Grant: Idea to Innovation
University of British Columbia
$110,000.00
Physical layer collision resolution for active RFID systems
FY 2012-13
Summary
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a wireless communications technology used for identifying, tracking and locating a physical object. The applications for RFID technology are many, ranging from asset tracking in order to optimize facility utilization, to access control, and management of equipment and personnel, to real-time location systems. RFID systems comprise tags and readers, where tags are attached to the objects that are identified and tracked, and readers are deployed in the premises of the enterprise, either attached to a building or machine infrastructure or operated by personnel. Tags typically are small and inexpensive devices with only little processing capability and battery resources. They are interrogated by the reader or periodically transmit signals containing their identification and additional environmental or object information. One of the biggest challenges for RFID systems, limiting their application space, are failed transmissions, which usually happen when packets from multiple tags collide at the reader. There are a number of anti-collision protocols addressing this problem by essentially avoiding collisions. This adds complexity to the tags. At UBC, we have developed an entirely different solution to the collision problem, which we refer to as RFID multiuser-detection (RFID-MUD). The key feature of RFID-MUD is that it is able to resolve collisions. RFID-MUD is implemented at the reader and does not require any changes to tag technology. It is applicable to popular existing RFID signal formats, interoperable with conventional anti-collision protocols, and transparent to applications of RFID. Introduction into the RFID market would be entirely seamless, allowing RFID systems to benefit from improved collision resolution due to RFID-MUD. Computer simulations have confirmed the great potential of RFID-MUD. The objective of this project is to design and build a proof-of-concept prototype of an RFID-MUD enabled reader and test its collision-resolution capability in field trials with commercial tags. The prototype implementation and field tests will be critical for commercialization of the RFID-MUD technology with a partner RFID company and/or generating investor interest.
Program
Idea to Innovation
Recipient
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
437658-2012
Name nom
Lampe, Lutz
Department département
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Organization id
2
Institution établissement
University of British Columbia
Province en
British Columbia
Province fr
Colombie-Britannique
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2012
Competition year année de concours
2012
Award amount
110000
Program id
I2IPJ
Program name en
Idea to Innovation
Program name fr
De l'idée à l'innovation
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
1207
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Information, computer and communication technologies
Area of application fr
Technologie de l'information, des ordinateurs et des réseaux de communications
Research subject code
2525
Research subject group en
Electrical and electronic engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie électrique et électronique
Research subject en
Wireless communication systems
Research subject fr
Systèmes de télécommunications sans fil
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Physical layer collision resolution for active RFID systems
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a wireless communications technology used for identifying, tracking and locating a physical object. The applications for RFID technology are many, ranging from asset tracking in order to optimize facility utilization, to access control, and management of equipment and personnel, to real-time location systems. RFID systems comprise tags and readers, where tags are attached to the objects that are identified and tracked, and readers are deployed in the premises of the enterprise, either attached to a building or machine infrastructure or operated by personnel. Tags typically are small and inexpensive devices with only little processing capability and battery resources. They are interrogated by the reader or periodically transmit signals containing their identification and additional environmental or object information. One of the biggest challenges for RFID systems, limiting their application space, are failed transmissions, which usually happen when packets from multiple tags collide at the reader. There are a number of anti-collision protocols addressing this problem by essentially avoiding collisions. This adds complexity to the tags. At UBC, we have developed an entirely different solution to the collision problem, which we refer to as RFID multiuser-detection (RFID-MUD). The key feature of RFID-MUD is that it is able to resolve collisions. RFID-MUD is implemented at the reader and does not require any changes to tag technology. It is applicable to popular existing RFID signal formats, interoperable with conventional anti-collision protocols, and transparent to applications of RFID. Introduction into the RFID market would be entirely seamless, allowing RFID systems to benefit from improved collision resolution due to RFID-MUD. Computer simulations have confirmed the great potential of RFID-MUD. The objective of this project is to design and build a proof-of-concept prototype of an RFID-MUD enabled reader and test its collision-resolution capability in field trials with commercial tags. The prototype implementation and field tests will be critical for commercialization of the RFID-MUD technology with a partner RFID company and/or generating investor interest.
