General description
em|echo-V – the latest product of the em|echo family – provides a unified RFID solution for logistics and marketing departments that simplifies the lives of both small retailers and product manufacturers looking to differentiate their products. The circuit, implemented in EM’s specialized True Ultra Low Power (TULP) technology also features an advanced hardware crypto engine for web authentication.
The em|echo-V RFID chip is typically embedded in a label, a sticker tag or other forms of an RFID tag attached at manufacturing (source-level tagging). Alternatively, em|echo-V may be fully integrated in the packaging for smart packaging applications or in the item itself for life-long tag use cases.
The chip features a unique identifier and non-volatile memory able to hold business specific information. The unique ID and the memory segments are accessible via two different wireless communication protocols:
- The RAIN RFID protocol is capable of high-speed, long range (typically up to 10m), multi-item read and write operations required to sustain the logistics process along the distribution chain from production to the point of sale (PoS). Also known as EPC Gen2, this protocol is favored for operations such as real-time stock inventory, track and trace, product returns, etc. With common rewritable memory areas, a common Unique Identifier (UID) and value-added privacy and security features, em|echo-V also simplifies adoption of RAIN RFID inventory control procedures by smaller retailers who are not willing or unable to make the substantial investment required for specialized RFID equipment and software.
- The NFC protocol operates at distances up to two inches (5cm) and enables brands and retailers wanting to communicate directly with the consumer for marketing and advertising, loyalty programs, web-based product authentication and product registration on a per- item level.
The chip automatically records the number of NFC taps (i.e. access events). Thanks to the ubiquitous availability of NFC functionality across all modern smartphones platforms, our customers can have full access to the chip and its memory content to update their shop stock database at each transaction.
BACK-TO-BACK… AND BACK!
Traditional RAIN RFID installations provide numerous benefits all the way up to the store or distribution center, but do not allow for true consumer engagement. The addition of an NFC interface on the same chip extends the reach of the whole system to the consumers, by means of their smartphones.
em|echo-V provides merchandise visibility over the whole lifecycle, from manufacturing to the consumer and back to the supply chain, when products are returned, all while guaranteeing the product authenticity and consumer privacy. Furthermore, it supports the sustainability effort by allowing the manufacturer to keep track of the product movement and consumer to verify the corresponding CO2 footprint.
PRODUCT FEATURES
em|echo-V is fully EPC Gen2v2.0.2 and NFC Type-5 compliant and delivers state-of-the-art RAIN RFID radio frequency performance as well as superior user experience thanks to the ISO 15693 interface. Its highly optimized AES-128 cryptographic hardware implementation provides best-in-class Web Authentication brand protection to consumers’ smartphones using dynamic NDEF technology on minimum silicon real estate, while enabling very compact antenna designs thanks to its ISO-15693 air interface.
