Your Way to a Successful Future!
RFID Systems are Simple: Something Sends, Something Receives. RFID technologies are sender-receiver systems for wireless data exchange using radio waves. The sender is usually an RFID transponder, and an RFID reader receives the data.
Depending on the transmission frequency, a distinction is made between RFID systems operating with LF (low frequency), HF (high frequency), and UHF (ultra-high frequency). LF systems have relatively low transmission rates but the lowest susceptibility to interference. When transmitting on higher frequencies, the transmission rates increase. On the other hand, the susceptibility to interference is somewhat higher. A special application is "Near Field Communication" (NFC), an RFID technology for wireless data exchange, in which mobile devices are used.
Identification of Objects
Quickly and easily identify individual containers and their
contents or general cargo stored in the warehouse with RFID
technology in the container terminal.
Optimization of Traffic Flow
Optimize the traffic flow in your area using intelligent traffic-telematic RFID systems, including, for example, traffic-dependent light signal systems (LSA).
Innovative Parking Solutions
Enable customers to use RFID technology in parking lots to park without tickets and without having to search for a parking space.
Efficient Fleet Management
Efficient Fleet Management
Use RFID technology to organize fleet management that gives authorized drivers keyless access to vehicles and documents who drove which vehicle and when.
Optimized Drug Administration
Use RFID technology to optimize and automate the
administration of medication.
Automated Production
Use an RFID chip on a product in the manufacturing process to document the production process. This way, your automated production system recognizes when a step has been completed, and a new one can begin.
INVESTMENT FOR A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE!
For many companies, the Internet of Things is no longer just an option. It has become a necessity. The efficient exchange of data between devices and machines is crucial for them if they want to remain successful in their markets in the future.
The IoT can accelerate work steps, prevent errors and failures in production processes and reduce costs. Numerous areas of application are possible:
IoT supports companies in just-in-time production which often drastically reduces storage costs for production materials.
With the help of IoT, data exchange between devices can identify and eliminate weak points in production at an early stage before major repairs become necessary.
IoT can support smart cities in routing traffic intelligently, for example, by means of smart traffic light systems.
In logistics, IoT technology can simplify the identification of containers and container contents.
With the help of IoT, access to company premises and keyless access to vehicles can be managed.
These are just a few of the areas of application for IoT. Get to know the Internet of Things solutions from KATHREIN Solutions now. We implement IoT systems for companies from a wide range of industries as well as local authorities and other organisations. Discover the advantages of IoT solutions from KATHREIN Solutions.
Connected with Numerous Advantages: The Internet of Things
Among the most popular devices available in the IoT today are smart watches and fitness trackers. They monitor important body functions or sports activities and record data. Such wearables are useful. However, they are probably not the IoT applications with the greatest impact on modern society. At least as important are in-house IoT solutions in the B2B sector and the use of the Internet of Things by federal states and municipalities for transport infrastructure.
The Internet of Things is more than just an innovation. It is revolutionising the way of doing business, production processes and mobility solutions in smart cities. For companies and local authorities, the Internet of Things is the ticket to a future that at some point promises success almost exclusively for those organizations working with IoT solutions. Secure one of these advantages! We at KATHREIN Solutions will be glad to support you.
IoT Hardware for All Applications
KATHREIN Solutions offers you RFID-based hardware which can be used to implement numerous IoT solutions. "RFID" is an abbreviation for "Radio-Frequency Identification" and stands for a contactless data exchange between senders and receivers. Depending on the IoT technology used, the distance between the communicating devices can range from a few centimetres to several meters. At KATHREIN Solutions, you can obtain high-end devices for industries and sectors, such as logistics, Industry 4.0, retail and vehicle identification. For outdoor use in wind and weather, the hardware is robust and excellently protected against moisture and dust. IoT hardware from KATHREIN Solutions defies wind and weather and functions with the highest reliability even under difficult conditions.
The Heart of IoT: Our Software
IoT hardware from KATHREIN Solutions is complemented by the IoT software suite CrossTalk. It is one of the most advanced programmes for the management and configuration of AutoID and IoT devices and can serve as the central unit of your Internet-of-Things system. CrossTalk collects, processes and distributes the data sent by IoT devices. The software enables convenient, easy device integration and is highly scalable. You invest in a system that adapts to every change in your business and is, therefore, suitable for every new challenge.
KATHREIN Solutions: We are IoT Experts!
KATHREIN Solutions is one of the leading international companies in the AutoID and IoT sectors. Our expert teams plan, install and maintain individual Internet of Things systems for customers from a wide range of industries and business sectors. The spectrum ranges from small solutions to highly complex systems. Among other things, we have
planned and installed an IoT system for vehicle identification on roads in Egypt,
realised automatic access control for company premises,
set up a system for an automotive supplier for efficient monitoring of the production process,
and installed technology in stores of a fashion retail company to optimise the availability of goods and checkout processes.
These are just a few of many examples where KATHREIN Solutions has supported customers in developing Internet-of-Things solutions
An increasing variety of products is forcing manufacturing companies to manage the more and more complex production and logistic networks in their internal and external processes. Lean manufacturing techniques have become a necessary factor in saving cost and maintaining competitiveness. Therefore, automotive companies must eliminate wasteful buffer inventories and rely on new trends like just-in-time parts delivery systems.
The unprecedented competitive pressure has furthermore created the need for an intelligent cross-company material flow control in order to retain an efficient production as well as economical, optimized logistics.
The latest developments in AutoID technology and the possibility of exchanging data between all participants of a value chain (OEMs, suppliers and logistics service providers) open up new potential for controlling complex processes and to keep track of parts and assets as they move in real-time in the entire supply chain.
The major AutoID benefits of the manufacturing and automotive companies: an improved enterprise planning and control, faster and better-informed decision making and a more effective collaboration across the enterprise and supply chain.
Manufacturing and automotive AutoID use-cases:
- Warehousing and Supply Chain Automation
- Work-in-Process / Kanban / Replenishment / Re-work
- Yard & Lot Management
- Car Tracking in the OEM plant (Production & Logistics) or at Dealers
- Container Management
- RTLS and Object Tracking
- Fleet Management
- Content verification (logistics units and e.g. car prototypes)
The automotive and manufacturing sector is one of Kathrein's strongest industries with a huge installed base and references.
IIoT contains big data technology, utilizing sensor data, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, and technologies for industrial automation. Smart devices are more efficient than humans regarding accurately and consistently capturing and communicating data. This data can enable companies to save resources and support business intelligence efforts. IIoT holds comprehensive potential for quality control, sustainable acting, supply chain traceability, and efficiency, particularly in a manufacturing environment. The IoT offers innovative opportunities to create solutions that connect digital and physical components as well as services and support.
DOCK DOOR
+ Supply Chain Management
+ Incoming Goods
+ Outgoing Goods
FORKLIFT
+ Mobile Reader Application
+ Stock Management
+ RTI Management
ASSEMBLY LINE
+ Track and Trace
+ Lean Production
+ Quality Control
EKANBAN
+ Live Stock Management
+ Lean Material Handling
+ Quality Management
RETURNABLE TRANSPORT ITEMS
+ Stock Management
+Track and Trace
+ Sorting
VEHICLE LOGISTICS
+ Supply Chain Management
+ Quality Management
+ Prototype
Tracking Load Carries Using RGID
DIGITIZED CONTAINERS IN INTRALOGISTICS AND PRODUCTION
Load carriers and containers transport C-parts, raw materials, and semi-finished products for further processing. With an RFID-based container cycle, you ensure a smooth, error-free, and automated material supply in production. Real-time knowledge of where each part is in the production process is crucial for accurate supply at the respective production stage.
»MARRYING« THE LOAD CARRIER AND ITS CONTENTS
If the load carrier ID is digitally "married" to the ID of its contents, you can optimally control the material flow in production, automate replenishment, and thus increase quality in manufacturing. Benefit from the following advantages when implementing a Kathrein solution for load carriers:
Real-time transparency of container inventory
Overview of the container status: "empty," "loaded," "defective," "in maintenance"
Plausibilized material flow control
Reducing buffer stocks (load carriers and goods)
No personnel required to search for containers
Track and trace containers and their contents
Keeping delivery promises to customers
NO VEHICLE GOES UNDETECTED!
- Implement efficient tolling systems,
- Check vehicle registrations without time-consuming checks carried out by personnel,
- Check permissions, for example, for driving in low emission zones,
- Identify vehicles after traffic violations,
- Identify stolen vehicles and solve thefts.
The highly increasing road traffic and transport requires intelligent and smart traffic solutions. From the first proof of concept (PoC) to go-live implementation, Kathrein Solutions supports its partners to implement turnkey projects in the areas of intelligent transportation systems.
Based on the latest IoT Technologies like RAIN RFID and ANPR Technology Kathrein can help to control traffic flow in urban as well as suburban areas. Based on our cost-effective passive RFID technology, the powerful and dynamic ITS network fulfils all future smart city requirements and saves infrastructure costs by using wireless connectivity integrated into the RFID Reader Devices.
By seamlessly integrating any identification technology such as RAIN RFID and ANPR solutions, we combine the most suitable features and generate interfaces to all types of backend systems and management solutions. Each country, government, community and city has its domestic and urban requirements in regards to Intelligent Transportation on the roads. Based on the customer needs, Kathrein offers a broad portfolio of ITS scenarios.
Kathrein is focusing on the following core applications:
- ITS: Intelligent Transportation Systems
- ETC: Electronic Toll Collect
- AVI: Automated Vehicle Identification
- EVR: Electronic Vehicle Registration
- EVI: Electronic Vehicle Identification
- IPI: Inteligent Parking Infrastructure
- SCA: Smart City Applications
- PTS: Public Transportation Systems
According to the latest ISO 18000-63 passive RFID standard, Kathrein provides all neccessary key components like:
- RFID high-performance ©KRAI reader
- RFID wide-range antennas
- RFID windshield label and headlamp tags
- RFID integration and device management software platform (© CrossTalk)
WELL SPOTTED!
Automatic Vehicle Identification: The reliable identification of vehicles is crucial in many situations:
- Tolling systems
- Billing in car parks
- Access control to restricted areas
- Fleet management
- Anti-theft protection
In all these cases, systems for Automatic Vehicle Identification are very effective. They save costs and time and ensure accurate and convenient vehicle identification. In addition, such a system can simplify the identification of stolen vehicles as an anti-theft protection tool.
KATHREIN Solutions plans, realises and maintains systems for exact automatic vehicle identification for the customers. With systems from KATHREIN Solutions, every vehicle is reliably identified. Our team from Stephankirchen works with innovative RFID technology. Benefit from the know-how of our specialists. We are one of the leading international providers in the field of AutoID (automatic identification and data acquisition).
Top Quality for High Demands
The requirements for an automatic vehicle identification system are often quite high. If they are used, for example, for toll payments, they must be able to accurately identify vehicles even at high speed. For the outdoor use, the hardware installed also has to function without any limitations, even when it is dirty and is exposed to rain and snow.
KATHREIN Solutions offers, for example, hardware components with the high IP67 protection class. "IP" stands for "International Protection". The first number (here: 6) describes the degree of protection from foreign objects and accidental contact, the second number (here: 7) the protection from moisture. Hardware components with IP67 protection are dust-proof and completely protected against any accidental contact. They also offer very high level of protection against moisture which remains effective even if the electronic part is temporarily submerged into water.
Precise Identification with RFID Technology
KATHREIN Solutions usually uses highly-efficient RFID technology which is based on radio waves for its automatic vehicle identification systems. RFID stands for "radio-frequency identification", a transmitter-receiver system for automated and contactless identification and localisation of living beings and objects. The system is available in different types, each operating in its own frequency range. Depending on the type, it is suitable for the short range or for longer distances.
Automatic Vehicle Identification: Case Studies
For example, KATHREIN Solutions implements systems for Automatic Vehicle Identification for automatic access control to company premises. In one case, the windscreens of employee vehicles were equipped with a special UHF RFID technology. "UHF" stands for ultra-high frequency. It ensures high transmission rates and a relatively long range of data transmission. When an employee drives towards the site gate, the reader with the IP67 protection class reads the data from the vehicle's transponder and compares it with a list of persons with access authorisation. If the access authorisation is granted, the gate opens automatically.
For a railway company, KATHREIN Solutions has installed a solution for a special automatic vehicle identification on the rail system. The railway operator measures various parameters at so-called safety checkpoints on the tracks to reduce the risk of incidents and accidents. For example, wheel loads and the occurrence of fire or leaking chemicals are measured.
The customer has asked for a system that would allow the exact identification of the vehicles passing the checkpoint. Such an identification of the railcars is especially important for freight and international trains and has not always been possible without a new system. For a conclusive analysis, it has also been necessary to register the axes passing the checkpoint in regard to time, speed and direction.
KATHREIN has used RFID technology in combination with the KATHREIN AutoID software CrossTalk and an external wheel recognition system. This solution provided higher precision in assigning measured values to the axles of a train. This way, it has not only been possible to precisely locate potential problems, such as overheated or overloaded axles. The system has also enabled the railway operator to carry out predictive maintenance. This allowed for early detection of problems before they could lead to major damage and delays.
KATHREIN Solutions – What Can We Do For You?
We at KATHREIN Solutions offer our customers complete packages for efficient automatic vehicle identification. Our services include the design and installation of such systems as well as the supply of all necessary components (hardware and software). In addition, we also take care of maintenance, if required.
Transforming Healthcare with RFID
A major difference, however, is the impact. Wrong product in the wrong place at the wrong time – in logistics, it means additional costs. In healthcare, it means somebody can lose their life.
The number of patients in hospitals who suffer from adverse drugs events (ADE) is unbelievably high. Half of these ADEs can be avoided by improving the medication process. RFID is one of the innovative technologies which improve and automate the process of prescribing, dispensing, transporting and administering medication to patients. IoT in healthcare enables hospitals, pharmacies etc. to improve processes and safety, thus saving lives.
Drawing on our extensive experience, deep industry knowledge, and strong partnerships with specialized providers, we deliver customized solutions that precisely cater to the unique demands of the healthcare sector.
The Advanages at a Glace
- Increased patient safety
- Improved inventory management
- Optimization of proccesses
- Effective assest management
- Improved workflow analysis
- Reduction of theft
- Automated documentation
- Prevention of medication administration errors
- Optimization of operating costs
- Compliance with regulatory requirements
- Improved quality assurance
RFID installations in the age of increased security requirements.
For many years, the automation of production and business processes has been constantly subject to new requirements. In recent years, the focus has primarily been on increasing efficiency as well as seamless digital integration with backend and management systems.
In times of massively increased security requirements, however, RFID systems today must feature completely new architectures, especially if they are to be used in so-called critical infrastructure. This is because critical infrastructures are of crucial importance for the smooth functioning of states and organizations and have been subject to greatly increased attention from governments and their authorities as well as from public and private organizations and companies for several years.
Kathrein Solutions has always invested heavily in research and development to meet these demands and to ensure that its proprietary technology portfolio is always a step ahead of current market requirements.
Basically, the requirements for a modern and secure RFID system can be divided into several areas:
- Protection and monitoring of the function of the installation
- Protection and safeguarding of the system or personal data collected by the system
- Elimination of backdoor / trapdoor access possibilities
Kathrein's own Industrial Operating System, which was already implemented in the second RFID reader generation in 2014, enabled specific adaptation to the IT security requirements of the respective end users, at that time with a focus on the automotive industry. By adding proprietary IT operating systems to the RFID read/write devices, it was possible to integrate the installations into the core networks of large companies at no additional cost and to manage and operate them with the existing IT tools. The protection of the data transmitted between the transponders and RFID read/write devices was not yet a priority here, since it was mostly only a matter of production-specific IDs of components and load carriers.
IT security in industry and logistics:
The ongoing digitization and networking of individual systems is now also leading to an increased need for "secure Auto ID" solutions in industrial automation. Sensitive information such as the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or FID (Vehicle Identification Number) is now stored on RFID transponders, which remain permanently on the vehicle and must be protected against unauthorized reading by third parties. Standard RFID systems offer only basic protection in the form of a 32-bit password that is transmitted unencrypted.
Special focus on traffic routes as critical infrastructure
Systems designed to detect motor and rail vehicles now also require a significantly higher level of safety and interference immunity. Here, the requirements can also be divided into several areas:
- Ensuring trouble-free operation, even in the event of power failures.
- Secure IT integration into existing back-end systems
- Protection against malicious damage and manipulation in the semi-public area
- Protection of vehicle or personal data
Since railroad networks and highways have always been the most important supply routes and infrastructures of states, special attention is paid to the protection of these important lifelines. In both segments, Kathrein Solutions is one of the leading suppliers of identification solutions that ensure secure operation over a long period of time - even in harsh outdoor environments and unstable power supply networks. The respective security concept behind each of these applications has also been specifically designed in cooperation with the respective integration partner to meet the requirements of the end users.
Railway Infrastructure
In the railroad environment, train information must be stored on the respective transponders in encrypted form, and the connection to the railroad operator-specific backend system must be implemented in a secure and cost-effective manner.
Self-sufficient power supplies and reading stations connected via 4G mobile radio make it possible to implement fast roll outs with Kathrein hardware and software without lengthy civil engineering work.
The sometimes very high speeds of the objects to be detected of up to 350 km/h require a very high reading performance of the RFID infrastructure, since up to ten times more data must be transmitted in the same time due to the high data security.
Intelligent Transportation Systems
At Kathrein, the ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) market segment includes the areas of toll systems and vehicle registration solutions. In many countries of the world, there has been a massively increased security risk for many years. In particular, the data of the respective vehicle owner stored on the transponders must be stored securely and protected against unauthorized reading in order to prevent attacks by means of so-called body traps. However, this presents the system architect with a major challenge, since there is now a unique key for each individual transponder, which must be secure and, in most applications, also available in real time.
New technology to help improve security in the Auto ID world:
New security transponders based on ISO 18000-63C provide comprehensive protection and enable security using a 128-bit AES key stored in the transponder IC hardware that performs cryptographic authentication checks. These transponders were developed in compliance with global interoperability standards, namely GS1™ UHF RFID Gen2 v2.0 (Annex N, Tag Alteration (Authenticator)) and ISO/IEC 29167-10 for proof of origin based on AES (advanced encryption standard). Since 2016, Kathrein Solutions has been the first manufacturer worldwide to offer the full integration of so-called security transponders in its entire RFID portfolio. In order to realize a secure RFID reading station, it is not only necessary to realize the connection in the direction of the backend system encrypted, it is also mandatory to secure the communication between reader and tag on the air interface. With the RRU 45xx generations, a so-called integrated HSM (High Secure Memory) module has been available since 2017. This allows tag-specific keys, which are necessary for reading the encrypted content on the transponders, to be stored securely and also with high quality (AES 128 bit) decentrally on the reader.
New High Performance Solution with the RRU 7700 Reader
With the new RFID Reader RRU 7700 a new generation of High Security Readers is now available, which allows highest security standards in terms of integration into backend systems. It also enables unprecedented speed in the processing of encrypted transponder data both on the network side and on the air interface.
An additional increase in security is achieved by the key diversification process. Each transponder is assigned a unique key. The key is calculated directly in the HSM. On the one hand, this enables faster and more secure access, since no keys have to be transmitted. Another new feature is the HSM's self-protection function. If unauthorized access is detected, the HSM module deletes all stored data and keys!
Successful rollouts in the toll and rail environment
The first successful installations are already in use in the toll environment and with leading European rail operators. The use of the high-performance decentralized RFID reader RRU 7700, which enables the entire key handling on site as well as the secure connection to the backend system via 4G network, was extended by a self-sufficient, solar-powered energy supply. This approach is exemplary for a completely new type of RFID reading stations, which combine highest performance with efficient and contemporary costs in acquisition and operation.
In today's digital world, it is essential for companies to find innovative solutions to optimize their processes and increase their competitiveness. We enable individual solutions for your digital transformation. As your partner in RFID, RTLS, IoT and more, we offer customized OEM solutions tailored to your specific needs and projects. In doing so, we cover a wide range of wireless technologies and products to meet your individual requirements
RFID (RADIO-FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION)
In today's digital world, it is essential for companies to find innovative solutions to optimize their processes and increase their competitiveness. Kathrein Solutions stands for enabling individual solutions for your digital transformation. As your partner in RFID, RTLS, IoT and more, we offer customized OEM solutions tailored to your specific needs and projects. In doing so, we cover a wide range of wireless technologies and products to meet your individual requirements:
We support a variety of frequency ranges, standards and wireless protocols to ensure we can provide the right technology for your needs:
- HF (High Frequency, ISO 14443, 15693),
- NFC (Near Field Communication),
- UHF (Ultra High Frequency, ISO 18000-63C)
- RAIN RFID
Whether NFC for reading an intelligent nameplate , UHF for recording thousands of products in logistics tracking or HF as a standard for access control, Kathrein offers the customized solution.
BLE (BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY, IEEE 802.15.4):
Our Bluetooth Low Energy solutions, including transponders and beacons, enable precise localization, tracking and access control. This technology offers high accuracy and efficiency in tracking assets or people indoors, but also outdoors. We support the latest standards from Bluetooth 4.0 to 5.2.
SOFTWARE:
Our advanced software CrossTalk Software Suite enables seamless integration and management of your wireless systems. It provides powerful tools for data analysis, reporting and optimization of your processes.
OUR APPROACH TO DELIVERING OEM SOLUTIONS FOLLOWS A STRUCTURED PROCESS CONSISTING OF FIVE MAIN PHASES:
Evaluatation: In this phase, we evaluate your specific requirements and goals to gain a clear understanding of the product to be developed.
Design: Based on the evaluation, we develop a detailed concept for the OEM solution that covers all aspects of the product, from functionality to design.
Simulation - In addition to the physical proof of concept, Kathrein Solutions offers a virtual proof of concept using complex simulation software. All project data determined in an initial workshop are entered into the radio propagation modeling and simulation tool. Based on this virtual PoC, the partner or customer receives a first, already very resilient project concept. Learn more about our virtual proof of concept.
Development: Our experienced engineers and technicians put the concept into practice and develop a high-quality product that meets your specific requirements. We use state-of-the-art EM simulation tools and measurement capabilities to ensure our products perform optimally. Our expertise includes the development of RFID and RTLS systems as well as custom transponders.
Production: After development and extensive testing, we ensure that the product is ready for mass production. We produce samples, perform measurements and compare them with the simulations to validate the performance in the real environment. You will then receive the orders we produce.
