The SARFID technique for discriminating tagged items moving through a UHF-RFID gate

The discrimination of tagged items moving along a conveyor belt from other tagged items that are present in the scenario is investigated, when a UHF-RFID gate is installed at a conveyor section. Indeed, tagged items that are static or randomly moving in the scenario (nomad tags) around the reader antenna could be detected even if they are not on the conveyor (false positive readings). The classification procedure here proposed exploits the SARFID phase-based technique used to localize tags on a conveyor belt, which takes advantage of the fact that the tagged items move along a conveyor, whose path and instantaneous speed are both known. The latter can be implemented with only a firmware upgrade, in any conveyor belt scenario already equipped with an RFID system, without any modification of the system infrastructure and additional (reference tags/multiple antennas) or ad hoc hardware. From experimental results in a real scenario, the discrimination between moving tags from static/nomad tags can be obtained with an overall accuracy greater than 99.9%, by employing only one reader antenna

PRLS-INVES: A General Experimental Investigation Strategy for High Accuracy and Precision in Passive RFID Location Systems

Due to cost-effectiveness and easy-deployment, radio-frequency identification (RFID) location systems are widely utilized into many industrial fields, particularly in the emerging environment of the Internet of Things (IoT). High accuracy and precision are key demands for these location systems. Numerous studies have attempted to improve localization accuracy and precision using either dedicated RFID infrastructures or advanced localization algorithms. But these effects mostly consider utilization of novel RFID localization solutions rather than optimization of this utilization. Practical use of these solutions in industrial applications leads to increased cost and deployment difficulty of RFID system. This paper attempts to investigate how accuracy and precision in passive RFID location systems (PRLS) are impacted by infrastructures and localization algorithms. A general experimental-based investigation strategy, PRLS-INVES, is designed for analyzing and evaluating the factors that impact the performance of a passive RFID location system. Through a case study on passive high frequency (HF) RFID location systems with this strategy, it is discovered that: 1) the RFID infrastructure is the primary factor determining the localization capability of an RFID location system and 2) localization algorithm can improve accuracy and precision, but is limited by the primary factor. A discussion on how to efficiently improve localization accuracy and precision in passive HF RFID location systems is given

Improving the retailer industry performance through RFID technology: a case study of Wal-Mart and Metro Group

The purpose of this research study is to examine the improvement of supply chain performance through Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID). This research study focuses on RFID and its implementation at two retail chains Wel-Mart in United State (U.S.) and Metro Group in Europe who has successfully implemented this technology and identifies the impact of RFID on improving supply chain performance in the retail industry. The research study has examined a wide range of research literature and grey data. The researcher has concentrated on both explorative and indicative studies in an effort to understand the impact that the adoption of RFID technology will have on improving the performance of the supply chain by comparing two different case studies. This research study has found that coordination and integration operations are important for inventory management and related operations and they are also important factors which contribute to performance improvement in both case studies. In addition, this research study has found that RFID’s information-sharing support for buyers in the supply chain has promoted the accuracy of purchasing forecasts. Finally, it is found that RFID has provided increased flexibility of operations, using smart shelves and reducing the cost of inventory management

Misplaced Inventory and Lead-Time in the Supply Chain: Analysis of Decision-Making on RFID Investment with Service Level

Radio-frequency identification (RFID), as the key technology of Internet of Things (IoT), has been hailed as a major innovation to solve misplaced inventory and reduce lead-time. Many retailers have been pushing their suppliers to invest this technology. However, its associated costs seem to prohibit its widespread application. This paper analyzes the situation of service level in a retail supply chain, which has resulted from misplaced inventory and lead-time. By newsvendor model, we analyze the difference between with- and without-RFID technologies in service level of centralized and decentralized supply chains, respectively. Then with different service levels, we determine the tag cost thresholds at which RFID technology investment becomes profitable in centralized and decentralized supply chains, respectively. Furthermore, we apply a linear transfer payment coefficient strategy to coordinate with the decentralized supply chain. It is found that whether the adoption of RFID technology improves the service level depends on the cost of RFID tag in the centralized system, but it improves the service level in the decentralized system when only the supplier bears the cost of RFID tag. Moreover, the same cost thresholds of RFID tag with different service levels exist in both the centralized and the decentralized cases

Internet-of-things enabled supply chain planning and coordination with big data services: certain theoretic implications

Recent advances in information technology have led to profound changes in global manufacturing. This study focuses on the theoretical and practical challenges and opportunities arising from the Internet of Things (IoT) as it enables new ways of supply-chain operations partially based on big-data analytics and changes in the nature of industries. We intend to reveal the acting principle of the IoT and its implications for big-data analytics on the supply chain operational performance, particularly with regard to dynamics of operational coordination and optimization for supply chains by leveraging big data obtained from smart connected products (SCPs), and the governance mechanism of big-data sharing. Building on literature closely related to our focal topic, we analyze and deduce the substantial influence of disruptive technologies and emerging business models including the IoT, big data analytics and SCPs on many aspects of supply chains, such as consumers value judgment, products development, resources allocation, operations optimization, revenue management and network governance. Furthermore, we propose several research directions and corresponding research schemes in the new situations. This study aims to promote future researches in the field of big data-driven supply chain management with the IoT, help firms improve data-driven operational decisions, and provide government a reference to advance and regulate the development of the IoT and big data industry.Published versio

Análisis de las aplicaciones de las tecnologías de la información a la logística y criterios de decisión en las inversiones.

En la sociedad actual, la información y la comunicación son un factor determinante en la obtención de ventajas competitivas por parte de las empresas. Las nuevas tecnologías y la conexión de los objetos físicos a la red han transformado el mundo en general. Los sistemas de información que hacen posible la identificación de los objetos de forma automática y la obtención de una enorme cantidad de datos en tiempo real prometen transformar los paradigmas empresariales, en todos los ámbitos y consecuentemente del campo de la logística. En esta tesis se abordan las tecnologías de la información y comunicación que son de aplicación al ámbito de la logística, en particular se analizan cuáles son las de mayor importancia dentro de los procesos logísticos en la gestión de almacenes. Se presta especial atención al sistema de identificación automática mediante radiofrecuencia. Esta tecnología, de gran interés en la comunidad científica y en la empresarial, no ha alcanzado las cuotas de implantación esperadas. Para este trabajo se ha analizado en primer lugar la bibliografía científica en el campo de las tecnologías de la información y comunicación en la logística. Se ha estudiado la bibliografía respecto a la adopción de las innovaciones en el campo de la tecnología de la información, particularizando en los factores que determinan la adopción de los sistemas de identificación automática por parte de las empresas. Como contribución, esta tesis presenta un estudio realizado sobre un grupo de expertos para determinar qué tecnologías son las de mayor importancia en la gestión logística y qué importancia tiene la aplicación de los sistemas de identificación por radiofrecuencia en los procesos de gestión de almacenes. El estudio se ha abordado desde tres metodologías diferentes, sirviendo este trabajo para realizar una comparación entre los resultados obtenidos y entre las tres metodologías aplicadas.In today's society, information and communication are a determining factor in obtaining competitive advantages from companies. New technologies and the connection of physical objects to the network have transformed the world in general. Information systems that make it possible to automatically identify objects, obtain a huge amount of data in real time and promise to transform business paradigms in all areas and consequently in the field of logistics. This thesis, examines the information and communication technologies that are applicable to the field of logistics. In particular, it analyzes which are the most important factors within the logistics processes in warehouse management. Particular attention is paid to the automatic identification system using radio frequency. This technology, of great interest in the scientific community and in business, has not reached the expected implementation quotas. Therefore, the scientific literature in the field of information and communication technologies in logistics has been analyzed first. The literature has been studied regarding the adoption of innovation in the field of information technology, particularizing the factors that determine the adoption of automatic identification systems by companies. As a contribution, this thesis presents a study carried out with a group of experts to determine which technologies are the most important in logistics management and how important the application of radio frequency identification systems is in warehouse management processes. The study has been researched utilizing three different methodologies, allowing this work to make a comparison between the results obtained as well as between the three methodologies that were applied

Organisational factors in RFID adoption, implementation, and benefits

This study investigates the impact of organisational and technological factors within pre-adoption, implementation, and post-implementation phases of RFID system deployment. In the pre-adoption phase, the study examines factors that drive and hinder organisations’ decision to adopt RFID. In the implementation phase, the study investigates the impact of organisational factors (business size, strength of culture, and business process re-engineering) on influencing the implementation processes of RFID. In the post-implementation phase, the study investigates how the benefits derived from RFID implementation interact with organisational factors (business size, strength of culture, and business process re-engineering) and RFID-related factors (product unit level of tagging, RFID implementation stage, and organisational pedigree in RFID). This study was motivated by the lack of (i) an advisory framework which considers quantifiable firm characteristics and the costs and benefits of implementing RFID, in yielding advice to guide decisions on RFID adoption, and (ii) a framework that covers the complete processes of RFID project deployment (from adoption decision to benefits derived) in yielding advice to guide decisions on RFID adoption. This study is achieved using a two-phase research approach: questionnaire survey of organisations that have adopted or plan to adopt RFID and case studies of organisations that have integrated RFID into their business processes. In addition, a thorough review of existing literature on RFID in different industrial settings was conducted. The key findings from the study indicate that RFID adoption is driven by factors from technological, organisational and environmental contexts and that the adoption, implementation and benefits of RFID are influenced by organisational culture strength, business size, and BPR. It was found that strong cultures, organisational size and BPR are all positively correlated with RFID adoption decisions, implementation and benefits. Potential contribution towards the existing body of knowledge is through highlighting the significance of organisational culture strength, business size, and BPR in providing a platform in which RFID will be accepted and implemented successfully to achieve maximum derivable benefits