MPR-2010AR
Page 5
Doc# 041308
AWID PROPRIETARY
1 INTRODUCTION
AWID's Sentinel-Sense MPR-2010AR is a long-range (12 to 15 feet) Radio Frequency
IDentification (RFID) reader with RS-232 I/O interface that works with most leading UHF
passive tags. This reader comes with a unique combination of long read range, small
size, and low power consumption. It has an internal power converter, allowing it to work
with a wide range of supply inputs without affecting its performance. Its primary
applications are asset management and tracking, and fleet management applications.
The MPR-2010AR readers are delivered with the following components and accessories:
CD containing interface document and demo SW
Power supply – PS9-2A-SW, 50-60 Hz and 110 to 220 VAC
In order to control the MPR-2010AR reader you will need the following:
PC running Windows
1
98 or higher, CD-ROM drive and one RS-232 serial port.
Host software (AWID’s demo software or your own custom software).
RFID Tags (EPC Class 0, 1, ISO Type B or EM Micro, etc)
1.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION & THEORY OF OPERATION
This reader uses radio frequency to identify, locate and track pallets and/or items that
carry the appropriate RFID transponders. It works in non-line-of-sight situations and in
darkness, bright sun-light, or through dirt, grime and smudges.
A typical RFID system consists of three components – a reader (interrogator), a
transponder (card or tag), and a data processing controller. The reader has an internal
micro-controller section, a transmitter section, a receiver section, and a circular
polarized transmit/receive antenna. Passive transponders (tags or labels) consist of an
antenna and an RFID ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). During operation,
the transmitter sends out an electromagnetic wave to establish a zone of surveillance.
When a transponder enters this zone, the electromagnetic energy from the reader
begins to energize the IC in the transponder. Once the IC is energized, it goes through
an initialization process and is ready to accept further commands. Upon receiving a
command that queries its identity, the RFID ASIC begins to broadcast its identity
through a low-energy back-scattering process, which selectively reflects or “back-
scatters” the electromagnetic energy to the interrogator. The receiving circuits in the
reader sense and decode this “back-scattered” signal and determine the identity of the
transponder.
Passive tags are “beam powered”, which is the electromagnetic energy radiated by the
transmitter section of the reader. Upon receiving a legitimated command, the tags will
cause the matching of the tags antenna to vary from match to mismatch, thereby
causing the tags to either absorb the RF energy or to reflect the RF energy. This
absorption or reflection sequence is commanded by the tags’ internal memory and this
•
1
Though MPR-2010AR can also be controlled from a non-Windows programming platform, AWID demo
and FW upgrade programs are applications to run in Windows.