SBIR Phase I: Nested Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Combined Reader/Active Tags to Improve Supply Chain Management

The Small Business Innovation Research ( SBIR) Phase I project describes a reader and active tag (RAT) technology as a local interrogator of passive tags in a container. The RAT can retrieve inventory from passively tagged assets, store the inventory in memory for on-demand retrieval, or relay gathered inventory to a remote access interrogator. It can relay the information real time to a master interrogator (a fixed network access box, a palm or mobile handheld interrogator, a potable PC or a laptop). The broader impacts include reduced supply chain management costs. The RAT is designed to be tamper proof, environmentally resilient, and rechargeable. A minimum of 10X reduction in Cap-Ex and Op-Ex, and potential of at least 10X range extension have been demonstrated using the proposed RAT. RAT's implementation is an essential enabler for implementation of cost-effective manufacturing enterprise system.