application or use case, continue reading! Tag Characteristics (SOAP) SOAP is an acronym for the various factors that affect an RFID tag’s performance; size, orientation, angle,

Inlay The tag inlay consists of the integrated circuit (IC), an antenna, and a substrate to hold it all together. The inlay, on its own, is a fully functional tag; ready to be packaged into either a smart label or another casing. Integrated Chip (IC) The IC is an electronic circuit or microchip that is

The latest standardization of the Ultra-High Frequency RFID spectrum is the GS1 UHF Gen2 protocol (ISO/IEC 18000-63), which defines the technical specifications (e.g., physical/logical interactions between devices, anti-collision algorithms, security commands, etc.) for RFID devices operating in the frequency of 860–860 MHz. The ITU designated UHF (Ultra-High Frequency) as the radio frequency range of 300 MHz to

Active Tag: A battery-powered RFID tag that powers the circuitry that transmits the signal to a reader. Active tags differ from passive tags in that they have longer read ranges, a higher price tag, and a larger size (due to the battery). Antenna: The element built into both RFID readers and tags that radiates and

The frequency range of an RFID system has a significant impact on multiple performance metrics like the read range and interference susceptibility, so it’s important to make sure you select the right frequency for your business application or use case.    LF/NFC HF UHF Frequency range 125 – 134.2 KHz 13.56 MHz (global) 433, 865 – 828

The primary difference between active and passive tags is that active tags have their own power source (typically an embedded battery) and passive tags rely on the RFID reader’s propagation signal to power the tag. From this primary distinction stems a variety of considerations to make when deciding between the two types of tags. This article

In its most rudimentary form, an RFID system is made up of two parts; a transponder (a tag) and an interrogator (a reader). The transponder, which consists of an inlay which has a microchip, an antenna, and usually a substrate (the stuff that holds the tag’s components together) and optionally an encasing to protect the inlay from