What are RFID Tags?

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification and is a wireless, non-contact based technology that uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags.

These tags are often either attached to an object (e.g. vehicles, equipment, etc.) or implemented in an access card often used in personnel access control solutions.

How RFID Tags Work

An RFID tag works by transmitting and receiving information via an antenna and a microchip — also sometimes called IC. The microchip on an RFID reader is written with whatever information the user wants. 

There are two main types of RFID tags: battery-operated and passive. As the name suggests, battery-operated RFID tags contain an onboard battery as a power supply. Battery-operated RFID tags might also be called active RFID tags.

Passive RFID tags use three main frequencies to transmit information:

    *125 – 134 KHz, also known as Low Frequency (LF), and a read range up to 10 cm. These systems are more frequently used in applications like access control and livestock monitoring.

    *13.56 MHz, also known as High Frequency (HF) and Near-Field Communication (NFC), and a read range from 10 cm to 1.5 m. These systems are commonly used for electronic tickets, payments, or user experience applications.

    *865 – 960 MHz, also known as Ultra High Frequency (UHF)，and a read range up to 20 m. These are the systems most commonly used in retail inventory tracking, parking garages, door access, and asset management.