EMC considerations in deployment of RFID systems

Radio frequency identification (RFID) systems are part of modern life. They are revolutionizing the way companies run their businesses, cars pay tolls and employees access an office in a building. RFID devices are also making their way quickly into other industries including health care where they are used in remote of monitoring equipment, as tiny chips that identify items in inventory, or are even embedded in surgical sponges for tracking during an operation. Although in many regions RFID regulations are very strict and operators must adhere to the standard, the unpredictable environmental effects on radio propagation can change the way that these devices operate. This paper offers a review of important EMC information relevant to RFID system deployment. It also examines the sources of error in simulations reported in some other publications.