RAIN RFID Test Instrument

Release: Build 150205

Tag Performance Tester

• Major GUI re-design
  • Better overview of the settings, results and measurement flow
  • Easier handling of command settings
  • Graphs scaling with resizable application window
• Option to save and load settings
• Speed improvement of Frequency Sweep and Orientation Sweep
• Support of Gen2V2 commands (Untraceable, Authenitcate, ReadBuffer, …)

Tag Conformance Tester

• Support of Gen2V2 commands (Untraceable, Authenticate, ReadBuffer, …)
• Support of the ISO/IEC 29167-10 (AES) Crypto Suite

Release: Build 151202

Sniffer

• Major GUI re-design
  • Better overview of the settings and results
  • Easier handling
  • Better representation of command and response details
• New function to analyze streamed records

Release: Build_160125

Tag Performance Tester

• Improvement of calibration
• Faster inventory of tag population
• Introduction of a new tag performance metric: “Operating range”

Release: Build_160809

Tag Performance Tester

• New result format: XML file
• New function to calculate the average of multiple plots
• New function to create tag radiation patterns out of multiple frequency sweeps measured at various angles
• Saving of graphs as pictures and exporting data to Excel and clipboard

Tag Conformance Tester

• New GUI with well-arranged menu bar to support easier handling
• Option to save and load settings

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Extended with Tag Emulation function to emulate UHF RFID tags with user-defined behavior in order to analyze, verify and optimize RFID system installations or individual RFID readers
• Improvement of the receiver sensitivity
• Option to Save and Load System Settings
• Function to export the content of the command list to the clipboard
• Option to save graphs as pictures

Reader Performance Tester

• First Release

Release: Build_161219

Tag Performance Tester

• Support SSB-ASK and PR-ASK modulation
• Auto saving of measurement results

Tag Conformance Tester

• Support SSB-ASK and PR-ASK modulation
• Improved Duty Cycle and Link Frequency measurement algorithm
• Improved T1 and T2 timing measurements

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Improvement of the tag response detectot and the response decoder
• New result parameter: T4 link time
• Extension with automated gain control (AGC) of the receiver
• Improved response detector and response decoder
• Improvement of the Tag Emulator
  • Support of the Lock command
  • Multiple Tags

Release: Build_170515

Tag Performance Tester

• Speed improvement of the inventory algorithm
• Add option for contacted measurement. If the option is selected, the path loss and the calibration data are not considered in the results
• Unused controls in advanced command settings are now disabled. Only the controls which are supported by the selected command are enabled
• Change the location of the calibration file. Request user to select calibration file or start a new calibration before starting the first measurement.
• Backscatter measurement: RBW set to 3 kHz, higher of the two sidebands used as result
• Backscatter power intensity graph display improvement.

Tag Conformance Tester

• Advanced formatting of tag responses

Reader Performance Tester

• New graph: Success rate graph

Release: Build_170918

Tag Performance Tester

• Receiver sensitivity improvement
• Added additional command sequences
• Added predefined setting files
• New context menu function to enable/disable all plots of a graph

Tag Conformance Tester

• Added additional command sequences
• Added predefined setting files

Reader Performance Tester

• New context menu function to enable/disable all plots of a graph
• New function to obtain the sensitivity results from the average of multiple measurements
• New sweep: BLF sweep

Release: Build_171003

Tag Conformance Tester

• Improvements of the Automation
  • Update of the ISO/IEC 29167-10 test sequence to comply with updates of the protocol.
    • Support of CMAC Authentication for ISO/IEC 29167-10
    • New test sequence (RFID Tag Test_Gen2 DUT Configuration Utility) for automated DUT configuration.

Release: Build_180208

Tag Conformance Tester

• Improved response detection at high Tari values
• Decode responses for signals loaded from IQ files
• New function to export IQ data as STM file

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Improvement of continous signal streaming function
• Option to Save/Load TE configuration settings to/from setting files
• Improvement of the Tag Emulator
  • Support addtional states and commands

Reader Performance Tester

• Improvement of the linearity compensation of the RFSM backscatter power over its dynamic range
• Option to Save/Load TE configuration settings to/from setting files

API

• Support of 64-bit targets

General

• Updated warning and error messages

Release: Build_180601

Tag Performance Tester

• Option to pause graph updates, while sweep is running
• Re-design of command sequence selection in the Communication Settings (Advanced)
• Assistent for generating Gen2 commands as User-defined command

Tag Conformance Tester

• New option to modify the expected BLF, to improve the decoding if a response has a high BLF offset
• Re-design of command sequence selection in the Communication Settings (Advanced)
• Assistent for generating Gen2 commands as User-defined command

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Improved command detection and decoding
• Improvement of the Tag Emulator
  • Support of the ISO/IEC 29167-10 cryptographic suite. Fully or partially supported new commands: Challenge, Authenticate, ReadBuffer
  • Supports Read commands with a WordCount set to zero

Reader Performance Tester

• The application can be opened to view results, also if no RFID Xplorer is connected
• Update the success rate graph in run-time
• New graph to display the measured reader power and the backscatter power over time

General

• Option to select working directory

Release: Build_180627

Tag Conformance Tester

• Improvements of the Automation
  • New option to apply mandatory BLF settings only
  • Update of the XML report. The number of passed, failed and inconclusive test results is written to the report header
  • Improved handling of tag replies with a strong link frequency offset

Release: Build_180920

Tag Performance Tester

• Option to highlight the ETSI + FCC bands within the frequency sweep graph
• Show additional information (ERP) of TX power in Reference Reader settings

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Re-design of the main graph:
  • Overview graph added, in which the complete signal is shown
  • Zooming in main graph using the mouse wheel
• New option to trigger the Sniffer by an external signal on GPIO pin 2
• Improved handling of graph updates while sniffing in case of detection of low PC performance
• Improvement of the Tag Emulator
  • Supports of target states A/B. The user has an option to configure the Tag Emulator to ignore the parameter Target of the Query command
  • Supports Read commands with a WordCount set to zero

Reader Performance Tester

• New comment field for sensitivity result plots

API

• Support loading of *.xpl setting files into API XML converter

Release: Build_190121

Tag Performance Tester

• Improvements of the ETSI 302 208 tag e.r.p measurement
  • The (calculated) path loss between the DUT and the antenna is considered in the results

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Improved algorithm for the Reader Conformance check.
• Improvements of the Communication Analysis
  • Lines in the Q-value development graph, indicate Query commands
  • QueryAdjust and QueryRep commands, which occur before the first Query, are not considered in the Q-value development graph
  • Improved algorithm for inventory and communication statistics

Release: Build_190520

Tag Performance Tester

• Re-design of GUI elements and menu items
• Improvement of the RX measurement (backscatter power) accuracy by up to 0.5 dB
• Improved speed of the Top-down (Fine) sweep algorithm
• Improvements of the ETSI 302 208 tag e.r.p measurement
  • Option to test all frequencies of the lower and/or upper band in a single sweep
  • Option to select a user defined modulation rate (BLF)
  • Option to export all results as pictures

Tag Conformance Tester

• Improve accuracy of T2 timing.
• Support new revision of ISO/IEC 29167-10

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Increase of the maximum sampling frequency to 12.5 MHz, to increase the maximum real-time receiving bandwidth by factor of two
• Re-design of the logic signal graph:
  • Overview graph added, in which the complete signal is shown
  • Zooming in main graph using the mouse wheel
• Improved reader analysis by adding new result parameter: Data-0 and Data-1

Reader Performance Tester

• The sensitivity results can be saved in an additional file format (XML)
• New sweep type: Phase & BLF Sweep
• Improved scaling of GUI elements, if the application window is resized

General

• Improved tag response bit detector
• User-definable IP address of the CISC RFID Xplorer

Release: Build_191011

Tag Performance Tester

• New power sweep algorithm: Differential power sweep
• Improvements of the ETSI 302 208 tag e.r.p measurement
  • Improved HTML report generator

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Improvement of receiver tuning to reduce noise

General

• Update of runtime menu items

Release: Build_202001

Tag Performance Tester

• Alignment of the tag backscatter power measurement with ISO/IEC 18046-3.

Tag Conformance Tester

• Alignment of the tag backscatter power measurement with ISO/IEC 18046-3.

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Alignment of the tag backscatter power measurement with ISO/IEC 18046-2 and ISO/IEC 18046-3.
• Update of the reader envelope analysis
• Calculator to evaluate the absolute Tag Emulator backscatter power
• Improved the reader command detection and the tag response detection

Reader Performance Tester

• Alignment of the reader sensitivity measurement with ISO/IEC 18046-2
• New option to export the data from the success rate graph

API

• Alignment of the tag backscatter power measurement with ISO/IEC 18046-2 and ISO/IEC 18046-3

Release: Build_200428

Tag Conformance Tester

• Improvements of the Automation
  • Support of tags whose lock functionality is limited to permanently lock all memory
  • Update of the ISO/IEC 29167-10 test sequence to comply with updates in ISO/IEC 19823-10

Release: Build_200703

Tag Performance Tester

• Improved TID decoding.
• Improved algorithm of the tag population analysis.
• Improved accuracy of the pulse-width for SSB-ASK modulation.

Tag Conformance Tester

• Improved TID decoding.
• Improved accuracy of the pulse-width for SSB-ASK modulation.

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Option to change the unit of the signal in the main graph from V to dBm.
• Improved processing time
• Improved tag response detection.

API

• Added new examples

Release: Build_201030

Tag Performance Tester

• New Frequency Sweep display metrics:
  • Transmitted Power (dBm)
  • Backscattered Power at Receiver (dBm)
  • Backscattered Signal Phase (deg)
  • Read Data

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Re-design of setting dialogues
• Added Slot analysis as a new funtion of the the Communication Analysis
• Improvement of the Tag Emulator
  • New error option “No reply” to force the TE to not respond to commands

Reader Performance Tester

• User-definable step delay added
• New sweep functions added:
  • Return Loss Sweep (requires the CISC Impedance Emulator)
  • Sensitivity monitoring over time
• Option to combine multiple sweeps

API

• Added Phyton examples

Release: Build_210531

Tag Performance Tester

• Improvements of the ETSI 302 208 tag e.r.p measurement
  • Improved HTML report generator
    • Added software version to the info section.
    • Added name of the measurement device to the info section.
    • Added version of the ETSI EN 302 208 protocol to the info section.
    • Option to add a comment to the info section.
    • Option to add a block diagram of the test setup.
    • Introduced the test result “Inconclusive”.
  • Added description of the setup for on-metal tags.

Tag Conformance Tester

• Improvements of the Automation
  • Added Application Conformance (Annex N) test cases.

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Option to analyze the waveform after a command, if no tag response is detected
• Improvment of the Frequency Channel Analysis
  • New function to evaluate whether timing requirements are fulfilled for FCC 15.247 and ETSI EN 302 208.
• Improvement of the Tag Emulator
  • Improved command counter
  • StoredPC: Support T-bit
  • Improved format of TE sequence files, to support comments.

Reader Performance Tester

• Function to verify if background noise is present
• Setting to modify the StoredPC of the Tag Emulator

API

• Added new functions to the API
  • Function to load STM files
  • Functions for Reader and Tag Analysis
  • Functions to support the Reader Conformance Check
  • Functions to support the TE Sequence Mode
  • Extended power sweep function
• Added new examples

Release: Build_211126

Tag Performance Tester

• Improvement of the Tag Population Analysis
  • New setting to configure the number of Inventory rounds, used for the measurement
  • Option to load analysis results from a file
• Improvements of the ETSI 302 208 tag e.r.p measurement
  • Introduced additional plots to the spectrum graph
  • Improved HTML report generator
    • Added result summary to the top of the report
    • Added result table for the unwanted emission measurements

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Option to display the reader spectrum of a single command instead of the combined spectrum of all commands in the frame
• Option to detect and analyze the power-up and power-down RF envelope
• Introduced additional analysis parameters
  • Reader command
    • Overshoot (%)
    • Undershoot (%)
  • Power-up and power-down RF envelope
    • Rise time (us)
    • Fall time (us)
    • Overshoot (%)
    • Undershoot (%)
    • Monotony
    • Header Time (us)
    • Signal level when OFF (%)
  • Improvements of the Frequency Channel Analysis
    • Added measurement of the min. channel off time

Reader Performance Tester

• Auto-save function

API

• Added new functions to the API
  • Functions to support the Spectrum Test (Interference Analysis)
• Added new examples

General

• Improved functions to export graphs as images.

Release: Build_220531

Tag Performance Tester

• Improvements of the ETSI 302 208 tag e.r.p measurement
  • Option to select between spectrum mask limits according EN 308 208 V3.4.1.
  • Option to verify measurement accuracy by comparing results with reference data.

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Improved detection of the power-up and power-down envelope
• Improved decoding of reader commands

Reader Performance Tester

• Indicate the expected duration of the measurement, for the applied settings.

General

• Upgrade of all GUI applications from 32-bit to 64-bit.

Release: Build_221130

Tag Performance Tester

• Improved context menus

Tag Conformance Tester

• Improvements of the Automation
  • New test sequence: “RFID Tag Test_Gen2 Extended Conformance Test.seq”

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Support additional reader transmit masks
• New result parameter: Frequency Shift
• New function to display the reader success rate over the number of Queries received by the TE.
• Improved the Reader Conformance Check report
• Introduced new result verdicts to the Reader Conformance Check report

Reader Performance Tester

• Indicate the expected duration of the measurement, for the applied settings.
• Update of the RFSM calibration data reading, to improve the accuracy.

General

• Upgrade of all GUI applications from 32-bit to 64-bit.

Release: Build_230630

Tag Performance Tester

• Option to change plot attributes (color, line style, etc.) for sweep results graphs
• Improvements of the ETSI 302 208 tag e.r.p measurement
  • Option to add orientation sweep results to the test report
  • Option to generate a declaration of conformity
• Change of the default Header Time from 1.5 ms to 2.5 ms (for compliance with Gen2V3 tags)
• Option to add a timestamp to the measurement results
• New design of the System Setup window
• New setting that allows to change the TX power applied for the Inventory measurement

Tag Conformance Tester

• Improved the response frame detection
• Improved the accuracy of the Tari setting
• Change of the default Header Time from 1.5 ms to 2.5 ms (for compliance with Gen2V3 tags)

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• New result parameter: Power in Channel
• The following buttons are not anymore reset if the sniffing is stopped.
  • Record
  • Save XML Log
  • Tag Emulator

Reader Performance Tester

• Option to add a timestamp to the measurement results

General

• Display warning if the application has no write permission for the selected
• working directory

Release: Build_231130

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Optical improvements when resizing the application window.

General

• Support of Windows 11

Release: Build_240731

Tag Performance Tester

• Option to rename plots from the plot legend
• Option to select active plot from the plot legend

Sniffer and Tag Emulator

• Improved Logic Signal Graph (autoscaling, shading, context menu)
• Improved the analysis of the monotony of power-up and power-down envelopes.

Reader Performance Tester

• Option to rename plots from the plot legend
• Option to select active plot from the plot legend
• Improvements of the Impedance Emulator control
  • New display metric: “Return Phase (deg)”
  • New test automation option: “Phase Channel Sweep”
  • New system setting: “Apply IE Phase Shift”

Release: Build_2504

T.b.d.

Release: Build_2510

T.b.d.