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An Intelligent RFID Based Wireless Tools and Asset Tracking System.

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 An Intelligent RFID Based
Wireless Tools and Asset Tracking
System1
Guillermo A Francia, III, Ph.D.
Mathematical, Computing, and
Information Sciences Department
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville, AL 36265
ABSTRACT
During the past decade, radio frequency
tagging has slowly emerged as a legitimate
technology option for main stream supply
chain operations. Many companies have
integrated and continue to use Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) into their
information infrastructure. The objective of
this paper is to present the design and the
development of an Intelligent RFID Based
Wireless Tools and Asset Tracking System that
can be used in a manufacturing environment
as an integrated Information Technology (IT)
subsystem for tools and asset inventory
control.
Keywords: RFID, wireless, network, asset
tracking, commercial-of-the-shelf technology
INTRODUCTION
During the past decade, radio frequency
tagging has slowly emerged as a legitimate
technology option for main stream supply
chain operations. Many companies have
integrated and continue to use Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) into their
information technology infrastructure.
1
Conference: Proceedings of the International
Conference on Wireless Networks, ICWN '04,
Volume 2 & Proceedings of the International
Conference on Pervasive Computing and
Communications, PCC'04, June 21-24, 2004,
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Ford Motor Co. is currently using RFID
tags to streamline one of their assembly plants
in Ontario, Canada [1]. The RFID tagging is
used to continuously keep record of the
assembly process status of each engine and to
provide each station in the manufacturing line
the instructions on how to properly handle the
engine.
Another lesson in using RFID is
demonstrated by J. Sainsbury PLC in the
United Kingdom. They have launched an
ambitious RFID project to implement an
efficient supply chain tracking system [1].
Essentially, they implemented a tracking
system that could automatically record every
unit of trade every time it is transported and
its movement is immediately reported to a
central logistics database.
Several more successful case studies are
documented in published literature. Some of
these case studies include the following:
a) The application of multi-read RFID
systems in increasing security,
efficiency, and comfort at airports. In
this application, RF tags and readers
are conveniently placed in order to
facilitate the movement of people,
vehicle, and baggage in airport
terminals [2].
b) Federal Express couriers are provided
with keyless entry and ignition
systems on their trucks through the
use of RFID transponders embedded
within their Velcro wristbands [3].
c) At Texas Instruments, eMarketing
Manager, Bill Allen and the RFID
systems team have been using RFID
to track livestock for years [4].
RFID
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is
a wireless data communication system which
provides a non-contact, non-line-of-sight type
of technology. It consists of three basic
components: an antenna or coil, a transceiver
and decoder, and a transponder or RFID tag.
The antenna emits radio signals to activate the
tag and read or write data to it. Often, the
antenna is packaged with the transceiver and
decoder to become an interrogator. The
transceiver is the main controller for the
system’s data acquisition and communication.
The interrogator emits radio waves in ranges
of anywhere from a few inches to 100 feet or
more, depending on its power output. When
an RFID tag passes through the
electromagnetic zone, it detects the
interrogator’s activation signal. The
interrogator will then decode the data encoded
in the tag and process it.
RFID tags can either be passive or active.
An active tag is powered by an internal
battery and has data storage that can vary
from a few bits to several Megabytes. Passive
tags obtain their operating power from the
interrogator. They are lighter, less expensive,
and more durable compared to the active tags.
RFID systems operate in different
frequency ranges. The low frequency (30 Khz
to 500 Khz) systems have short reading
ranges and low system costs. The medium
frequency (850 Khz to 950 Khz and 13.56
Mhz) systems offer reading ranges that are
conducive to smart card applications. The
high frequency (2.4 Ghz to 2.5 Ghz) systems
offer a long read ranges and high reading
speeds.
ASSET TRACKING and DATA
COLLECTION
RFID is becoming as ubiquitous as the
Universal Product Code (UPC) symbol.
Record stores, clothing outlets, and drug
stores use it to track compact discs, denim
pants, and pharmaceutical products. Even
some corrugated board converters are
jumping on the bandwagon by using RFID for
their “smart packages” [9].
In asset management, which is the
primary focus of the project, there exists
several commercial systems whose main
purpose is to improve the system of tracking,
monitoring, and managing valuable company
assets. The Savi® Asset Management System
is a solution that allows a company to track
asset location and status, understand asset
utilization, perform instant inventories, and
manage asset losses [10]. The Asset Tracking
System (ATS) by Transportation
Management Group, Inc. ® provides a
seamless management solution that delivers
instant supply chain and company resource
visibility in real time [11]. The MAX Asset
Tracking System by Manufacturing
Applications Experts, Inc. ® is used for the
accurate and efficient tracking of assets using
portable barcode-based automation [12].
Another notable commercial asset tracking
system solution is provided by Intermec
Technologies Corporation® [13].
A wireless implementation of a data
collection and retrieval system, EMIDAS, is
described in [14]. This system is an
automated maintenance data collection
system that is implemented on the Windows®
CE system and is deployed in a
manufacturing environment.
SYSTEM OVERVIEW
The Intelligent RFID based Intelligent
Wireless Tools and Asset Tracking System is
characterized by the following: intelligent,
reconfigurable, affordable, expandable, and
adaptable. The system will be developed
using Commercial-of-the-Shelf (COTS) and
open system components. It will be
modularized into three functional subsystems:
Trackee Tagging (TT) subsystem, Local
Interrogator and Access Point (LIAP)
subsystem, and Intelligent Database and Asset
Management (IDAM) subsystem. The TT
subsystem will be developed utilizing low-
cost RFID tags. The LIAP subsystem will be
developed by integrating a long-range RFID
reader with a wireless modem. The RFID
reader, on the LIAP subsystem, will
interrogate the RFID tag on the TT
subsystem, for the tag’s data which will be
forwarded to the wireless modem. The
wireless modem will forward the data to the
IDAM subsystem over a wireless network.
The IDAM subsystem is the central repository
of the data collected from the various LIAP
stations. It consists of several components: a
data-conversion software which converts the
data into a format that is compatible to a
commercial process management software, a
database system, and a data mining software
built from open systems which will be used
for efficient tool management through
intelligent usage analysis, prediction, and
classification.
The uniqueness of the system is based on
the following features:
• an intelligent subsystem that provides
data mining capabilities that provides
efficient asset utilization prediction
and classification;
• an efficient tracking system that can
provide an instantaneous report on the
availability of tools and equipment;
and
• an automated asset accountability and
utilization system.
Commercial applications of the proposed
system include industrial tool and equipment
tracking and management, streamlining of the
flow of parts and supply in a manufacturing
environment, and the efficient routing of
products to customers.
TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES
PHASE I Objective
The principal objective of the Phase I
design is to develop a Wireless Asset
Tracking and Intelligent Management System
(WATAIMS) and demonstrate its feasibility
in an actual manufacturing environment. . The
system, as depicted in figure 1, will be
developed using Commercial-of-the-Shelf
(COTS) and open system components. It will
be modularized into three functional
subsystems: Trackee Tagging (TT)
subsystem, Local Interrogator and Access
Point (LIAP) subsystem, and Intelligent
Database and Asset Management (IDAM)
subsystem.
The specific objectives of this design
phase are enumerated as follows:
1) Design and implement the TT
subsystem hardware using COTS
Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID)
components.
2) Develop the system software for
writing RFID data to RFID tags.
3) Design and implement the LIAP
subsystem hardware using COTS
wireless modem and RFID
components.
4) Develop the system software that will
be used to process the RFID data and
to configure the LIAP subsystem.
5) Deploy and test the TT and the LIAP
subsystems.
6) Design and implement the IDAM
subsystem hardware using COTS
wireless modem and personal
computer.
7) Develop the system software for the
IDAM subsystem for data conversion,
data storage and retrieval, and
intelligent prediction and
classification.
8) Test and modify each subsystem’s
hardware and software components.
9) Integrate and test all subsystems.
Perform modifications where
necessary.
10) Perform an assessment of the project.
11) Produce an extensive system
documentation.
PHASE II Objectives
The objectives of the second phase of the
design are
1) to deploy, in a much larger scale,
the prototype that was developed in
the first phase in an actual
manufacturing environment for
 tracking and locating tools and 3) to prepare a detailed final report on
equipment; the lessons learned and
2) to assess the effectiveness and implementation procedures.
efficiency of the system using the
metrics that are described below;
and

Modem
Punchdown block

Trackee Tagging (TT) subsystem

Intelligent Database and

Asset Management (IDAM) subsystem

Raid drive
Modem
Punchdown block

Modem

Computer

Modem
Punchdown block

Local Interrogator and

Access Point (LIAP) subsystem

Modem
Punchdown block

Figure 1. The Intelligent RFID based Wireless Tools and Asset Tracking System

METRICS FOR ASSESSING THE the metrics for assessing the prototype
SYSTEM PROTOTYPE system. The metrics
The Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993 requires that all government - must be specified in a common
agencies measure their performance using language that is intelligible to all
metrics and measurements [8]. Due to the those who are involved;
lack of financial results as the primary - should clearly reflect the
indicator of success, Arveson, in a paper on requirements;
measuring Government performance, - must not be intrusive;
suggested the use of two non-financial - must be objective, unbiased and
metrics: mission effectiveness and efficiency statistically reliable;
[6]. - should include both qualitative and
The following guidelines, which were quantitative measures;
greatly influenced by Averson’s paper on - should be based on what needs to be
designing metrics [7], were used in designing measured to improve the asset and
tools tracking system; and
 - should reflect the overall measure of
the project success in reference to
Using the above guidelines, the following
sections of the balanced scorecard—a system
developed according to an assessment system
which was first described by Kaplan and
Norton in [5] was conceived.
The financial section of the scorecard
reflects most of the quantitative metrics. The
cost of the system, its deployment, and the
required training will be measured. The cost
savings connected with the efficient
utilization of asset and tool tracking will also
be quantified and documented. The impact of
the system on loss prevention will be
analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively.
The customer section of the scorecard
reflects the qualitative metrics based on the
degree of customer satisfaction with the
system, the customer’s perception of the
quality of the product/system, the customer’s
expectation on the timing of product delivery,
and finally, the extent of the manufacturer’s
participation and involvement with the system
design, implementation, and deployment.
In the internal business process section,
the metrics involved are the perceived quality
of system’s assimilation in the existing
business activities and the impact of the
system on both the inventory and the
procurement systems. The system’s
contribution to the streamlining of the
inventory and the procurement systems will
be quantitatively and qualitatively measured.
The employee learning and growth section
of the scorecard reflects the metrics which
involve the end-users of the system. The
metrics include the quality and quantity of
users’ acceptance of and satisfaction with the
system, the amount and quality of user
training that is provided, and the actual degree
of the users’ utilization of the system.
THE WORK PLAN
Task 1: Design and implementation of
the Trackee Tagging (TT) subsystem.
key business objectives.
This subsystem will be configured
using either a passive 13.56 Mhz RFID
tag or a traditional two-way active 132
Khz RFID tag. The purpose of using two
different types of RFID tags is to perform
a comparison in terms of feasibility, cost
effectiveness, data storage capacity, speed
of data transmission, transmission
collision, and proximity constraints.
Based on the result of this study, the final
TT prototype that will be used for Phase II
will be constructed using the better RFID
tag type.
Task 2: Development of the system
software for writing RFID data to
RFID tags.
This system software will be
developed to interface with the
development kit software that is normally
supplied by RFID tag manufacturers. The
system software will be designed to be
user friendly, intuitive, and efficient.
Task 3: Design and implementation of
the Local Interrogator and Access Point
(LIAP) subsystem.
This subsystem should be designed for
adaptability to different types of RFID
tags. The LIAP subsystem will be
configured with a RFID reader and a
wireless modem. Data transmission
collected from the RFID tags by the
reader will be forwarded by the
24XStream™ wireless modem to the
central data repository, the Intelligent
Database and Asset Management
subsystem.
The 24XStream wireless modem
manufactured by MaxStream® has a data
rate of 9600 bits per second at a distance
of 0.25 mile in a city environment or 3
miles with a directional antenna. This
transmission capability is more than
sufficient to support the communication
requirement of the proposed system. The
modem operates on the 2.4-2.48Ghz
frequency range using Frequency
Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS)
protocol and can be configured on either
Point-Multipoint or Point-to-Point Multi-
drop network protocol. Its input-output
data rate ranges from 2400 bps to 57600
bps.
Task 4: Development of the system
software for the LIAP subsystem.
The system software that will be
developed will (a) drive the data from the
RFID reader to the wireless modem, and
(b) configure the subsystem with specific
operating parameters before deployment.
Task 5: Deployment and testing of the
TT and the LIAP subsystems.
The deployment and testing of the TT
and the LIAP subsystems will be carried
out in a manufacturing environment.
Task 6: Design and implementation of
the Intelligent Database Management
(IDAM) subsystem.
Task 7: Development of the system
software for the IDAM subsystem.
The design of the relational database
system will be guided by the following
database properties: sufficiently
normalized, query processing efficient,
and amenable to various data mining
techniques.
The design and implementation of the
back-end components of the Data Mining
System will be conducted at the Data
Exploration laboratory at Jacksonville
State University. The system will be
developed using open source components
such as the Weka Mining System and the
XELOPES data mining library.
Task 8: Test and modify each
subsystem’s hardware and software
components.
Task 9: Integrate and test all
subsystems. Perform modifications
when necessary.
Tasks 8 and 9 will be carried-out both
in the development systems and in the
manufacturing environment. The primary
objective of each task is to validate and
test the system. We anticipate that these
tasks will be conducted using multiple
iterations.
Task 10: Perform an assessment of the
project.
The assessment of the project will be
categorized into three different evaluation
processes: Planning Evaluation,
Formative Evaluation, and Summative
Evaluation.
Task 11: Produce an extensive system
documentation
All system documentations including
reports and performance analyses are to
be properly catalogue and saved.
CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE
ENHANCEMENTS
We have presented the design and
development of an intelligent wireless tools
and asset tracking system. The approach that
was used is to leverage the robustness of existing
commercial off-the-shelf technology to create a
system that is immensely beneficial for asset and
tool tracking in a manufacturing setting. This
paper further demonstrates the feasibility of a cost
saving system that can be adapted outside of the
manufacturing setting.
Future enhancements of the system will
include: a) adapting the intelligent system to an
automated procurement system; b) integrating an
additional subsystem that will promote an
enhanced system security measures; c) modifying
the data collection subsystem for better flexibility
and mobility; and d) augmenting or enhancing the
 reporting system to adapt to new wireless
communication protocols.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This paper is based upon a project partly
supported by the National Science Foundation
under grants DUE-9950946 and DUE-
0125635. Opinions expressed are those of the
authors and not necessarily of the Foundation.
REFERENCES
[1] Sharp, Kevin R. “Lessons From the
Front, Three Forward-Thinking RFID
Implementers,” Supply Chain Systems
Magazine (1999).
[2] Case Study. “Increased Security,
Efficiency and Comfort at Airports,” The
Association of Automatic Identification and
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http://www.aimglobal.org/technologies/rfid/c
asestudy . (2002)
[3] Case Study. “Security Access and
Convenience for Express Parcel Couriers”
The Association of Automatic Identification
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http://www.aimglobal.org/technologies/rfid/c
asestudy . (2002)
[4] Carr, Kathleen S. “Tag You’re It,” CSO
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[6] Arveson, Paul. “Measuring Performance
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View publication stats
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[8] Government Performance Results Act of
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http://www.tmginconline.com/mainpages/Ass
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Intermec Technologies, Inc. web site:
www.intermec.com.
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