RFID smart bookshelf with confined detection range at UHF

This paper presents a simple yet very effective antenna solution for confined RFID detection within the limits of a bookshelf, operating at the three world assigned RFID sub-bands at UHF. The proposed concept uses a leaking microstrip transmission line with extended ground plane embedded on the shelf. When associated to a RFID reader, the proposed solution, allows univocal detection of tagged books above the shelf with proper field confinement to avoid undesired reading of neighboring shelves. The concept is explored by full-wave simulations and it is experimentally validated. Commercially available RFID reader and UHF tags are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the solution.