RFID mifare card reader, Tags & Reader

• A reader, that is connected to (or integrated with)
• An antenna, that sends out a radio signal
• A tag (or transponder) that returns the signal with information added

The reader usually is connected to a third party system that is accepting (and storing) RFID related events and uses these events to trigger actions. In the security industry that system might be a building access control system, in the parking industry it is most likely a parking 

management or vehicular access control system. In libraries it might be a library management system.

Let’s have a closer look at access control systems. These systems usually consist of:

• RFID access control cards that, are read by
• Access control RFID mifare card readers next to the door, that are connected to
• Access control panels (a physical controller), hardware that is able to open door locks and that is connected to
• An access control management system (software) that manages building access credentials and authorizations.

Many different access control systems exist worldwide. Most of these systems store access control rights for people (or vehicles) and also link those people to something that identifies them. Usually a number that is stored on an access control card. When an access control card (the RFID tag) is shown to the access control reader next to the door (the RFID reader with RFID antenna), that specific number is sent to the access control panel (a physical controller). The control panel connects with the access control management software (at a server or in the cloud) to check who is connected to that number and if he/she has access to the door that is approached. When the person is authorized an event is stored at the server (for the event log book) and the access control panel is asked to open the door (by telling the physical lock to unlock).

The basic principle is easy. But a lot of software components and hardware devices are put to work to physically open the door when someone with the right access rights is showing their RFID card to the RFID reader.

You will probably know that RFID is a generic word for a wide variety of different systems that use radio frequencies to identify something. All that variation is the reason that RFID tags and readers are not always interoperable. And that again is the reason that RFID manufacturers and vendors ask so many questions when you try to purchase their systems: they would like to make sure that whatever RFID systems you procure, it is really working well.
 

Any question about RFD,please feel free to contact SLON.