Glossary: Radiation regulations

In most major countries there are regulations concerning the maximum electromagnetic power that can be emitted at various frequencies. There have been large differences across the world and the significance for RFID is that tags working at a given frequency may have a permitted power and therefore range varying by a factor of one hundred. Indeed, in Japan and Korea, UHF has been banned for RFID.

 

Considerable progress in harmonising UHF RFID permitted power

The good news is that pressure to have UHF, which gives the longest RFID range under North American regulations, permitted for usable ranges in elsewhere in the world has resulted in Europe easing radiation laws to the point where it is a practicable proposition in Europe i.e. at least one metre vs the previous permitted power level which translated into range of one centimetre or so rendering it a virtually useless licence-free frequency.

 

Further good news is that, having previously banned outright the use of RFID at UHF, Japan and Korea are now coming into line in 2004/5, both somewhere in the frequency range of 950-956 MHz or so. It follows decisions by both governments to promote the use of RFID and the RFID industry. For example, a new Korean government body will develop country specific regulations in Korea and act as representative in the international development of RFID standards. Mr Han of C&C Solutions in Korea tells us that ranges of over ten meters will be possible. China is also coming into line.

 

Sadly the frequencies and permitted UHF power remain different

The bad news is that power levels particularly between Europe and the rest of the world will be very different for the foreseeable future, to the disadvantage of Europe, and the precise frequencies permitted across the world remain different. Initially this calls for a difference silicon chip in each case, which limits the economies of scale, but a single chip working at several frequencies is now available from a number of suppliers such as Alien Technology and Toppan Printing. Andrew Berger, VP Europe Alien Technology, told IDTechEx that tags will be optimised for use in each region, but can still be used in other regions with only a small impact on performance - approximately a 5% reduction in range.

 

Poor progress at other frequencies needed for item level tagging

Other bad news is that, at 13.56 MHz and 2.45 GHz, both frequencies likely to be needed for many item level applications, the power levels remain very disparate across the world and work to harmonise these has been less energetic as all eyes have been on opening up pallet and case tagging with UHF worldwide.