The Design of a High-Performance Multisine RFID Reader

• Published in: IEEE transactions on microwave theory and techniques Vol. 65; no. 9; pp. 3389 - 3400
• Main Authors: Soares Boaventura, Alirio J., Borges Carvalho, Nuno
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-09-2017; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Baseband; Demodulation; Digital signal processing; Multisines (MSs); Power transfer; Protocols; Radio frequency; Radio frequency identification; Radiofrequency identification; Rangefinding; RFID; Sensitivity; software-defined radio; Transponders; Very high frequencies; waveform design; wireless power transmission
• ISSN: 0018-9480; 1557-9670
• DOI: 10.1109/TMTT.2017.2663405

We report on the design of an enhanced EPC Gen2/ISO18000-6C-compliant UHF RFID reader with waveform optimization capability. By properly designing the powering waveform, e.g., a multisine (MS) signal, the power transfer to the transponders is improved, and therefore, the communication range is extended. We measured the sensitivity of a commercial RFID chip being interrogated by the developed reader both in CW and MS operating modes, and observed a sensitivity gain of more than 3 dB relative to the CW, for an optimal nine-tone MS signal.