RFID system composition and application of RFID commodity anti-counterfeiting technology

introduction

　　Laser anti-counterfeiting, fluorescent anti-counterfeiting, magnetic anti-counterfeiting, temperature change anti-counterfeiting, special plate printing, etc. are the anti-counterfeiting technical means commonly used at present. These technologies have played an anti-counterfeiting role to a certain extent over a period of time, but so far the above anti-counterfeiting technologies are still imperfect and have failed to effectively stop counterfeiting.

　　The exploration and application of RFID anti-counterfeiting technology will not only bring direct economic benefits to enterprises, but also help relevant national management departments to effectively supervise the production and operation of enterprises, crack down on and ban illegal production activities, maintain social order and stability, and provide strong technical support for the sustainable development of the national economy. At the same time, it is conducive to improving management efficiency and reducing operating costs.

　　Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a type of automatic identification technology that uses non-contact two-way data communication to identify targets through radio frequency. RFID is used in anti-counterfeiting, which is to attach a very small chip to the item to be anti-counterfeited and use radio frequency technology to transmit the data stored in the chip to the system terminal for identification. It is currently a research hotspot. It can complete information input and processing without direct contact, and the operation is convenient and fast. It can be widely used in production, logistics, medical care, transportation, asset management and other application fields that require data collection and processing.

　　1. RFID system composition and principle

　　1.1 System composition

　　A basic RFID system is generally composed of a chip that stores the information of the identifier, namely an electronic tag (Tag), a reader (also called a reader head) for writing and reading tag data, and an antenna. In order to process the tag data, corresponding computer system support is also required.

　　(1) Electronic tag (Tag, i.e. radio frequency card): It is the core component of RFID. It is installed on the object to be identified and stores electronic data in a certain format, i.e. detailed information about the object. The tag is similar to the barcode symbol in barcode technology, but the difference is that it must be able to automatically or semi-automatically transmit the stored information. The electronic tag consists of a tag antenna and a tag chip. The tag chip is a single-chip system (S0C) with wireless transceiver and storage functions, which stores coded data in a specified format to uniquely identify the object to which it is attached. It is the data carrier of the radio frequency identification system and has the capabilities of intelligent reading, writing and encrypted communication.

　　(2) Reader: It can automatically read the electronic data stored in the electronic tag in a contactless manner and is the information control and processing center of the RFID system. There is a communication protocol between the reader and the electronic tag, and they transmit information to each other. Whenever an object with an electronic tag passes through its reading range, it transmits radio waves to the tag, and the tag then sends back the object information stored in it. The whole process is contactless.

　　(3) Antenna: transmits radio frequency signals between the electronic tag and the reader. The antenna connected to the reader is generally made into a door frame and placed at the entrance of the passage where the object being tested enters and exits. On the one hand, it provides power to the passive electronic tag to transmit radio signals to activate the electronic tag; on the other hand, it also receives information sent by the electronic tag. Each electronic tag also has its own micro-antenna for communication with the reader.

　　1.2 Working Principle of RFID System

　　The schematic diagram of the working principle of the RFID system is shown in Figure 1. Usually, the electronic tag is placed on an object, and the reader sends a radio frequency signal of a certain frequency through the antenna; when the electronic tag enters the radio wave reception coverage of the reader, its micro-antenna generates an induced current, the electronic tag obtains energy and is activated and sends the data and other information required for identification to the reader (the electronic tag demodulates the instruction from the received radio frequency pulse and sends it to the control logic, and the control logic receives the instruction to complete storage, data transmission or other operations); the reader receives the carrier signal from the electronic tag, demodulates and decodes the signal, and sends it to the computer host for processing; the computer system determines the legitimacy of the tag based on logical operations, makes corresponding processing and control for different settings, and sends out instruction signals.

　　2. Advantages of RFID

　　RFID has the following advantages:

　　(1) Easy to read

　　Data reading is contact-free and does not require light sources. It can even be done through the outer packaging. The effective recognition distance is large. When using active tags with their own batteries, the effective recognition distance can reach more than 30 meters.

　　(2) Fast recognition speed

　　As soon as the electronic tag enters the identification location, the reader can instantly read the information in it, and can process multiple electronic tags at the same time to achieve batch identification.

(3) Easy to achieve miniaturization and diversified shapes

　　The reading of electronic tags is not limited by size and shape. It is small in size, easy to package, and has various shapes (such as card, ring, button, pen, etc.). It can be hidden or embedded in most materials or products, making the marked goods more beautiful. It can be applied to different occasions and is very convenient to use.

　　(4) Large data memory capacity

　　Usually, the two-dimensional barcode with the largest data capacity (PDF417) can only store 2725 numbers at most. If it contains letters, the storage capacity will be even less. Electronic tags can be expanded according to user needs. The electronic tag chips currently produced on the market have a minimum storage capacity of 17 binary digits, which is much larger than the data capacity of barcodes. In the future, the amount of information that items need to carry will increase, and the data capacity will expand with the development of memory specifications, and electronic tags will not be restricted in this regard.

　　(5) Penetration

　　RFID can read tags through non-metallic materials such as mud, dirt, paint, oil, wood, cement, plastic, water and steam, without having to come into direct contact with the electronic tag carrier. Data transmission uses a higher frequency band and uses radio principles to transmit signals. Electronic tags can still communicate through them even when they are wrapped in paper, wood, plastic, etc. as mentioned above.

　　(6) Environmental resistance

　　RFID can read data even in dark or dirty environments. It has strong resistance to water, oil, medicine and other substances, unlike paper which will be invisible once it is dirty. It can even be used in harsh environments, and the working temperature can reach -25℃～+70℃, so electronic tags are ideal for reading in harsh environments such as dirty, humid and glaring.

　　(7) Long service life and wide range of applications

　　The service life of the electronic tag can be more than 10 years, and it can be read and written 100,000 times without mechanical wear and tear or mechanical failure.

　　(8) Better security

　　The number of the electronic tag is unique, and password protection can be set for the reading and writing of the stored data. The anti-counterfeiting identification code can also be added through an encryption operation. As long as it is scanned through the Internet or the manufacturer's anti-theft identification equipment such as a reader, the authenticity of the product can be immediately identified, which has higher security.

　　(9) Cost

　　The price of electronic tags will decrease with the development of technology and the expansion of production scale.

　　3. Application of RFID in commodity anti-counterfeiting

　　The principle of anti-counterfeiting is: write the product identification number (ID), that is, the anti-counterfeiting code (which is encrypted by hardware or software algorithm) in the RFID chip. This ID is unique in all links such as production and sales; the chip is made into an electronic tag, and the electronic tag is attached to the product, making it an inseparable part of the product. When the electronic tag is "forced" to separate from the product, the "integrity" of the product is destroyed, the product is considered to have been "consumed", and the anti-counterfeiting ends. In the above links, various technical means are used to ensure that this ID verification process cannot be forged and tampered with. If the verification mechanism is forged, counterfeit goods will appear; if the verification process is tampered with, the genuine product will be "falsified" and disrupt the market. In this way, in the entire process from production, circulation to consumption of goods, there is only one product with a unique ID and a unique verification method, thereby achieving the purpose of anti-counterfeiting. The identification ID data of the RFID electronic tag is read-only and cannot be changed. In order to prevent counterfeiters from using counterfeit electronic tags with the same ID, a secret information "key" associated with the ID and also unique can also be written into the anti-counterfeiting tag to identify the uniqueness of the verification process. Therefore, the unique ID of the anti-counterfeiting label, the unique secret verification information in the chip and the strict encryption authentication mechanism can make the anti-counterfeiting technology effective in the long term.

　　Domestic products commonly used by people, such as some famous brands of alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, and medical and health products, the appearance of counterfeit and shoddy products in the market will seriously affect the reputation of these famous brands and affect the country's economic construction, so anti-counterfeiting is very necessary. RFID anti-counterfeiting technology breaks through the ideas of previous anti-counterfeiting technology and adopts a new measure to make it difficult to forge, easy to identify, information feedback, password uniqueness, password confidentiality, and one-time use. Compared with laser anti-counterfeiting and digital anti-counterfeiting, the advantages of using RFID technology for anti-counterfeiting are: each tag has a unique ID number, which is placed in the ROM when the chip is made, and cannot be modified or imitated; there is no mechanical wear and anti-fouling; the reader has a physical interface that is not directly open to the end user to ensure its own security; in terms of data security, in addition to the password protection of the electronic tag, the data part can be managed securely using some algorithms; there is a mutual authentication process between the reader and the electronic tag, etc.

　　4. Conclusion

　　No matter what method is used to apply RFID anti-counterfeiting, the safety of the identification instrument must be ensured. Only in this way can it truly play an anti-counterfeiting role. At present, my country's RFID is mainly used in logistics management, medical fields, monitoring and tracking management of goods and dangerous goods, civil aviation baggage consignment, and non-stop toll collection on roads and bridges. It can be predicted that the application of RFID will breed a huge market and is a new economic growth point. Its potential and prospects will be very attractive. The unique advantages of RFID technology will form a huge industry in the world, which deserves attention from all fields.