Radio Frequency Theme Park Applications

James LeFevre

April 20, 2018

EIN5117-18

Spring 0W61

U14P1 - Final Project

Radio Frequency Theme Park Applications

Abstract:

The purpose of this research is to identify the current business issues and needs of theme parks, analyze the current use of the theme park radio frequency technology, and create a proposal that would expand the uses of radio frequency in a way that would meet the organizational needs of these organizations. The first portion of this project will identify the business issues that need to be addressed, as well as the business functions that could be managed more effectively with the use of radio frequency technology. The second step, in this analysis, will be to apply the radio frequency technology to these organizational needs and functions. The final step would be to analyze the business needs along with the functions and capabilities of the radio frequency technologies currently in place at theme parks, along with similar technologies in other fields, to find a functional and beneficial solution to the identified needs and streamlining of existing theme park functions and requirements. The analysis of similar processes, in other fields, allows for the proposed system to be created and implemented within the existing infrastructure, as efficiently as possible, without reinventing the wheel. By identifying the business needs specific to theme parks, it will be easier to analyze the current technological applications in other fields, to apply them to the needs in question, narrowing the necessary research and analysis. This process and the resultant proposal will allow for more individualized expectations and requirements for the system in question, addressing both the consumer and service side of the system.

Introduction:

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the utilization of electromagnetic fields to read tags that contain different types of information, stored electronically within that tag. There are passive and active tags. Passive tags cannot actively transmit and have no internal power source, but get energy from the radio waves being used by nearby RFID readers. Active tags have their own power sources and actively transmit their electronically stored information to RFID readers within a certain range. For the purposes of this analysis, only passive tags, such as those found in Disney’s groundbreaking magic bands will be discussed.

Needs and Requirements of the Proposed System:

User Requirements:

There are several different aspects of running a theme park that need to be addressed, in order to successfully create