–17 dBm Differential charge pump EPC Gen2 UHF RFID demodulator for 9 dB receive sensitivity boost

Ultra-efficient compute combined with UHF RFID has the potential of enabling long-range long-life sensor systems. Standards compatibility in such systems can leverage existing connectivity infrastructure while providing necessary sensory intelligence without the burden of batteries or active radios. Figure 1 shows the scheme for EPC class 1 Gen2 standard (C1G2) [1], wherein the interrogator (RDR) initiates a continuous RF wave (CW) followed by a Query or Select command. The compatible sensor system harvests energy from the CW and responds to the query with a 16-bit random number (RN16). RDR acknowledges (ACK) back to start communication.