Resource management and supply chain visibility

Syscan International has developed a solution for the cold chain industry: iCE — a wireless RFID device that allows reliable data acquisition based on IEEE 802.15.4.

Intelligent communication enabled — iCE is a technology designed to address the typical RFID constraints such as read reliability, read range and energy consumption

iCE enables tags to communicate to other tags, creating ad-hoc networks. The technology breakthrough ensures reliable data reads, increased read range, communication bridges and dynamic bidirectional network communications.

Typical RFID can have unreliable data reads, limited read range and struggle with metal, liquids and humidity. It also takes higher power consumption, does not provide dynamic communication and is ideally suitable for static systems only. You also require multiple readers and antennae at every tag read point.

The iCE solution can provide mobile resource management, container management, supply chain visibility and asset tracking.

The system uses a master/slave relationship, where the master is used to read the slave tags that are assigned to it. This inter-relationship is used to improve performance, battery life and range. Using this system, iCE can achieve up to a 350 m read range. The slave tags report to the master, which in turn reports to the iCE UMCD (universal monitoring and communication device) or iCE Reader.

Using a GPRS cellular network, the iCE UMCD-G (or UMCD-E for company networks) sends the information it has gathered include tag identification, GPS location and sensor data to the Syscan server where it provides real-time non-conformance information at the point of activity, (ie, temperature violations, door alarms). In non-moving applications, existing Wi-Fi network connections can be used to transfer the data.

Users have direct access to the data via the Syscan server and can view the information via internet connection or integrate the information in their own software. As well, email, text messages and phone alerts to problems are always accessible.

Linked to a computer the iCE Reader Serial can be used to read iCE tags directly.