Impinj

Impinj is a manufacturer of radio-frequency identification (RFID) devices and software. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The company was started based on the research done at the California Institute of Technology by Carver Mead and Chris Diorio. Impinj currently produces EPC Class 1, Gen 2 passive UHF RFID chips, RFID readers, RFID reader chips, and RFID antennas, and software applications for encoding chips, and gathering business intelligence on RFID systems.

History

Impinj was founded in 2000 based on the research of Carver Mead and his student Chris Diorio. The name Impinj stands for "Impact-ionized Hot-electron Injection". In 2006, Impinj became the first company to introduce products based on the EPCglobal UHF Gen 2 standard. Bear Stearns reported in 2006 that Wal-Mart issued contracts to Impinj and Alien Technology, including them as significant suppliers for a total 15,000 RFID readers needed for Wal-Mart stores and distribution centers. The report invited speculation but was not confirmed.

In the same year, Impinj created new partnerships in Asia. In February, Impinj signed an Original Equipment Manufacturer agreement with the Hong Kong based company Convergence Systems Limited (subsidiary of the Chung Nam Group of Companies). In December, Impinj partnered with Korean company LS Industrial Systems (part of LS Group) to create RFID solutions targeting the Korean market.

In June 2008, Impinj sold its non-volatile memory business to Virage Logic. Also in 2008, Impinj acquired the Intel RFID division, including an Intel-developed RFID reader chip. Impinj renamed the chip Indy R1000. In 2009, Coca-Cola unveiled their Freestyle soda machine that gives users one hundred and sixty five different possible drink combinations. The Freestyle soda machine uses Impinj Monza tag chips and Indy reader chips to determine user preferences and to monitor the dispensers. Mexico has certified the Impinj Speedway reader to be used by state agencies in the electronic vehicle registration initiative beginning in Mexico in July 2010. In 2005, Impinj began working with Intel to develop RFID chips that would allow for "Processor Secured Storage." Impinj created two new chips for the project: Monza X-2K Dura and Monza X-8K Dura, which allow for increased theft deterrence and wireless configuration of electronic devices. The chips will be used in Intel's Microsoft Windows 8-based processors for tablet computers, which will be released in the second half of 2012.