RFID Technology History:
Introduction and Background

The RFID industry has been growing and developing rapidly. Many different RFID tags, RFID hardware and software have been developed for a wide variety of applications and uses. From tracking products such as auto parts and warehouse pallets, to collecting transit fares and tolls, to securing access to buildings and facilities: there are many ways RFID can help organizations save money, improve operations, and increase efficiency and performance. More and more executives and managers are implementing RFID technology in their organizations every year. Industry leaders such as Wal-Mart, Target, Airbus, Proctor & Gamble, Prada, Gap, and the Home Depot are among the numerous companies who are currently using RFID or trying to incorporate this technology into their operations.

But how did RFID technology come into existence?

Radio Frequency Identification, or RFID, is a method for automatic identification of single or bulk objects from a distance using radio waves. There are two types of RFID devices that are necessary to make this automatic identification possible: RFID tags (also known as RFID transponders) and hardware RFID receivers. The tags contain information about a specific object, and the receivers read that information.

According to some sources, RFID technology can be traced back to as early as 1920's. The world's first and most primitive form of an RFID system was developed during World War II for the purpose of identifying airplanes in the air. At the time, American, British, German and Japanese troops were using radar technology to detect approaching airplanes while they were still far away. The only problem with radars was that although the soldiers knew when a plane was coming, they couldn't tell whether the aircraft belonged to their country, their allies or their enemy. If the ground troops gained the ability to know when an enemy airplane was approaching, they could take steps to defend their country and shoot down the enemy aircraft.

To alert their ground crew, the Germans began rolling their planes as they returned to base, which modified the radio signal reflected back to the radar on the ground. In other words, the ground troops could now differentiate between their own and enemy aircraft, and they could also prepare to shoot down enemy airplanes as they were approaching. This very basic and crude method of identifying airplanes was the world's first passive RFID system.

Like Germany, Britain also wanted to give their troops the advantage of differentiating between British airplanes and those of their enemies. But they didn't roll their planes. Instead, they mounted a transmitter on each British aircraft. From then on, when the British radar sent a signal to an approaching plane, the plane's transmitter received it and sent a different signal back, which indicated that the aircraft was British. This system was named the IFF system (IFF stands for Identity Friend or Foe). Because British planes were actually broadcasting a signal to the radar, as opposed to simply reflecting the signal, this was the world's first active RFID system.

Both the German passive airplane identity system and the British active airplane identity system used the same basic principle as the RFID technology: a signal is send to a tag, which then either reflects the signal back, or emitts a new signal. When an RFID reader receives this signal, the object is identified, and the data on the tag is interpreted.

After the World War II, there were many developments in RFID technology. However, it wasn't until 1973 when Mario Cardullo registered the first official patent for an RFID transponder. Cardullo's passive radio transponder with memory was intended to be used as a toll device for potential users such as the New York Port Authority.

Since then, there have been many advances in RFID technology. To learn more about RFID and how this technology can benefit your organization, please contact our RFID Company.