Texas Instruments unveils world's smallest half duplex (HDX) RFID mini-transponders for animal and asset tracking

DALLAS, Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Raising the standard in half duplex (HDX) transponder technology, Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) today announced the world's smallest half-duplex radio frequency identification (RFID) mini-transponders that enable customers to embed tags into smaller objects across a broader range of applications. The 12mm TRPGR30TGC and TRPGP40TGC glass encapsulated mini-transponders are ready-to-use and 100 percent backwards compatible with all of TI's RFID software and readers including power modules, control modules and micro readers. The TRPGP40TGC is programmable according to ISO 11784 / 11785 global livestock ID standards so customers can create compatible products that can be read by 134.2 kHz ISO-compliant receivers/infrastructure worldwide. The mini-transponders are durable enough for use in applications including tool, medical instrument, package and inventory tracking and safe enough for use in fish and livestock tracking and pet identification and are expected to work for up to 30 years. For more information on the new mini-transponders, go to www.ti.com/hdx-pr-lp.

TI's industry-leading HDX technology, hermetically encapsulated in the world's first 12mm glass transponder, gives customers the upper hand in creating RFID applications. The read range extends up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) and allows for easier tag spotting for fish tracking in fresh water and even in salt water environments where FDX technology completely fails. TI's HDX technology has high resistance to noise through frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulation and consistent performance through parametric testing and electronic resonance tuning performed on each mini-transponder throughout the production cycle.

Features and benefits of TI's 12mm mini-transponder

• Passive mini-transponder tags are 12mm x 2.12mm, enabling customers to introduce battery-free RFID tagging in smaller applications (e.g. tagging smaller fish).
• Each TRPGR30TGC mini-transponder is pre-programmed with a unique code for industrial applications and asset tracking. TRPGP40TGC mini-transponders can be programmed by users for livestock-, pet-ID and fish tracking.
• The TRPGR30TGC mini-transponder can be fully encapsulated in carbon fiber (bicycle frames, aerospace, automotive applications), environments with high noise levels (industrial applications, assembly lines) and in salt water.
• TI's complementary portfolio and software support help customers get their tagging products to the global market faster.

Pricing and availability
The TRPGR30TGC and TRPGP40TGC mini-transponders are immediately available for order at www.ti.com/hdx-pr-es or www.ti.com/hdx-pr-es2 and priced at USD $2.90 for 1k units. The MRD2EVM USB evaluation kit will support all functions of TI's RFID tags such as reading/writing, as well as programming the TRPGP40TGC mini-transponders, and will be available for order after the launch.

TI's broad portfolio of RFID products and software
TI's Radio Frequency Identification Systems is an industry leader in RFID technology. With more than 1 billion RFID tags and more than 100 million RFID reader devices manufactured, TI's RFID technology is used in a broad range of applications worldwide. Designers can accelerate time to market by tapping into TI's complete software and hardware tools, extensive third-party offerings and technical support.

Find out more about TI's RFID solutions and support by visiting the links below:

• TI's broad portfolio of RFID products: www.ti.com/hdx-pr-rfid
• 12mm HDX mini-transponder products: www.ti.com/hdx-pr-lp
• RFID tools and software: www.ti.com/hdx-pr-swlp
• TI eStore: www.ti.com/hdx-pr-es
• RFID support forum on TI's E2E™ community: www.ti.com/hdx-pr-e2e

About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 80,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be – smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun. Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do – from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities. This is just the beginning of our story. Learn more at www.ti.com.

SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated