Sep 08, 2016The following are news announcements made during the past week by the following organizations: Omni-ID; Convergence Systems Ltd., Round Rock Research; Schreiner ProTech; DHL; FleetCor, and STP.
Omni-ID Releases Extreme-Temperature RFID Tag
RFID tag manufacturer Omni-ID has released an extreme-temperature version of its Exo 400 passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID tag, optimized for metal substrates and suitable for applications for which surviving excessive heat in a rugged environment is required, such as health-care sterilization processes, manufacturing and automotive post-paint processes. Omni-ID describes the updated Exo 400 as its first encased high-temperature tag with the ability to survive temperatures as high as 235 degrees Celsius (455 degrees Fahrenheit).
The Exo 400 was introduced in 2012, along with two other rugged EPC Gen 2 RFID tags, the Exo 200 and Exo 400P (see Omni-ID Unveils Three New RFID Tags for Tracking Tools, Containers), designed for tracking small tools, returnable transport items (RTIs) and shipping containers. The earlier version of the Exo 400 was designed to withstand temperatures ranging from -40 degrees to +302 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees to +150 degrees Celsius). The new version can tolerate temperatures ranging from –20 degrees to +235 degrees Celsius (constant maximum high-temperature exposure should not exceed 168 hours).
Encased in a rugged thermoplastic material that has heat, chemical and electrical insulation properties, the new version still uses Alien Technology's Higgs 3 integrated circuit with 96 bits of Electronic Product Code (EPC) memory and 512 bits of user memory. It is slightly larger than the previous version, measuring 37 millimeters by 14 millimeters by 5.9 millimeters (1.46 inches by 0.55 inch by 0.23 inch) and weighing 5.7 grams (0.2 ounce). It has a read range of up to 4.0 meters (13.1 feet) with a fixed reader, and up to 2.0 meters (6.6 feet) with a handheld, like the earlier version. It, too, has an IP 68 rating, signifying it as being water- and dust-proof.
CSL Licenses RFID Patents from Round Rock Research
Convergence Systems Ltd. (CSL), an RFID provider based in Hong Kong, has announced that Round Rock Research had granted an RFID patent license to CSL.
As a result of the non-exclusive license agreement, CSL and its customers can continue to deploy RFID solutions worldwide, free from claims that they are infringing Round Rock's portfolio of RFID patents. CSL designs and manufactures RFID readers, RFID antennas, battery-assisted passive (BAP) tags, real-time location system (RTLS) solutions and a range of RFID application solutions that have been implemented worldwide for security, logistics, temperature monitoring, inventory management and more.
Going back as far as 2011, Round Rock Research had sued several companies adopting passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification technology for patent infringement. Starting in late 2013 and into 2014, a majority of RFID vendors signed licensing agreements to end the lawsuits (see Motorola Solutions, Smartrac Settle Patent Litigation by Round Rock and Tageos Signs RFID Licensing Agreement with Round Rock Research).
"We chose to sign the RFID reader and tag licensing agreement, as have many other RFID vendors, because we did not want the threat of potential litigation to become an issue for our customers," said Jerry Garrett, CSL's managing director, in a prepared statement. "Although CSL has not been implicated in any patent infringement, by signing the agreement we are protecting CSL's customers from potential Round Rock lawsuits."
Schreiner ProTech Intros High-Temp-Resistant RFID Label for the Auto Industry
Schreiner ProTech, a business unit of Schreiner Group, has introduced a new RFID label designed for use in automotive manufacturing processes. The ((rfid))-DistaFerr HighTemp 2 label can be affixed to metallic objects that frequently pass through high-temperature cycles—for instance, during painting, drying or testing processes. Applied directly to metal, it guarantees reliable in-process data reading of up to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet), even at high temperatures of up to 230 degrees Celsius (446 degrees Fahrenheit), the company reports.
According to Schreiner ProTech, equipping metal components with self-adhesive RFID solutions for automatic identification at high temperatures poses challenges. Metal influences the performance capabilities of RFID labels, and the labels are prone to failure in extreme heat. Due to its special high-tech material composition, the ((rfid))-DistaFerr HighTemp 2 label does not shrink when exposed to high temperatures and, therefore, will not expose any paint-free areas on the substrate. At the same time, it supports a long read range. The label complies with the EPC Gen 2 RFID specification and contains 256 bits of Electronic Product Code EPC memory and 512 bits of user memory. Available for the European market, the ETSI version measures 88 millimeters by 23 millimeters (3.5 inches by 0.9 inch).
DHL SmartSensors Track More Than 100 Million Health-Care, Drug Shipments
Logistics company DHL, part of Deutsche Post DHL, has announced that its GPS- and RFID-enabled DHL SmartSensor has been used on more than one million shipments since 2010 to monitor highly sensitive life sciences and health-care freight throughout the supply chain.
The SmartSensor's GPS and RFID technology offers near-real-time tracking of shipments, DHL reports, and powers DHL's key temperature-controlled products, including DHL Air Thermonet and DHL Ocean Thermonet. During the past six years, the company indicates, 62,000 SmartSensor devices have been deployed—primarily by the life sciences and health-care sectors—submitting over 600 billion bytes of data and taking more than 160 million temperature measurements.
DHL Air Thermonet is an RFID-based air-freight service that customers can use to track the temperatures of their goods throughout the shipping process (see DHL Thermonet Tracks Drugs and Life-Sciences Goods with RFID Temperature Tag). DHL Ocean Thermonet, unveiled in May 2016, is designed for round-the-clock monitoring of temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products shipped as ocean freight to help ensure cargo safety and integrity.
The services feature GPS and ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID sensor tags, technology-based temperature-management solutions that include the storing and interpretation of data, alerting mechanisms if temperatures exceed certain parameters, and proactive monitoring centers.
FleetCor Completes Acquisition of STP
FleetCor Technologies Inc., a global provider of fuel cards and workforce payment products to businesses, has announced the completion of its acquisition of Serviços e Tecnologia de Pagamentos S.A. (STP), from a shareholder group including Raizen Combustiveis S.A. (a joint venture between Shell and Cosan) and concessionaires CCR S.A. and Arteris S.A. STP, which operates under the brand Sem Parar, is a Brazilian electronic payments company. The deal is valued at approximately $1.3 billion.
STP-issued RFID tags and stickers process approximately $3.5 billion in toll, parking and fuel payments annually for more than 4.5 million active users, according to FleetCor. STP also provides cardless fuel payments at an expanding number of Shell sites throughout Brazil. STP has approximately 1,675 employees and is headquartered in São Paulo.
FleetCor sells a range of customized automotive fleet and lodging payment programs directly and indirectly through partners, such as major oil companies and petroleum marketers. The firm serves commercial accounts in North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
"We are thrilled to announce the completion of the STP acquisition, the second-largest transaction ever for FleetCor," said Ron Clarke, FleetCor's chairman and CEO, in a prepared statement. "There are a number of great assets that come along with STP including their well known, well-respected brand, great customer base, proven technology, and new extensions into ticketless parking and cardless fuel programs. We also believe that the acquisition will result in substantial synergies as we implement our operating disciplines and consolidate with our other Brazil lines of business."
