HF RFID reader question

[marko_cro]

Howdy folks.

We do plan to make an array of rfid readers for our project. Eventually, the data should be collected from up to 20 readers. The readers should be stand-alone and battery powered, reading distance should be up to 30cm.

The problems are, well, minor.

I still did not find any device that would meet our requirements.
And, well, we still have the problem of data collection/management. In an ideal world, the RFID readers would connect directly through Wi-Fi to our main computer to provide real-time data.

Is there such thing or should we start designing our own readers?

TIA for the answer to a first-time poster.

 

[(*steve*)]

First thing is: what sort of RFID devices are you reading? The frequencies used range from 150kHz to 13MHz. Clearly you need to know what sort of RFID devices you need to read in order to think about the reader.

There are RFID readers attached to devices that can transmit and receive data, just depends on what you want them to do.

What are you trying to read?

 

[marko_cro]

First thing is: what sort of RFID devices are you reading? The frequencies used range from 150kHz to 13MHz. Clearly you need to know what sort of RFID devices you need to read in order to think about the reader.

There are RFID readers attached to devices that can transmit and receive data, just depends on what you want them to do.

What are you trying to read?

Well, active tags are out of the questions due to size so passive tags should be the way for us. The size of the tags is also very limiting, not more than paper thin, adhesive and up to, lets say 30 x 30mm.

To be honest, i have not give much thought about the frequency range as i have red somewhere that the HF is good enough for up to 2 meters (i might be wrong on that).

 

[(*steve*)]

OK, so you're not trying to read specific tags, you're after a system to read tags and (I guess) you'll pick suitable tags)?

That makes life a lot easier in some respects.

My first suggestion is that you should go to the various manufacturer's web sites and see what systems they have available and what claims they make about them.

My only real experience is with 150kHz tags and readers with small (a couple og inches in diameter max) antennas. These are essentially contact devices that require you to be within maybe 75mm of the reader's antenna.

At the other extreme you have the security devices that you walk past on your way out of a shop which clearly have a range of maybe a metre or more. These have larger antennas (the things you walk past are the antennas).

Perhaps some idea of what you are trying to do would be useful information, but check out the web sites because you're armed with that knowledge and they should be able to give you some options to consider.

Once you have those options you can consider the feasibility of making one yourself.