RFID Beam Forming System

Abstract

A multi-protocol, multi-band array antenna system may be used in Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system reader and sensory networks. The antenna array may include array elements with an integrated low noise amplifier. The system may employ digital beam forming techniques for transmission and steering of a beam to a specific sensor tag or group of tags in a cell. The receive beam forming network is optimized for detecting signals from each sensor tag. Narrow and wideband interferences may be excised by an interference nulling algorithm. Space division multiplexing may be used by the antenna system to enhance system processing capacity.

1 . A method for deriving information from an RFID tag, comprising:
 transmitting RFID tag interrogation signals from an array of antenna elements to an RFID tag;   processing signals received by each of the antenna elements from the RFID tag to alter relative phase between them; and   deriving information from the RFID tag from a combination of the processed received signals.