RFID log on

Phidget RFID USB reader:

• 125kHz – 140kHz EM4102 protocol tags only
• http://www.phidgets.com/products.php?product_id=2002
• Delphi tutorial (pdf)
• API Reference (COM interface for Delphi – pdf)
• Delphi code examples (zip)
• Phidget drivers – http://www.phidgets.com/downloads/libraries/Phidget-x86_2.1.6.20091020.msi
• you can buy them in Australia from ozsim, or from phidgets.com but expensive postage unless you buy bulk.
• Multiple PhidgetRFIDs within 1 to 2 meters may interfere with each other. This can be overcome in software by
  enabling the antennae of individual PhidgetRFID readers in sequence.
• The PhidgetRFID offers no capability for collision detection or collision avoidance. If two tags are brought within the
  read field of a PhidgetRFID reader at the same time, neither tag will be read.
• does not use a serial interface layer and being designed for event-driven architecture does not need to be continuously polled.
• tags must be brought within approximately 3” of the reader to be read.
• each RFID reader has a unique serial number for identification.
• Operating Systems: Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Windows CE, Linux, and Mac OS X
• Programming Languages (APIs): VB6, VB.NET, C#.NET, C++, Flash 9, Flex, Java, LabVIEW, Python, Max/MSP, Delphi
  and Cocoa.

Other 125kHz proximity readers:

• HID / Omnikey proximity readers
  • reads HID 125kHz proximity tags as used in many Australian hospitals
  • Delphi allows direct access to Personal computer/SmartCard (PC/SC) commands through Microsoft Windows Winscard.dll and the function SCardCLICCTransmit from Omnikey’s scardsyn.dll.
  • In addition, there are free PC/SC wrappers for Delphi available on the net such as Nobbi’s, although these will need modification to be compatible with Delphi 2009 and higher’s Unicode support and perhaps structure alignment requires some fudging to get right (i.e. padding bytes needed?).
  • For special HID support of contactless operations under Delphi please contact support@OMNIKEY.COM.
  • eg. OMNIKEY 5325 CL USB Prox or OMNIKEY 5125 USB Prox
  • see also list of readers
  • very easy to use with Nobbi’s Delphi component:
    • install Nobbi’s component – component will be found on the More tab of the Delphi’s palette
    • install the Omnikey driver software
    • attach the Omnikey reader to computer
    • write some Delphi event handlers for the PSCSConnector component:
      • frmMain.OnCreate:
        • PCSCConnector1.Init;
        • if PCSCConnector1.ReaderList.Count = 2 then PCSCConnector1.UseReaderNum := 1 ( set to use ContactLess reader rather than the contact reader)
        • else PCSCConnector1.UseReaderNum := 0;
        • sleep(10); PCSCConnector1.open;
      • PCSCConnector1CardInserted(Sender: TObject); sleep(10); PCSCConnector1.Connect;
      • PCSCConnector1CardActive(Sender: TObject); CardValue := Bin2HexExt(PCSCConnector1.AttrCardATR, false, true);
      • when user swipes card, the CardActive event returns the cardvalue via converting the binary data to a hex string using Nobbi’s included Bin2HexExt function – you will probably only need the last 6 hex digits in this string.

13.56MHz readers:

• see here (pdf) includes RFID patient bands
  
• Universal Reader SDK Part Number S106-00-PDA – development tool that supports communication and integration to
  a variety of 13.56 MHz readers. Enables hardware changes without affecting software.
• SDiD Card RFID Reader by Wireless Dynamics R124-00-PDA
  • SD card slot reader for PDA’s etc; ISO 15693 and ISO 14443A/B compliant
• FEIG Pad Reader – USB table top reader compatible with ISO 15693 tag types, as well as Tag-it™ HF and I-CODE.
• DR-1000 dual barcode and RFID reader – USB hand held device with optional SDK.
• MiFare – see this pdf
• HID readers
• HID / Omnikey CardMan 5×21-CL supports multiple 13.56 MHz contactless standards and protocols including ISO14443A, ISO14443B, ISO15694, iCLASS, I-CODE.
• see documentation for Omnikey driver installation (pdf)
• see documentation of the Windows SCard API within the MSDN Platform SDK.

RFID tag standards:

• ISO 11784 – The international standard defining frequencies, baud rate, bit coding and data structures of the transponders used for animal identification.
• ISO 11785 – air interface protocol
• ISO 15693 – air interface protocol vicinity card – 13.56MHz
• ISO 14443 – air interface protocol contactless smart cards – 13.56MHz e.g. MIFARE cards with s50 Phillips chip
• Electronic Product Code (EPC) standards
• ISO 18000 – 2 = 135kHz (low-frequency)
• ISO 18000 – 3 = 13.56MHz (high-frequency)
• ISO 18000 – 4 = 2.45GHz (UHF)
• ISO 18000 – 5 = 5.8GHz (UHF)
• ISO 18000 – 6 = 860-930MHz (UHF)
• ISO 18000 – 7 = 433.92MHz
• EM4100 = 125kHz
• Mifare Type A = 13.56 MHz
• ICODE I = 13.56 MHz
• NB. active RFID tags using 455MHz-5.8GHz (ie. UHF) have a read range of 20-100m and come in 2 types – transponders (which only send a signal when it comes in range of a reader) and beacon (which transmits a signal at set intervals which are picked up by at least 3 readers to enable location to be determined) .
• NB. passive RFID tags have a microchip and antenna but no power, do not transmit, are cheap, but read range is only a few inches to 12inches if low frequency, up to 1m if high frequency, or up to 10m if UHF. Low and high frequency tags use inductive coupling. Passive UHF systems use propagative coupling.
• As you increase the frequency of radio waves they start to behave more like light. They can’t penetrate materials as well and tend to bounce off many objects.