RFID-Based Asset Tracking System Using Beam-Steerable Antennas for Enhanced Range and Accuracy

Abstract

Tracking assets in real time has become important in several sectors, and RFID technology makes it possible. Still, some technical difficulties do exist for RFID systems, such as a limited scanning distance, problems in tag detection, and reduced operation due to signal interference and multiple reflections when equipment is beside metal. In order to overcome these issues, the paper introduces a brand new RFID system that employs beam-steerable antennas that are controllable electronically through phased array configurations. By changing the direction of the radiation, the system makes sure that passive RFID tags are strongly detected over a larger area. An array of multi-element patch antennas is proposed together with digital phase shifters that allow the system to steer beams in real time and a signal processing engine that estimates the direction of a radio signal and finds its source location using the measured signal strength and phase data. To measure performance, simulations and physical testing were carried out in a controlled indoor environment. According to these findings, using beam steering can improve the distance at which a tag is read by up to 65%, and lead to better localization results with a margin of error of only ±0.3 meters, much less than the previous ±1.2 meters. Researchers verified that steering RFID beams decrease signal degradation and provide a cost-effective solution for accurate and instant asset tracking. As a result, advanced intelligence can now be part of RFID installation in warehouses, modern factories, and the latest logistics and inventory systems.