RFID mobile handheld terminal police industry application

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is an automatic identification and data acquisition technology based on wireless technology. Its application began with the identification of friendly aircraft during World War II. With the maturity and development of computer information technology and very large scale integrated circuit technology, radio frequency identification technology has developed rapidly in various fields.

1 Main applications of radio frequency identification technology in the field of military logistics

At present, the application of radio frequency identification technology in the field of military logistics mainly focuses on monitoring the location and status of equipment and materials during transportation, warehousing management, and the search and distribution of specific items.

(1) Visual management of equipment and materials in transit. That is, radio frequency tags are installed on containers or trailers loaded with large equipment and containers, and fixed or handheld radio frequency readers and background computer systems are configured at various nodes such as the starting point, end point of transportation, and various transfer stations. When a container or transport vehicle equipped with a radio frequency tag passes by, the radio frequency reader reads the information Stored in the radio frequency tag and transmits it to the background computer system for storage and display. If necessary, the RFID Reader can also update the content on the RFID tag according to instructions. The computer system transmits equipment and material information to a higher-level central database via wired, wireless networks or communication satellites. Through this database, logistics personnel and relevant units at all levels can promptly obtain the location, quantity changes, and cargo status of all materials in transit. Damage and supplementary changes and other information.

(2) Warehousing management of material assembly areas. In addition to applications such as tracking the location, quantity, and status of goods during transportation, radio frequency identification technology also plays an important role in the warehousing management of temporary field cargo yards at material assembly areas and various permanent cargo warehouses. In temporary field cargo yards and various permanent warehouse material storage operations, in terms of material transfer, loading and distribution, repackaging, shelf management, etc., radio frequency identification technology and barcode technology can also play their role in recording information and identifying goods, and It has the advantages of longer range and easier operation than optical barcode reading.

(3)Specific item finding system. In a temporary cargo assembly area or ordinary warehouse, when an item needs to be found, the operator starts the handheld radio frequency reader to emit radio frequency electromagnetic waves to activate the tag. The radio frequency tag installed on the container or pallet will respond and send out a bee. The chirping or flashing sound indicates the location of the item, and at the same time, the item information is fed back to the radio frequency reader. The operator can find the container by following the sound and light. If the sound and light prompt fails, or the situation is not suitable for the sound and light prompt (such as a noisy environment or a sound and light control situation), you can also use the built-in positioning device of the handheld radio frequency reader to find it.

(4) Item dispensing device. Radio frequency identification devices can also be used for the distribution and management of personal supplies and daily necessities. In the past, the U.S. military used barcode technology to distribute clothing. Clothing companies affixed barcodes to military uniforms and combat uniforms that needed to be distributed, and sent them to recruitment centers or camps. When recruits are trying on clothes, managers use a scanner to scan the label and input information such as the size, color, and style of combat uniforms suitable for the recruits into the computer. The computer transmits the information to the National Defense Soldier Support Center, and then from the center to the clothing company. Used to develop production plans. By applying radio frequency identification technology to the distribution of items such as clothing and medicine, procedures that used to require multiple steps can be completed in one go, saving manpower and improving efficiency.

The application of radio frequency identification technology in the field of military logistics has effectively improved support efficiency, improved material tracking capabilities, inventory management capabilities and labor productivity, greatly reduced repeated applications and item losses, and optimized internal business processes. According to estimates by the U.S. Department of Defense, the use of radio frequency identification technology can save more than US$100 million in logistics operating costs per year, and inventory materials worth US$1 billion can be allocated internally, thereby greatly saving procurement costs, transportation costs and maintenance. fee. The Israeli Army also said that the use of radio frequency identification technology has greatly reduced the cost of the Israeli army's logistics supply and achieved full tracking of equipment and material supplies.

2 Problems in the application of radio frequency identification technology in military logistics

From the analysis of public data, radio frequency identification technology plays an important role in improving the efficiency of logistics. It can improve operating capabilities, optimize processes, and save manpower and material resources. However, with the deepening of the application of radio frequency identification technology in practice, some problems have gradually been exposed. Wal-Mart's plan to adopt RFID was postponed from the initial date of January 1, 2005 to mid-2005. In the end, it only required suppliers to affix electronic tags to 65% of the products. The U.S. Department of Defense, which actively promotes the application of radio frequency identification technology, also faces various doubts such as the lack of detailed and feasible development strategies, difficulties in system integration, and unclear investment benefits. As a result, all U.S. military services have expressed concerns about investment returns on different occasions and are unwilling to do so. Provide financial support for RFID projects. At the same time, issues such as radio frequency identification reliability, system integration, and the maturity of the technology itself are constantly exposed, all proving that the road to application of radio frequency identification technology is not smooth. In the field of military logistics, there are still many technical problems that need to be solved when applying radio frequency technology, from tag failure to tags being unreadable due to external environments such as temperature and humidity, to radio frequency interference, etc. The solution to these problems will directly affect the comprehensive application of radio frequency identification technology in the field of military logistics.

(1) Labeling issues. The performance, reliability, and manufacturing process of RFID active tags are relatively mature, but due to their high value, their scope of use is limited. The cost of passive tags is relatively low, but their performance and reliability need to be improved. The size of active tags and battery capacity are issues that users are concerned about. There are also trade-offs between the suitability, strength and cost of the substrate used for passive tags. According to a 2005 survey of passive label suppliers by a research institute, 30% of labels had their antennas damaged when affixed, and another 10%-15% were damaged during the printing process. The read rate of passive tags has always troubled users.

(2) Frequency selection and usage issues. The frequency used by the radio frequency identification system will directly affect many aspects such as the system's reading and writing distance, implementation standards and compatibility. The logistics field usually uses ultra-high frequency (UHF) systems based on 433MHz, 915MHz and other frequency bands and 13.56MHz high-frequency (HF) systems. For UHF systems, the reading and writing distance of active tags can reach up to 100 meters, and the reading and writing distance of passive tags is about three to four meters. The reading and writing distance of high-frequency systems is generally tens of centimeters.

(3) The power problem of radio frequency reader.

(4) Anti-interference issues in complex electromagnetic environments.

(5) Information security issues. The wireless signals on which the radio frequency identification system is based are transmitted and received in an "open" manner, and the radio waves themselves cannot determine whether it is friend or foe. We use RFID to transmit information, and the enemy can also use this technology to obtain data, and even learn the specific location and whereabouts of equipment and supplies. Although the security of the system can be ensured by controlling the radiation power, radiation direction, spectrum band, and information encryption of the radio frequency reader, it is very easy to attack any wireless system. Security threats to RFID systems in practical applications may come from three links: communication from tags to RF readers; communication from RF readers to back-end computer systems; and back-end databases that use public networks to exchange data. information transmission. In the policy guidelines for the use of radio frequency tags issued by the US Department of Defense in August 2004, data encryption on passive tags is not required. One reason is that the information on the tag is just a serial number, which means nothing if not linked to a database, and a second reason is that potential enemies cannot get close to the tag to read it. It should be noted that this assumption is predicated.

(6) Problems with on-site use of special goods.

(7) System compatibility issues. Only by fully integrating the radio frequency identification system with the existing computer information system can the technical advantages of RFID be brought into play and the efficiency of the military supply chain truly improved. The compatibility of the radio frequency identification system is reflected in three aspects: First, the format and standards of the data collected and processed by the radio frequency identification system must be consistent with the existing computer system. With the efforts of organizations such as the Automatic Identification Center of the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. military has standardized the information on RFID chips and developed DOD-96 and DOD-128 information standards that are fully compatible with EPC-96 and EPC-128. However, the standards developed are incompatible with the current Department of Defense information systems. Second, the compatibility between radio frequency readers and radio frequency tags of different designs. At the same frequency, it is best for the RFID reader to be able to read RF tags of different designs. Third, for compatibility between radio frequency identification systems in different frequency bands, it is best to use the same radio frequency identification system to be compatible with radio frequency tags in several frequency bands. Although these two compatibility can be solved by taking administrative measures to ensure that the tags and readers used are products of the same supplier, or by adopting a set of radio frequency identification systems in the logistics supply chain, due to the different frequency bands Each system has its own advantages and disadvantages. What users want more is a radio frequency identification system that is compatible with the main application frequency bands and suitable for different types of tags. Fundamentally speaking, the key to truly affecting the large-scale application of RFID and reducing costs is the openness of standards and compatibility between systems.

(8) Problems caused by the natural environment.

The above problems are interrelated, and the solution of one problem may provide opportunities to solve other problems, but it may also bring about new problems. The application of radio frequency identification systems is a process of constant trade-offs in terms of technology, cost, security, compatibility, reliability, etc. It should be recognized that the use of any new technology will not be smooth sailing. It can be believed that as the application of radio frequency identification technology in the field of military logistics gradually deepens, problems are constantly exposed and improved, and the application prospects are bright.