In many cases, it is not only the purchase price of the item that one is protecting, but also the information and data in the device that adds to its value to the company. Many times the computers and files are very small and can be removed without causing much attention. This equipment addresses that problem.

In certain circumstances, high value assets should not be removed from a building except via authorized exits. An example might be a computer training centre where computer equipment should not be removed via the emergency exits that have to be provided to safeguard the staff. Another example is a hospital where all equipment needs to be removed only via a manned exit, and an electronic barrier is used at other exits.

The Notetrack barrier system provides an electronic barrier that will detect any marked equipment entering its zone, and sound a loud audible bleep as long as the equipment is in the barrier zone. The reader is set up at doorways in such a manner as to provide a detection zone just beyond the doorway, so that it does not detect any equipment in the room, but only equipment that has passed through the unauthorised exit.

The system can be used to prevent computer equipment, medical equipment, library books, or even documents (such as insurance or personnel files) from being removed through one of these unguarded exits.

Trolley Scan provide a range of passive transponders that can be used with this barrier, such as tags that are made to be attached to metal items such as computers (offering up to a 20 meter read range); credit card sized passive tags that can be used for non- metal items such as books; thin dipole antennas that can be mounted in files; or laundry tags that can be placed in clothing items that need to be marked.

Reader
The reader is a UHF RFID fixed reader that can provide a low power energising field to energise the transponders and that can read their identities. The reader has two antennas that are mounted side by side, each antenna being the size approximately of an A4 piece of paper. The reader is powered by mains and makes a loud noise when a tag is in its zone. The reader can also be adapted to provide the ID numbers of items entering its zone to a monitoring computer.

The reader provides a continuous energy field and can detect items passing as fast as 300kph with read rates up to 70 items per second.

The reader emits a very low power stable signal and will cause no interference with other radio users, such as users of cellphones. Many readers can operate in close proximity without interfering with each other. .

Transponders
A range of different transponders are available for use with the barrier reader. One of these types is a new transponder that is specially designed to be attached to laptop and notebook computers or to metal type equipment. These transponders work in all orientations of the computer and will be detected by a Trolleyponder fixed reader at distances up to 20 meters. Since the system works on radio principles, it will be detected even if it is inside a briefcase or laptop carrying bag.

With this technology, the passage of the computer can be detected when it passes any barrier reader.

Computers and metal boxed like instruments require a special transponder due to their structure. The computer systems have very high clock frequencies which generate radio interference for other users and so they are shielded from the outside world by being placed in cases that confine their radio energy. These cases stop any radio signals passing into the laptop or leaving the inside of the laptop. As a result, the RFID tag needs to be mounted on the outside of the laptop to interact with the readers via radio signals.

The Trolley Scan RFID laptop transponder is a rubber based tag that is glued onto the outside of the computer case. The tag can be attached anywhere to the outside of the computer case. It will be detected when it passes the reader even if it is screened from direct radio path with the reader by the computer itself. The rubber tag has a high resistance to chemicals and solvents. The glue is very strong and will prevent the tag being removed. It is a passive tag with a very long expected lifetime.

Besides transponders that are specially made to cater for metal type structures, transponders are also available for tagging non-metal items such as books, files and clothing. These take the form of credit card sized tags or thin diploes that are similar to a thin wire 16 cms long.

The package
The Notetrack Barrier system is sold as a package of hardware to solve the application and can be installed by the purchaser.

The package comprises

Compatibility
The transponders are compatible with

The system can be purchased from Trolley Scan (Pty) Ltd at www.trolleyscan.com

Notetrack(tm) and Notebarrier(tm) are the trademarks of RFID Technologies CC