RFID and Contactless Technology

An increasing number of ‘contactless’ systems are based on passive Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. A passive RFID token is powered by a transmitted RF carrier, which is also used for bidirectional communication. RFID technology comprises of several standards , which are suitable for different applications. Electronic Product Code (EPC) tags, contactless credit cards, e-passports , and access control are just a few examples of systems that use a subset of this technology. This chapter contains a brief explanation of RFID operating principles along with an overview of prominent implementations and industry standards.