Industrial RFID & IoT Communication Protocols
Complete technical specifications, binary frame decoders, C# .NET 8 / C++ drivers, and wiring schematics for building deterministic, enterprise-grade auto-ID ecosystems.
Protocol Documentation & Implementation Blueprints
Click into any standard for complete packet structures, C# / Python sample implementations, electrical pinouts, and hardware recommendations.
Low Level Reader Protocol (LLRP v1.0.1 / v1.1)
The vendor-agnostic international binary protocol standard for controlling and streaming tag data from fixed UHF RFID readers.
EPC Gen2 & ISO/IEC 18000-63 (RAIN RFID)
The universal ultra-high frequency (UHF) passive radio backscatter standard powering global retail, logistics, and asset tracking.
MQTT & Sparkplug B IoT Telemetry Protocol
Lightweight publish/subscribe protocol optimized for streaming real-time RFID reads from edge readers and smart lockers into enterprise cloud platforms.
Modbus TCP & Modbus RTU Industrial PLC Protocol
The industrial automation standard for direct communication between RFID reader GPIO modules, conveyors, stack lights, and PLCs (Siemens, Rockwell, Schneider).
RS-232 & RS-485 Serial UART Communication
Rugged hardware serial protocols for connecting embedded RFID modules, desktop USB-to-UART writers, and long-range multi-drop reader buses.
Wiegand & OSDP Physical Access Control Protocols
The security industry protocols connecting long-range UHF parking readers, turnstiles, and biometric smart card readers to access control panels.
IP Ratings & Industrial Enclosure Standards (IP65, IP67, IP68)
The ingress protection engineering standards determining weatherproofing, chemical resistance, and dust-sealing for outdoor and cold-chain RFID installations.
ISO 14443A, ISO 15693 & NFC NDEF Protocols
The 13.56 MHz High Frequency (HF) radio protocols enabling contactless smart cards, library book security gates, and smartphone NFC interactions.
3M SIP2 & NCIP Library Automation Protocols
The universal communication protocol connecting RFID self-checkout kiosks, book return chutes, and security gates to Integrated Library Systems (ILS) like Koha and Alma.
HL7 v2.x & FHIR Healthcare Auto-ID Protocols
The healthcare communication standard connecting smart RFID medicine cabinets, surgical tray sterilizers, and specimen tube tracking to Hospital Information Systems (HIS/EMR).
Master Protocol & Standards Comparison Matrix
Architectural reference comparing frequencies, physical transport layers, payload schemas, and OpenRFID middleware integration plugins.
| Protocol | Standard / Body | Transport / Layer | Port / Freq | Speed / Latency | OpenRFID Plugin | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LLRP | EPCglobal / ISO/IEC 24730 | Transport & Application (TCP) | TCP Port 5084 | 1,000+ tag reads/sec over Gigabit Ethernet | OpenRFID.Plugins.LLRP | Docs → |
| EPC Gen2 (ISO 18000-6C) | GS1 EPC Gen2v2 / ISO/IEC 18000-63 | Physical & Data Link (860–960 MHz UHF) | 865–867 MHz (India / ETSI) | Up to 1,200 tags/sec backscatter inventory rate | — | Docs → |
| MQTT & Sparkplug B | OASIS MQTT v3.1.1 / v5.0 | Eclipse Sparkplug B | Application / Messaging (TCP / TLS) | TCP 1883 (Plain) / 8883 (TLS/MQTTS) | Sub-15ms message delivery over WAN/Cloud brokers | OpenRFID.Plugins.MQTT | Docs → |
| Modbus TCP / RTU | Modbus-IDA / IEC 61158 | Fieldbus / Industrial Ethernet (TCP 502 / RS485) | TCP Port 502 (TCP) | Deterministic 5ms cycle time on industrial Ethernet networks | — | Docs → |
| RS232 / RS485 Serial | EIA/TIA-232-E / EIA-485 / UART | Physical & Data Link (Serial COM) | COM Port (9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200 Baud) | Up to 1.2 km cable distance (RS-485) | Up to 15 m (RS-232) | OpenRFID.Plugins.Serial | Docs → |
| Wiegand & OSDP | SIA AC-01 (Wiegand) | SIA OSDP v2.2 (IEC 60839-11-5) | Access Control Field Wiring & Protocol (Data0/Data1 / RS485) | 5V Pulse (Wiegand) | Sub-50ms door badge unlock latency | — | Docs → |
| IP Ratings (IP65 / IP67 / IP68) | IEC 60529 / NEMA 250 / EN 62262 (IK Ratings) | Physical Enclosure & Environmental Sealing | Operating Temperature: -40°C to +85°C | 100% dust-tight & high-pressure washdown resistant | — | Docs → |
| ISO 14443 / ISO 15693 (NFC) | ISO/IEC 14443 Type A/B | ISO/IEC 15693 | NFC Forum Type 2/4/5 | Physical & Data Link (13.56 MHz HF) | 13.56 MHz High Frequency (HF) | 106 to 848 kbps transmission rate (Sub-100ms smartphone scan) | — | Docs → |
| 3M SIP2 & NCIP | 3M Standard Interchange Protocol v2.00 / NISO Z39.83 (NCIP) | Application Protocol (TCP / Socket) | TCP Port 6001 / 6002 (Telnet / Raw Socket) | Sub-200ms transaction checkout and checkin speed | — | Docs → |
| HL7 & FHIR | Health Level Seven International (HL7 v2.5 / FHIR R4) | Application & MLLP (TCP 2575 / HTTPS REST) | TCP Port 2575 (MLLP) | Instant real-time patient safety & specimen traceability | — | Docs → |
What is the primary protocol used to connect fixed UHF RFID readers to software?
How do edge RFID readers publish tag streams to cloud ERPs and databases?
Can industrial PLCs (Siemens, Allen-Bradley) control RFID readers directly?
What is the difference between Wiegand and OSDP for parking and access control?
Need a Custom Protocol Driver or ERP Connector?
Our engineering team builds custom C# .NET 8, C++ and Rust device drivers for high-speed conveyor diverters, medical autoclaves, smart RFID lockers, and SAP/Tally ERP gateways.