U120-U white flat UHF RFID desktop reader/writer, top view with indicator window

U120-U UHF RFID Desktop Reader/Writer, USB, EPC Gen2, Flat Pad

The U120-U is a 10 mm thin USB desktop reader/writer for ISO 18000-6C (EPC Gen2) UHF tags, built for front desks and enrollment stations that issue or check UHF cards one at a time. It reads up to 0.5 m, writes up to 0.2 m and, by default, types tag data at the cursor like a USB keyboard.

Frequency: 902–928 MHz (US band) or 920–925 MHz (China band); other regional bands on request
Cards / tags: EPC Gen2 UHF tags (read and write)
Interface: USB
Output: Keyboard emulation (USB HID)
Read range: Up to 0.5 m (depends on RF power, tag and environment)

Request a quote for U120-U Order a sample Datasheet (PDF)

✓ Sample units for evaluation
✓ Output format confirmed for your software
✓ Private label & OEM options
✓ Reply within 1 business day

Why integrators choose the U120-U

10 mm flat pad — at 104 × 68 × 10 mm it is the thinnest housing in our UHF desktop range and lies flat beside a keyboard.
Reads and writes EPC Gen2 — handles ISO 18000-6C tags at up to 0.5 m for reading and 0.2 m for writing, depending on tag and environment.
Keyboard output by default — tag data is typed into the active text field, so a web form or spreadsheet can take it without an SDK.
Adjustable RF power — output is set in software between 12.5 and 26 dBm to widen or shrink the read zone.
USB bus power — runs from the 5 V USB supply, with no external power adapter.
Same footprint as the L120-U and H120-U — shares the 104 × 68 × 10 mm flat housing family with our 125 kHz and 13.56 MHz desktop readers, which are black.

Where the U120-U fits

The U120-U is the reader for a desk where UHF cards and tags are issued, registered or checked one at a time, often with someone waiting on the other side. Typical stations are an HR or security office enrolling UHF staff cards for personnel access, and a reception desk that issues UHF visitor or contractor cards and checks them back in.

Its white, 10 mm housing is the lowest profile of our four UHF desktop models and takes little room next to a keyboard. It shares the 104 × 68 × 10 mm flat housing family with the L120-U (125 kHz) and H120-U (13.56 MHz), which come in black. A site that issues LF, HF and UHF credentials can give every enrollment desk a reader of the same size and shape and choose the frequency desk by desk.

Keyboard build or virtual COM build

The U120-U is supplied in one of two USB builds. Decide before you request a quote, because the build sets how your software receives tag data.

Keyboard build (standard). The reader enumerates as a USB keyboard (HID) and types the tag data at the cursor. Order it when the data goes into a field that already exists: an enrollment form in access-control software, a web page or a spreadsheet column. Nothing needs to be installed on the PC, but a field must have focus when the tag is read.
Virtual COM build (customized). The reader appears to the host as a USB virtual serial port. Order it when your own application should receive tag data in the background, without a focused field, or needs to send commands to the reader, for example to write tags.

Keyboard output only carries tag data into the host. Writing tags and changing settings such as RF power are done with host software; the software and command documentation available for each build are confirmed in your quotation. For how the two modes behave in practice, see What is a keyboard-wedge RFID reader?

U120-U specifications

General
Model	U120-U
Product type	UHF RFID desktop reader/writer
Form factor	Flat desktop pad
Color	White

Tags & reading
Frequency	902–928 MHz (US band) or 920–925 MHz (China band); other regional bands on request
Air protocol	ISO 18000-6C / EPC Class 1 Gen 2
Supported tags	EPC Gen2 UHF tags (read and write)
Read range	Up to 0.5 m (depends on RF power, tag and environment)
Write range	Up to 0.2 m (depends on RF power, tag and environment)

Radio
Antenna	Built-in 2 dBi circularly polarized antenna
RF output power	12.5–26 dBm, software adjustable
Frequency hopping	FHSS or fixed frequency, set by software
Operating modes	Active mode and passive mode; answer mode available but not recommended

Interface & output
Interface	USB
Default output	Keyboard emulation (USB HID)
Optional build	USB virtual serial port (customized version)
Power	5 V DC from USB

Physical & environment
Dimensions	104 × 68 × 10 mm
Operating temperature	-20 °C to +55 °C
Storage temperature	-40 °C to +85 °C

Specifications of U120-U as supplied for the standard version. Read range depends on the card or tag, mounting surface and environment — we can test your own cards before you order.

Download the U120-U datasheet (PDF, A4)

Card, tag and system compatibility

Works with

✓ISO 18000-6C / EPC Class 1 Gen 2 UHF tags: cards, labels and inlays (read and write)
✓Any application with a text field in focus, through keyboard-emulation output (default build)
✓Host software that reads a serial port, through the USB virtual serial port build (on request)
✓902–928 MHz or 920–925 MHz band builds; other regional bands on request

Not designed for

✕125 kHz EM4100 cards — use the L120-U in the same housing family
✕13.56 MHz MIFARE and NFC cards — use the H120-U
✕Other UHF air protocols such as ISO 18000-6B (not listed for this reader)
✕Reading tags at a gate or doorway several meters away — see the integrated long-range UHF readers

Card not listed? Send us the card type or a photo and we will confirm compatibility before you buy.

Integration in 4 steps

1
Choose the band build for the country where the reader will be used: 902–928 MHz or 920–925 MHz, with other regional bands on request.
2
Plug the U120-U into a USB port. It runs from the port's 5 V supply, and the default build is recognized as a USB keyboard.
3
Click into the field that should receive the tag data, then hold a tag over the pad; the data is typed into that field.
4
Before going live, read a few tags into a plain text editor and check every character, because a non-US keyboard layout on the host can change letters or symbols in keyboard output.

OEM / ODM options for U120-U

◆Regional frequency band: 902–928 MHz or 920–925 MHz builds, other regional bands on request
◆USB virtual serial port (virtual COM) build in place of keyboard output, on request
◆RF output power preset within 12.5–26 dBm to suit your read distance, on request
◆Frequency hopping (FHSS) or a fixed channel preset before shipment, on request
◆Your logo on the white top cover and private-label packaging, confirmed in your quotation

How OEM/ODM projects work →

Typical applications

Access control & card enrollment

U120-U FAQ

Does the U120-U need a driver or SDK to read tags?

Not for reading in the default build. The U120-U enumerates as a USB keyboard (HID), so the host uses its built-in keyboard driver and the tag data is typed into whichever field has the cursor. Writing tags and background capture need host software, usually with the virtual serial port build.

How is the U120-U different from the L120-U and H120-U?

They share the flat housing family, not the radio. The L120-U reads 125 kHz EM4100/TK4100 cards and the H120-U reads 13.56 MHz MIFARE card UIDs; both are read-only, at up to 80 mm, and both are black. The U120-U is white, reads EPC Gen2 UHF tags at up to 0.5 m and can also write them at up to 0.2 m.

What read range should I expect from the U120-U?

Up to 0.5 m for reading and up to 0.2 m for writing, with RF output adjustable from 12.5 to 26 dBm. Actual range depends on the tag, how it is held and any nearby metal or liquid, so test with the tags you plan to use. You can request a sample for that.

Can the U120-U enter tag data into Excel or a web form?

Yes. In the default keyboard build the reader types the tag data into the active cell or text field, the same way a USB keyboard would. The cursor must stay in the target field while tags are presented; if your software should capture tags without a focused field, order the virtual serial port build instead.