Fourth International Conference on Networked Computing and Advanced Information Management

A Database Design of RFID Document Management System

with e-Ink Technology
Bae Soon Hark, Jong Hwa Choi*, Choon Seong Leem

Dept. of Information and Industrial Engineering, Yonsei University

*sharkcompany@yonsei.ac.kr

Abstract
Although information of several organizations
becomes digitized in the digital era, hardcopy is still
used in important business process, such as signature
process or process requiring legal force. If you print
hardcopy whenever you need some information, it is
waste of money. Besides, there are in more danger of
leak of the confidential information if you can get the
hardcopy documents easily. So we suggest database
design of RFID document System based on e-ink
technology in order to replace the existing RFID
production method.
1. Introduction
With the advent of the Information Technology
around the 1990s, a lot of organizations have been
mounting an effort to improve business process
efficiency and effectiveness. The growth of the
Information Technology makes the flood of
information, [4]
To digitize information has been an argument about
the method for efficient management of information
resource; it goes on studies on e-document
management system for digitizing and managing all of
the information.
Even though digitizing of information brings
convenience of management and cost saving, many
organizations still use hardcopy instead of using
digitized information form. Hardcopies are published
on the first, those can be permanent in the next
hundred or thousand years. Moreover it has legal force.
For these reasons, many prefer to use hardcopy rather
than e-document. [6]
However, as each individual member of the
organization produces a duplicate hardcopy
thoughtlessly, there may cause problems such as
wasting time and money, and becoming more exposed
to security problems.
2. What is the e-ink?
2.1. Definition of e-ink
As you see, we can define e-ink as possible as we
can apply various applications like semiconductor or
display, electronic industrial etc because of ink
bringing out electromagnetic feature. And this
technology based on ink-jet printing technology comes
into the spotlight in simplification of RFID creation
process and cost saving [3]
As the characteristic of manufacturing process,
there are various types and forms of e-ink. But in this
research, the term e-ink limited to print RFID on
hardcopy or to print directly.
2.2. RFID Creation process using e-ink
The best features of e-ink are that they can apply to
various materials and areas. There are two major
phases in RFID Creation process using e-ink. (you can
see that [Figure. 1])
[Figure. 1] RFID Creation phase using E-ink
The first phase is the general printing process. The
viscosity of an ink is an important parameter during the
tag printing phase. In general, if low viscosity ink
soaks into the paper, RFID Tag causes a decreasing
conductivity because the tag is not thick enough. This
limits the density of the printed image. On the
contrary, if the viscosity is too high, it can’t get the
desired tag shape because the ink doesn’t spray equally.

“ This work has been supported by Yonsei University Institute of “u-City Research Institute(uCRI), a Brain Korea
21 program, Korea.”

978-0-7695-3322-3/08 $25.00 © 2008 IEEE 14

DOI 10.1109/NCM.2008.155
 The second phase is the post process of the first
phase to maintain the printed tag in various conditions.
Post-process is important such as heat treatment,
ultraviolet treatment, laser treatment, gas treatment, air
treatment and tag adhesive strength. Tag durability is
the hallmark of a successful post-process.
2.3. Examples of RFID Creation using e-ink
The following [Figure. 2] is actual examples of
RFID printing on PET film, Imide film and Glass panel.
(from (A) to (C)). Because this technology can create
tag by low cost, it is reasonable to use e-ink for general
documents.
[Figure. 2] Example of RFID Creation using E-ink
3. Literature Review
3.1. e-Document Management System
e-Document Management System(EDMS) is
defined as a system used for managing various
documents, and allowing users to integrate divergent
information systematically. Thus, EDMS requires user-
centered interface, it has to work as informative
platform to support activity concerning information.
Core technologies of EDMS are e-content
management, computer printing management, work-
flow and etc. [2],[5]
[Table. 1] Type of e-Document Management System
Type Description
e-Document e-Document management based on
Management text made by O/A program.
Management of atypical document
(catalog, picture) with scanner and
Image Document
camera. These document can be
Management
searched, save, modified and
printed.
Management of typical computer
Management of computer
printing material
printing document with mass optical
disk.
Work-flow
Pre-definition and management of
staff’s business and business rule
3.2. Limitation of existing EDMS
15
In the latter half of 1990s, most hardcopy is
digitized with the progress of information technology.
As the research on e-Document has continued,
computer replaces letterpress printing in creating
documents.
In this atmosphere the type of document exists as e-
document. (When printing a document, e-document is
converted into hardcopy. However, the original
document is still available on the computer, and it is
managed as an e- document form.)
When the information in organization is managed as
e-document, we can save much money. [1] However,
government related reports from the Office of
Management and Budget, General Accounting Office,
and other relevant information have still used hardcopy.
As frequent uses of hardcopy create duplicated
documents, they cause unnecessary cost. Moreover,
staffs waste their time and effort to find previously
printed hardcopies, and they often lost their documents.
[8]
4. RFID document management system
4.1. Definition of RFID document management
system (RDMS)
What is the RDMS? We can define this system
Protect to create duplicated document, to track
locations of document, to manage security of document
through the RFID technology. [8]
[Figure. 3] Framework of RFID Management System
Fundamental concept of RFID document
management system is to create both printing
document and creating RFID tag. In this process,
individual document take ID code as identifier. (You
can see that [Figure. 3])
Antennas and sensors are set to recognize internal
RFID document in working site. RFID/USN system is
constructed for RFID document management. Thus,
this system has to be interlocked with existed e-
document systems, be conducted integration system to Data Dictionary is to predefine data is going to use
manage hardcopy. in the system. Actually, Data required in existing e-
Document Management System (EDMS) is more than
4.2. RDMS Document Structure that we suggest data in [Table.2].
But we were restricted with to define data like a
RFID Document Management System is comprised coordinate data for tracking hardcopy and relation data
of system architecture layer, document structure and between e-Document and hardcopy distinguished from
security model. Among the rest, we were focusing on existing Document Management System.
database design reflected in characteristic of RFID
Document Management System. [Table. 2] Data Dictionary
Document structure of Document Management
System has the title of document, type and version
label as attribute of object. And that can be defined by
object in the Document Management System because
that also contains operation of routing, printing
function. [7] So we could design the database on the
basis of the document structure.

5.3. Database Diagram

Database diagram uses to check constraints about

key among tables in relational database.

[Figure. 4] RDMS Document Structure

As you see [Figure. 4], Individual document is able

to structuralize as three layers. First layer, there is
content as real body of document. Second layer is
composed of meta-data for search and classification.
Third layer is composed of definition of relationship
among other documents
5. Database Design
5.1. Database Design Overview
We use MS-SQL 2005 as database design tool for
RFID Document Management System. We make a
database dictionary as the first step which defines data
required in RFID Document Management System.
Then we defined the relationship with the Database
Diagram among the data was defined in first step.
Finally we could design database for RFID Document
System.
5.2. Data Dictionary
[Figure. 5] Database Diagram for RDMS
The following [Figure. 5] shows that e-document
and hardcopy refer to PD_ID as foreign key from the
EMPLOYEE table, also refer to DOC_NAME as
foreign key from the DOCINFO table. PC_ID can be
used when joining for giving the identification code
among tables. And DOC_NAME defined as the way
that refers from unique DOCINFO, because document
name has to be the same, though document type is
different.
5.4. Table Design
Previously on [Figure. 5], as we analysis table
structure, we suggest four tables for RFID Document

16
Management System. And we give body to the
database schema in [Table.3].
[Table. 3] Examples of Database Schemas
/*e-Document table creation*/
CREATE TABLE E_DOCUMENT
(
E_DOC_ID VARCHAR(25) NOT NULL, DOC_NAME VARCHAR(200) NOT NULL,
E_DOC_PATH VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL, E_DOC_TYPE VARCHAR(10),
PC_ID VARCHAR(30), E_DOC_COPY INT NOT NULL
)
--Add constraints
ALTER TABLE E_DOCUMENT
ADD CONSTRAINT E_DOCUMENT_PK PRIMARY KEY(E_DOC_ID);
ALTER TABLE E_DOCUMENT
ADD CONSTRAINT E_DOCUMENT_UQ UNIQUE(DOC_NAME);
ALTER TABLE E_DOCUMENT
ADD CONSTRAINT E_DOCUMENT_FK1 FOREIGN KEY(DOC_NAME)
REFERENCES DOCINFO(DOC_NAME)
ALTER TABLE E_DOCUMENT
ADD CONSTRAINT E_DOCUMENT_FK2 FOREIGN KEY(PC_ID)
REFERENCES EMPLOYEE(PC_ID)
Primary Key on E_DOCUMENT table and
DOCUMENT table determine to give a separate ID.
But we don’t concrete algorithm for creating separate
ID, we can expect that it is made by combination
between PC_ID for identification of document creator
from EMPLOYEE table and ISSUE_DATE knowing
the date of document creation from DOCINFO table.
Besides primary key constraint, Document name is
given to unique constraint without permission of
record overlapping. Because document name, most
important field mustn’t input with null data, either e-
Document or hardcopy has the same document name
even though they are different in document type.
When Hardcopy contained RFID tag is recognized
by sensor, gained coordinates data have to manage on
database. Therefore we declare DOC_LOCX and
DOC_LOCY as variable of two dimensions on
DOCUMENT table. And Two record indicating
location coordinates may not recognize by error of
sensor, so we set the default constraint into the value
(0,0).
We thought that EMPLOYEE must contain
EMPLYEE_NAME so as to collect information about
document creator, and we defined PC_ID as primary
key for identification among the employees. If
organization has the table about employee in existing
database, they had better use that than create new
database table. Information about class of document
creator must manage in order to access set document
security. So we defined CLASS field, it is able to
access for employee to the document by security level.
As Hard copy is also monitored by RFID Document
Management System, security requirement of hardcopy
will increase. So DOC_CQ from the DOCINFO table
declared as member field for security level. If there is
17
no input record, we set the default constraints into ‘C’
grade. And grade ‘A’ means security is very strictly
6. Conclusion
This research conducted to improve inefficiency
production of hardcopy. In addition, we suggested
RFID Document Management System with e-Ink
technology as an idea for keeping information of the
organization from leaking out.
RFID Document Management System with the e-
ink technology is limited to economic feasibility. But
the effort to cut down the cost has been in a developed
country, e-ink technology will broaden applicable area
around six years later.
This research also has limitations, because enough
infrastructures for operation of systems are not
equipped and additional research about application
programming for RFID Document Management
system is continued, this research will give a guideline
for design of RFID Document Management System.
7. References
[1] H. Joseph Wen et al, “Intranet document
management systems”, Intranet Research, Vol.8,
No.4, 1998
[2] Hyun-Sung Kim, “Issue and strategy of introduction
of EDMS in the driven e-Government”, Conference
of The Korean Association for Public
administration, summer, 2000
[3] InkTek, “TRANSPARENT SILVER INKS AND
THEIR METHODS FOR FORMING THIN
LAYERS”, The Korean Intellectual Property Office,
10-2006-0097271, 2006
[4] John Van den Hoven, “Data Base Management
IRM : An Enterprisewide View of Data”,
Information Systems Management, Summer, 1995
[5] Kim E Sook, “EDMS Core Technology”. EDMS
white paper, 1998
[6] Kim, ik-han, “EDMS and Life-cycle of Records”,
Archival Studies, No.5, 2002
[7] Marijo et al, “A philosophy of the electronic
document management”, Information technology
interface, June, 2000
[8] Thierry Bodhuin et al, “Building an RFID
document management service”, Innovations in
information technology, November. 2006