Rewriteable Chip Moves To Head Of RFID Class

Said to be the most advanced 13.56-MHz passive RFID chip on the market, the MCRF450 boasts of having the lowest power consumption, largest memory, fastest data rate, and longest read/write range. The new chip is a result of the combined efforts of Mitsubishi Materials Corp., Checkpoint Systems Inc., andMicrochip Technology Inc. to develop a new, open standard for the industry.
The chip's 1-Kbit memory allows more information to be stored in the tag and also permits information to be added to an object's history throughout its lifetime. Each 32-bit block is individually write-protectable to prevent accidental corruption or intentional alteration of data. The device's low power dissipation of 28 µW and "cloaking" modulation deliver a long read range, which is necesary to enable multiple item-level applications. And a high data rate enables faster transactions, which are necessary for applications in which tagged objects are moving quickly in and out of the reader's field of view.
The RFID IC also employs advanced anti-collision circuitry in both read and write modes to allow reading or writing of individual or multiple tags in the presence of other tags in the same interrogator field. The anti-collision algorithm is actually a method of "parking" tags and processing them individually, using time-division multiplexing based in part on the unique ID code stored in each device. Applications for the MCRF450 include: item-level tagging in warehouses, such as reading multiple objects while they're inside a carton; airline baggage and parcel shipping; industrial barcode supplement or replacement; document management; and more. Pricing of die in wafer form is $0.50 each/10,000; a developement kit costs $999.