Miniaturized regenerative backscatter transponder with bidirectional communication

For future innovative RFID and radar applications like precisely tracking tools or objects in large environments, miniaturized modulated active backscatter transponders enhanced with bidirectional communication functionality are proposed as a versatile but yet low complexity and low power solution. In this paper, an active backscatter transponder at 5.8 GHz based on a switched injection-locked oscillator as sole RF component is extended by pulse width based received power level detection and enhanced backscatter modulation techniques in order to provide a complete AM transceiver with minimal additional and overall hardware effort. This concept delivers an attractive combination of a high efficiency super-regenerative communication circuit and a powerful regenerative sampling radar transponder in the same RF circuit consisting of a single oscillator. Its implementation (24 × 17 mm) is verified experimentally and shows a high receiver sensitivity that enables communication over the full radar operating range.