RFID FAQ

How does the TROVAN RFID system work?

The system consists of two basic elements: the passive transponder (the ID tag) and the reader. The reader emits a low-frequency magnetic field via its antenna. When a transponder passes within range, it is excited causing it to transmit its ID code back to the reader. Transmission and reception occurs simultaneously. This makes for a very short read time.

Step 1
The reader emits a magnetic field. When a transponder passes through the field, its antenna coil is energized.


Step 2
The chip immediately begins to send its ID code back to the reader. In the reader, receiver coils sense the minute transponder's signal. The transponder's digital code is displayed on the readers LCD and can be saved in memory.

Do TROVAN transponders require maintenance?

No. The transponder is passive: it contains no batteries and is hermetically sealed in a housing designed to tolerate harsh environmental conditions. The permanently programmed code is unique and cannot be modified or deleted. Thus, each transponder is completely maintenance free and, in principle, has an unlimited life span.

What are the advantages of the TROVAN passive transponder technology?

Compared to barcode and conventional ID technologies such as embossed serial numbers or tattoos, the TROVAN transponders can be a fraction of the size.

Compared to other RFID systems, the system

  • Provides unprecedented read speeds,
  • Can operate in areas with high levels of electromagnetic interference
  • Exceptional read range on all transponder sizes.
  • Provides superior performance on metals. Transponders mounted on steel parts or countersunk in metal, with only one surface exposed, can still be detected and read.

What provisions have been made for code security?

Comprehensive automatic test methods ensure that no code exists in duplicate in any of the TROVAN UNIQUE™ transponder types, and that the codes are programmed correctly in a readable manner. In each transponder, 39 bits of memory are reserved for the code. That translates into 239 (or about 550 billion) possible unique codes. If one were to assign all 550 billion codes to transponder with the smallest dimensions known today, specifically the ID-100 Microtransponders with their length of 12 mm, and then line these transponders up end to end, the resulting string would measure 6.5 million kilometers in length, which is about 160 times the circumference of the earth.

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