Fundamental Research on Polarimetrically Coded Radar Barcodes

尽管近年来全球范围内对无芯片RFID进行了深入研究，尽管该技术具有许多潜在的好处，例如零维护要求和高水平的鲁棒性，但尚未出现可持续的无芯片RFID概念。唯一有意义的应用是表面声波RFID标签和用于电子物品监视的基本1位标签。为了克服这些限制，申请人最近提出了偏振编码雷达条形码作为无芯片RFID的全新概念。极化编码雷达条形码是一个二维阵列的部分反射器，每个都有自己的特征极化响应。偏振成像雷达远程读取存储在标签上的信息。初步研究表明，这种新方法有可能实现数据容量超过1,000位的无芯片RFID，标签工作温度远高于1,000°C。极化编码标签的设计和评估的基础研究是这个项目的核心。其中的主要研究内容是编码技术，设计适当的反射器结构，以及安排在标签上的结构，以最佳的方式。所有设计考虑的一个关键目标是识别和评估故障和干扰问题对阅读过程中数据容量和检测可靠性的影响。标签旋转和倾斜的影响以及这些影响的补偿也将被研究。先前在初步研究中展示的系统变体需要人工的、明确定义的标签/读取器布置，这对于现实应用场景是不切实际的。因此，总的设计目标是：首先利用有效的设计和制造工艺在尽可能小的表面区域上最大化数据容量，其次克服上述关于阅读条件的限制。所有这些与标签和系统概念相关的研究将为这种新型无芯片RFID技术及其潜力和局限性提供全面的见解。作为领先的应用和这项创新技术的性能证明，我们将设计和实验演示数据容量超过1,000位的无芯片RFID标签，以及在不同的阅读条件下达到1,000°C以上工作温度的标签，这些条件代表了潜在的实际应用场景。该项目是无芯片标签技术在数据容量和对极端温度的鲁棒性方面迈出的重要一步。我们预计，这种颠覆性的技术将在一系列应用中开辟新天地，这些应用迄今为止无法用当前的RFID技术来追求。

Despite intensive research worldwide into chipless RFID in recent years and despite the many potential benefits of the technology, such as zero maintenance requirements and high level of robustness, no sustainable chipless RFID concepts have as yet emerged. The only applications of any significance have been surface acoustic wave RFID tags and basic 1-bit tags for electronic article surveillance. To overcome these limitations, the applicant recently proposed polarimetrically coded radar barcodes as a completely new concept for chipless RFID. A polarimetrically coded radar barcode is a two-dimensional array of partial reflectors each with their own characteristic polarimetric response. A polarimetric imaging radar reads the information stored on the tag remotely. In preliminary research it was shown that the novel approach has the potential to achieve chipless RFIDs with a data capacity of more than 1,000 bits and tag operating temperatures well above 1,000°C. Fundamental research on the design and assessment of polarimetrically coded tags is at the heart of this project. Among the main research elements are coding techniques, designing appropriate reflector structures as well as arranging the structures on the tag in an optimal manner. A key objective of all design considerations is to identify and assess the effects of faults and interference issues on data capacity and detection reliability during the reading process. The impact of tag rotation and tilt and the compensation of these effects will be investigated as well. The system variants previously demonstrates in the preliminary research required artificial, well defined tag / reader arrangements that are impractical for realistic application scenarios. Thus, the overall design goals are: firstly to maximize the data capacity on as small a surface area as possible with efficient design and manufacturing processes and secondly to overcome the above mentioned restrictions in respect to the reading conditions. All these studies relating to the tag and the system concept will provide a comprehensive insight into this novel chipless RFID technology and its potential and limitations. As leading-edge applications and as proof of performance of this innovative technology we will design and experimentally demonstrate chipless RFID tags with a data capacity of more than 1,000 bits as well as tags reaching operating temperatures above 1,000°C under varying reading conditions that are representative for potential practical application scenarios. This project is a major step forward for chipless tag technology in relation to data capacity and to robustness against extreme temperatures. We anticipate that this disruptive technology will break new ground in a range of applications, applications that heretofore could not be pursued with current RFID technologies.