An Optimal Q-Algorithm for the ISO 18000-6C RFID Protocol

Passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems based on the ISO/IEC 18000-6C (aka EPC Gen2) protocol have typical read rates of up to 1200 unique 96-bit tags per second. This performance is achieved in part through the use of a medium access control algorithm, christened the Q-algorithm, that is a variant of the Slotted Aloha multiuser channel access algorithm. We analyze the medium access control algorithm employed by the ISO/IEC 18000-6C RFID air interface protocol and provide a procedure to achieve optimal read rates. We also show that theoretical performance can be exceeded in many practical use cases and provide a model to incorporate real-world data in read-rate estimation.