News | September 21, 2005

ThingMagic Mercury4 Wins Highest Level Of EPCglobal Generation 2 RFID Conformance Certification

ThingMagic, Inc. (www.thingmagic.com), a leading developer of radio frequency identification (RFID), sensing and embedded computing technologies, today announced its Mercury4® RFID reader has received certification for all three modes of EPC Generation 2 performance, including Dense Reader Mode. This mode is the most complex and highest level tested, and reduces interference from RFID readers deployed in large quantities in a single location such as a Distribution Center or Warehouse. The other two modes achieved by Mercury4 are Single Reader Mode and Multiple Reader Mode. MET Laboratories certified Mercury4¹s conformance to the EPCglobal Generation 2 standard. MET Laboratories was chosen as EPCglobal¹s worldwide, third party testing partner in 2004.

ThingMagic readers adjust to read any type of RFID tag using advanced Software Defined Radio technology. ThingMagic launched its Generation 2 Conformant software upgrade, MercuryOS 2.3 Tesla, at the EPCglobal US Conference 2005 held here in Atlanta this week. Its Mercury4 reader is in volume production in three factories around the world and is available and shipping now in high volume. It has been selected and deployed by major adopters of EPC technology in Europe and the United States.

ThingMagic¹s EPCglobal Hardware Certification Mark assures the marketplace that the newest Mercury4 has been rigorously tested against the UHF Generation 2 Air Interface Protocol standard ratified in December 2004. The EPCglobal Hardware Certification Program includes RFID silicon chips, readers, reader modules, and printer/encoders with embedded reader modules. A listing of certified products, vendor profiles and other resources are available to EPCglobal US subscribers at www.epcglobalus.org.

The Mercury4 is the only RFID reader that includes all of the following essential features:

  • EPCglobal Generation 2 Dense Reader Mode certification, the highest of three modes certified;
  • The ability to read all major types of RFID tag simultaneously;
  • Cisco RFID Solution certification, proving compatibility with Cisco RFID Networks;
  • A Software Defined Radio architecture that enables 'one click' Mercury4 upgrades from a remote, networked workstation;
  • Advanced enterprise-grade network features including SSH and SSL network security and encryption;
  • Participation in Intermec Technology¹s Rapid Start Licensing Program; and
  • Charter Member of the RFID Consortium¹s patent pool program.

"As more businesses move from RFID pilots to production mode, and adopt the advanced Generation 2 standard, it is critical they adopt the most agile, advanced and network-ready RFID reader ­ ThingMagic's Mercury4," said Tom Grant, ThingMagic's Chairman and CEO. "Doing so ensures customer¹s RFID systems can scale to production, deliver all of the latest benefits of the Gen 2 standard, and can be easily and quickly upgraded without having to replace, or manually service, existing RFID readers in deployment. No other RFID reader matches the Mercury4 for features, performance and functionality."

Mercury4 readers with the Tesla Generation 2 upgrade include the following features:

  • The ability to operate in Gen 2 Dense Reader Mode, which reduces interference between readers by making it less likely that reader signals will drown out tag responses. This mode is for busy locations where multiple readers are in operation at the same time.
  • The ability to read Gen 2 tags with Electronic Product Codes up to 256 bits long, and those transmitting at different speeds, or data rates, of 80kbits, 160kbits, 320kbits and 640kbits.
  • Instant remote upgrade capabilities that enable Mercury4 to support all future protocols and standards as they become available.

EPCglobal UHF Generation 2 is a new standard for RFID tags, specifying the operation of the tag and the communication protocol for interoperability with RFID readers. It was developed by the EPCglobal community, including ThingMagic, to be a best-of-breed approach to RFID, and delivers improved performance in a number of areas, particularly how quickly large numbers of RFID tags can be read. Many RFID vendors have committed to support Gen 2 ­ more than currently support EPCglobal Generation 1. This increases competition in the RFID market, which in turn drives innovation, leading to reduced prices and increased performance, over time.

Mercury4 Gen 2 RFID reader products are available from ThingMagic partners AbeTech, Accu-Sort, Acsis, ADT/Sensormatic, BuyRFID, CIT, IconNicholson, Omron Corp., RFID Global Solutions, Rush Tracking Systems, SONTEC, Ubi-Tech, Venture Research, and Zebra Technologies. Sales inquiries should be directed to Mark Basler, vice president of Sales, at mark@thingmagic.com.

About ThingMagic, Inc.
Founded in 2000 and based in Cambridge, MA, ThingMagic is a leading developer of radio frequency identification (RFID), sensing and embedding computing technologies. Mercury4, ThingMagic's fourth generation agile RFID reader, builds on and substantially enhances the company¹s original platform created for early field tests of the Electronic Product Code (EPC). Designed to meet the business needs of a future where networked objects are pervasive, the Mercury4 line of RFID readers also includes an embedded reader module, Mercury4, and a handheld reader module, Mercury4h. Mercury4 RFID readers are the only intelligent, network-ready RFID readers, and the only devices that can claim to read any tag. For more information, see http://www.thingmagic.com.