I²C RFID Smart Sensor smartRFID

The smartRFID sensor is a RFID reader. It reads the RFID tag and sends the 5 bytes plus a check-sum through the I²C bus. 

This sensor is self-reliant because it relies on a highly integrated RFID reader.

• CAUTION
Before using this device, please read the specification carefully sheet and check voltage requirements.

Device

  • Manufacturer:  Rei Vilo   
  • Break-out provider: 
  • Specification sheet: 
  • I²C address: 0x4c

Procedure

The smartRFID sensor comes ready to use, with two main functions, RFID_begin and RFID_read.

However, instead of a lengthy RFID unique identifier with 5 bytes, RFID_identify returns a single digit number, much easier to manage.

Basically, the RFID_translate function includes a table with checks the 5 bytes of the RFID unique identifier and returns a single digit number. If the RFID tag is unknown, then RFID_translate returns 0.

RFID_identify first calls RFID_read to acquire the 5 bytes of the RFID unique identifier and then RFID_translate to translate them into a single digit number.

The translation of the RFID unique identifier into a single digit number needs to be set on the RFID_translate function. As RFID_identify first calls RFID_read to acquire the 5 bytes of the RFID unique identifier and then RFID_translate to translate them into a single digit number, the RFID_translate function needs to be set first. 

The table if the RFID_translate function is edited on Robo Pro and the values are hard-coded. 

Main Functions

RFID_begin   initialise the sensor 
  • Input: None
  • Output: None
  • Exit: So if valid, ER if initialisation failed

RFID_read   read the RFID tag, control the check-sum and returns 5 bytes of the unique RFID identifier
  • Input: None
  • Output: RFID unique identifier, 5 bytes, Integer
  • Exit: So if valid, ER if check-sum failed

Advanced Functions

RFID_identify   read the RFID tag and return one single digit number associated with the RFID tag
  • Input: None
  • Output: one single digit number, Integer
  • Exit: So if valid, ER if check-sum failed

Using RFID_identify requires that the table in RFID_translate is ready and populated.
Main RFID_identify function...
RFID_translate   translate the RFID unique identifier into a single digit number
  • Input 1~5: RFID unique identifier, 5 bytes, Integer
  • Output: single digit number or zero if RFID unknown, Integer 

RFID_test  test the connection with the sensor
  • Input: None
  • Output: None
  • Exit: So if valid, ER if connection error
...and the table of RFID_translate

Download

Download the driver with an example for RoboPro.     

This file is under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Posted: 22 Oct 2011
Updated: