An RFID tag is a microchip combined with an antenna in a compact package; the packaging is structured to allow the RFID tag

to be attached to an object to be tracked. "RFID" stands for Radio Frequency Identification. The tag's antenna picks up signals from an RFID reader or scanner and then returns the signal, usually with some additional data (like a unique serial number or other customized information). RFID tags can be very small - the size of a large rice grain. Others may be the size of a small paperback book. RFID tags broadcast over a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The exact frequency is variable and can be chosen to avoid interference with other electronics or among RFID tags and readers in the form of tag interference or reader interference. RFID systems can use a cellular system called Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) to make sure the wireless communication is handled properly [source:

active and semi-passive RFID tags use internal batteries to power their circuits. An active tag also uses its battery to broadcast radio waves to a reader, whereas a semi-passive tag relies on the reader to supply its power for broadcasting. Because these tags contain more hardware than passive RFID tags, they are more expensive. Active and semi-passive tags are reserved for costly items that are read over greater distances -- they broadcast high frequencies from 850 to 950 MHz that can be read 100 feet (30.5 meters) or more away. If it is necessary to read the tags from even farther away, additional batteries can boost a tag's range to over 300 feet (100 meters)

Active Tag (Active RFID Tag)

An RFID tag is an active tag when it is equipped with a battery that can be used as a partial or complete source of power for the tag's circuitry and antenna. Some active tags contain replaceable batteries for years of use; others are sealed units. (Note that It is also possible to connect the tag to an external power source.)
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Advantages of active RFID tags Problems and Disadvantages with active RFID tags Features of active RFID tags

The major advantages of an active rfid tag are:

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It can be read at distances of one hundred feet or more, greatly improving the utility of the device It may have other sensors that can use electricity for power.

The problems and disadvantages of an active RFID tag are:

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The tag cannot function without battery power, which limits the lifetime of the tag. The tag is typically more expensive, often costing $20 or more each The tag is physically larger, which may limit applications. The long-term maintenance costs for an active RFID tag can be greater than those of a passive tag if the batteries are replaced. Battery outages in an active tag can result in expensive misreads.

Active RFID tags may have all or some of the following features:
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longest communication range of any tag the capability to perform independent monitoring and control the capability of initiating communications the capability of performing diagnostics the highest data bandwidth

active rfid tags may even be equipped with autonomous networking; the tags autonomously determine the best communication path. A passive tag is an RFID tag that does not contain a battery; the power is supplied by the reader. When radio waves from the reader are encountered by a passive rfid tag, the coiled antenna within the tag forms a magnetic field. The tag draws power from it, energizing the circuits in the tag. The tag then sends the information encoded in the tag's memory. Passive RFID tags rely entirely on the reader as their power source. These tags are read up to 20 feet (six meters) away, and they have lower production costs, meaning that they can be applied to less expensive merchandise. These tags are manufactured to be disposable, along with the disposable consumer goods on which they are placed. Whereas a railway car would have an active RFID tag, a bottle of shampoo would have a passive tag. The major disadvantages of a passive rfid tag are:
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The tag can be read only at very short distances, typically a few feet at most. This greatly limits the device for certain applications. It may not be possible to include sensors that can use electricity for power. The tag remains readable for a very long time, even after the product to which the tag is attached has been sold and is no longer being tracked.

The advantages of a passive tag are:

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The tag functions without a battery; these tags have a useful life of twenty years or more. The tag is typically much less expensive to manufacture The tag is much smaller (some tags are the size of a grain of rice). These tags have almost unlimited applications in consumer goods and other areas.

Antenna (RFID Tag Antenna)

The antenna in an RFID tag is a conductive element that permits the tag to exchange data with the reader. Passive RFID tags make use of a coiled antenna that can create a magnetic field using the energy provided by the reader's carrier signal.