RFID and contactless technology

Abstract

An increasing number of 'contactless' systems are based on passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. A passive RFID token is powered by a transmitted RF carrier, which is also used for bi-directional communication. RFID technology comprises of several standards, which are suitable for different applications. Electronic Product Code (EPC) tags, contactless credit cards, e-passports and access control are just a few examples of systems that use a subset of this technology. This chapter contains a brief explanation of RFID operating principles along with an overview of prominent implementations and industry standards. © 2008 Springer-Verlag US.