Reducing False Reads in RFID-Embedded Supply Chains

Abstract

RFID tags are increasingly being used in supply chain applications due to their potential in engendering supply chain visibility and reducing tracking errors through instantaneous location of objects as well as the tagged object's immediate ambient conditions. During its life-time, an RFID tag is highly likely to physically pass through different organizations that have disparate information systems with varying information needs. We consider management of data in these applications with respect to volume, data and query characteristics, privacy and security, among others, and propose means to reduce false positive and false negative reads. The beneficial properties of RFID tags can be realized only when they are readable with a high degree of accuracy. The read rate accuracy in turn depends on several factors including the medium and distance between tag and reader, presence of objects that are impenetrable by RF signal, orientation of tag with respect to the reader, among others. We propose three algorithms that address read rate accuracy, and illustrate their relative performance using an example scenario.