RFID Application Development Next Generation Applications Today

1. RFID Application DevelopmentNext Generation Applications Today Prasith Govin Pramari

2. Introduction • Who is Pramari? • Leading US Based RFID Software and Consulting Company • Member of EPCGlobal (Standards Group for RFID) • Partnered with leading Software Providers (IBM, BEA) • Leading Hardware Partners (AWID, Alien, Identec) • Real Project Implementations (Gillette, Best Buy, UTC, Staples) • About Prasith • RFID Veteran with over 7 years in RFID field • Architect of earliest EPC RFID implementations and middleware • Member of EPC Global Committees for software standards • Subject Matter Expert and Exam Reviewer for RFID Certification Exam

3. Agenda • Getting Started • RFID System Components • Application Development Process • The RFID Software Stack • Standards • Components • Benefits of Rifidi • Rifidi – Open Source RFID • Conclusion

4. Implementation Phases RFID Preparation Implementation FullDeployment Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 • Determine Strategy • Review Business Needs • Identify Project Team • Identify Current Business Process • Gather Data on Current System • Identify Current Business Process • Develop RFID Business Process • Implement Top Process (Pilot) • Full System Implementation • Company Wide Integration • Full Volume Tag Testing • Training and Education

5. The Benefit Curve

6. System Components • RFID Tag • Look at Cost/Value Proposition • Active vs. Passive Technologies • Tagging Considerations • RFID Reader • Start to look at features for Enterprise • Simple or Intelligent Readers • Self Monitoring or Software Integrated • RFID Software • Hosts Business Processes and Integrates RFID into ERP • Let’s Explore Further !

7. Reference Architecture EPCIS Accessing Application EPCIS Query Interface EPCIS Repository Partner Accessing Applications EPCIS Capture Interface EPCIS Capturing Application ALE Interface Filtering/Collection Middleware Reader Tag

8. RFID Application Process Design Develop Test & Deploy Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 • Design Infrastructure • Design Business Process on Paper • Prototype and Analyze • Study Workflow and Data • Start Working with Hardware • Learn Hardware Interface • Buy Middleware or Write Adapters • Implement Workflows • Determine Load and Quantities • Perform Production Integration • Full Volume Tag (Item) Testing

9. The Development Problem • RFID and its need for hardware makes regular Application Development Harder • Design requires consideration of Space and Infrastructure • Business Processes need to be built and tried requiring expensive labor and time • Development brings Hardware Costs • Developer needs to purchase reader and tags to establish his test environment. This increases the project costs. • It locks the developer into a specific hardware vendor early in the project. • Large Scale Load Testing is nearly impossible and has to be custom written

10. Current Tool Landscape Design Service Design Tools Manual ALE Spec, Write Framework, Template XML Spy WLS Workshop Build Stubs for Service Need Reader No Tools Write code (business logic) & unit test Workshop for Unit Testing Deploy (Integration Environment) Real World Test, Troubleshoot Deployment Tools Selection of Tools for building scripts, generating load & analysis. Failure tests. No Tools Load Test No Tools Move to Production Tools f. running test suites

11. Development Summary Regardless of the Middleware Choices there is simply a lack of Tools to work efficiently and cost effectively in an RFID project

12. Ideal Development Scenario • Software that can replicate all RFID Reader Functions • The ability to quickly design new infrastructures virtually without having to wait for space and resources • The ability to create and test new business processes • Load Testing Capabilities with buying millions of tags and hundreds of Readers The ability to do all this with Software

13. The Rifidi Project “Software Defined RFID” Key Product Features: • Simulation tool that enables the accurate modeling and testing of an RFID environment • Functions exactly as an RFID reader device, even down to the protocol level (TCP/Serial/other) • Ability to simulate RFID tag events and behavior • Ability to Perform large scale load tests and workflow based tests

14. Rifidi Components • Rifidi Designer • Visual framework for designing RFID workflows and infrastructure • 3D Simulation IDE to mimic/create real world RFID scenarios • Physics Engine for RFID reader simulations and tag reads • Rifidi Emulator • Device Emulation Software to simulate RFID Readers and Tags • Eclipse IDE for cross platform development • Only tool to emulate latest EPC Reader Standard (LLRP) • Rifidi Tag Streamer • Load Testing tool capable of multiple Readers and Large Tag Sets • Used for Load Testing Workflows and more

15. Rifidi Screenshot

16. Benefits • Save hardware cost in development and test • Allows replication of scenarios outside of production • Issues can be replicated without impact to real process • Processes can be changed virtually • Repeatable and accurate replication of test cases • Test cases can be replicated from developer to developer • Reduces ambiguity and errors

17. Rifidi - Open Source RFID • Completely Open Source – LGPL Licensed – hosted on SourceForge and GoogleCode. • Collaborative effort between corporations and universities • Downloaded over 8,000 times • Over 60 subscribers to mailing lists • Over 12 contributing members • Led by Pramari with Key Contributions from: • FH Regensburg – Students and Technical Partnership • University of Arkansas – Hardware and Software Labs • IBM Premises Team– Involved in Emulator and Tag Streamer • Hardware Companies – AWID, Impinj

18. Next Steps • Use Rifidi for your RFID needs • Learn more from our sites and partners • Download, Try and Suggest enhancements • http://www.rifidi.org • http://sourceforge.net/projects/rifidi • Get the Source Code • http://rifidi.googlecode.com • Stop by for a demonstration from our German Engineers

19. Pramari Questions and Answers