TI prepares to launch UPC Gen 2 UHF RFID solution

Texas Instruments is preparing to introduce its next generation Electronic Product Code (EPC) Generation 2 tag based on the recently ratified EPCglobal Inc.specification. TI is planning on having samples of its Gen 2 tags in Q2 2005, and is planning to ramp to volume production in Q3 2005. The company will supply Gen 2 chips, straps and inlays to the market.
The company has been developing an EPC Gen 2 UHF RFID solution over the past year in cooperation with the EPCglobal Inc. standards body. This new UHF RFID standard is broadly supported by users and manufacturers within the RFID industry and will facilitate the widespread deployment of EPC RFID technology in the retail supply chain. TI's focus is to support the Gen 2 infrastructure, which includes label converters, equipment providers and systems integrators, with low-cost, high-performance, standards-based UHF products to facilitate rapid integration and interoperability. The major benefits of Gen 2 tags over EPCglobal Class 0 and Class 1 specifications include global interoperability, tag throughput that is three to 10 times faster, multiple read/write capability, improved security through better password protection, and the ability to operate in dense reader environments.
As part of the EPCglobal standards development process, TI participated in the Gen 2 artifact demonstration tests conducted by EPCglobal Inc. on December 2. The object of the tests was to show the tag artifacts meet users' requirements and comply with the main elements of the standard. Technical characteristics tested included communication protocol exchanges, anti-collision algorithms, and random number generation.