GROUNDBREAKING ADVANCEMENTS IN CHIPLESS RFID DATA TAG HYPERIMAGING

ten-fold increase in chipless RFID data tag bit density

Vubiq Networks is the innovation leader in chipless radio frequency identification (RFID) hyperimaging technology. Our extensive portfolio of technology patents – combined with recent empirical testing – verifies our unique data encoding technology that exploits the natural physics of antennas at a tremendously small scale. The result is a ten-fold increase in RFID data tag bit density compared to other chipless solutions. While competing resonance-based chipless RFID solutions can only achieve bit densities on the order of 10 bits per square centimeter, our novel polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (POLSAR) hyperimaging solution uses polarization and phase detection to achieve bit densities on the order of 100 bits per square centimeter.

By utilizing advanced POLSAR hyperimaging technology, our patented approach overcomes the biggest obstacle in RFID adoption: the cost of the tags themselves. With the ability to locally provision chipless RFID tags using a simple ink jet printer, the cost per tag is reduced to below a penny.

EMPIRICAL PROOF OF OUR TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH

Vubiq Networks recently announced a pivotal breakthrough by successfully achieving real-world, empirical verification of our RFID technology. ( Read the press release). With our groundbreaking millimeter wave polarization and phase detection approach, not only can we efficiently retrieve data from chipless RFID tags, but also precisely pinpoint their three-dimensional physical location. This breakthrough is a game-changer for the RFID market, slashing costs, increasing performance, and delivering features unmatched by existing alternatives.

Video: UNRIVALED precision and cost efficiency in RFID

Vubiq Networks SAR Radar RFID - YouTube

Vubiq Networks’ revolutionary RFID technology addresses all of the downfalls of traditional RFID solutions. Data tags can be produced economically with an ink jet printer. With POLSAR, the tags can be read through materials such as cardboard, pill bottles, and envelopes. This removes the need to unpack and individually scan each item, creating enormous potential for efficiency improvements in industries like logistics, retail, and healthcare.

With the use of millimeter wave as the frequency spectrum, reader performance increases and wireless disruption is minimized. Utilizing POLSAR polarization and phase detection hyperimaging as opposed to traditional resonance-based RFID methods greatly expands the use cases by providing the ability to read multiple tags simultaneously, determining their three-dimensional location, and eliminating tag collision issues.

RFID Patent Portfolio

Vubiq Networks’ extensive RFID hyperimaging patent portfolio includes:

US Patent Number 7460014, issued December 2, 2008. RFID System Utilizing Parametric Reflective Technology
US Patent Number 7498940, issued March 3, 2009. RFID System Utilizing Parametric Reradiated Technology
US Patent Number 10839179, issued November 17, 2020. Multimode Millimeter Wave RFID Systems and Methods of Use Thereof (23 Claims)
US Patent Number 11216625, issued January 4, 2022. High Bit Density Millimeter Wave RFID Systems, Devices, and Methods Thereof
US Patent Number 11288468, issued March 29, 2022. Multimode Millimeter Wave RFID Systems and Methods of Use Thereof (33 Claims)

RFID Patents Executive Summary

To learn more about our RFID patents, download our RFID Hyperimaging Patent Portfolio Executive Summary.

Historical Background

Historically, there have been several technologies used to identify articles, objects, vehicles and personnel. Bar codes and magnetic strips, for example, are familiar as traditional, short-range solutions. More recently, RFID techniques have been developed that improve on performance and readability. RFID technology utilizes a tag transponder – typically a small integrated circuit – that is placed on the object to be tagged, as well as a reader to read and identify the tag.

One of our first innovations for millimeter wave applications was a completely new approach to RFID. We recognized that current technologies use a relatively expensive integrated circuit in the RFID tag that sets the lower boundary for system cost. Also, there are technology limits in terms of reading multiple tags simultaneously and not having the ability to retrieve the physical locations of the tags.

At the time, Cardinal Health expressed an interest in solving the RFID problem at a lower cost for their healthcare logistics operations. Early funding for our research came from Cardinal Health, resulting in a laboratory proof of concept (POC) that showed how our millimeter wave POLSAR technology could be used to produce radar images of the tags and to decode the tag data.

Later, we developed a complete hardware/software millimeter wave hyperimaging system as a POC for Xerox Corporation. The breakthrough system is able to code and decode chipless RFID tags with an order of magnitude higher bit density as compared to existing solutions and competitive approaches.

These POCs were successful in developing our breakthrough millimeter wave transmitter and receiver technology. This placed our company on the threshold of providing future innovations in RFID hyperimaging component and system technologies.

And now, we have gone beyond the POC conceptual stage with our pivotal breakthrough of successfully achieving real-world, empirical verification of our millimeter wave RFID technology.

Ongoing RFID Developments

Looking to the future, we foresee widespread use of smartphones as handheld readers for our groundbreaking RFID technology. With the radar capabilities already being explored by tech giants like Apple and Google, smartphones could soon become the default reader for our RFID technology, further amplifying the value of our innovation.

We are now in the process of expanding on our RFID hyperimaging innovation by incorporating newly available millimeter wave silicon technologies that have integrated radar functions and digital signal processing on the same chip. The ability to do multi-channel polarimetric radar – coupled with advanced image processing in low-cost commodity chips – breaks the cost barrier for enabling RFID reader technology into the hyperimaging AI realm.

Our goal is to remain on the cutting edge of bringing together the physics of millimeter wave wireless combined with advanced digital signal processing software for hyperimaging applications.