Simulation and analysis of passive RFID localization algorithms

• Main Author: Wang, Liyong.
• Other Authors: Shum Ping
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Antennas, wave guides, microwaves, radar, radio
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/39516
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) based localization system provides a unique approach to localize objects with RFID tags. UHF RFID systems using passive tags are a good choice, considering the cost, reading range and reliability. With global acceptance and deployment of UHF RFID systems using passive tags for tracking and identification, virtually everything around us can be tagged with low-cost passive RFID tags to provide intelligent context-aware services. This report undertakes a study of different localization algorithms used in passive RFID localization, namely nearest neighbours and Bayesian inference method. A software tool was developed to collect the empirical signal strength readings using Astra RFID Reader. An empirical signal propagation model was constructed considering the distance and orientation angle between the reader and the tag. The localization process using the two different algorithms in indoor environment was simulated using the constructed signal model. Their performances are analyzed and compared in terms of localization errors and computation efficiency. Performance specification for such RFID based localization systems can be determined beforehand based on the simulation results.