FAQ

General Questions

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification.  RFID is a wireless tagging system that is the next generation of asset management technology beyond barcodes.  RFID uses RF (radio frequency) to communicate (like a cordless phone) rather than optical lasers as commonly seen in retail barcode applications.  Using RF gives the RFID tags enhanced features such as: 

• Globally unique ID
• Smaller size
• Rugged tag packaging and mounting
• Secure data storage which can be changed “in the field”
• Faster reading of RFID tags

When a company’s assets are labeled with RFID tags, they realize significant practical benefits over the “line-of-sight” barcode technologies.  Foremost among these are:

• Automation of many costly manual processes (i.e., inventory and tracking)
• Near real-time asset tracking providing enhanced asset visibility and management (supply chain and logistics)
• Enhanced security and accountability
• Significant reduction of paper work and paper-based tracking
• Reduced losses from human data entry errors

For in depth RFID information please visit the IDBLUE website.

What is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth®  is a wireless protocol that is used to communicate from one device to another in a small area, usually less than 30 feet. It uses the 2.4 GHz spectrum to provide a one megabit connection between two devices for both a voice channel and a 768 kbps data channel.

General IDBLUE Questions

What is IDBLUE R8.HF?

IDBLUE R8.HF is the world’s first mobile, Bluetooth enabled RFID reader. With a compact pen-shaped design complete with stylus tip, IDBLUE is ideal for scenarios requiring human workflow such as MRO, healthcare, tracking and traceability. For more information, visit the IDBLUE products website.

What frequency does IDBLUE R8.HF work on?

IDBLUE R8.HF is an HF reader that is able to read tags at 13.56 MHz.

What protocols does IDBLUE R8.HF support?

IDBLUE R8.HF supports the following protocols

• ISO 15693
• ISO 14443 (coming soon)

What is the read range of an IDBLUE R8.HF reader?

IDBLUE R8.HF is a near proximity reader designed for scenarios requiring human workflow and pinpointing items and thus, designed to read at ranges of 2 to 4 cm, depending on the form factor of the RFID tag in question.

How long does the IDBLUE R8.HF battery last?

Typical use time for an IDBLUE R8.HF is between 10 to 12 hours but it depends greatly on how the unit is being used.

• Off Time
• Standby Time
• Continuous Use Time

Does IDBLUE R8.HF have any internal onboard memory for situations when connection to an application is not possible?

Absolutely! IDBLUE R8.HF contains onboard memory capable of storing tags, user readable data and timestamp of when the read took place. IDBLUE R8.HF is capable of storing up to 1000 entries.

Is IDBLUE R8.HF FCC Certified?

Yes. IDBLUE R8.HF meets all FCC certifications.

What platforms are supported by IDBLUE R8.HF?

IDBLUE R8.HF is compatible with the following Bluetooth stacks:

• Microsoft®
• Broadcomm
• Toshiba

IDBLUE provides out of the box support for:

• Microsoft Windows 7®, Microsoft Windows Vista®, Microsoft Windows XP®
• Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003®, Windows Mobile 5® and Windows Mobile 6®

IDBLUE provides development tools for:

• Microsoft Visual Studio.NET 2005®
• Microsoft Visual Studio.NET 2008®

For other platforms, IDBLUE provides all of the necessary interface documentation required for communication with the IDBLUE R8.HF device.

How does IDBLUE R8.HF communicate with a computer?

Communication with a Pocket PC, tablets, laptops and PCs is provided over Bluetooth and USB.

Bluetooth Questions

How far can my IDBLUE R8.HF unit be from a PC/Pocket PC before it loses connection?

Bluetooth has a theoretical range of 15m (48 feet) but in every day scenarios, ideal range is 15 to 20 feet.

Are there any recommended Bluetooth dongles?

IDBLUE R8.HF will work with any Bluetooth dongle that supports the Serial Port Profile (SPP).  However, the out-of-the-box applications require a dongle that support one of Toshiba, Broadcomm or Microsoft Bluetooth stacks.  Dongles that are known to work with IDBLUE R8.HF are:

• D-Link DBT-122 (Recommended)
• D-Link DBT-120
• IOGear GBU201
• IOGear GBU301
• IOGear GBU211
• IOGear GBU311

Software and Development

What software tools are available for IDBLUE R8.HF?

IDBLUE provides multiple software packages as a free download for use with IDBLUE R8.HF.  These are:

• IDBLUE Developer’s Toolkit: A toolkit to be used by developers of RFID applications. The toolkit contains:
• • Drivers and sample applications with source code for Visual Studio.NET® development
  • Developer Documentation including a Developer’s Guide and .NET Reference Guide
  • USB Driver for charging IDBLUE devices from a computer
• IDBLUE Manager Package: Provides an application to configure, update and test the features and functionality of an IDBLUE device. The package contains:
• • The IDBLUE Manager application and required drivers
  • IDBLUE Manager User’s Guide document
  • USB Driver for charging IDBLUE devices from a computer
• IDBLUE Demonstration Package: A number of demonstration applications to showcase the use of IDBLUE devices. These include:
• • An Asset Management demonstration for Windows Mobile®
  • An RFID Workflow demonstration for Windows Mobile®
• IDBLUE Serial API Document: For developers using a platform other than Visual Studio .NET, IDBLUE also provides the Serial API Document which provides the required information to communicate directly with an IDBLUE device.

The IDBLUE software packages may be downloaded from the IDBLUE website.

What kind of APIs does Cathexis provide for developing applications for IDBLUE R8.HF?

IDBLUE provides .NET APIs along with sample applications for pocket PCs and PCs, written in VB and C#. In addition, IDBLUE provides the IDBLUE Serial API Document which provides the information to use any development platform to communicate with an IDBLUE device.