The ideas behind RFID have been around for almost 60 years. The IFF (identify friend or foe) transponder was created in 1939 and the concept is still being used today to identify aircraft. A passive covert listening device that is considered another predecessor of RFID was created by the Soviet Union in 1946. Although the first mention of the acronym RFID in a US patent was not until 1983.

RFID tags are generally classified as being either passive or active. Passive tags have no internal power source and only transmit their information when a reader polls the tag. Depending on the type of passive tag, the range can be between 4 inches to 10 feet. Passive tags are used for example in passports, payment systems, animal identification, material tracking, golf balls, and casino chips.

Active tags need a power source and have much greater ranges. These tags can be read up to 300 feet and can have a battery life upwards of 10 years. Active tags always transmit and are capable of having a "conversation" with the reader. The added range of active tags allows for better tracking of an objects location. Uses for active tags include toll road systems and real time asset tracking.

Patti Engineering has used RFID in several applications including:

• Bar code Replacement in washed garments - Washing garments fades bar codes. Tags that stand up to this harsh environment reduce mis-reads and eliminate the labor involved with replacing worn labels.


• Bar code replacement in poor read conditions - Poor bar code placement in a sorting operation resulted in large number of missed garments. The use of RFID eliminated the need for the bar code and eliminated the problem.


• Law enforcement asset tracking - RFID tags are embedded in weapons to allow the tracking of use and the automated recording of officer training.

P.S. If you are implementing a traceability system or have bar codes that are giving you headaches, Patti Engineering can help. We will work with you to determine if RFID is the right solution both technically and financially. Patti can implement a solution that you can depend on whether it is RFID or not.

John Kormanik of Dublin, Ohio recently was appointed sales consultant to Auburn Hills-based Law Enforcement Intelligence Devices (LEID), LLC. Kormanik will be responsible for expanding sales growth along with product development and promotion.

He brings nearly 30 years of sales experience to LEID. Most recently, Kormanik was employed by American Locker Security Systems in Grapevine, Texas as national sales manager. There he worked as the primary corporate lead for product development and integrating sales and marketing.

Law Enforcement Intelligence Devices (LEID), LLC was originally founded to assist police departments in securing their assets (guns, weapons and radios) through an electronic tracking and fingerprinting system. LEID's products since have been utilized to track many other type of business assets such as radios at amusement parks; books, tapes and magazines within a library system; and even the securing of business documents to selected personnel. For more information and to see on-line demonstrations of our products, log on to www.leidproducts.com.