Example Applications - RFID: Fundamentals and Applications in Contactless Smart Cards and Identification - page 353

Table 13.3 Basic data for the Eurobalise

Coupling Inductive

Power transmission frequency, vehicle → balise 27.115MHz

Data transmission frequency, balise → vehicle 4.24MHz

Modulation type FSK

Modulation index 1

Data rate 565Kbit/s

Telegram length 1023 or 341-bit

Useful data size 863 or 216-bit

Read distance 230 to 450mm

Maximum sideways offset 180mm

Coverage with snow, water, ore Non-critical

•

Type 3 transmits a telegram generated by a line device (transparent balise). Type 3
is primarily used in connection with signals.

• Type 4 makes it possible to download data as vehicles drive past.

13.5.2 International container transport

International freight transport containers have been identified using the alphanumeric
identification procedure specified in the international standard ISO 6346 since the end
of the 1960s. This identification mark consists of four letters, the owner's code, a
six-digit numeric serial number and a test digit, and is painted onto the outside of the
container at a specified position (Figure 13.21).
Almost all of the 7 million containers in use worldwide employ the identification
procedures specified in this standard and thus have their own, unmistakable identifi-
cation number. The process of manually recording the container identification number
and entering it into the computer of a transhipment plant is extremely susceptible to
errors. Up to 30% of identifications have been falsely recorded at some point. Auto-
matic data transmission can help to solve this problem by the reading of a transponder
attached to the container. In 1991 the international standard ISO 10374 was drawn up
to provide a basis for the worldwide use of this technology.
The bands 888 to 889MHz and 902 to 928MHz (North America) and 2.4 to 2.5 GHz
(Europe) are used as the operating frequencies for the transponders. The transponders
must respond on all three of the frequency ranges used. Backscatter modulation (mod-
ulated reflection cross-section) with an FSK modulated subcarrier is the procedure used
for the data transfer from the container to the reader. The subcarrier frequencies are
20 kHz and 40 kHz. A total of 128 bits (16 bytes) are transmitted within just 2ms.

Figure 13.21 Container identification mark, consisting of owner's code, serial number and a
test digit