Passive RFID Readers: Market Trends and Forecasts

ISO 14443, ISO 18000-6, EPCglobal Gen 2, and EPCglobal LLRP

Upcoming Report

The market for passive RFID readers – devices that encode data into passive tags and interrogate those tags to retrieve the information – is changing significantly. New applications such as national ID cards and product authentication have moved to the fore, enabled by significant advances in the technology and the associated standards. Integration levels are advancing, with RFID-specific reader ICs displacing general-purpose components in a growing segment of the market. These ongoing changes require RFID product providers to rethink their approach to the market and to provide end users of the technology with significant new deployment opportunities. ABI Research conducted an extensive study of this market in the first quarter of 2008. This report, the result of that study, describes market dynamics for passive readers and reader-specific ICs, identifies key issues facing reader manufacturers and end users, and provides five year market forecasts for passive RFID readers and reader-specific ICs. The forecasts, both in units and in revenue, are segmented by frequency, by application, and by geographic region.


What Does This Report Answer?
  • What is passive RFID?
  • What are the types and characteristics of available passive RFID readers?
  • What market forces are driving the evolution of passive RFID readers?
Who Needs This Report?
  • Manufacturers of passive RFID Reader ICs, packaged readers, or reader modules
  • Services providers who recommend and deploy passive RFID readers
  • End users
  • RFID hardware vendors
  • Independent software vendors


Section 1.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Market Overview
1.3 Key Trends and Issues
1.3.1 LF and HF Continue to Dominate the Market
1.3.2 UHF ISO 18000-6C / EPCglobal Gen 2 Is Now Proven
1.3.3 Increased Embedding of Readers
1.3.4 Innovation Continues
1.4 Key Market Forecasts
1.5 Conclusion

Section 2.
TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW
2.1 Fundamental Concepts
2.1.1 RFID Transponders
2.1.2 RFID Tags
2.1.3 RFID Readers
2.1.3.1 Reader/Tag Interaction Components
2.1.3.2 Reader/Software Interaction Components
2.1.3.3 Reader ICs
2.1.3.4 Control Logic
2.1.3.5 Application Processors
2.1.4 RFID Software
2.1.4.1 Device Operation Software
2.1.4.2 Edge Logic Software
2.1.4.3 Data Integration Software
2.1.4.4 Data Repository Software
2.1.4.5 Analytical Software
2.1.5 RFID Integration Services
2.2 Frequency of Operation
2.2.1 Microwave
2.2.2 LF
2.2.3 HF
2.2.4 UHF
2.3 Hybrid Active/Passive RFID
2.3.1 Read Range Extension
2.3.2 Sensing and Monitoring
2.3.3 Dual Operation
2.3.4 Energy Scavenging
2.4 Form Factors
2.5 Antennas
2.5.1 Polarization
2.5.2 Near Field vs. Far Field
2.5.3 Cabled vs. Integrated
2.5.4 Phased Array Antennas

Section 3.
APPLICATION SEGMENTS
3.1 Application Segmentation
3.1.1 Security/Access Control
3.1.2 Asset Management/Tracking
3.1.3 Cargo Tracking & Cargo Security
3.1.4 RTLS (Real-Time Location Systems)
3.1.5 Supply-Chain Management
3.1.6 POS (Point-of-Sale)/Contactless Payment
3.1.7 Automobile Immobilization
3.1.8 Baggage Handling
3.1.9 AVI (Automatic Vehicle Identification)
3.2 Application Area Market Dynamics
3.2.1 Mature Applications
3.2.1.1 Security/Access Control
3.2.1.2 Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI)
3.2.1.3 Automobile Immobilization
3.2.2 Established Applications
3.2.2.1 Baggage Handling
3.2.2.2 Asset Tracking
3.2.2.3 RTLS
3.2.2.4 Animal Identification
3.2.2.5 POS/Contactless Payment
3.2.3 Emerging Applications
3.2.3.1 Supply Chain Management

Section 4.
VERTICAL MARKET SEGMENT DEFINITIONS
4.1 Aerospace & Defense
4.2 Automotive
4.3 Commercial Services
4.4 Diverse Manufacturing (non CPG)
4.5 Government (non-military)
4.6 Health Care / Life Sciences
4.7 Retail Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
4.8 Retail in-Store
4.9 Transportation & Logistics
4.10 Other

Section 5.
STRATEGIC ISSUES
5.1 Hardware & RF Standards
5.1.1 ISO
5.1.1.1 Low Frequency Standards
5.1.1.2 High Frequency Standards
5.1.1.3 Ultra-High Frequency Standards
5.1.2 EPCglobal
5.1.2.1 Class 0
5.1.2.2 Class 1, Generation 1
5.1.2.3 Class 1, Generation 2
5.1.2.4 HF Gen 2
5.1.3 China
5.1.4 Vendor-Proprietary Implementations
5.2 Software Standards
5.2.1 EPCglobal Reader Protocol (RP)
5.2.2 EPCglobal Low-Level Reader Protocol (LLRP)
5.2.3 Vendor-Specific Software Interfaces
5.2.3.1 Microsoft DLPI
5.2.3.2 IBM WebSphere
5.3 Standard Conformance Certification
5.4 On-Reader Application Logic
5.4.1 Rationale
5.4.2 Tradeoffs
5.4.3 Programming Environments
5.5 National Regulatory Differences
5.5.1 Frequency Allocation
5.5.2 Operational Restrictions

Section 6.
TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
6.1 Standardized /High Volume Integrated Circuits
6.2 Mobility
6.3 Read Rates
6.4 Write Performance
6.5 False Read Elimination
6.5.1 Antenna Tuning & Shielding
6.5.2 RSSI and/or TOA
6.5.3 Cross-reader Aliasing
6.6 RF Interference Mitigation
6.7 Open Standard vs. Proprietary/Differentiated
6.7.1 Standards-based solutions
6.7.2 Integrated tag/reader Solutions
6.8 Innovation Upon Industry Standards
6.8.1 Improved Read Rates & Read Range
6.8.2 UHF Readability on Metals and Liquids
6.8.3 Battery Assisted Passive
6.8.4 Sensor Tags
6.8.5 Dual Operation
6.8.6 EAS & Similar Flag Bits
6.8.7 Large Memory
6.8.8 Secure / Encrypted
6.8.9 Directionality Sensing
6.8.10 Position or Distance Sensing
6.8.11 Two-Way Communication
6.8.12 Environmental Sensing
6.8.13 Encoding Performance Enhancements

Section 7.
MARKET SEGMENTATION AND ANALYSIS
7.1 Readers
7.1.1 Frequency Range
7.1.1.1 LF
7.1.1.2 HF
7.1.1.2.1 ISO Standard HF
7.1.1.2.2 EPCglobal HF Gen 2
7.1.1.2.3 Proprietary
7.1.1.3 UHF
7.1.1.4 Microwave
7.2 Antennas
7.2.1 Operational Target
7.2.2 Packaging
7.3 Geographic Regions

Section 8.
KEY INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS
8.1 Reader IC Manufacturers
8.1.1 Atmel
8.1.2 AustriaMicroSystems
8.1.3 Intel
8.1.4 Texas Instruments
8.1.5 WJ Communications
8.2 Reader & Reader Module Manufacturers
8.2.1 Alien Technology
8.2.2 CAEN RFID
8.2.3 EB
8.2.4 FEIG Electronic
8.2.5 Intermec
8.2.6 Kenetics Group
8.2.7 Motorola
8.2.8 Tagsys RFID
8.2.9 LXE
8.2.10 Omron Electronics
8.2.11 Psion Teklogix
8.2.12 Siemens
8.2.13 Sirit
8.2.14 Tyco Electronics
8.3 Antenna Providers
8.3.1 ADT Security
8.3.2 FEIG Electronic
8.3.3 Vue Technology
8.3.4 Emerging antenna providers

Section 9.
MARKET FORECASTS
9.1 Overall Market
9.2 Forecasts by Geographic Region
9.3 Forecasts by Operating Frequency
9.4 Forecasts by Vertical Market
9.5 Forecasts by Form Factor
ACRONYMS
Scope of Study
SOURCES AND METHODOLOGY
NOTES

Tables
  • Frequency-Specific Performance Characteristics, Passive RFID
  • Key Hardware and RF Standards, Passive RFID
  • Passive Reader Shipments by Region, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Revenue by Region, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Shipments by Frequency, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Revenue by Frequency, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Shipments by Vertical Market, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Revenue by Vertical Market, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Shipments by Form Factor, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Revenue by Form Factor, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
Charts
  • Passive Reader Shipments by Region, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Revenue by Region, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Shipments by Frequency, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Revenue by Frequency, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Shipments by Vertical Market, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Revenue by Vertical Market, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Shipments by Form Factor, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
  • Passive Reader Revenue by Form Factor, World Market, Forecast: 2007 to 2013
Figures
  • Generic Block Diagram of a Passive RFID Reader System
Report Code: RR-RFR

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Number of Pages: 62
Number of Tables, Charts and Figures: 19
Deliverable Formats:
Price: Login
Release Date: 2Q 2008


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