EPC-Based Efficient Tag Selection in RFID Systems

Abstract

Tag-selection problem, which selects a set of wanted tags from a tag population, is vital for boosting efficiencies of the real-time applications in RFID systems. However, prior arts for the problem can not be applied to RFID systems directly, given that they either require additional computing functions implemented in tag's chips or require a time-consuming pre-process with a large communication cost. This paper studies the tag-selection problem and propose an efficient Electronic Product Code (EPC)-based tag selection method with theoretical analysis. In particular, firstly, we prove a nontrivial lower bound of communication overhead for a protocol which is capable of solving the tag-selection problem. Secondly, we propose an efficient protocol, denoted by TagSP, which only uses the ''select'' command (a mandatory command that all RFID tags shall support) and EPC. The proposed TagSP can be applied directly into offthe-shelf RFID systems with a communication overhead close to the lower bound. Extensive simulations are conducted and the simulation results show TagSP's superiority compared with existing protocols. INDEX TERMS RFID systems, tag selection, lower bound of communication overhead, EPC.

Fast RFID Tag Sorting at the Edge for Internet of Things

“…We should notice that, in a practical RFID system, ε usually needs to be set small, especially for those busy or mobile RFID systems [2], [31], [35], [51]. Fig.…”

“…First, the maximum interrogating range of an RFID reader is limited to the distance where the passive tags' chips can receive enough power to turn on themselves (the range is usually less than 10 meters) [27], [50]. Second, most RFID systems are installed in supermarkets, warehouses or on the conveyor belts, where the communication condition of every tag within the reader's range are almost the same [2], [8], [9], [25], [27], [30], [31], [33]- [38], [51]. Note that, in typical RFID systems, tags communicate and power themselves using same RF waves radiated by the reader antenna [10], [52].…”

“…In other words, the reader sends its energy through the antenna as RF waves to tags in order for them to become energized and respond back to the reader. Third, this transmission setting assumption has been widely used to evaluate the performance of various promising tag management protocols in RFID systems [2], [9], [25], [30], [31], [33]- [36], [38], [51], [53].…”