With the new solution, such customers now can quickly turn off a removed inventory tracking tag from a just- purchased good, and restart the same tag on a new item when appropriate, without affecting battery life. Manufacturers too will benefit because they can control beaconing on tagged items moving through an assembly line. Once such an item or part moves through a line’s tracking checkpoint, the tag can be put into a sleep state or turned off completely, again maximizing battery life without sacrificing inventory accuracy.

The new solution is also ideal for customers wanting to buy tags in bulk to secure optimal pricing. Such companies can now order large tag quantities and store them for later use by simply turning off the tag. Once a tagged item is ready to be used, users can immediately wake up the tag and put the item in active inventory.

According to Chris Gaskins, RF Code vice president, Product Development, this technology responds to a clear customer need. "Even in smoother economic times, our customers rely on us for cost-effective solutions to their problems. This technology extends our value even further by responding to the specific business factors certain customers face. So while our typical tag sports a battery life of some five to seven years, the best in the business, these customers have unique requirements that call for more control over tag beaconing. We're providing that control." Like all RF Code solutions, there is a fast ROI.

About the Solution

Based on RF Code's award-winning active RFID hardware and software technology, the new tag solution is used to control any of the RF Code M-Series or R-Series tags engineered to:

• Wake up, which causes the tag to begin regular beacon interval
• Beacon now, which triggers the tag to immediately beacon
• Sleep, which puts the tag into a sleep state to prevent the tag from beaconing

The A600 Tag Controller, powered through a USB connector, and the Tag Controller Utility, which communicate to an RF Code reader, together control the tags' beaconing states. An audible beep indicates that the Tag Controller has caused the tag to wake, beacon or go to sleep. The Tag Controller can be used in a Stand-alone scenario where the utility has no communication with a fixed or mobile reader and all input data is entered manually into the ap­plication. It can also be used in a Reader-assisted scenario where the utility communications with a fixed or mobile reader to make the flow much more automatic.

About RF Code, Inc.

RF Code automates the ability to discover, track and monitor high-value physical assets across the enterprise. Using the company's award-winning platform for active RFID, customers know instantly and on demand the precise location of each individual asset. This spares them the high cost, time intensity, and compliance risk of a manual inventory. RF Code and its world-class roster of global partners develop solutions used in demanding industry environments including IT, healthcare, defense, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, transportation and homeland security. RF Code and the RF Code logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of RF Code Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contact

Joan Osleeb, 512-439-2245(o) or 512-789-6168 (m); josleeb@rfcode.com