Solve the Access Control Problem: RFID +AVI = EZ AX-S

In the time you spent figuring out what the equation in the title means, The Tagmaster access control system could have verified the ID tag mounted in your car window and raised the entry arm to the parking lot.

 In case you’re still decoding, the answer is Radio Frequency Identification plus Automatic Vehicle Identification equals easy access. 

RFID is a tracking and identification solution using a wireless no-contact radio system to transfer data from a tag attached to an object for purposes of automatic identification. Unlike the ubiquitous barcode with its machine-readable parallel bars that store binary code, TFID tags have read and write capabilities. Thus data stored on them can be changed, updated, and locked. Another difference between the two is that while a bar code can only be read within line of sight, the RFID tag contains electronically stored information that can be read from yards away.

RFID when it was introduced in 1970, like any new technology, proved to be too expensive for wide usage. The transportation industry was among the first to adopt RFID tags, using them to to track large items, like cows, railroad cars and airline luggage, that were shipped over long distances. Mass production and time have lowered the cost and many business sectors have adopted its usage. The auto industry makes use of RFID tags to track the progress of an automobile through the assembly line. Pharmaceutical companies track drugs through their warehouses. Retail stores have adopted the technology to track inventory for stocking and marketing purposes. And it has become quite commonplace for employers to issue RFID tags in the form of access cards for entry to gated parking areas. This brings us back to the equation involving RFID and AVI.

TagMaster, a Swedish public company was a pioneer in the development of long-range identification systems uses radio frequency identification to identify vehicles at long distances with accuracy and speed. They have used the technology to effect secure and non-intrusive vehicle access control. At its most basic, a system is composed of a tag which holds the bearer’s unique identification data and a reader which can transfer the data for verification against a data base. Let’s take a look at one configuration.

The Reader

The LR-3, specially designed for parking applications, is a long range reader that operates on a 2.45 GHz radio wave frequency. It can identify ID tags as far away as ten feet. Thanks to its compact size it can be mounted on a pole or directly on the lane. The LR-3 requires a power supply ranging from 10 to 28V, and can be easily integrated into an existing access control systems using standard interfaces.

The ID tag

The ParkTag is partnered with the LR-3 for parking applications and operates on the same 2.45GHz frequency. When placed in the provided WinFix holder sleeve the tag’s information is read by the LR-3 as the vehicle approaches a lowered barrier or closed gate, and if verified, the driver gains access without ever taking her hands off the steering wheel or coming to a full stop. The ParkTag has a predictable three year life.

Tagmaster also has a solution for employees needing access to locked buildings and high security areas after they have parked their cars. 

 The CombiTag offers long range RFID enabled vehicle access as well as short-range personal access when installed with a selectable proximity solution such as HID’s IClass technology. The driver drives in to the parking facility with the CombiTag in place, then, once he has gained entrance takes it out of theWinFix holder on the windshield to use as a badge to enter any locked building or high security area whose entry doors are equipped with a proximity reader. There is no need to fish in purses or jacket pockets at the last moment.

If you are interested in finding out more about long range identification and access control feel free to call Kintronics at 800-431-1658 or visit is at www.kintronics.com