Despite the fact that RFID is a technology that has existed for decades, there are still issues that have yet to be resolved and standards, like LLRP, that have yet to be finalized. For more information on this topic and other issues facing the RFID industry, check out the following resources:

Industry Organizations

Article Tools

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• AIM Global — www.aimglobal.org

  The Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility (AIM) is a global trade association dedicated to accelerating the growth and use of AIDC technologies and services around the world. Its members are manufacturers or service providers of technologies such as RFID, barcode, card technologies (magnetic stripe, smart card, contactless card, and optical card), biometrics, and electronic article surveillance (EAS).

• EPCglobal Inc. — www.epcglobalinc.org

  EPCglobal is an industry organization leading the development of global, industry-driven standards for the electronic product code (EPC) to support the use of RFID. Go to this site for information on EPC standards, the EPCglobal Network, a listing of certified hardware and accredited test centers, EPCglobal brand guidelines and consumer information.

• Low Level Reader Protocol (LLRP) toolkit — www.llrp.org

  The LLRP toolkit houses the development of open source libraries in various languages to help reader and software vendors build and parse LLRP messages. The toolkit is hosted at SourceForge.net. The site is hosted under the project name LLRP Toolkit and can be found at http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/llrp-toolkit. Toolkit project files are licensed under the Apache 2.0 license. The Apache license encourages free use of software for commercial and non-commercial use.

• RFID Business Association — www.rfidba.org

  The RFID Business Association is a group of RFID hardware, software, and services companies, technology users, consultants, public policymakers, consumer advocates, and educators who have come together to create a vision of effective RFID-enabled communications infrastructure. The association is working to systematically eliminate the barriers to adoption of RFID technology in a manner consistent with standards being developed by EPCglobal, GSMP, ISO, W3C, and other technology and application standards bodies.

• RFID Exchange — www.rfidexchange.com

  RFID Exchange is the global source for objective advice on RFID technology. It covers passive and active tags and readers, Savant and application software, and provides free advice and information on implementation issues and solutions.

Books

• A Guide to Radio Frequency Identification, by V. Daniel Hunt, ISBN: 978-0-470-10764-5, Wiley Press — (www.wiley.com)

  This book provides an introduction to RFID technology. Commercial/government use of RFID technology with an emphasis on a wide range of applications are addressed.

• Antennas for Portable Devices, by Zhi Ning Chen, ISBN: 978-0-470-03073-8, Wiley Press (www.wiley.com)

  This book offers a comprehensive and practical reference guide to antenna design and engineering for portable electronic devices such as RFIDs.

• Wireless Sensor Networks: Technology, Protocols, and Applications, by Kazem Sohraby, Daniel Minoli and Taieb Znati, ISBN: 978-0-471-74300-2, Wiley Press (www.wiley.com)

  This book helps readers discover the emerging field of low-cost standards-based sensors. It shares the latest advances in science and engineering that are paving the way toward a plethora of new applications in areas such as RFID.

White Papers

• Gen 2 Implications for Smart Label Printing

  This white paper explains the implications of the EPCglobal Gen 2 RFID standard on smart label printing. It illustrates the need to support multiple RFID protocols, covers considerations for upgrading installed printer/encoders to support Gen 2, and explains how options and variables within the standard create needs for specific features in printer/encoders.
  http://www.zebra.com/id/zebra/na/en/index/rfid/white_papers.html

• RFID Readiness Guide: Ensuring a Successful RFID Implementation

  This white paper helps readers determine if RFID is right for their organizations by succinctly describing how RFID works and how it is used. It also provides tips for starting an RFID project.
  http://www.zebra.com/id/zebra/na/en/index/rfid/white_papers.html

Webinars

• RFID and UID Compliance: Making Total Asset Visibility a Reality

  The use of RFID, combined with U.S. Department of Defense mandates for unique identification (UID), presents challenges and opportunities for aerospace/defense companies and defense programs. SAP and Lockheed Martin have collaborated to provide a comprehensive RFID and UID compliance solution based on SAP RFID technology and Lockheed Martin's I-GUIDES application. In this webinar, SAP discusses this UID- and RFID-enabled offering, as well as current and future capabilities, success stories and a roadmap.
  https://rfidjournal.webex.com

• UHF or HF RFID? — How to Choose the Best Technology for Your Application

  Zebra RFID expert Matt Ream shares the technical and performance differences between HF and UHF, simple guidelines for determining the right technology and the right partner to help you implement effectively, and the kinds of applications that benefit most from each technology — with real-world examples.
  http://www.zebra.com/id/zebra/na/en/index/rfid/webinars.html