Q&A about Dual Frequency label

Smartrac has announced the latest dual frequency label using EM company’s IC EM4423. There are questions regarding this revolutionary technology so we summarized a Q&A about that.

What is a Dual Frequency label?

• “The inlay’s EM4423 chip combines two functionalities on one single die: the RAIN RFID technology used for long-range application purposes; and the NFC technology used to exchange data in close proximity. Both protocols may share a common, unique ID.” [quoted from Smartrac announcement]
• NFC and UHF protocol now share the same IC. It means the same information are now accessible through different hardware (smartphone with NFC or UHF handheld reader).
• Apparently, single IC on a single label is supposed to be cheaper than 2 labels. However, the price always heavily depends on quantity and forms like packaging methods/materials.
• One thing is for sure, NFC readers are also way much cheaper than UHF readers.

How does it different if I simply put one NFC label and one UHF label together, instead of using dual?

• You need to write individual tag (NFC and UHF) if you want to update/write the info. It causes a higher the system cost, not to mention the equipment and manpower.
• Get more clumsy if you need to match both info.

Photo: Special adaptor is needed to read UHF tag on a smartphone, but NFC doesn't requrie any.

Why we need both NFC and UHF label, instead of just either one?

• NFC and UHF are designed for different applications using different radio frequency and protocol. They behave so differently that just like brothers with exactly opposite personalities.
• NFC is easily readable by most of the android smartphone; readers are also much cheaper, some USB desktop reader cost less than US30. Proximity 1-on-1 reading is the main drawback but it is fine with general application like tapping to see the product’s URL link.
• UHF provides much faster, longer range and multiple-tag reading performance; it is perfect for retails, logistic and manufacturing process; producers are much more willing to pay for the efficiency provided by more expensive device or gadgets.

Photo: Smartphone can read NFC (and even update E-link display), while UHF (upper label)  works in longer reading range.

Where would this Dual label be best used?

• Exhibition visitor cards now can have a long reading range for people counts, while a shorter range for booth interaction.
• Machine/product serial number label or ID labels are now not just for retail/logistics, general public user can also access to product information page for interaction with brands like authenticates / promotion / new product notice, etc.

Photo:  NFC 1-on-1 reading is perfect for wine biding applications. UHF's long range reading become handy in logistic applications.

What kind of software required to read/write Dual label?

• “PRODUCTO  ID” Solution provided by HK-RFID now supports both NFC and UHF. “ProductoID” is a set of tools that help product/brand owner to manage their product ID, using Smartrac’s high-quality Dual label.
• More about “PRODUCTO  ID” solution is here.
•  Note: Reading NFC doesn’t require any software but writing does.

Keywords: Retail, PID, Product, Retail RAIN RFID technology

Reference:

Smartrac website 

Eddystone, NFC, QR; 3in1 Smartposter with Cloud Content and Analytics; [English Subtitled]

1. Eddystone is the android version of ibeacon (sort-of), this is truly cross-platform and broadcasting a string character e.g. “www.hk-rfid.com”, instead of meaningless ID as in ibeacons.
2. WE DON’T TAKE SIDE IN TECHNOLOGY; tomorrow there will have another new broadcasting method. No matter NFC, QRcode, or kind-of-ibeacons, only thing we are sure is that they are not going to be the ONLY one single method.
3. That’s why marketing promotion banners or posters have to equip with multiple methods, co-existing to let different mobile users to read content.
4. Hence, it gives birth a Cloud platform to hold all content. As shown in video, change content in ONE method, all others follow. 

Top Application: Advertising, Marketing

Product shown in video:

• 3in1 Tag:  Garrison HKRAR-BT02
• Tag on the right: Smartplate Card,  also see Smartplate Cuccu
• CMS Cloud: Smartplate (free for half year, bundle with Smartplate Card and Cuccu)

 For more information: sales@hk-rfid.com

Luxury Marketing with NFC

"Tap to Unlock the Story Behind!" gonna be your new NFC marketing campaign.

With technology advancement, we are now able to produce penny-size and paper-thin NFC tags for diverse marketing solutions. In this video, we are showing you a new marketing channel for your luxury brand. The concept is simple - an NFC tag in your packaging or as a price tag. This brings your brand closer to your customers by only ONE TAP with their Smartphone or Tab!

You can include various information, from diamond certificates and products from the same collection, to promotion videos and marketing campaigns.

Launch your own NFC campaign with us now!

Apps-in-a-Box : Raspberry Pi x RFID [Beta] [Lab]

We are so excited to introduce you all an innovative approach to use RFID reader products, by connecting Raspberry Pi to RFID readers. We are developing a tentative project named: IMPRESS platform, which is a web-service on Raspberry Pi, talking with Empress RFID readers, and others.

The basic idea is running your applications on Raspberry Pi just like any PC, and let it control a or multiple brainless RFID readers. We offer a web-interface just like household WiFi router for reader settings, as well as basic business applications.

If you are not sure what Raspberry Pi is, please visit following reference link; What is Raspberry Pi?

Video is on the way, but first please read the details explained in Q&A manner; 

Q: Why connect Raspberry Pi to RFID readers?

A: By doing so, you can have

• much cheaper "self-maintained mini-computer" (less than USD 40) that talks with your RFID readers, without any skill-set to handle RFID's protocol and calling APIs, etc.
• a website to configure the readers and do a lot more business applications;
• a lot more choices on connectivity, such as, LAN, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB, SD-Card, Video ouput HDMI, etc.; instead of ordering expensive RFID reader options. 

Q: What can Raspberry Pi do with the data get from RFID readers?

A: Raspberry Pi can 

1) Auto record and deliver to server, send email 

2) Send email or trigger outputs, alarms or camera, etc

3) Process more logic such as record the first/last seen ID, their time and duration, and missing IDs

4) Mapping meaningless long ID with more meaningful names, such as student names, employee names, etc., may be export a report.

Q: What kind of readers will be support?

A: Our IMPRESS-Preloaded Raspberry Pi will support

1. Empress 2.4GHz Active RFID readers from HK-RFID [primarily]
2. Bluetooth Low Energy (iBeacon) readers
3. NFC readers
4. Other client requested RFID equipment

Q: What kind of applications or services will offer on this IMPRESS web platform?

A: Apart from basic setting of readers, we will offer several most popular RFID applications, depends on the license purchased from users

1. Attendance
2. Prohibited zone (access control)
3. Signage or media-content trigger
4. EAS anti-theft
5. Sensor data
6. Inventory list

Q: How to make it work?

A: You just need to 

1. Purchase the IMPRESS-SDK kit which include a Raspberry Pi and a Empress 2.4GHz Active RFID-kit from HK-RFID, 
2. Enjoy the unboxing, connect up Raspberry Pi with any HDMI display and reader, configure the network settings on a browser
3. Set your business applications and there you go

Q: How many readers each Raspberry Pi can support?

A: ONE

Q: When will it be available?

A: 2014 Fall, please contact us if you want to follow our development progress or Pre-order. We welcome any comment and partnership, or proposal of co-development.

Email:

General Enquiries:         info@hk-rfid.com

Raspberry Pi is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi Foundation

Brilliant! Tag your rental bikes!

It is the era of paperless operation. Bike rental business should be able to catch up with the trend! And...RFID can help!

With Garrison Responsive Tags, no more hand-written or paper rental records are needed. Empress RFID readers and the smart system will do that for you.

It’s awesome yet simple! What you need is just-

- Garrison Responsive Tags tagged bikes

- Empress Handheld Active Reader

- A smart system

It offers

Unique Bike IDs - each bike is entitled an unique ID with the tag for trace and check

Improved Security - you can track the bike within defined distance

Paperless Record - the system do the e-recording for you

Errors Minimization - clear and systematic records of clients information with bike ID

What are you waiting for? Go get the impressive technology for your rental business today!

How to evaluate your chain retail shop's performance? Retail-101 Question.

Lecture Note:  Retail-101;  Question NO. 1 :

How can you evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns
and your retail chain performance?

In real life, retail stores are hard to judge or predict the sales performance, compared with virtual online stores; Online marketing campaigns do have a lot of KPIs whereas the physical ones do not.

Virtual online stores can be easily evaluated using indicators like no. of (new/old) visitor, staying duration, sales conversion rate, and something as simple as junior school Maths.

For physical retail shops, the effectiveness of any marketing campaign remains unclear, until after the sales of the month results poorly. Why?

The key difference is lacking REAL TIME visitor monitoring in physical retail shop. 

It's very easy to do that with Axper's Vision II and Performance Plus!!!

Axper Vision II people traffic counter and retails analytic software Performance Plus can provide business intelligence by offering KPI just as timely &amp and easy as online  shops.

How it works? 

When we want to understand real sales performance opportunities and additional sales potential of a retail store, we will generally employ a equation as shown below:

Total sales	=	Traffic	X	% sold	X	Average sales
$500	=	100 people	X	10% or 10 transactions	X	$50

The web-base analytic software can integrate Traffic Data (No. of Visitor) with Sales Value from POS and staff HR management (STS-approach), bringing you the full picture for each of your shops. And with the user-friendly interface, you can set up various bar charts and pie charts to show the performance of your retail business around the globe 24/7.

The holistic conversion rate is now online and most importantly, REAL TIME for multiple shops shown on one single Map, thanks to Axper and Performance Plus. After that, you can have a general idea of what gives rise to an unsatisfactory turnover and pin point the problems;

• Pricing strategy? Traffic high vs low sales?
• Lack of ads?  Traffic low vs low sales?
• Lack of serving staff?  Traffic high vs low staff ?
•  ....etc.

The more the customer traffic, the more stimulating  the sales. Together with  application of Axper's Vision II, Performance Plus substantiate the relationship between sales performance and traffic level with high readability, from which you will yield an insight of what needs to be improved and how to provoke customer traffic, enhance sales conversion and formulate an array of  retail planning strategies. These help further  facilitates decision in Merchandising, Budgeting, Supply Chain Management, Human Resources Management, Customer Relationship Management, and so on. More importantly, you can get the real-time visualized analysis at your convenience!

It truly streamlines and systematizes entire planning process for Retail Operations Analysis, with LEAST EFFORT but GREATEST RESULT!


Don't forget the homework - Cross reading:
A Peek on 3D Vision Camera in-action!
Visual-Based Visitor Counter for Retail or Events



Contact us for more information!

www.hk-rfid.com  |  www.active-rfid.net

[Contact Our Specialist]