The e-tag system uses a hand-held contact probe to read and write the tag data. When the tag is touched by the probe, with no specific orientation, physical electrical contact ensures all power and data signals are mated to the e-tag. Contact probes can be configured to 'auto sense' an e-tag when touched and automatically trigger a tag read without further user instruction. The probe is also passive, containing no batteries, and derives its power parasitically from the computer.
e-tag is tolerant to breaks in contact during the reading and writing of tags. The system can recognize when a probe contact is broken and will continue to retry until probe contact is re-established. This tenacity can be important and very practical under conditions of awkward access.
e-tag reader probes are available with RS-232 serial or USB compatible connections for a PC application. Oxley has also successfully produced custom fitting e-tag probes to suit specific PDA models. As the power for the probe is supplied by the host device, using the USB probe on a PDA device does require the PDA to have a "host" USB port.
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