When a group of twenty RFID vendors recently announced the formation of a patent licensing consortium that''s intended to simplify developers'' and users'' access to RFID intellectual property (IP), it was another sign that the industry is maturing, says ABI Research.

     "RFID is no longer just about hardware - tags and readers," says Erik Michielsen, ABI Research''s director of RFID and ubiquitous networks. "Many of the companies involved in the IP consortium have broadened their focus to include full integration of RFID with end-users business'' systems."

Wider focus
     These, and many other, integrators and their services are the subject of ABI Research''s latest study, ''RFID Integration Services Markets'', which includes models for RFID verticals and applications with a focus on RFID reader, software (i.e. middleware) and systems integration services. 116.30.151.81 This article is copyright 2005 UsingRFID.com.

     "Today, it''s no longer a question just of trials and compliance testing," said Michielsen. "Now it''s about building scalable, high-volume, high-value integrated solutions that use RFID to collect information, then putting that information into very well-designed enterprise infrastructures where it can be used to drive more agile and informed business decision-making. It''s a process of making that core tag information more meaningful."

Examples
     Examples include avoiding theft in the pharmaceutical supply-chain, improving manufacturing productivity through RFID tracking, increasing promotion visibility at retail stores, reducing inventory, or building more comprehensive, globally scalable integrated solutions for homeland security or defence.

     And Michielsen says it''s also about companies relocating themselves in a shifting competitive landscape. Companies large and small, coming from different backgrounds in IT, applications development and systems integration are seeking appropriate partners in different markets. Large IT-based firms such as IBM (with its WebSphere RFID Device Infrastructure), Microsoft, SAP and Oracle are actively tying RFID information into enterprise architectures, while smaller firms such as TrueDemand Software, OAT Systems,

     Connecterra and ACSIS try to redefine themselves to complement their bigger neighbours.

     The report concludes that all now understand the longer-term issues. The report is available directly from ABI Research.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                 Extract From Using RFID