ISO 18000-6B UHF Protocol

ISO 18000-6B UHF protocol is a communication protocol for RFID tags.

ISO 18000 is a suite of international standards established by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) to support the development and integration of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags. ISO 18000-6B UHF is an individual standard within this suite designed to support a given communication protocol.

Identification

RFID tags are used in supply chain management and logistics applications where companies tag shipments with RFID tags for identification. Using an RFID reader, distribution personnel or systems can identify the shipment and route it as applicable. To function, both the RFID tag and the RFID reader must operate to the same communications protocol. ISO 18000-6B UHF protocol is one such communications protocol.

Function

The ISO 18000-6B UHF communication protocol is defined by three unique characteristics: air interface, which identifies the modulation of the reader signal, medium access control, which controls the flow of information between the tag and the reader, and data definition, which identifies the type of data associated with a tag.

Significance

There are many RFID tags and associated communications protocols and many different readers. If the readers and the associated tags don't use the same protocol, this will significantly impede the transfer of goods throughout the distribution system. For this reason, companies must communicate and coordinate up and down the supply chain to ensure compatibility.

References

• International Organization of Standardization (ISO): ISO/IEC 18000-1:2008
• Enigmatics: The RF in RFID