Rewriteable RFIDs Said To Break Several Performance Barriers

Boasting of the largest memory, fastest data rates, longest read/write range, and lowest power consumption of any 13.56-MHz passive RFID device in the industry, the MCRF45X rewriteable RFID chips are expected to gain wide acceptance in item-level tagging of warehoused cartons and pallets, in combining security with inventory control systems for auto-checkout retail and video stores, airline baggage and parcel shipping, and much more. The new RFID family also offers an option for an external resonance capacitor (RFID chip MCRF450), 100 pF on-chip resonant capacitor (MCRF451), dual 50 pF capacitors in series for two antenna connections (MCRF452), and a 50 pF resonant capacitor (MCRF455). Other features of the rewriteable devices include 1 Kb of memory in 32 blocks, a power consumption of 28 µW, normal-mode write speeds of 10 tag/s and read speeds of at least 20 tags/s, and a 32-bit enhanced EAS function. Available in die-in-wafer form, price is $0.50 each/10,000. A development kit, DV103005, is available for $1,999. MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC., Chandler, AZ. (480) 792-7668.