Siemens 2005 Annual Report Download - page 54

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RFID transponder
The word “transponder” is a combination of “transmit”
and “responder.” Also called an RFID “tag” or “smart
chip,” a transponder is a microchip with a transmitter,
receiver and antenna – all embedded in a carrier unit.
Applications for RFID technology are virtually limitless.
For example, state-of-the-art libraries are using RFID
systems to expedite the lending and tracking of
media. At ski resorts, RFID transponders embedded in
ski passes are facilitating lift access. And at sports sta-
diums, tickets equipped with these tags are speeding
up admission.
Objects with a personality
Individualization – a defining trend in today’s society
– is now spreading throughout industry. In the fields
of logistics and production, for example, pallets and
containers are being equipped with an electronic
memory that endows them with their own individual
“personalities.” Based on radio frequency identifica-
tion (RFID) transponders (see box), this new technolo-
gy is driving innovation in a wide variety of fields:
RFID transponders are making healthcare more effi-
cient and patient-friendly, enhancing security at public
events, reducing logistics costs, helping detect defec-
tive products and minimizing losses from waste, theft
and counterfeiting.
Looking inside the package
Electronic RFID transponders or “tags,” which can be
read in a fraction of a second by a special write/read
device, can be attached to all kinds of goods. Their
readability – unlike that of conventional bar codes –
is not impaired by scratches or dirt. They also carry
much more information and can be overwritten with
new data. Because the tags are read by radio signals,
goods can be identified even when enclosed in packag-
ing. Siemens has been refining this technology for
more than 20 years and has already delivered more
than 250,000 write/read devices worldwide. Experts
predict that RFID technology will boom over the next
few years as the tags and write/read devices become
more powerful and are increasingly integrated into
merchandise management systems. Applications
include logistics management and goods tracking for
complex production processes such as those used in
the pharmaceutical, automotive and foodstuffs indus-
tries and in the retail sector. Even hospital patients are
now reaping the benefits of RFID technology: Tags
embedded in patient wristbands enable physicians to
quickly access a patient’s complete medical history.
Leading supplier of RFID solutions
As one of the world’s leading single-source suppliers
of RFID technology, we provide solutions for all indus-
tries along the value chain. For example, our Dematic
subsidiary offers material flow solutions, and our
Automation and Drives Group develops transponders
and write/read devices. Siemens Business Services pro-
vides process consulting, integrates RFID technology
into customers’ IT systems and manages and operates
installed solutions for RFID projects. We are a member
of the METRO Group’s Future Store Initiative, which
develops and implements RFID application scenarios.
We have bundled our RFID-related activities in a cross-
Group initiative monitored by a special RFID Technol-
ogy Development Board. Our portfolio encompasses
a wide range of products and services – including
write/read devices, RFID tags, software for systems
integration, interfaces to enterprise resource planning
(ERP) systems, process analysis and optimization,
and complete logistics solutions tailored to specific
customer needs. Our goal is to create added customer
value by integrating RFID solutions into existing
processes.
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