RFID Fob From the Early 1990s


ELSA (Italy) RFID access control tag/fob using a Hughes Microelectronics (Scotland) H223 chip. 
Hughes were an early RFID innovator, with chip design in Scotland (and the US), access control and animal tag manufacturing in Spain and a separate Hughes Identification Devices business, which became the company HID. HID is still a leader in access control. 
The above is an early 125kHz access control keychain fob. Like today, access control cards and fobs are not self-powered. The energy to operate comes from the reader. Hughes was a pioneer in EEPROM and used this early advantage in a number of emerging technologies and markets. There would have been unique codes programmed into every chip.
Before 2000 I never had an access control card or fob at my workplace.

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