Eliminate cross-reads due to read lobe overlap with TagMaster NA's UHF RFID solutions
Did you know that with TagMaster NA’s squelch feature, you can prevent unwanted tag reads and cross-reads with co-located readers? With the XT-5, and the XT-1 UHF readers, you can use squelch to fine-tune the zone in which you want each long-range RFID reader to read the RFID tags. This allows you to co-locate readers, like those pictured above, without worrying about cross-reads.
Key benefits of squelch:
- Filters out weak signals
- Ensures strong energized tags
- Focused tag reads
What is squelch?
When a tag is read by a reader, a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value is returned. The stronger the value, the stronger the signal. The RSSI value tends to increase with factors such as the following:
- the tag is closer to the reader
- the tag faces more parallel to the reader
TagMaster NA’s squelch number corresponds to the RSSI number from the RFID tag. Set squelch to a certain value, and any tag reads with an RSSI value below that set value will be ignored. For example, if you set squelch to 50, a read of 49 RSSI will be ignored, but a read of 50 RSSI will not be ignored. And because tags that are closer to the reader will have higher RSSI values, these are the tags that will remain in the squelch area, preventing unwanted tag reads from tags in neighboring lanes.
Squelch benefits your RFID solution in the following ways:
- Prevent cross-reads and unwanted tag reads:
With good reader placement, a reader will receive a higher RSSI value from the tags in its own lane than from tags in another lane. This means setting squelch higher will prevent the reader from reading tags with a lower RSSI, such as tags in another lane. In other words, adjusting squelch helps prevent cross-reads.
Adjusting squelch can also prevent unwanted tag reads due to factors like tailgating, as the squelch zone can be adjusted so the reader only reads tags that are within a certain range from the reader. - Prevent read lobe overlap issues:
The read lobe is the area within which the RFID tag is energized. This means that within the read lobe, the tag’s RF signal can be detected by the reader. However, increasing squelch makes the reader ignore the tags that are outside of the squelch zone, even if they are inside the read lobe. When squelch is set to define a smaller area than the read lobe, the tag will become energized when it enters the read lobe, but it will only be read when it enters the squelch area. This ensures strong energized tags and focused tag reads.
This is especially useful in installations where, for example, readers are mounted in adjacent lanes. These readers might have overlapping read lobes, but squelch can be increased to prevent the reader in one lane from reading the tags in the adjacent lane. - Easy configuration
The best part is that with TagMaster NA’s UHF long-range RFID readers, squelch is extremely easy to configure and adjust. Just log in to the reader’s IP-based interface, input a new squelch value, and save the new settings, and squelch has been adjusted. This means operators with administrative permissions can conveniently adjust and configure the squelch value—even remotely!
Contact a TagMaster NA representative today to learn more!
We’re industry leaders for a reason. Call us today to discuss your access control needs.
TagMaster North America, Inc. is a leading provider of identification solutions, offering dual platforms of long-range radio frequency identification (RFID) and automatic license plate recognition (LPR) along with stand-alone and customizable software solutions. Collective technologies provide convenient and reliable platforms for automatic vehicle identification (AVI) and rail-bound applications throughout the Americas. TagMaster North America’s breadth of identification solutions are able to increase security, decrease environmental impact and add value to actualize and simplify vehicle access control for a wide array of projects. For more information on TagMaster products, support and services, contact us at Info@TagMasterNA.com | P: 253.238.1421
