IMPACT STUDY OF DISTURBANCE ON READABILITY OF TWO SIMILAR UHF RFID TAGS

The radio frequency identification (RFID) is one of the automatic identification technologies describing the system which transmits the data about an object wirelessly using radio frequencies. The system consists of one or more RFID tags, a reader and antenna. Despite the system still presenting a costly solution, its use is on the increase in the supply chain management, especially for the labelling and identification of different packaging. Prior to the packaging labelling, the influence of the material on the radio frequency spreading has to be evaluated. This article describes the readability of two similarly folded dipole UHF RFID antennas in dependence on different packaging. The analysis was performed on three different packaging boxes made of corrugated cardboard. First, the boxes were empty (1), then the boxes had water inside (2) and in the last example, the Al foil was inside the boxes (3). The influence of packaging on the tag readability was determined. The 2-D field signal and the received signal strength were measured. The results showed that both tag antennas have almost the same response when they are labelled onto empty boxes, a slightly less similar response when labelled onto the packaging with water inside, but a quite different response when labelled onto the packaging which contains metal. It was established that although both tag antennas were labelled onto all three types of packaging and are similarly folded dipoles, the Alien tag is more suitable for labelling the packaging containing water and metal.