News Room : rfid systems

TI brings low power and high-distance range to wireless car access systems with low-cost UHF device family

NewsCenter — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:15:00 GMT

New CC11x1-Q1 family provides increased visibility for vehicle safety and maintenance with simple RF design and an easy-to-use SPI interface

PRNewswire

DALLAS

(NYSE:TXN)

DALLAS, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers demand timely visibility into their vehicle status to ensure their car is properly maintained resulting in today's vehicle architecture containing a wide range of wireless applications such as tire pressure monitoring, auxiliary heating remote control and key features such as garage door openers or the standard remote control. In order to meet the various needs required by these wireless systems, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today announced the low-cost, sub-1GHz CC11x1-Q1 device family. Designed for very low-power, high-range wireless and car access systems, this new device family includes UHF transmitters, receivers and transceivers. With a simple RF design and an easy-to-use SPI interface, the CC11x1-Q1 family does not require external filters or switches which results in a low-cost design. For more information, visit www.ti.com/cc11x1_prauto.

Key features and benefits of the CC11x1-Q1

All devices are pin-to-pin and software compatible, allowing easy migration from unidirectional to bidirectional systems with a simple software upgrade.
Extended temperature range (up to +125 degrees C) sustains the device as vehicle temperatures flex. All parts are qualified in accordance with AEC-Q100 temperature Grade 1.
Designers can build high reliable data links with a fast frequency hopping scheme (88 s switching time) utilizing the fractional-N concept.
No external filters, switches or voltage-controlled oscillators are required, resulting in only a few external components and low-cost designs.
Typical receiver sensitivity up to -114dBm provides an increased communication range.
Programmable data rate from 1.2 - 250kBaud brings flexibility to all applications with ASK, OOK, FSK, GFSK and MSK modulations.
Automatic frequency compensation adds to ease of use and reliability.
Embedded Packet Handler with support for sync word detection and automatic CRC allows for easy design and relaxed microcontroller requirements.
Digital RSSI output opens the door for further applications.

Pricing and availability

Pricing of the CC11x1-Q1 device family starts at $1.10 for 100k of the CC1151IRHBRG4Q1. These devices are available in a QFN 5x5mm, 32-pin package, resulting in the smallest board space for UHF transceivers on the market. For additional questions and support, visit www.ti.com/rfid_support.

Find out more about TI's CC11x1-Q1 device family by visiting the links below:

TI RF automotive solutions: www.ti.com/cc11x1_prauto
TI automotive solutions: www.ti.com/cc11x1_prautomotive
Car access system block diagram: www.ti.com/cc11x1_praccess
Automotive central body controller block diagram: www.ti.com/cc11x1_prcontroller
TI RFID: www.ti.com/cc11x1_prhome
Follow TI on twitter: www.ti.com/cc11x1_prtwitter

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) helps customers solve problems and develop new electronics that make the world smarter, healthier, safer, greener and more fun. A global semiconductor company, TI innovates through design, sales and manufacturing operations in more than 30 countries. For more information, go to www.ti.com.

Trademarks

All registered trademarks and other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated

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SOURCE: Texas Instruments Incorporated

Web site: http://www.ti.com/

Texas Instruments and 3M's Decade-Long Relationship Delivers RFID Innovation to Libraries Worldwide

NewsCenter — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:00:00 GMT

TI's Tag-it HF-I chip data retention and quality inlay design enables RFID tag reliability

DALLAS (November 19, 2008) - Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN), www.ti.com/rfid, and 3M Library Systems today celebrated a 10-year relationship that has created one of the major markets for radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. To date, millions of TI Tag-it&#8482 HF-I chips help libraries track periodicals in 3M Library Systems worldwide. Developed with a memory that reliably retains its data for an estimated 60 years at 131 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius), TI supplies its durable, high-quality HF chips in inlay format to 3M Library Systems, which manufactures RFID labels to tag library assets as part of its full-line of RFID solutions. The 3M&#8482 RFID System streamlines the checkout and return, sorting and inventory management of library materials to better serve customers.

Libraries are providing more services without an increase in funding and are turning to technologies like RFID to automate routine tasks and free staff to spend more time with patrons. As libraries embrace the many benefits of RFID, one of their key concerns is the reliability and durability of the tags. This includes the ability of the RF chip to retain its data over the life of the library's asset and quality construction of the RF inlay, which contains the chip and RF antenna, and is embedded inside the asset label. In each RFID chip a unique ID is stored that is tied to the library system database which identifies the individual book or document, such as title, author, number of pages, publication date, purchase date and shelf location. Libraries want to ensure the integrity of the chip's data when read at any time over the life of an asset, which can range from 10-50 years or more, as well as the physical construction of the inlay.

"TI's Tag-it HF-I chip provides the long data retention libraries require and our tests show that TI's HF inlays have the best quality construction designed to stand the test of time in today's demanding library applications," said Rory Yanchek, general manager, 3M Track and Trace Solutions. "We warranty that 3M's RFID tags will last as long as the items to which they are affixed."

"3M Library Systems' leadership built an exciting new application for RFID technology and one of the largest markets for high-frequency (HF) technology," said Julie England, vice president of Texas Instruments. "Using thin, flexible smart RFID labels created with TI's Tag-it HF chips and the inlay technology we co-developed, libraries are improving their operations while enhancing customer service."

3M Library Systems offer the latest in RFID, self-service, automated materials handling, security and PC management solutions that help create a more human library and a more fulfilling and enjoyable patron experience. 3M also collaborates with libraries to support their technological advancement and ensure their success through numerous industry sponsorships and programs. For more information about 3M Library Systems, visit www.3M.com/library.

Texas Instruments is the world's largest integrated manufacturer of RFID tag and reader ICs and transponders. Capitalizing on its competencies in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing and microelectronics packaging, TI is a visionary leader and at the forefront of establishing new markets and international standards for RFID applications. For more information, visit www.ti.com/rfid or call 1-800-962-7343.

Omnitrol Networks and Texas Instruments Bring Real-Time RFID Traceability to Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing

NewsCenter — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Companies Demonstrate Integrated End-to-End Solution at IPC/APEX and RFID Journal LIVE!

Mountain View, CA/Dallas, TX (April 1, 2008) - Omnitrol Networks and Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) announced today an alliance to deliver a radio frequency identification (RFID) real-time traceability solution for printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing applications. The new offering, which integrates Omnitrol Networks' Work-in-Process visibility software and TI's Gen 2 chip technology, provides electronic and contract manufacturers a highly automated method of simultaneously identifying and tracking PCBs from the manufacturing floor to customer delivery. (To download a pdf of the TI white paper, go to http://www.ti.com/pcbtracking.)

The demand for higher quality, flexibility and efficiency in PCB manufacturing is driving the need for non-line of sight RFID work-in-process tracking that offers several improvements over relatively large, fixed memory barcodes. RFID's small chip size can effectively be used on increasingly scarce board real estate, and its programmable memory allows PCB manufacturers real-time work-in-process visibility into parts, labor and finished goods throughout their manufacturing operations. In addition, RFID solutions provide a highly accurate and comprehensive view of manufacturing data throughout the product lifecycle which can help reduce warranty, safety and liability costs.

The complete solution integrates Omnitrol Networks' award-winning Work-In-Process (WIP) visibility software and industrial sensor integration appliance, Gen 2 RFID readers and Texas Instruments' RFID Gen 2 UHF chips. The off-the-shelf solution provides automated real-time visibility and maintains complete electronic pedigree (e-pedigree) for traceability on parts and WIP providing real-time dashboards, alerts and reports for the shop-floor management. The manufacturing pedigree information is automatically programmed into the RFID tag for rapid access to critical data without the need to be connected to a back-end database.

"Electronic manufacturers need an automated, affordable, and customizable solution to improve productivity by tracking PCBs throughout the manufacturing process," said Mikael Ahlund, director of asset tracking for Texas Instruments RFID Systems. "The PCB tracking solution combines Texas Instruments' experience in electronics manufacturing along with our core competency in RFID with Omnitrol Networks' Work-In-Process application appliance."

The solution provides manufacturers with highly accurate information on units in production including location, status, and time metrics.

As a fully-integrated hardware and software solution, the PCB tracking solution can be rapidly deployed and scaled at a low cost by simply adding readers where required. By creating a complete e-pedigree for each unit produced, the system can assist manufacturers in identifying products impacted by defective parts, equipment or processes, including tracking counterfeit and diverted products in the market.

The new PCB tracking solution is in pilots with several electronic manufacturers including TQ Components, a leading technology service provider for advanced electronic subsystems and systems in Germany.

"Traditional barcode-based tracking systems are prone to human error and difficult to process due to board real estate, required manual intervention and lack of automation," said Heinz Hornung, general manager at TQ Components. "The OMNITROL PCB tracking solution using TI’s RFID chips allows us to automatically maintain traceability on each component that goes into the products we build. We have been able to replace tedious manual scanning with a completely automated process."

The PCB tracking solution will be demonstrated at the IPC/APEX Conference in Las Vegas, April 1-3 in the Omnitrol Networks booth #1885 and at RFID Journal Live in Las Vegas, April 16-18 in the Omnitrol Networks booth #330.

AIM Global Taps Industry Leaders

NewsCenter — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Industry Association Elects Six Executives to Board of Directors

WARRENDALE, PA (February 13, 2008) - AIM Global, the trade association recognized as the worldwide authority on automatic identification and mobility, today announced the election of six members to its 16-member Board of Directors. New Board members are Norbert Dawalibi of Sirit Inc., Matt Schler of Datalogic Scanning, and Rick Schuessler of Motorola. Julie England of Texas Instruments, Clive Hohberger of Zebra Technologies, and Michael Lowry of Lowry Computer Products were re-elected to second terms.
As a not-for-profit industry organization, AIM Global's mission is to expand the understanding, adoption and use of data collection technology by driving international standards, providing timely, unbiased and commercial-free news and educational resources. Board representatives are elected by the AIM Global membership for a two-year term.
The current board also includes executives from ACURA Technologies, ADC Technologies, Avery Dennison, FEIG Electronic, Hand Held Products, Intermec, LXE, NXP, and Psion Teklogix.
"Automatic identification and data collection technologies continue to revolutionize how business is conducted, from the emergence of wireless mobile computing and RFID (radio frequency identification) to sophisticated 2D bar code systems," said AIM Global president Dan Mullen. "Data collection technology and mobile computing touches every enterprise, from healthcare to industrial manufacturing and beyond. This impressive slate of industry executives is a testament to the leadership of these companies and their willingness to invest the resources required to grow the market for automatic identification and mobility solutions."
Newly elected AIM Global Board Members:

Norbert Dawalibi, President and CEO, Sirit Inc. (TSX:SI)
Julie Spicer England, Vice President, Texas Instruments, Inc., General Manager, RFid Systems
Clive Hohberger, Corporate Vice President, Technology Development, Zebra Technologies
Michael Lowry, President and CEO, Lowry Computer Products Inc.
Matt Schler, Vice President and General Manager, Fixed Position Retail Scanning, Datalogic Scanning
Rick Schuessler, Chief Technology Officer-Standards, Enterprise Mobility Business unit of Motorola

Texas Instruments’ Julie England Named One of PINK Magazine’s Top Women in Business for 2008

NewsCenter — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:00:00 GMT

England honored for technology innovation as head of TI's RFID Systems Business

DALLAS (February 13, 2008) - Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today announced that Julie England, a vice president, and general manager of the RFID Systems business, is being honored as one of the Top 15 Women Innovators in Business by PINK magazine, the national magazine for professional women. PINK's exclusive list in the March/April issue profiles the most influential women driving innovation and revenue in corporate America.
"We scoured the upper echelons of corporate America to find the most significant women driving innovation in the U.S. – and adding major dollars to the bottom line in the process," says Cynthia Good, founding editor of PINK. "These 15 women will soon claim the national spotlight, having birthed new generations of products and services – creating and sustaining change that continues to transform their organizations."
Julie is being honored by PINK for her vision in applying TI's fast, secure IC memory technology to entirely new high performance smart IC platform for contactless electronic government ID applications, including electronic passports and other identity documents. Julie gained executive buy in for TI's investment in the electronic government ID market and also forged relationships with the State Department and Government Printing Office, which oversees the production, installation and use of smart electronic passports in the U.S.
Since 2004, Julie has shaped the overall strategy for TI's RFID business, a leader in wireless identification and secure contactless products. The group's technology is used in a variety of industries worldwide including electronic payments, livestock and asset management. At TI, Julie has held a variety of leadership positions in engineering, manufacturing, quality and business management, and became a vice president in 1994. As one of TI's senior women executives Julie has helped foster women's careers in engineering.
Julie is a recognized business and technology leader, and was awarded the 2004 Henry Laurence Gantt Medal in recognition of distinguished achievements in management and outstanding service to the community by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Management Association. She has also been honored with the Texas Tech University Distinguished Engineer award and was inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame.
Billie Williamson, Americas director, flexibility and gender equity strategy, for Ernst & Young LLP, sponsor of this year's prestigious list, adds: "Ernst & Young is proud to join PINK in celebrating women who make a difference, not only through their innovative ideas, but through their courage and ability to team with others to see ideas to fruition. We applaud the accomplishments of this year’s Top 15 Women in Business and the examples they set for the next generation of female innovators."

Texas Instruments Enters the Secure Electronic Government ID Market

NewsCenter — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 08:00:00 GMT

Faster data-write and transaction read times will enable a new generation of secure passports and e-ID documents

DALLAS (September 27, 2007) - To address the highly demanding requirements for secure identification documents, such as the electronic passport (e-passport), Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) today announced that it is applying core capabilities in contactless and power efficient microcontroller technologies along with advanced embedded memory for next generation government identification (ID) products that deliver greater speed, performance, and productivity in issuance and use to customers. (See www.ti.com/govid.)
TI's contactless smart integrated circuit (IC) platform will offer an improvement over today's government ID chip technology by enabling fast and accurate production, personalization and processing of government-issued electronic ID documents. Powered by an advanced memory technology, it will feature extremely fast write and read times as well as increased memory capacity and processing performance to accommodate the required security and future data storage requirements.
"The government ID customer has ever-increasing security and memory requirements and the user experience requires fast RF performance," said Julie England, vice president of Texas Instruments. "TI has focused on solutions that are highly optimized and low power, coupled with extraordinary contactless RF performance. We want to bring those strengths to customers in the ID market."
State of the Market
The government electronic ID market is gaining momentum as traditional citizen ID documents transition to higher levels of security using embedded smart chips. Contactless technology is a key component of this evolution. In its September 2007 report, "Contactless Government Identification Documents," ABI Research states that the total market for contactless e-passport transponders is set to grow to nearly $190 million by 2012, while the total market for contactless e-ID documents is expected to reach nearly $1 billion by 2012. With several national ID card programs underway in Europe and Asia, contactless-enabled national ID cards are expected to grow to approximately $750M by 2012.
Bringing Government ID Up to Speed
Most of the current government ID smart ICs are based on legacy technologies which filled an immediate need for secure electronic ID in first generation government ID applications.
However, some countries, including the U.S., are already looking for significantly faster write speeds to create and process documents more quickly. According to the U.S. Department of State, U.S. e-Passport issuance is expected to grow rapidly from 12.1 million in 2006 to 17 million by the end of 2007. With such volume demands, the need for accuracy and efficiency in production and post-issuance processes is critical. Other advanced market requirements for next generation products include enhanced memory capacity to support future security requirements such as additional biometrics.
These future requirements are stretching the capability of current products and driving the need for new technologies. TI's new smart IC platform is being designed to meet and exceed these requirements.
Designing with Government ID in Mind
"We have combined an evolutionary set of technologies in our portfolio for a fast, scalable smart IC specifically to address the need for efficient issuance and stronger contactless performance in the government ID market," said Julie England, vice president of Texas Instruments. "As a technology leader in mobile applications, TI understands the importance of power efficiency and scalability to address future needs – while at the same time raising the bar on speed and performance."
TI's contactless smart platform for the next generation of government ID will employ an advanced embedded memory technology, called FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory), which considerably improves the speed and reliability of future smart, secure e-passports and government ID documents.
TI's embedded FRAM memory advancement is based upon a joint technology development and licensing agreement with Ramtron International Corporation, a leading supplier of nonvolatile FRAM, formed in 2001. The technology will provide a significant improvement over the non-volatile memory technologies used in current electronic government ID, such as Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) and Flash, offering major advantages in terms of transaction speed, power consumption and enhanced write data reliability. TI's solution helps the government ID customer meet the rigorous demands of the environment in which government ID documents operate.
TI has written a white paper titled, "The Advantages of FRAM-Based Smart ICs for Next-Generation Government Electronic IDs." To download, please click on www.ti.com/govidwp.

Ten Inlay Manufacturers Choose TI's Silicon for Range of New RFID Tags

NewsCenter — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 08:00:00 GMT

Companies convert TI Gen 2 and HF silicon into tags

DALLAS (March 26, 2007) - Ten inlay manufacturers have chosen radio frequency identification (RFID) silicon from Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) to power a range of new tags designed for retail supply chain, asset tracking and authentication applications. Representing established corporations and newer RFID inlay providers based in North America, Europe and Asia, the companies are using TI's EPC Generation 2 (Gen 2) Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) silicon in strap and wafer forms, and its High-Frequency (HF) ISO/IEC 15693 silicon. TI's strength in semiconductor manufacturing and its RF expertise are enabling customers to bring products to market quickly, and capitalize on new RFID tag applications such as Gen 2 strap on label and authentication of brand goods.
Checkpoint Systems, Inc. (NYSE: CKP), a manufacturer and marketer of RF- and RFID-based solutions for identification, tracking, security and merchandising applications, is offering two new EPC Gen 2 labels, using TI silicon and RF antennas, that were jointly developed by the two companies. The labels, available in 2 x 4 inch and 4 x 4 inch sizes, also incorporate the new Checksi Checkpoint RFID straps. Samples will be shown in both the Checkpoint Systems' (#701) and Texas Instruments' (Booth #1501) booths at RFID World 2007.
UPM Raflatac, a manufacturer of RFID tags and inlays, has developed a new HF inlay to tag consumer products at the item-level using TI's 256-bit ISO/IEC 15693 silicon. Applying RFID technology to individual items such as brand apparel, cosmetics, sports memorabilia and pharmaceuticals can help deter theft in the supply chain and ultimately protect brand value. TI's HF-I silicon enables UPM Raflatac to produce a tag that is small enough to accommodate the range of product shapes and sizes being tagged, along with the necessary memory to store important product information.
Other companies who have chosen TI silicon include Hana RFID, Mu-Gahat, RCD Technology, and WaveZero who are using TI Gen 2 silicon and straps to support their inlay manufacturing processes for retail, supply chain, logistics and government applications. RFID inlay companies SAG, Tagstar Systems, and Tatwah Smartech are manufacturing HF inlays for asset tracking applications using TI's new HF-I silicon. Tyco Electronics Corporation is developing RFID tags using TI's HF and UHF silicon. All of the companies will use TI's silicon chips for direct die attach while RCD Technology will use TI's silicon and strap for both direct die and strap attach methods.
Offering design flexibility to customers, TI provides its Gen 2 silicon to inlay, label and packaging manufacturers in three convenient forms: bare wafers to support various assembly processes; processed wafers (bumped, sawn with back grind) suitable for immediate use with commercially available inlay equipment; and silicon chip on strap for label and packaging manufacturers who are printing their own antennas. The company's HF silicon is available in both bare and processed wafer forms. TI is also offering reference antenna designs to enable customers to develop labels and tags which optimize its Gen 2 and HF RFID silicon.
"As a co-inventor of the RFID inlay, we're leveraging our expertise along with our advanced Gen 2 and HF silicon to help customers bring to market a range of innovative new RFID tags," said Jeff Kohnle, director of business development for asset tracking, Texas Instruments RFid Systems. For more information on TI's Gen 2 and HF silicon and straps, please visit www.ti.com/rfid/.

Texas Instruments Introduces Rugged Encapsulated Tag for Harsh Process Environments

NewsCenter — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 08:00:00 GMT

Company Adds Overmolded RFID Transponder to Its High Frequency Product Line

DALLAS (February 1, 2007) - Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today introduced its Overmolded (OM) transponder family comprised of the most rugged RFID tags in its portfolio of ISO/IEC 15693 compliant transponders. The OM tags are designed to withstand extreme environments where temperature, high pressure and harsh chemicals inhibit the performance of line-of-sight automatic identification technologies such as bar codes and other less robust RFID tags. With their durability and small, 22 mm circular dimension, TI's 13.56 MHz OM tags provide increased read performance compared with competitive offerings for applications ranging from industrial laundry and textile rental to process industries such as perishable foods.
TI's OM tags are available in two memory options: a 2K bit version with the option for higher functionality and security features, and a 256 bit version offering customers the flexibility to choose the tag best suited to their particular application. In addition, the tag packaging is optimized for mechanical robustness so each tag can be reused hundreds of times in physically demanding environments. For example, the 13.56 MHz tags are capable of enduring more than 200 industrial laundry wash cycles.
"TI's latest RFID transponders with solid overmolded casing are effective in one of the harshest applications that RFID is used for: laundry," said Jeff Markman, president of Positek, a leading RFID systems integrator for laundry applications. "The extended read range enabled by the 22mm size provides for more efficient reading of large bundles of clothing."
TI's 2K bit overmolded tag is already at work in various applications including the tracking of 130,000 staff garments in the laundry service at one of Norway's top hospitals, St. Olavs University Hospital in Trondheim. A case study on this customer application is now available at www.ti.com/rfid/shtml/news-casestudies-02-01-07.shtml.
In addition, a milk producer is currently using TI's 2K bit OM tag to identify test vials of milk samples for controlling and tracking the complete chain of quality inspection. Each vial includes an RFID transponder and must be correctly identified as it passes through a number of safety checks in a variety of harsh testing environments. Using TI's tags, the accuracy and safety of these checks are increased, and the reusability of the tag makes it more cost-effective.
"The durability of TI's new overmolded transponder, combined with the flexibility of two memory options and improved read performance, enables companies to select the best tag for their specific application and work environment," said Ulrich Denk, RFID product marketing manager for TI.
The 13.56 MHz Overmolded RFID tags are available in a read/write format and are compatible with the ISO/IEC 15693 and ISO/IEC 18000-3 global standards. For more information, visit www.ti.com/rfid/docs/manuals/pdfSpecs/rf-hdt-dvbe.pdf

Texas Instruments Announces Availability of High-Frequency, Multi-Standard RFID Reader IC Family

NewsCenter — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 08:00:00 GMT

Advanced Flexible Design Increases Reader Performance, Reduces IC Footprint

DALLAS (January 10, 2007) - Using advanced design practices to increase reader efficiency while reducing the integrated circuit (IC) footprint, Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today announced the availability of a high-frequency (13.56 MHz), multi-standard radio frequency identification (RFID) reader IC product family. The advanced package design of the TRF7960(1) family measures 5x5mm, and supports ISO/IEC 14443A/B, ISO/IEC 15693, ISO/IEC 18000-3 and TI's contactless commerce and Tag-It™ portfolio.
Several key performance attributes are built in with the reader designer in mind. To maximize read range and reliability, the integrated on-board linear voltage regulators that turn up the analog, digital and power amplifiers provide power supply noise isolation. The reader has an integrated analog front end and data framing system for all the supported standards. The dual receiver input configuration of the TRF7960(1) reader family detects Amplitude Modulation (AM) and Phase Modulation (PM). This feature helps to eliminate read 'holes' created when antenna orientation in the operating environment changes the tag return signal from AM to PM resulting in more consistent tag reads.
By providing an internal clock for the microcontroller, the TRF7960(1) powered reader uses only a single 13.56MHz crystal rather than the standard two crystals, reducing the total bill of materials of the end reader product. Designed with fewer components, TI's reader IC consumes less power, takes up less space, and can therefore address sensitivity and noise attenuation issues. Other integrated functions include error checking, data formatting, framing and anti-collision support for multi-reader environments. The TRF7960(1) is designed for both fixed and handheld reader devices.
Power consumption for the overall reader is reduced by providing seven flexible manual or automated configuration settings which shut down unused sections of the reader to save power. The TRF7960(1) IC operates between 2.7 to 5.5 Vdc input supply voltage and when in power down mode, consumption is less than 1 micro Amp while standby current is less than 120 micro Amp.
The TRF7961 supports ISO/IEC 15693, and ISO/IEC 18000-3 standards and TI's Tag-It portfolio. The TRF7960 supports the standards listed above plus the ISO/IEC 14443A/B standard and TI's contactless commerce portfolio. With a high level of integration, lower power consumption and a smaller footprint, both devices are available today from TI and its authorized distributors in the standard 32-pin QFN (IC to board) connection packages. A reference design and source code for an evaluation module, with TI's MSP430 ultra-low-power microcontroller, is available for easy evaluation of the TRF7960(1) family (software license agreement required).
For more information, visit http://focus.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/trf7960.pdf.

Texas Instruments and RFID4U Propose Smart Processes for RFID Supply Chain Label Usage

NewsCenter — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 08:00:00 GMT

White paper details tag testing for ‘five-nines’ read performance

Dallas, TX (December 13, 2006)

The expectation that 100 percent of RFID-labeled products can be read 100 percent of time at all points in the supply chain is unrealistic; but with proper tag testing and verification, companies can increase their odds of achieving “five-nines” performance (five read points at a 99.999 percent read rate), according to a new white paper from Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN) and RFID4U.

The paper outlines a systematic approach that end users and systems integrators can take to increase the performance of their Ultra-High Frequency (UHF)-based RFID systems. This approach includes establishing a baseline of initial performance, conducting a performance analysis of tags, and factoring in variables in product and packaging materials as well as pallet size and case quantity. The paper also answers the questions, “How do I measure tag performance” and “What parameters are most important?” by providing an overview of the testing types, metrics and pros/cons of static and dynamic methods.

“RFID has been getting a bit of a bad rap due to the expectations that tags can be read 100 percent of the time at every point for every product,” said Mark Brown, vice president of professional services, RFID4U. “With proper empirical testing, companies can find the best tags and labels for their application, and gain the data they need for improved supply chain tracking.”

An “RF-challenged” product, such as those containing liquid or metal, may only achieve a 50 percent read rate at an individual read point. The paper proposes practical suggestions to increase read performance including the use of more sensitive tags, upgrading the reader interrogation zones with more sensitive antennas or adding additional read zones at new locations in the supply chain.

“It's important to test a statistically significant sample of both tags/labels and products, and perform the test in a real-world environment,” said Chris Cook, field application specialist, TI-RFid™ Systems. “Starting with well-tagged assets puts you way ahead in achieving the kind of visibility and performance from your RFID system that can drive true business process improvements.”

To download the white paper authored by Chris Cook and Mark Brown titled, “Practical Performance Expectations for Smart Packaging,” click here.

In addition, a new case study available from TI details how, Ryerson, a metal services processor and distributor, worked with solution providers Ship2Save, Metalcraft and TI to improve RFID tag performance. To reduce RF interference, foam separation was used to increase the distance of the tag from the metal products being tagged which amplified the RF signal. As a result, the company achieved tag reads above 200 per second, and increased the read range up to 15 percent. “Bad reads” were reduced to one percent, bringing “five nines” read performance closer to reality for this distributor of “RF-challenged” materials. To view the Ryerson case study, click here.

About Texas Instruments RFid Systems

Texas Instruments is the world’s largest integrated manufacturer of radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders and reader systems. Capitalizing on its competencies in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing and microelectronics packaging, TI is a visionary leader and at the forefront of establishing new markets and international standards for RFID applications. For more information, contact TI-RFid™ Systems at 1-800-962-7343 (North America) or +1 214-567-7343 (International), or visit the Web site at www.ti-rfid.com.

Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers’ real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company includes the Educational & Productivity Solutions business. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries. Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at www.ti.com.

About RFID4U

RFID4U is a worldwide leader in vendor neutral RFID learning solutions. We have assembled a full complement of products and services to help you align technology with business objectives. A pioneer in RFID learning, RFID4U has maintained a steadfast focus on developing a robust and highly acclaimed catalog of RFID courses. We also offer a training implementation program customized to fit your organization's needs. Please visit www.rfid4u.com for more information.

Trademarks

TI-RFid™ is a trademark of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Texas Instruments Outlines Industry-Wide Plan for Securing the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain

NewsCenter — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 08:00:00 GMT

White paper offers flexible approach to item-level RFID deployment and development of a secure tag data infrastructure

Dallas, TX (December 6, 2006)

A growing number of counterfeit, gray market and diverted products are entering the pharmaceutical supply chain, compromising consumer confidence in the authenticity of their prescription drugs. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is poised to help secure the supply chain, but to do so, the industry needs Item-Level Tagging (ILT) standards, regulatory guidance from the federal government and alignment on a Tag Data Security Infrastructure (TDSI). A new white paper from Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN), “RFID Tag Data Security Infrastructure: A Common Ground Approach for Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Safety,” defines the key deliverables and requirements needed to achieve agreement between segments of the supply chain concerned with privacy, as well as the ability to use product information to improve operational efficiencies.

In addition to defining the necessary elements for deploying RFID at the item-level, TI's paper lays the foundation for a TDSI for these initiatives. The TDSI is a set of rules, specifications and common protocols that enable item-level tags and readers to work within and across the industry's information technology ecosystem. This proposed approach has the potential to unify the industry's efforts to achieve a safer and more secure pharmaceutical supply chain.

“The TDSI model is about delivering a secure RFID solution that raises confidence in the authenticity of prescriptions while protecting privacy,” said Joseph Pearson, business development manager, TI-RFid™ Systems, and author of the new white paper. “By augmenting network-based applications with the capability of anytime, anywhere authentication and product information, we're bringing together all pharmaceutical supply chain stakeholders, while laying the groundwork for other high-value branded goods markets.”

Leading RFID infrastructure providers, Nosco Inc., Northern Apex and Sirit Inc., also support the need for a secure tag data infrastructure:

Nosco Inc.:

Gregg Metcalf, industry market manager at Nosco, Inc., a leading producer of RFID-enabled pharmaceutical printed packaging, said: “Using an EPC number as its cornerstone, the secure tag data infrastructure proposed in TI's paper always supports network-based applications. Further, the paper's support of the need for decentralized data is very important to gain acceptance by the entire supply chain.”

Northern Apex:

“Beyond improvements against counterfeiting, pharmaceutical manufacturers and retailers have different end uses in mind for tag data,” said Rick Raber, chief technologist for lead RFID integrator Northern Apex. “The approach outlined in TI's paper supports both those who want applications with data accessed completely from a database, and others who may want data from the tag directly for local applications, like a smart shelf for automatic inventory.”

Sirit Inc.:

“The cryptography proposed in TI's paper would enable a single standardized methodology for tags and readers that takes both authentication and product encryption capability into consideration,” said Fred Veinot, vice president of business development at Sirit Inc., a leading provider of RFID reader technology. “This is significant because an internationally accepted cryptographic standard will be critical for industry agreement on an item-level tag standard in EPCglobal working groups.”

To download the white paper, “RFID Tag Data Security Infrastructure: A Common Ground Approach for Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Safety,” click on http://www.ti.com/rfid/shtml/form-wp-TDSI_13_nov_06.shtml .

About Texas Instruments RFid Systems

Certicom Collaborates with Texas Instruments for RFID Authentication and Encryption

NewsCenter — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 08:00:00 GMT

Certicom Security for RFID Product Authentication protects high-value products against counterfeiting and ensures privacy

Dallas, TX (November 13, 2006)

Certicom Corp. (TSX: CIC) today launched Certicom Security for RFID Product Authentication, a solution that ensures authenticity and prevents counterfeiting of high-value items as they move through the supply chain. In collaboration with Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) Certicom is using its elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) expertise to add item-level RFID tag security that protects product information and proves the legitimacy of products, such as pharmaceuticals and other high-value consumer goods. For products like these that require a high level of security, RFID solutions providers can use Certicom security and TI's family of ISO 15693 RFID tags to deliver product protection with authentication and encryption.

Certicom and TI are currently engaged with companies in the pharmaceutical supply chain where valuable medicines are susceptible to counterfeiting, which can lead to significant asset losses and patient consumer safety issues. In tandem, they are addressing the high-value goods industry where protection of brand integrity is imperative to reducing product theft and diversion of goods for sale on the black market. Examples of these products range from brand-name apparel and cosmetics to professionally signed baseballs, poker chips, printer ink cartridges and legal documents.

Certicom uses standards-based and proven cryptographic protocols for its RFID appliance, including a standardized public-key cryptography scheme from IEEE 1363a. This efficient ECC-based digital signature scheme enables a high level of security to be added to the tag without requiring a lot of computing power and storage. For example, at 160 bits, ECC provides the same level of protection as a 1024-bit RSA key but is approximately one-third the size.

“By collaborating with Certicom, we demonstrate a highly efficient, standardized security solution that delivers privacy protection and authentication,” said Joseph Pearson, business development manager for TI-RFid™. “A standardized approach is imperative to provide a proven level of security, and to promote interoperability and compatibility going forward.”

Certicom Security for RFID Product Authentication works as a distributed system where there may not be dedicated Internet connectivity to a database, to provide real-time authentication of a tagged product. A simple application programming interface (API) enables developers to integrate the product's components with RFID middleware and enterprise applications.

“The RFID industry is telling us that what is needed is a security infrastructure that provides the smallest possible standardized digital signatures, along with privacy protection features, with integrated key management to meet the needs of the supply chain constituency, especially the pharmaceutical manufacturers and retailers,” said Jim Alfred, director of product management for Certicom. “TI has been instrumental in providing their expertise and insight on the industry when it comes to what is required for RFID product authentication. This is what we are delivering.”

Certicom Security for RFID Product Authentication will be demonstrated at TI's Booth #3015 at the RFID Healthcare Industry Adoption Summit at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington , D.C. , November 12-15, 2006. The Summit is sponsored by National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the Healthcare Distribution Management Association.

For more information on how TI and Certicom are collaborating on RFID product authentication and to view the demonstration of Certicom's new security product in action, please visit www.ti.com/rfidvidcast. For more information on the product visit www.certicom.com/rfid

About Texas Instruments RFid Systems

Texas Instruments is the world’s largest integrated manufacturer of radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders and reader systems. Capitalizing on its competencies in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing and microelectronics packaging, TI is a visionary leader and at the forefront of establishing new markets and international standards for RFID applications. For more information, contact TI-RFid™ Systems at 1-800-962-RFID (7343) ( North America) or +1 214-567-7343 (International), or visit the Web site at www.ti-rfid.com.

Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers’ real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company includes the Educational & Productivity Solutions business. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.

Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com.

About Certicom

Certicom protects the value of your content, applications and devices with government-approved security. Adopted by the National Security Agency (NSA) for classified and sensitive but unclassified government communications, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) provides the most security per bit of any known public-key scheme. As the undisputed leader in ECC, Certicom security offerings are currently licensed to more than 300 customers including General Dynamics, Motorola, Oracle, Research In Motion and Unisys. Founded in 1985, Certicom's corporate offices are in Mississauga , ON, Canada with worldwide sales and marketing headquarters in Reston , VA and offices in the US , Canada and Europe . Visit www.certicom.com

Trademarks

TI-RFid is a trademark of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Texas Instruments Shapes New Contactless Payment Forms with Market’s Smallest MasterCard® PayPass™ Certified Products

NewsCenter — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 08:00:00 GMT

Technology Enables Oval Wristband and Postage Stamp-Sized Fob

Dallas, TX (November 2, 2006)

A contactless payment key fob smaller than the keys on your keychain and a thin oval-shaped wristband are just two of the payment possibilities enabled by Texas Instruments (TI) Incorporated’s (NYSE: TXN) ISO/IEC 14443 contactless payment chip and antenna packages. The release of the industry’s smallest payment products, fully MasterCard PayPass certified, brings new versatility and convenience to the contactless payments industry, a s issuing banks explore a range of form factors, from traditional cards to fobs and wristbands.

TI has delivered its postage stamp-sized inlay in PVC pre-laminate form to Oberthur Card Systems for development of its VersaFOB keyfob, and its oval-shaped payment product to MasterCard for its PayPass wristband.

TI’s secure microcontroller-based contactless PVC pre-laminates contain its ISO/ IEC 14443 chip, payment application and the industry’s smallest fully-certified RF (Radio Frequency) antennas. The postage stamp-sized inlay antenna measures 20 mm x 25 mm and the oval-shaped inlay antenna is 41 mm x 20 mm. TI’s chip operates at extremely low power using a tiny RF antenna to deliver a fast transaction speed (typically 120 milliseconds) and a four centimeter read range, which enables a successful transaction the first time a customer “taps” the fob to the payment reader. The chip and payment application software are also approved by MasterCard to operate in dynamic CVC3 transaction authorization mode which offers issuers the highest level of security available.

The company designs its contactless PVC pre-laminates in a range of innovative keyfob and wristband form factors, so that card manufacturers can offer payment devices to issuers in a variety of shapes and sizes. TI’s contactless payment technology supports credit, debit and pre-paid transactions.

“TI’s ability to create such a small antenna to fit our unique VersaFOB concept allows us to produce MasterCard PayPass certified contactless payment fobs that can be personalized and mass-produced using standard processes, lowering costs for our banking clients while offering them a unique product,” said Francine Dubois, director of marketing, financial products & services, Oberthur Card Systems of America.

“TI has delivered leaf-shaped PVC pre-laminate with an embedded chip and antenna that is a perfect fit for our PayPass wristbands,” said Richard Fletcher, Group Head, Mobile/Wireless, MasterCard Worldwide. “At sporting events, for example, consumers with PayPass-enabled wristbands can enjoy faster service for concessions so they can quickly get back to watching the game.”

“The ways to pay via contactless come in devices of limitless variety, shape and size,” said Trevor Pavey, manager of contactless payments, TI. “Our ability to develop RF antennas about the size of a quarter, combined with our fast PayPass-certified chip and software, leads the way for new small form factors.”

In February 2006, TI announced the availability of the first in its line of MasterCard PayPass-certified payment solutions, an ISO/IEC 14443 PVC pre-laminate card for card manufacturers delivering credit and debit cards for MasterCard issuing banks.

About Texas Instruments RFid Systems

Texas Instruments is the world’s largest integrated manufacturer of radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders and reader systems. Capitalizing on its competencies in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing and microelectronics packaging, TI is a visionary leader and at the forefront of establishing new markets and international standards for RFID applications. For more information, contact TI-RFid™ Systems at 1-800-962-RFID (7343) ( North America) or +1 214-567-7343 (International), or visit the Web site at www.ti-rfid.com.

Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers’ real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company includes the Educational & Productivity Solutions business. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.

Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com.

Trademarks

TI-RFid is a trademark of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Sontec Selects EPC Gen 2 Silicon from Texas Instruments to Deliver Improved Mount-on-Metal RFID Tag Performance

NewsCenter — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 08:00:00 GMT

Dallas, TX (October 10, 2006)

Retail Supply Chain Management Solution for Consumer White and Electronics Goods

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for ultra-high frequency (UHF) application and metal products or environments compliment one another about as well as oil and water, making RFID-enabled retail supply chain (RSC) management of metal goods a difficult challenge. Sontec Co. Ltd., a leading Korean developer and manufacturer of RFID components and middleware, today announced the availability of various types of mount-on-metal tags and its RFID transponder for metal, which is based upon EPC Gen 2 integrated circuit (IC) chips from Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN).

According to the agreement, Sontec will purchase 10 million Gen 2 IC chips from TI. Initial shipments have been made with the remainder to be delivered to Sontec by the first half of 2007. Sontec's new RFID transponder features high read-range performance to facilitate supply chain optimization for consumer goods suppliers of appliances, electronics and products with high metal content. The company will i nitially target sales to white-goods and electronics manufacturers in Asia, though ultimately the manufactured products will ship to global retail markets including Japan and the U.S.

Traditionally, the radio waves emitted from an RFID tag are reflected by metals at ultra-high frequencies and weakened by the eddy currents metals produce. This effect reduces read-range performance and renders the tags less effective in retail supply chain applications where read distances of 10 to 30 feet are required.

“Sontec's tag , based on TI Gen 2 technology , is the first practical UHF Gen 2-based RSC management solution for the normally difficult application environment associated with metals,” said Dong-Jin Lee, CEO of Sontec, Incorporated. “Retailers no longer need additional handheld or labor-intensive solutions to move white-goods and electronics through the supply chain; they can now provide regular retail supply tracking performance when shipping high-content metal materials.”

“Normal UHF transponders can suffer pronounced reductions in read-range performance when attached to metal due to the fact that the UHF signal is drastically attenuated by the metal surface,” said Mikael Ahlund, director of asset tracking for TI's RFID Systems division. “Sontec's mount-on-metal packaging technology enables the UHF Gen 2 tag to operate effectively with a very good read range, especially when attached to metal. This is one step towards providing a multitude of solutions needed to move beyond compliance in the supply chain.”

TI recently announced the availability of the EPCglobal™ certified Gen 2 UHF IC chip used in the Sontec tag. Offered in wafer and strap form factors, TI has developed its Gen 2 silicon on the most advanced analog process node at130 nanometer and a built-in Schottky diode for more efficient conversion of RF signal energy, resulting in chips with low power consumption and increased chip-to-reader sensitivity.

About Texas Instruments RFid Systems

About Sontec, Inc., Ltd.

Sontec Co., Ltd. is a high-tech Korean company that specializes in the development and manufacturing of RFID components and middleware. The company has developed an extensive line of RFID components that support the deployment of RFID-based solutions in industrial and logistic-intensive environments. These components include EPC RFID metal tags based on copper, silver and electronic ink technologies, antennas, car-sticker tags, access control/ID-cards, handheld readers, and middleware.

Trademarks

TI-RFid is a trademark of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Texas Instruments Advocates RFID Authentication for Pharmaceuticals and High-Value Goods

NewsCenter — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 08:00:00 GMT

Dallas, Texas (September 20, 2006)

With counterfeiting estimated to be a $450 billion industry worldwide, the need to protect product and brand integrity is set to become the new value proposition for RFID, according to a new white paper from Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE: TXN).

RFID fights counterfeiting with an embedded electronic security marker, identifying a product or brand, that is automatically read as it passes through the supply chain either individually or as a group inside a shipping case. An electronic security marker is a unique data code that by itself or in conjunction with a network, can distinguish the product as genuine. This marker is unique to the individual product and cannot be easily altered, providing an enhanced level of security. Smart electronic security markers based on RFID technology make it easier to authenticate a product as genuine, compared with current anti-counterfeit methods that require human intervention.

Rick Raber, chief technologist for RFID integrator Northern Apex, said: “While there are a number of measures that can be taken to protect brand integrity in the supply chain for pharmaceuticals and other high-value items, RFID offers the most potential of any technology on the market today.”

TI's paper proposes a range of increasingly secure methods of using RFID to prevent different types of counterfeiting, using both an off-network and on-network approach to enable “anywhere, anytime” authentication of tag data and thus identifying the product as legitimate. The paper describes examples in the medical, pharmaceutical, electronics, clothing and beauty products markets, where RFID item-level tagging is being used to address illegitimate products and channels.

“RFID has always been about providing consumer convenience, protection and security in applications as diverse as automobiles, toll tags and retail payment,” said Joseph Pearson, business development manager, TI-RFid™ Systems, and author of the new white paper. “Now, RFID authentication of individual items can protect both consumers and companies alike against counterfeit goods.”

To download the white paper titled, “Increasing Security in the Supply Chain with Electronic Security Markers,” click on http://www.ti.com/rfid/shtml/form-wp-security20_sep_06.shtml .

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments is the world's largest integrated manufacturer of radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders and reader systems. Capitalizing on its competencies in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing and microelectronics packaging, TI is a visionary leader and at the forefront of establishing new markets and international standards for RFID applications. For more information, contact TI-RFid™ Systems at 1-800-962-7343 (North America) or +1 214-567-7343 (International), or visit the Web site at www.ti-rfid.com.

Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company includes the Educational & Productivity Solutions business. TI is headquartered in Dallas , Texas , and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.

Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at www.ti.com.

Trademarks

TI-RFid™ is a trademark of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.