Linux-based RFID vendors combine forces on latest readers

By Eric Brown
2011-09-02

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Trimble's ThingMagic division has integrated Linux-based Mercury5e (M5e) embedded UHF RFID (radio frequency identification) reader modules into long-range RFID readers from TagMaster. Aimed primarily at the railway industry, TagMaster's XT-2 is already shipping, and the XT-3 and XT-3HD Readers are on the way and available with an open source Linux SDK.

It's been six years since LinuxDevices checked in on Cambridge, Mass.-based ThingMagic's Linux-based Mercury RFID readers, and five year's since we looked at Sweden-based TagMaster's Linux-based RFID readers. Now the technologies are being combined in the latest TagMaster long-range UHF RFID readers, according to Trimble's ThingMagic division, a former MIT Media Lab spin-off.

TagMaster's stationary UHF readers are designed for asset tracking applications in the railway industry, as well as in personnel and vehicle access control applications, says ThingMagic. TagMaster's recent XT-2 reader and upcoming TagMaster XT-3 and XT-3HD readers are said to be based on ThingMagic's Mercury5e (M5e) module (pictured).

Mercury5e module

The M5e module is an embedded version of the RFID core in ThingMagic's own Mercury5 UHF RFID reader, says the company. About the size of a PCMCIA Type II PC card, the module is said to be designed for adding UHF RFID read and write capabilities to both fixed and mobile devices.

Processor and memory details were not listed, but the module is said to be supported by a Linux-based MercuryAPI development kit. Back in 2005, ThingMagic's earlier Mercury4 RFID reader was based on a 266MHz Intel IXP4xx NPU (network processor unit) joined with a Texas Instruments TI55xx DSP clocked at 300MHz.

The M5e runs on a single Watt, and complies with the EPCglobal Gen 2 (ISO 18000-6C) tag protocol, offering anti-collision, DRM, and advanced anti-jamming capabilities, claims ThingMagic. The module supports the 860MHz to 960MHz UHF RFID carrier frequency range, and offers independently configurable read and write transmit levels, adjustable from 5dBm to 30dBm with an accuracy of 1dBm, says ThingMagic.

The device is said to support speeds of up to 921.6Kbps. The M5e offers a maximum tag read rate of over 170 tags per second, at a distance of over 30 feet (9 Meters) when used with a 6dBi antenna, adds the company.

TagMaster's XT-3 and XT-3HD

By integrating the M5e into TagMaster's newest UHF RFID readers, the devices have achieved "increased efficiency, security, and convenience, while minimizing environmental impact with low power output, small form factor, and discreet design," says ThingMagic. The module was quietly incorporated in the company's recent XT-2 module, and apparently TagMaster was pleased with the results, as it is now offering the M5e in its next-generation XT-3 and XT-3HD readers.

The XT-3 Reader -- and the ruggedized, almost identical, extended temperature XT-3HD -- include Ethernet, RS232, RS485, and Wiegand/mag-stripe interfaces, says TagMaster. The devices run TagMaster's GEN4 Linux distribution and are said to be available with an open source software development kit (SDK), which presumably integrates the MercuryAPI set.

TagMaster XT-3 Reader

The XT-3 is said to be primarily designed for people and vehicle access control applications, such as parking garage access. The systems combine long-range identification with high-speed RFID tag reading, says TagMaster.

The reader supports EPC Gen 2 and TagMaster Secure MarkID standards, and is available in two versions, certified for the U.S. and Europe respectively, says TagMaster. IP65 ingress protection is also said to be available.

The XT-3HD (for "Heavy Duty") is a rugged outdoor reader designed to comply with railway standards. Offering a read range of up to five meters, the device reads EPC Gen 2 UHF ID tags mounted on passing railroad cars.

The TagMaster XT-3HD can withstand temperatures ranging from -40 to 140 deg. F (-40 to 60 deg. C), claims TagMaster. Certification is said to be available for EN 50125 and EN 50121 international railway standards.

Availability

No pricing or availability information was provided for TagMaster's XT-3 and XT-3HD. More information may be found in this May 2011 XT-3 announcement. Product pages for the XT3 readers, as well as several shipping XT-2 models, may be found on TagMaster's XT-Series web page.

More on the Mercury5e module may be found at ThingMagic's Mercury5e web page.

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