March 12, 2010

Author: Sanjay Chatterjee

Published: March 2010

Pages: 209

Pricing:

Single-user License: $ 995 USD

Company-wide License: $ 2,495 USD

Team License (2-5 people): $ 1,485 USD

RFID, M2M, RFID and M2M, Radio Frequency ID, Machine to Machine, Machine to Machine Communications

Overview

Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications and Radio Frequency ID (RFID) together represent a means of direct communication between connection hardware and the object that needs monitoring: the information about its status of performance is directly sent to a computer system without the need for human intervention. This makes automation of processes or consumer action possible.

The technology that utilized originates largely in the manufacturing and industrial processes industry, where physical assets networking have been done for decades. The goal of M2M-RFID is exactly as of a plant-floor automation systems or remote-monitoring solutions: it evolves getting information from sensors in a device and transmitting it to an IT network.

This report evaluates the working aspects of M2M along with the details of RFID, provides deep insights into telecommunication technologies, reviews the latest developments within M2M, and provides further analysis through in-depth case study examples. The report includes a listing of recent M&A activity.

The report includes:

• M2M Standards for RFID
• Security issues for M2M RFID
• Explanation of Risk & Security Analysis
• An evaluation of the available Technologies and its Products
• An overview of the applications of RFID
• Evaluation of RFID application in Healthcare, Defense, etc
• Information about M2M Companies and Takeovers
• A detailed explanation and evaluation techniques of Fault Analysis
• A brief evaluation of an M2M Telecom Company
• Assessment of technology used in many real life case studies
• Future and Roadmap of M2M with special focus on RFID
• RFID Company analysis in Europe, Asia and United States

Target Audience

• This is a must-have resource for anyone engaged in business or technology planning and engineering involving M2M
• Investors, analysts, and consultants in the M2M industry will find that this report provides all they need to know about M2M
• RFID hardware, software, and solution vendors and related professional services companies
• Managed services providers, outsourced RFID solutions and application providers, and RFID service bureau operators
• Personnel responsible for automating Supply Chain Management (SCM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and other business processes
• Healthcare management personnel responsible for tracking patients, staff personnel, equipment, inventory, and other critical resources
• Retailers and personnel responsible for merchandise inventory and ordering processes, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Merchandise tracking and fraud prevention
• Providers of value-added applications and services such as metering, telemetry, telematics, and sensor applications, inventory control and tracking such as merchandise control, asset tracking and recovery such as computing equipment monitoring, tracking parts moving through a manufacturing process, tracking goods in a supply chain, and payment systems
• RFID and/or M2M Hardware Manufacturing companies
• Companies interested in optimizing their RFID and/or M2M business process strategies
• Venture Capitalist and Startup companies interested in funding RFID and/or M2M companies

Table of Contents

Introduction 9
M2M Evolution 11
RFID in a Nutshell 12

M2M - Telecommunications 14

Wireless Service Technology and Protocols 19

The Technologies 22
GPRS (General Purpose Radio Service)23
1xRTT or CDMA2000 23
iDEN Packet24
Advantages of SMS 27
Interactive Two-Way 27
Simultaneous Transmission with Voice 27
Confirmation of Delivery 27
Store and Forward Method 27
Use Of Phone Number As The Address 28
High Degree of Encryption 28
Transmission At Higher Power Than The Voice Channel28
Analog Control Channel28

Wireless Technology Recommendation for M2M 30
GSM-SMS and GPRS 30
CDMA-1xRTT 30
iDEN Packet 30
Technology Strategy of M2M 31
Hardware Budget31
Scope of Deployment-Domestic or International31
Ease of Creating the Application 32
Wireless Service Options 32
Wireless Access Costs 32
Further Technology Considerations 32
Back-end Server Technology 34
Gateway to Wireless Carrier or Service Provider 34
Delivery of SMS to the Internet35
Applications of M2M 39

RFID - A Brief Outlook 40
Types of RFID Systems 42
Types of Tags 42
Passive Tags 42
Semi Passive RFID Tags 42
Active RFID Tags 43
Active Tags with Sensors/GPS 43
Application Field 43
Difference between Active and Passive RFID 45
RFID Comparison Matrix 46

M2M Standards for RFID 47
Standardization Organizations and Processes 48
Basic Organizations 48
Standard development organizations 49
Commercial organization 50
Standardization Business Models 51
Standardization of the Radio Frequency Spectrum 53
Low Frequency Band 54
Short Wave Band 54
High Frequency Band 55
UHF Band 56
Microwave Frequency Band 2.45 GHz 57
Radar& HIPERLAN Frequency Band 58
Standards and Inter-Operability Issues 59
Recent Trends and Issues 60
Company Takeovers 62

Security Issues 64
Types of Attacks 64
Spoofing Attacks 65
Insert65
Replay Attack 66
Flood Attack 66
Un-authorized Tag Data Manipulation 66
Middleware Issues 67
Backend Database Corruption 68
Blended Attacks 68
Man in the Middle Attack 68
Fraud at Chip Level69
M2M Risk and Security Management 71
M2M Risk Analysis 72
System Security & System Policies 74
Risk & Attack Management75

M2M RFID Applications 77
M2M RFID in Healthcare 78
RFID on Humans 80
Other Applications 82
Advanced M2M Applications 88
M2M Monitoring - Passport 90
M2M - Smart Appliances 92
M2M in Personalization 93

M2M RFID Next Generation 94
Tomorrows RFID Technology 94
Tags 95
Readers 97
System Technology 98
RFID Deployment Fault Analysis 99
Basics of RFID Deployment Monitoring Principles 100
Efficiency Monitoring 103
Tag Read Error 103
Standard Monitoring Procedure 106

M2M Company Analysis 108
Product and Services 109
Mobile Solutions 109
Key Features & Benefits:110
Elephant Talk M2M Value Proposition 110
Key Features & Benefits:112
Two Stage Dialing 114
Key Features & Benefits:114
Additional Services and Offerings 115
Methodology 115
Research & Development and Engineering 116
Quality Assurance 116

M2M Case Studies 117
RFID Implementation at Rittal 117
Client Details 117
Issue 117
Solution Provider 117
Briefs 118
Asset Tracking at US Air Force Base 119
Client Details 119
Issue 119
Solution Provider 119
Briefs 119
RFID at the Department of Energy - US 121
Client Details 121
Issue 121
Solution Provider 121
Briefs 121
Item Tracking at Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel 127
Client Details 127
Issue 127
Solution Provider 127
Briefs 127
Mississippi Blood Services Banks on RFID 130
Client Details 130
Issue 130
Solution Provider 130
Briefs 130
RFID implementation at Special Olympics, US 135
Client Details 135
Issue 135
Solution Provider 136
Briefs 136
Vehicular Collision Prevention at Australian Mine 139
Client Details 139
Issue 139
Solution Provider 139
Briefs 139
RFID in Fashion 145
Client Details 145
Issue 145
Briefs 145
German Publisher Adoption of RFID 149
Solution Provider 149
Briefs 149
Palette Tracking in Japan 153
Solution Provider 153
Briefs 153

Future & Roadmap 158
M2M adoption with time 158
Pre 2000 Segment158
2000 - Mobile and Telecommunication 159
2003 - Inventory Monitoring and Tracking 159
2005 - HealthCare and Medical160
2007 - Defense and Homeland Security 160
2010 - Now 161
2010 and Beyond 161
Growth Factors of M2M from 2010 and Beyond 162
Telecommunication 163
M2M Wireless and Consumer Products 164
Asset Tracking and other M2M RFID Applications 165

M2M & RFID Company Analysis 167
RFID Companies in Europe 167
RFID Companies in Asia/Asia Pacific 184
RFID Companies in the United States of America 195

Conclusion 208

Table of Figures

Figure 1. M2M and its components 10
Figure 2. M2M and Telecommunication components 14
Figure 3. Schematic of Field Deployed Unit 15
Figure 4. Functional Segments of an Interface Board 16
Figure 5. Block Diagram of a Processor Module 18
Figure 6. Components of the Architecture 18
Figure 7. Wireless Service Protocols for Telecommunication 19
Figure 8. Technology Perspective 21
Figure 9. Standards and their components 22
Figure 10. Standards vs Bearers comparison 23
Figure 11. Advantages of 3G 24
Figure 12. Advantages of SMS 26
Figure 13. Technology Strategy of M2M 31
Figure 14. Typical M2M server integration to a 3G Network 35
Figure 15. Back-end Server Functions 36
Figure 16 . Frequency Bands 53
Figure 17. Advanced M2M Application Schematic 88
Figure 18. Schematic of a Smart Device 92
Figure 19. A schematic of the Smart Refrigerator 92
Figure 20. Mobile Solutions 110
Figure 21. M2M solution components 112
Figure 22. M2M Application Examples 113
Figure 23. Location Based Service 114
Figure 24. Additional Services 115
Figure 25. Growth of M2M 162
Figure 26. M2M and Telecommunications 163
Figure 27. Stats and Components 163
Figure 28. M2M Wireless and Consumer Products 164

List of Tables

Table 1. Applications of M2M... 39
Table 2. Differences between RFID Types. 45
Table 3. RFID Comparison Matrix. 46
Table 4. Growth Prediction Table. 165
Table 5. M2M - 2010 and Beyond