CSCE 490/590 RFID Agent Middleware

CSCE 490V/590V - RFID Middleware - Fall 2006
Tentative Syllabus

[General Information] - [Schedule] - [Grading] - [Project Links] - [Course Policies]

General Information

Syllabus: http://csce.uark.edu/~cwt/, Time/Location: officially TR 11:00-12:20 in ENGR 307
Instructor: Dr. Craig Thompson, Office Hours: T 2:00-3:30, W 3:30-4:30, Contact info at http://csce.uark.edu/~cwt/
Required Reading: class website
Course Description: This course covers topics in software architecture, focusing on agent architectures and middleware design patterns in a distributed application involving building an RFID Enterprise Integration Architecture. This course involves a broad spectrum of computer science areas: software and system architecture and design, database programming, GUI development, device driver development, code optimization, deployment and testing, and others. The RFID EiA is already deployed in a real-world environment, the University of Arkansas RFID Research Center, and is aiming for open source deployment this semester (Fall 2006). The course is valuable in terms of real-world preparation. Students will have specific assignments, deadlines, work in a large team environment and use a shared code repository.

Schedule

Date	Topic	Reading	Homework
08/22 - T	Introduction to RFID	Project Overview
08/24 - R	RFID TO DO LIST - discuss architecture and project ideas	TagCentric User Manual, TagCentric Architecture, and Ubiquity Architecture
08/29 - T	install code (Hoag)	accounts	install code
08/31 - R	vist to RFID Center 12:30-2:00	map
09/05 - T	RFID TO DO LIST - discuss architecture and project ideas
09/07 - R	Select term projects
09/12 - T	Select term projects
09/14 - R	Lecture: RFID Center process flow, Justin Patton
09/19 - T	discuss architecture, projects and progress		Career Fair - 9/19
09/21 - R	work on projects
09/26 - T	discuss architecture, projects and progress
09/28 - R	Lecture: RFID Security, Dr. Dale Thompson
10/03 - T	discuss architecture, projects and progress
10/05 - R	work on projects
10/10 - T	Discussion w Dr. Bill Hardgrave, RFID Center Director
10/12 - R	work on projects
10/17 - T	Preliminary Project Reviews - Presentation & Report		present + demo?
10/19 - R	Preliminary Project Reviews - Presentation & Report		present + demo?
10/24 - T	discuss architecture, projects and progress
10/26 - R	work on projects
10/31 - T	discuss architecture, projects and progress
11/02 - R	work on projects
11/07 - T	discuss architecture, projects and progress
11/09 - R	work on projects
11/14 - T	discuss architecture, projects and progress
11/16 - R	work on projects
11/21 - T	discuss architecture, projects and progress
11/23 - R	work on projects
11/28 - T	Final Project Reviews - Presentation and Demo		demo + present
11/30 - R	Final Project Reviews - Presentation and Demo		demo + present
12/05 - T	Final Project Reviews - Presentation and Demo		demo + present

Grading

Participation in class and on teams: 25%
Presentations at Interim and Final Progress Reports - 10%
Term Project - 65%

Project Links

Project Overview

RFID Agent Middleware Architecture - Joe Hoag and Craig Thompson - 4/6/06 - 8/06
Presentation by Craig Thompson/Joe Hoag to RFID Center Industrial Advisory Board - 6/30/05 - 8/31/05 - 1/23/06
RFID DBMS Schema - 9/19/05

RFID Middleware Software

Installation Manual for End Users - 9/5/06
Installation Manual for UARK Users - 9/5/06

TagCentric User Manual - 8/18/06
Ubiquity Architecture - 8/18/06
TagCentric Architecture - 8/18/06
To download our system:

1. Log on to turing
2. Set CVSROOT to /homes/jhoag/cvs
3. Run "cvs checkout UARFID". Our Uof A RFID tree will magically appear in your current directory. (Note: UARFID is a recent name change from RFID. We've updated the internal namespace.)

Known problems with RFID Software release 1.0 - Joe Hoag - 11/28/2005
Feedback from RFID Center - 12/5/05

Project Info

RFID Agent Middleware Help - hints on how to run our software - updated 1/27/06 to reflect UARFID name change -

CVS Help - Joe Hoag - 9/8/05 - updated 1/27/06 to reflect UARFID name change - how to check out and check in code on turing - also see official CVS documentation

Project Task List

Presentations and Papers

Term Project - Fall 2006

Term Project - Summer 2006

Term Project - Spring 2006

Term Projects - Fall 2005

Term Project - Spring 2004

RFID Center Test Procedure - Kevin Robinson

Security and Privacy

RFID Technical Tutorial and Threat Modeling - Chaudhry, DThompson, CThompson - .ppt - MS Report - 11/22/05
RFID and Privacy - Taneem Ibrahim - draft3 - 1/22/06

Other Relevant Documents

RFID Reader APIs from Justin Patton: http://mrl.engr.uark.edu/api/

Important links

announcement - 6/20/05 - related
customer newsletter - 8/05
potential research topics re RFID - 8/05
accreditation news release - 9/14/05

UAF Center for Engineering Logistics and Distribution

Miscellaneous Links

RFID Primer at Techlinks: http://www.techlinks.net/Articlenew.cfm?ArticleUrl=450418256
RFID in a Nutshell: http://www.usingrfid.com/features/read.asp?id=2
How RFID Tagging Will Change the Supply Chain: http://www.microsoft.com/BusinessSolutions/scm_chip.aspx
Bar Codes are Boring: http://www.mhmonline.com/viewStory.asp?sID={E90FFE96-0D01-4F00-AD0C-AA1F17C09383}&S=1
rfXML
RFID Product News
RFID Global Solution Opens Innovation Center at Rogers
Lessons Learned - Silvio Albano
EPIC
Interesting site - http://updates.cmp.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/euRD0HOcIk0Noc0EH4e0Ak
Microsoft article: http://msdn.microsoft.com/architecture/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnbda/html/RFIDRetSupChn.asp?_r=1
ERP Linked to RFID as Vendors Rebuild Apps http://www.informationweek.bizintelligencepipeline.com/news/17701085
References provided by Kalyan [Oracle needs login account. If you register with Oracle, you will have access to many internet seminars and many more technical documents.]

RFID Enterprise Integration Architecture White Paper
DoD finalizes RFID Mandate Language

Course Policies

Course Web Page

Course materials, homework assignments, and class announcements will be posted on this web page. Watch for frequent updates.

Conduct

You are expected to come to class and to be ON TIME for class.

Grading

If you believe I have made an error in grading your homework or exam, please bring the matter to my attention as soon as possible.

Academic Integrity

You should never misrepresent someone else's work as your own. Especially, be careful of copying documents or code from the web - credit and reference the original contribution.

Inclement Weather Policy

If the University announces closure due to inclement weather (which is announced on http://www.uark.edu), then we will not have class that day. Even if the University is open:

if the instructor (who lives on a hill) cannot make it to class (due to ice), then he will send an email to class members and also post a note on this web page BY 9AM indicating NO CLASS TODAY (<DATE>) and any instructions for assignments. He will also alert the CSCE Department staff.
if a student feels it is unsafe to come to class due to inclement weather, then s/he should (at earliest convenience) send an email to the instructor indicating the reason for missing class.

In any of these above cases, any assignments due that day will be due the next class period.

Accommodation for Disability

If you have a disability that will impact your work in this class, please contact the instructor to discuss your needs.