greg mendolia
TRANSCRIPT
Paratek Confidential and Proprietary
Near-Field Focused Phased Array and Scanning Antennas
forRFID Applications
Greg MendoliaVice President, Product Strategy
Office: 443-259-0140 x 130Fax: 443-259-0451
Paratek Microwave, Inc.6935 Oakland Mills Road, Suite G
Columbia, MD 21045
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 2
Paratek Microwave, Inc.
• Founded in 1998 to develop innovative RF components based upon the company’s proprietary materials technology, ParascanTM
– The Parascan™ materials science enabled the development of Paratek’s thin film, thick film and bulk material electronically tunable capacitors
• Electronic tunable RF components led to development of smart scanning antennas – Independent, multi-beam, 360° steering– Frequency coverage from 30MHz to 3 GHz– Fast scanning in azimuth, elevation and frequency– Re-configurable aperture for wide beam acquisition and then
narrow steerable beam• Maintain uninterrupted communications, increased LPI/LPD,
higher capacity through frequency reuse• Null steering for increased anti-jam
– Higher gain• Horizontal and vertical polarization diversity mitigates multipath
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 3
RFID Technology Challenges
• Accurate reading of 100% of the tags is essential
Tags inside Tags inside moving payloadmoving payload - - B U T - -
• Technical limitations reduce tag read rates– Reader reception of tag data vulnerable to
obstruction and de-tuning from metal, liquid and dense materials
– Conventional reader antennas do not track and “stare” at moving tags
- - I M P A C T - -
• Slow industry adoption due to technology shortfalls
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 4
Paratek Solution
Near Field Focused, Scanning Phased Array (NFA)
• Antenna power is surgically directed at – and focused on – targeted RFID tags by increasing power levels in the near field without polluting spectrum in the far field– Antenna RF power is focused at the tag instead of spread over the entire
area• More signal power delivered at the tag => more tags read and better
ability to write to tags– Multipath and interference problems reduced => decreased tag contention– Antenna tracks tags as they pass by
• Increased beam dwell time on tag => longer read time– Direction of tag movement can be detected
• Are items entering or leaving the area?
• KEY RESULT: Dramatically improved tag read rates for RFID unfriendly materials
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 5
Paratek NFA vs. Conventional Reader Antenna
Paratek Near Field Focused Phased Array Antenna
Conventional Reader Antenna Energy Distribution
TagTag
Lower field intensity in near field
6dBi gain limit in far field
Higher field intensity in near field
6dBi gain limit in far field
• Near Field Focused Phased Array amplifies and focuses RF to increase power in the near field– Arrays of elements are used to control energy focus and distribution
• RF power decays quickly so that power levels in the far field are comparable to standard antennas– Compliant with FCC energy levels in far field– Permits higher near field energy intensity at the tag location
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 6
Conventional Far Field Focused Array Antenna
Paratek NFA vs. Conventional Phased Array Antenna
Paratek Near Field Focused Phased Array Antenna
Tag
6dBi gain limit in far field
Lower field intensity in near field
Higher field intensity in near field
6dBi gain limit in far field
• Paratek re-engineers the phase of each element in the array, focusing the energy in the near field where the tags are located
• The depth and direction of the focused region can be easily steered with standard phased array electronics
• Conventional arrays focus energy in the far-field, not near field
Tag
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 7
Paratek NFA vs. Conventional Array Reader Antenna
Near Field EIRP
RF energy not where its needed
FOMyz_dB
Paratek NFA AntennaDirectivity: 0-3 meters
RF energy focused on tags
FOMyz_dBConventional 1x8 Far-Field Array Antenna
Directivity: 0-3 meters
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 8
Paratek NFA vs. Conventional Array Reader Antenna
Far Field EIRP
FOMyz_dBConventional 1x8 Far-Field Array Antenna
Directivity: 0-30 meters
High far field RF energy(pollutes spectrum)
Far field RF energy dispersed
FOMyz_dBParatek NFA Antenna
Directivity: 0-30 meters
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 9
NFA vs Ref Antenna
y = -7.8454Ln(x) + 9.1101
-36-33-30-27-24-21-18-15-12
-9-6-30369
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Distance (feet)
Rel
ativ
e P
ower
(d
B)
NFA
Ref Antenna
Shifted Log NFA
Log. (Ref Antenna)
y=-7.845Ln(x-4) + 4.11
Target focus range:NFA is 4.5 dB higher
NFA is 4.5dB lower
9 dB Improvement Over Conventional Antennas in Near Field / Far Field Ratio
Paratek NFA vs. Conventional Array
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Paratek NFA vs. Conventional Array
Comparative Statistical Read Rate (tags on surface of cases of bottled water)
275% greaterread rate @ 5’
1,060% greater read rate @ 6’
Same far-field EIRP
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 11
Antenna Characteristics: • 862 - 928 MHz• Passive Tx/Rx, 30 dBm max• Gain 6.3 – 8.4 dBi• Dual linear polarization V/H• 27 dB isolation V-H ports
9.5”
1717””
9.5 lb
Pattern
Paratek Scanning Antenna
• Full 360° azimuth scan range• 50° Azimuth beam (-3dB)• 70° Elevation beam (-3dB)• < -10 dB Side/back lobe• > 12 dB Return loss, 50 ohm• < 1 ms Beam switch/scan
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 12
RFID Vertical BeamPatterns
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Elev0 mθ,
Elev1 mθ,
Elev2 mθ,
θ mθ
π
2+
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Azim0 mφ,
Azim1 mφ,
Azim2 mφ,
φmφ
...Efficiency:
fs
862
895
928
MHz= Gain
6.901
6.998
8.01
dB= Directivity
10.572
10.579
11.098
dB= η
3.671−
3.582−
3.088−
dB= θ_beam_peak
0.1
1.3
0
deg= φ_beam_peak
0.4−
0.1−
0.4
deg=
Elevation Plane Azimuth Plane
Patterns
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Elev0 mθ,
Elev1 mθ,
Elev2 mθ,
θ mθ
π
2+
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Azim0 mφ,
Azim1 mφ,
Azim2 mφ,
φmφ
...Efficiency:
fs
862
895
928
MHz= Gain
7.024
6.798
7.717
dB= Directivity
10.712
10.572
11.104
dB= η
3.687−
3.774−
3.387−
dB= θ_beam_peak
0.3−
0.9
0.4
deg= φ_beam_peak
40.5−
41−
41.5−
deg=
Patterns
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Elev0 mθ,
Elev1 mθ,
Elev2 mθ,
θ mθ
π
2+
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Azim0 mφ,
Azim1 mφ,
Azim2 mφ,
φmφ
...Efficiency:
fs
862
895
928
MHz= Gain
6.947
6.799
7.368
dB= Directivity
10.772
10.623
10.857
dB= η
3.825−
3.824−
3.489−
dB= θ_beam_peak
1.1−
0.7−
0.9−
deg= φ_beam_peak
78.3−
79.2−
78.9−
deg=
Patterns
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Elev0 mθ,
Elev1 mθ,
Elev2 mθ,
θ mθ
π
2+
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Azim0 mφ,
Azim1 mφ,
Azim2 mφ,
φmφ
...Efficiency:
fs
862
895
928
MHz= Gain
6.743
6.595
7.668
dB= Directivity
10.467
10.411
11.099
dB= η
3.724−
3.816−
3.431−
dB= θ_beam_peak
0.5−
1−
0.9
deg= φ_beam_peak
120.1−
120.7−
119.2−
deg=
Patterns
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Elev0 mθ,
Elev1 mθ,
Elev2 mθ,
θ mθ
π
2+
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Azim0 mφ,
Azim1 mφ,
Azim2 mφ,
φmφ
...Efficiency:
fs
862
895
928
MHz= Gain
6.385
6.735
7.483
dB= Directivity
10.06
10.488
10.93
dB= η
3.675−
3.754−
3.447−
dB= θ_beam_peak
3.3−
0.3−
0.8
deg= φ_beam_peak
158.3−
157.8−
156.4−
deg=
Patterns
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Elev0 mθ,
Elev1 mθ,
Elev2 mθ,
θ mθ
π
2+
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Azim0 mφ,
Azim1 mφ,
Azim2 mφ,
φmφ
...Efficiency:
fs
862
895
928
MHz= Gain
5.935
6.094
6.841
dB= Directivity
9.654
9.926
10.295
dB= η
3.719−
3.832−
3.454−
dB= θ_beam_peak
4.3−
0.7−
3−
deg= φ_beam_peak
158.9
158.3
157.2
deg=
Patterns
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Elev0 mθ,
Elev1 mθ,
Elev2 mθ,
θ mθ
π
2+
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Azim0 mφ,
Azim1 mφ,
Azim2 mφ,
φmφ
...Efficiency:
fs
862
895
928
MHz= Gain
6.383
6.568
7.633
dB= Directivity
10.569
10.755
11.273
dB= η
4.187−
4.187−
3.64−
dB= θ_beam_peak
3.2−
3.3−
2.7−
deg= φ_beam_peak
117.4
117.6
118.9
deg=
Patterns
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Elev0 mθ,
Elev1 mθ,
Elev2 mθ,
θ mθ
π
2+
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Azim0 mφ,
Azim1 mφ,
Azim2 mφ,
φmφ
...Efficiency:
fs
862
895
928
MHz= Gain
6.335
6.333
7.376
dB= Directivity
10.114
10.218
10.86
dB= η
3.78−
3.885−
3.485−
dB= θ_beam_peak
4−
1.6−
0.7−
deg= φ_beam_peak
83.2
82.8
81.2
deg=
Patterns
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Elev0 mθ,
Elev1 mθ,
Elev2 mθ,
θ mθ
π
2+
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Azim0 mφ,
Azim1 mφ,
Azim2 mφ,
φmφ
...Efficiency:
fs
862
895
928
MHz= Gain
6.601
6.818
7.707
dB= Directivity
10.273
10.575
11.025
dB= η
3.672−
3.757−
3.319−
dB= θ_beam_peak
0.3
0.6
2−
deg= φ_beam_peak
39.4
39.4
39.6
deg=
Patterns
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Elev0 mθ,
Elev1 mθ,
Elev2 mθ,
θ mθ
π
2+
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
270
300
330
40
30
20
10
0
Azim0 mφ,
Azim1 mφ,
Azim2 mφ,
φmφ
...Efficiency:
fs
862
895
928
MHz= Gain
6.975
7.178
8.177
dB= Directivity
10.659
10.852
11.372
dB= η
3.684−
3.674−
3.195−
dB= θ_beam_peak
0.1
3
2.7
deg= φ_beam_peak
0.1−
0
0.2
deg=
10dB
8dBi
Paratek Scanning Antenna
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 13
Video 1
Conventional Far Field Focused Array Antenna
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 14
Video 2
Paratek Near Field Focused Phased Array Antenna
Reproduction Not Permitted Paratek Confidential and Proprietary Page 15
Summary
• Paratek’s Near Field Focused, Scanning Phased Array (NFA) antenna dramatically improves tag read rates under all conditions, especially RFID unfriendly materials, while also enhancing the ability to write to tags
• Electronic steering enables tracking of tags for increased acquisition time => Results in dramatically improved read rates, as well as identification of direction of travel for tagged products
• Directed and controlled RF energy reduces tag contention and multipath issues
• NFA transmitted RF energy (EIRP) decays at a faster rate over distance => Results in lower far field interference to other products or to other RFID systems