Smart Library

The goal of this system is to create an intelligent library using RFID Technology. This means making libraries more efficient and reliable, such as automated book checkout, shelf management, book drop-off and most importantly, anti-theft detection. Radio Frequency identification (RFID) technology is a system that allows a user to read or write data using wireless signals. RFID tags are usually miniature and planar. Although 3 dimensional RFID tags exist, planar designs are much easier to fabricate given that one needs only to print the geometry. The cost of one tag is mere pennies for such an improvement of convenience and facility. The proposed design is a planar top loaded two element Yagi RFID antenna. The tag used will be a Higgs 3 RFID chip which holds up to 480 user defined bits. The rest of the 32 bits are used of security. This means that 2480 -1 different books can be stored without exceeding the limits of the chip. Many RFID tags are omnidirectional to ensure that the tag can be read from any direction from equal distance. For the application of a smart library, only one direction of the tag needs to be readable. The other directions need be only minimal simply to detect the range of the Anti-Theft system. All that is needed is a simple database of the books and a RFID tag reader. The most difficult challenge will be matching the antenna to the tag impedance of 20-j135. This will be achieved using parallel optimization that is comprised of various software such as Matlab and IE3D (an EM computational program). The variables for the geometry of the antenna will be chosen, then the simulation software will produce the results of the realized gain (how well the antenna preforms). Matlab will then find the next set of values, based on the previous results. This process is known as the Genetic Algorithm. This method is far faster than randomly guessing the size and shape of the antenna. After simulation, the tag will then be printed or etched using the etching process and have an RFID chip connected to it. The results will then be measured using a network analyzer and finally tested with an RFID tag reader. This system could have a conference paper written for IEEE. It will provide great insight on practical RFID use, and future research could also entail autonomous robotic shelf management. The designed mount of the tag will enable librarians to quickly do inventory and drastically decrease work effort simply by walking past a book. If the books is in the incorrect location, the tag reader could then signal the incorrect placement. Books will be known if they are stolen, and book drop offs could tell which book was dropped off and when. With the successful implementation of this system on a smaller scale, then a full library plan could be devised