Embedded Singularity Chipless RFID Tags

Every structure scatters an impulse plane wave in a unique fashion. The structural information of an object can be extracted by analyzing the late-time scattered field as the impulse-response of the structure. The late-time scattered field, which represents the source-free response of the structure, contains a summation of damped sinusoids. The frequency and damping factor of these damped sinusoids are uniquely associated with the structural information, and can be used to identify an unknown object. We propose to create uniquely identifiable scattered fields from an object by incorporating “notches” in the structure giving rise to specific damped sinusoids in the source-free scattered field of the structure. In this manner, data can be embedded into the structure of an object which is detectable using electromagnetic waves, allowing a metallic object to serve as a chipless radio-frequency identification tag (RFID). Data is encoded as complex natural resonant frequencies (referred to as poles) in the structure and is retrieved from the scattered field. Data retrieval is based on Singularity Expansion Method (SEM) analysis using target identification techniques. Each complex-frequency pole provides two-dimensional data (real and imaginary) which can be extracted from the late-time impulse response of the structure using a numerical technique such as the Matrix Pencil Method. We have designed and prototyped a 6-bit (3-pole) tag. The tag is analyzed using simulations and measurements. The tag is successfully read remotely via its scattered fields. The measured data are compared with simulation, and are in close agreement.

[1]  T. Sarkar,et al.  Using the matrix pencil method to estimate the parameters of a sum of complex exponentials , 1995 .

[2]  J. Pietrasinski,et al.  Quasi-loop antenna for SAW RFID device , 2008, 2008 Microwaves, Radar and Remote Sensing Symposium.

[3]  Carl E. Baum,et al.  The singularity expansion method and its application to target identification , 1991, Proc. IEEE.

[4]  Raj Mittra,et al.  Problems and solutions associated with Prony's method for processing transient data , 1978 .

[5]  Li-Rong Zheng,et al.  An innovative fully printable RFID technology based on high speed time-domain reflections , 2006, Conference on High Density Microsystem Design and Packaging and Component Failure Analysis, 2006. HDP'06..

[6]  Hans Schantz,et al.  The art and science of ultrawideband antennas , 2005 .

[7]  Werner Ruile,et al.  Programmable reflectors for SAW-ID-tags , 1993 .

[8]  James R. Wait,et al.  Transient Electromagnetic Fields , 1976 .

[9]  Daniel M. Dobkin,et al.  The RF in RFID: Passive UHF RFID in Practice , 2007 .

[10]  Majid Manteghi,et al.  Pole residue techniques for chipless RFID detection , 2009, 2009 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium.

[11]  Y. Rahmat-Samii,et al.  Frequency notched UWB elliptical dipole tag with multi-bit data scattering properties , 2007, 2007 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium.

[12]  R.G. Maev,et al.  Inline SAW RFID tag using time position and phase encoding , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control.

[13]  Carl E. Baum,et al.  On the Singularity Expansion Method for the Solution of Electromagnetic Interaction Problems , 1971 .

[14]  Leonhard Reindl,et al.  SAW devices as wireless passive sensors , 1996, 1996 IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium. Proceedings.

[15]  Carl E. Baum.  The singularity expansion method: Background and developments , 1986 .

[16]  S. Mukherjee,et al.  Chipless Radio Frequency Identification by Remote Measurement of Complex Impedance , 2007, 2007 European Conference on Wireless Technologies.

[17]  D. D. Mawhinney.  Microwave tag identification systems , 1983 .

[18]  N.C. Karmakar,et al.  A Novel Chipless RFID System Based on Planar Multiresonators for Barcode Replacement , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Conference on RFID.

[19]  K.V.S. Rao,et al.  An overview of backscattered radio frequency identification system (RFID) , 1999, 1999 Asia Pacific Microwave Conference. APMC'99. Microwaves Enter the 21st Century. Conference Proceedings (Cat. No.99TH8473).

[20]  A. Stelzer,et al.  A new anti-collision method for SAW tags using linear block codes , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium.

[21]  Raviraj S. Adve,et al.  Extrapolation of time-domain responses from three-dimensional conducting objects utilizing the matrix pencil technique , 1997 .