Mobile RFID management - an application scenario on the handling of industrial liquid containers

This paper deals with concepts, challenges and design alternatives for the application of RFID technology within an industry context. We are especially interested in the combination of RFID technology with positioning information and mobile networks. To discuss these topics, we introduce an application scenario concerning the handling of industrial liquid containers along an integrated supply chain. First we describe the traditional approach and some of the problems involved with it. We then contrast this with an improved process using RFID technology. The scenario is augmented by a discussion of an appropriate application prototype. This paper thus contributes to the debate on RFID and highlights the challenges of integrating various mobile technologies in order to efficiently support supply chain processes.