Trimble Introduces ThingMagic Astra-EX UHF RFID Reader

Recently, Trimble (News - Alert) introduced the ThingMagic Astra-EX, an addition to its combined UHF RFID reader/antenna product family. The product is driven by ThingMagic's high-performance Mercury6e (M6e) module and created for enterprise and commercial applications.

RFID is a new technology offering a completely new set of applications by which computing devices can see objects in the world without direct human involvement. ThingMagic's Advanced Development Group (ADG) creates state-of-the-art systems based on Trimble’s portfolio of RFID products to realize these applications.

Merging well with enterprise layouts, Astra-EX is simple to deploy and combine with corporate IT infrastructures. Consisting of various new high-performance and application-specific features, Astra-EX builds on the abilities of the vastly installed first-generation Astra reader.

With anti-collision Dense Reader Mode (DRM) and advanced anti-jamming functionality, the product offers EPCglobal Gen2 (optional ISO 18000-6B) support.

Also, to support an optional secondary external antenna, the product provides a completely integrated 8.5 dBic circularly-polarized antenna and an RP TNC connector.

“The addition of Astra-EX reader to our product line allows customers to take advantage of our latest high-performance features in a proven form factor," said Tom Grant, general manager of Trimble's ThingMagic Division. "Predictable performance and ease-of-use are essential to broad market adoption of RFID. Astra-EX delivers on both of these measures and more, simplifying integration with enterprise applications and reducing the time for customers to realize better business results.”

In 2011, Jim Kirkland, vice president and general counsel for Trimble, criticized statements given by LightSquared (News - Alert) general counsel Curtis Lu. He stated that Lu is making repeated inaccurate statements about the ability of LightSquared to build a countrywide terrestrial network with the help of the mobile satellite spectrum.

According to him, the FCC (News - Alert) rules did not allow the terrestrial-only broadband services LightSquared now wants to offer. 

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