Exploring RFID Technology for Wireless Control of Smart Antennas

In recent years, the radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has been applied in various fields, including warehouse management, smart transportation, passive sensors, and position tracking. This article presents a novel application of the RFID technology in the field of smart antennas, specifically for the wireless control of the pattern and working frequency of the Yagi-Uda antenna through the ultra high frequency (UHF)-RFID protocol. By leveraging the RFID technology, our innovative approach controls the passive resonator’s length, enabling it to function as a director or reflector. This solution effectively addresses the challenges of pattern instability caused by the metal control cables, which are commonly associated with the conventional reconfigurable antennas. The proposed antenna operates at 2.49 GHz in directional mode and at 2.45 and 2.51 GHz in bidirectional mode. In the directional mode, the measured gain is approximately 7.5 dBi, exhibiting a remarkable front-back ratio of 11 dB. Furthermore, the entire system demonstrates excellent energy efficiency, with a mere power consumption of
$12~\mu $
W and the wireless control range reaches up to 33 m.