Dr. Vinod ChachraChairman, NISO Working Group on Library Applications of RFID
CEO, VTLS Inc.CEO, VTLS Inc.
A Report on NISO’s work on A Report on NISO’s work on
RFID Standards in LibrariesRFID Standards in LibrariesALA Meeting, San Antonio, Jan 2006ALA Meeting, San Antonio, Jan 2006
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VTLS Products Main VTLS Other New
ProductProducts VTLS Products
Related to Virtua: 1. FRBR 2. URL Checker 3. SRU/SRW 4. Union Catalogs and Consortium
Databases5. Aqua Browser and other partner
products
ERM ERM SystemSystem
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VTLS is the first spin-off corporation from Virginia Tech
VTLS does business in 36 countries
VTLS has been working with RFID solutions for libraries for over eight years with many customers
VTLS RFID library management software is now RFID hardware and tag supplier independent.
www.vtls.com
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Goals of NISO Working Group
• Identify specific NISO activities or standards that would make the application of RFID technology most effective for its community
• Identify related standards work where NISO might partner
• Identify points where RFID issues could be integrated within other NISO standards work
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NISO Working Group
Following types of organizations are participating in the working group:
1. RFID hardware manufacturers
2. RFID solution providers (software and integration)
3. RFID Library users
4. Book jobbers/ book processors
5. Other related organizations
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Focus of NISO Working Group
• RFID solutions run at several frequencies –
Low – from 125KHz to 134KHz
High – 13.56MHz
Ultra High – 860-960 MHz
Micro Wave – 2.45 GHz
• NISO’s work is limited to Tags used in libraries – that is, tags operating at 13.56 MHz
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Focus of NISO Working Group
Four issues of importance were identified:
1. Privacy Issues and concerns
2. Support of functional capabilities
3. Performance efficiency
4. Cost considerations (total cost of ownership)
Items 2 , 3 and 4 are linked and interdependent.
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First of Two Objectives
Interoperability (from Whatis.com)
Interoperability (pronounced IHN-tuhr-AHP-uhr-uh-BIHL-ih-tee) is the ability of a system or a product to work with other systems or products without special effort on the part of the customer. Interoperability becomes a quality of increasing importance for information technology products as the concept that "The network is the computer" becomes a reality. For this reason, the term is widely used in product marketing descriptions.
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First of Two Objectives
How is interoperability achieved? (whatis.com)
Products achieve interoperability with other products using either or both of two approaches:
• By adhering to published interface standards
• By making use of a "broker" of services that can convert one product's interface into another product's interface "on the fly”.
The first option is preferred.
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First of Two Objectives
Interoperability
1. For RFID tags:
a. A tag from one library used in another (ILL)
b. Tags from different suppliers used in same library
c. Tags placed in materials by book vendors usable by library
2. For RFID Hardware:
a. Hardware from one vendor reads tags from another.
b. Security gates from one vendor reads tags from another
c. Sortation systems can handle tags from multiple sources
d. Secure data from one library not modified by another
3. Interoperability over time from same supplier
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Second of Two Objectives
Isolation
• More specifically, Vertical Application Isolation
• We do not want CDs purchased at a store to trigger library security gates and library books to set off alarms at grocery stores.
• Application Family Identifiers (AFI) may be useful here
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Approach taken by WG
• Examine existing standards; Adopt what can be adopted
• Examine existing data models
• Address the four issues previously mentioned keeping the objectives in mind
• Decide next step(s) if any.
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Applicable Standards
• ISO/IEC 15511: 2003 Information and Documentation – International Standard Identifier for Libraries and Related Organisations (ISIL).
• ISO/IEC 15961: 2004 Information Technology – Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for Item Management – Data Protocol: Application Interface.
ISO/IEC 15962: 2004 Information Technology – Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for Item Management – Data Protocol: Data Encoding Rules and Logical Memory Functions.
• ISO/IEC 18000: 2004 Information Technology AIDC Techniques – RFID for Item Management – Air Interface: Part 3 – Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 13.56MHz.
• ANSI/NISO Z39.83 – 2002 Circulation Interchange.
Part 1: Protocol (NCIP)
Part 2: Protocol Implementation
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ISO 18000 Standards
18000-1 Part 1 – Generic Parameters for the Air Interface for Globally Accepted Frequencies
18000-2 Part 2 – Parameters for Air Interface Communications below 135 kHz
18000-3 Part 3 – Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 13.56 MHz
18000-4 Part 4 – Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 2.45 GHz
18000-5 Part 5 – Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 5.8 GHz (Withdrawn)
18000-6 Part 6 – Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 860 to 930 MHz
18000-7 Part 7 – Parameters for Air Interface Communications at 433 MHz
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Scope of ISO 18000-3
““The scope of the ISO 18000-3 standard is to provide The scope of the ISO 18000-3 standard is to provide Physical Layer, Collision management System and Physical Layer, Collision management System and Protocol Values for RFID Systems for Item Protocol Values for RFID Systems for Item Identification operating at 13.56 MHz in accordance Identification operating at 13.56 MHz in accordance with the requirements of ISO 18000-1”with the requirements of ISO 18000-1”
Some library vendors say they are ISO 18000 or ISO Some library vendors say they are ISO 18000 or ISO 18000-1 compliant instead of the more specific ISO 18000-1 compliant instead of the more specific ISO 18000-3 compliant, but they mean the same thing.18000-3 compliant, but they mean the same thing.
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ISO 15693
The ISO 15693 specification has three main The ISO 15693 specification has three main parts:parts:
Physical characteristicsPhysical characteristics
Signal Interface and Signal Interface and
Transmission ProtocolTransmission Protocol
It holds the promise of interoperability (at the It holds the promise of interoperability (at the technical level as mentioned by Alastair technical level as mentioned by Alastair McArthur, TagSys) among different suppliers of McArthur, TagSys) among different suppliers of RFID solutionsRFID solutions
ISO 15693 is not to be confused with ISO 15963 ISO 15693 is not to be confused with ISO 15963 which is used for which is used for RFID for Item Management - RFID for Item Management - Unique Identification of RF TagUnique Identification of RF Tag
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Privacy Concerns
• Proper caution and concern raised by some Proper caution and concern raised by some privacy advocates privacy advocates
• Exaggerated concerns raised by some Exaggerated concerns raised by some librarianslibrarians
• Issue is very sensitive for it can Issue is very sensitive for it can
-- -- potentially cause privacy problems and/orpotentially cause privacy problems and/or
-- possibly derail or slow down RFID implementations -- possibly derail or slow down RFID implementations and/or and/or
-- add to the implementation costs-- add to the implementation costs
• Organizations like BISG, EFF and American Organizations like BISG, EFF and American Library Association are providing leadership in Library Association are providing leadership in this area.this area.
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Book Industry Study Group (BISG)
RFID Privacy Principles RFID Privacy Principles
(This is a direct quote from the BISG web site)(This is a direct quote from the BISG web site)All businesses, organizations, libraries, educational institutions All businesses, organizations, libraries, educational institutions and non-profits that buy, sell, loan, or otherwise make available and non-profits that buy, sell, loan, or otherwise make available books and other content to the public utilizing RFID technologies books and other content to the public utilizing RFID technologies shall:shall:
1) Implement and enforce an up-to-date organizational privacy 1) Implement and enforce an up-to-date organizational privacy policy that gives notice and full disclosure as to the use, terms of policy that gives notice and full disclosure as to the use, terms of use, and any change in the terms of use for data collected via use, and any change in the terms of use for data collected via new technologies and processes, including RFID.new technologies and processes, including RFID.
2) Ensure that no personal information is recorded on RFID tags 2) Ensure that no personal information is recorded on RFID tags which, however, may contain a variety of transactional data.which, however, may contain a variety of transactional data.
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Book Industry Study Group (BISG)
3) Protect data by reasonable security safeguards against 3) Protect data by reasonable security safeguards against interpretation by any unauthorized third party.interpretation by any unauthorized third party.
4) Comply with relevant federal, state , and local laws as well as 4) Comply with relevant federal, state , and local laws as well as industry best practices and policies.industry best practices and policies.
5) Ensure that the four principles outlined above must be verifiable 5) Ensure that the four principles outlined above must be verifiable by an independent audit.by an independent audit.
This policy has been developed and released by the Book Industry This policy has been developed and released by the Book Industry Study Group in cooperation with the Study Group in cooperation with the American Library Association American Library Association (ALA)(ALA) Office of Information Technology and the Office for Office of Information Technology and the Office for Intellectual Freedom, as well as the Intellectual Freedom, as well as the National Information Standards National Information Standards Organization (NISO)Organization (NISO)
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Potential exposure from ILS
In my opinion there is potentially greater In my opinion there is potentially greater exposure from ILS systems than from RFID exposure from ILS systems than from RFID systems systems (see white paper “Personal Privacy (see white paper “Personal Privacy and Use of RFID Technology in Libraries” at and Use of RFID Technology in Libraries” at WWW.VTLS.COM) WWW.VTLS.COM)
This exposure comes when circulation links This exposure comes when circulation links between book and patron are not erased in between book and patron are not erased in order toorder to
a. gather library statisticsa. gather library statistics
b. record unpaid finesb. record unpaid fines
c. provide “value added services”c. provide “value added services”
d. support recovery functionsd. support recovery functions
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RFID function related concerns
Functions supported by RFID systems in Functions supported by RFID systems in librarieslibraries
• Self Checkouts including bulk Self Checkouts including bulk checkoutscheckouts
• Checkins and book dropsCheckins and book drops
• Security functions (EAS Gates)Security functions (EAS Gates)
• Sortation functionsSortation functions
• Inventory functionsInventory functions
So So whatwhat data should be placed on the tag? data should be placed on the tag?
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Other concerns
How much data should be placed on the RFID How much data should be placed on the RFID tags?tags?
There are two schools of thought --There are two schools of thought --
1. As little as possible (just an ID)1. As little as possible (just an ID)
2. More in support of efficiency & 2. More in support of efficiency & performanceperformance
- security data - security data
- sorting and shelving data- sorting and shelving data
- last use data for weeding and - last use data for weeding and inventoryinventory
- book title for finding lost books or - book title for finding lost books or for for checkouts checkouts
3. The more the data the slower the tag 3. The more the data the slower the tag read!read!
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The Danish Data Model
It is an RFID data model for libraries. It deals only with materials and not with patron identification.
The data model has four parts:
1. Data elements
2. Values and range
3. Encoding and
4. Physical mapping.
Click here to read the model
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Danish Model - Encoding
Original Recommendation:
“The encoding of RFID tags is a delicate job. The space available in a tag is still rather limited for the cost conscious buyer and vendor. …. Coding will with a few exceptions be 8 bit coding using ISO 8859-1 (latin 1)”
Final Recommendation:
“The working group has had long discussions on whether to choose ISO 8859-1 or UTF-8. The conclusion … UTF-8”
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Danish Model – Data Elements
1. Metadata elements
2. Item data elements
3. Library data elements
4. Application data elements
5. Supplier data elements
A. Mandatory Data Block
Example: Version, Type of usage, Number of parts in item, part number, primary ID, CRC, Country, Owning library code
B. Structured Extension Data Block
C. Unstructured Extension Data Block
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Danish Model – Security
1. Using Application Family Identifier (AFI)a. Need two identifiers
b. One for “checked in” items and another for “checked out”.
c. This method is common to ISO 15693-3 tags.
2. Using non-AFI based methodsa. EAS bit method
1. Records a single bit on tag
2. Detection system checks code
3. If code indicates “checked in” alarm goes off
b. Other methods
3. Using either/both methods automatically means no interoperability
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NISO WG and the Danish Model
• Copy of the data model is available on the internet
• NISO working group is now studying the data model to see if – The model meets the needs of USA RFID applications
– The models meets the needs of USA applications with some modifications
– A new model will have to be developed to meet our needs.
• Based on the outcome of the study a course of action for the future will be defined.
• The timetable for this is approximately six months – ending in April 2006.
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Thanks
• Happy to take questions