Nordic ID RFID Demo is a very easy-to-use tool for managing tag data. Through the Connection function a connection to the device can be made through USB, Serial or TCP/IP connection depending of the model of the RFID reader used. The connection can be either automatic or manual. From the six orange icons on the left side the user can see the function options of the demo. When opening the Nordic ID RFID Demo, the demo first shows whether the device is connected to the demo or not. As can be seen from the picture, the Nordic ID Sampo has successfully been connected to the program.

The Easy inventory section defines simple parameters for inventory. Easy inventory is highly automated and thus easy to use taking account the users who do not have a deep understanding about all the various settings and their effect on reading performance. This view allows the user only to modify the reading range and the operating region. The available settings for the reading range are minimum, medium & maximum. Also, the user can define whether the tags are read only once or whether the reading is continuous. There is a statistics display that shows for example the reading speed and inventory speed. Setting the region correctly is important in order to comply with local laws and to insure that it matches the antenna tuning of your RFID reader.



The Advanced inventory offers a full control of all RFID reading parameters, for more in depth testing. In addition to the parameters set in the Easy inventory, several others can be defined as well. The Q value defines the number of slots in which the tag places the answer randomly. Higher Q values should be used when there are several tags to be read. In addition, there is an AUTO setting for the Q value, a feature not necessarily found in other RFID readers.

Advanced inventory also allows the user to define rounds, e.g. how many query rounds are carried out in one inventory round.

With the tag writer program the user can read and modify the content of any memory bank, edit the EPC code of a tag, set lock states for memory banks, set access and kill passwords and kill the tag. The tag writer can also analyze the content of memory for instance by showing the manufacturer of the tag IC and possibly also the marketing name of the IC. However, it is worth noting that all tags cannot be written. As an example RO (read only) and WORM (write once read many) tags belong to this group. Also, some of the memory banks can be of "read only" type, for example the TID bank and the CRC area of the EPC bank.

The type of the tag determines the editing options for the information. The memory area of the tag can be protected, which means that some or all of the banks can be locked. The correct password must be entered to be able to modify the secured tag contents and only if such modifications are allowed at all.

The Channel Scanner shows whether other devices are operating on the same frequency as the one attached to the demo. If the number of other active devices is high, the performance of the reader may decrease. The Channel Scanner can be used to find disruptive RF sources.

There is also the Debugger feature. It can be used for observing data traffic between the RFID reader and PC and in depth information about the driver.

The demo gives a basic insight into writing and also reading tags but as there are many different users, there are many different possible applications as well.

Co-author on the article: Turo Rantanen.