In order to get good operating distances it is necessary to have sufficient power in the energising field such that the transponder at the operating range receives sufficient energy to operate. For international trade, it is necessary that the transponders operate equally well in all countries. This means that tags that operate reasonably well in the US have a dismal range in the European Community. The development of the EcoTag principle by Trolley Scan in 1999 addressed this issue and offers good reading performance in both the EU and US for UHF tags. EcoTag dramatically increases the energy conversion of the transponder without compromising the principles of having a single chip and a simple antenna Conclusion Despite the transponder offering the above features, it is practical today for the transponder to be made in a single integrated circuit for a few US cents.
Readers are also simple and low cost.
The technology for producing these systems is widely available and the barriers to entry for companies wishing to be producers of low cost transponders have beeen dramatically lowered compared to past situations.