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How to read RFID active wifi tag

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: CC3200, CC3100

Hi everyone,

I have tried to post this message in different sections but never got a reply.
I am a bit disappointed that Texas Instrument replied to my question redirecting me to a forum.
I have posted a few messages and received no reply, I am be after hundreds of wifi router and it looks like nobody gives a damn.

We are working on a R&D project for an underground company, we will need to read a pre-existing RFID active tag which operates at 2.4Ghz and 802.11 protocol compliant. (so this may be slightly different from the 802.15.4 for ZigBee).
Many underground mines use active RFID tags to track people both for safety and data management, we will build a machine which need to read this tag in order to store in a database the details of the last operator working on this machine.
At this moment I am interested in knowing what options we have, I did some reading and it seems I can read the tag with a normal AP but I guess I need to have some sort of firmware running on it able to stream the data read from the tag to an external unit.
The external unit (PLC, so CAN bus with raw CAN/CANopen interface or raw RS232, or HMI, so Modbus TCP over Ethernet) will have to store the data in internal memory.
My question is if this is achievable with off the shelves products or I need to write the software inside the AP.
We would like to have the AP functionality as well so we will be able to connect to the HMI (it runs a web server) trow a tablet with a point to point connection.

If yes, what platform and software environment I should use?

Claudio

  • Claudio -
    sorry for your experience thus far.
    if you could point us to the other posts, we can help make sure they get attended to.

    Regarding your project -
    would you be interested in looking at the CC3100 or CC3200? in this case, you could have the devices just going directly to the cloud with the information so you could leverage to accomplish your end goals. Our examples can show you the device in either AP mode or Station mode.

    in the AP example, you can connect to handset for demo example purposes, then you can also provision that device with the handset to an AP and use as a station, then have multiple stations on the AP, all feeding data to the cloud that you could get from terminal there locally or anywhere you have internet access. Data can be logged locally too. and you could use NFC to do the provisioning as well in the event the end user just needs quick way to get them connected - it will depend on what you need and want to build in the end. Sometimes the customers can take the examples we provide and use them directly - in most cases, in my experience with helping people implement their systems, invariably some code development does take place because the application demands it.

    Development kits are here:
    www.ti.com/.../cc3100boost
    www.ti.com/.../cc3200-launchxl

    Code examples, technical reference documents, etc. are on the product pages and include things like AP mode, station mode, provisioning, using the MCU peripherals (I2C, GPIO, ADC, etc)

    and there are ways to customize the systems made from our devices in case you want to use like RTLS style "tag"

    good physical example of what i think you want to end up with (more or less) is here ==> (sneak peak video) www.youtube.com/watch

    and our CC26xx team has BLE version of this device as well.

    again, sorry for your waiting - please do understand that the Forum is a busy place and we actually do get measured on response times - so i am a little surprised you got no response at all if you have posted numerous places.

    please do send over the links to those posts, i can look into it. we take it seriously. :)
  • Good day Josh,

    these are the other two posts:
    e2e.ti.com/.../502641
    e2e.ti.com/.../500016
    First was posted on the 22/03, second on the 01/04.

    I had a look at the video, this is similar but not exactly the same.
    The environment we are working on is underground mining and there will not be network coverage, the cloud is not an option.
    Each person working in the area will have a wifi active tag, the data store inside the tag has to be sent to the main controller (PLC).
    The PLC will store this data info into a csv file created for the monitoring of the machine.
    The PLC has an ethernet interface (modbus TCP), a CAN and a RS232 interface.
    The maintenance crew will use a laptop or tablet to connect to the PLC (wifi through the AP) and download the csv file.
    All above is already defined, we are only missing the step of how to read the wifi TAG and how to transfer the data to the PLC using one of the available interfaces.

    In conclusion, the AP should perform two tasks.
    1) working as a normal AP, will allow the wifi connection between the PLC and the tablet.
    2) In case a tag is detected, will send this data to the PLC.

    Sorry but I don`t have experience with wifi Active tags, only with passive tags operating in the 900Mhz.
    We usually refer to the data stored in the memory as EPC, considering these tags are active and operating at an higher frequency there may be much more data we may access.
    I hope I gave you enough information and they were clear.
    Thanks

    Claudio
  • thanks for the links - i made note on them that points to this post now and i will follow up with those guys to see what happened there.

    regarding your application -

    here i think the solution will look like this based on your description  - please comment back if i missed something -in this case, you can use CAN transceiver in between CC3200 and your PLC. 

    see these TI design (one is for UART and the other is for RS-485, but if you pick from the TCAN families a device which suits you, then you will be all set.) 

  • Hi Josh,

    yes, this is what we are trying to achieve.
    I need to send you the datasheet of the wifi tag we are trying to read.
    This is a pre-existing tag already used by all personnel in the mine site.
    Do you have an email address where I can send it? I can`t post it here.

    Is there anything else I need to verify to make sure this solution will work?
    Thanks

    Claudio

  • Claudio - my work email is: josh.wyatt@ti.com 

  • Hi Josh,

    I sent the datasheet to you yesterday.

    Can you please check it didn`t end up in the spam folder?

    Thanks

    Claudio

  • i got it - just got busy with a couple things - will get back to you asap - but it might be tomorrow afternoon or Friday - sorry