RFID Paperclip Tags

Pavel V. Nikitin, K. V. S. Rao, and Sander Lam

Intermec Technologies Corporation 6001 36th Ave W, Everett, WA, 98203, USA {pavel.nikitin , kvs.rao , sander.lam} @ intermec.com

Abstract In this paper, we present RFID tags which double as paperclips. These tags use standard metal paperclip bodies as antennas. This way, the paper holding function of each paperclip is augmented by its RFID functionality. Paperclip tags can be designed so that as they slide on or off the stack of papers, their antenna wires either touch or separate, changing tag sensitivity and causing tags to be activated or deactivated. We provide a survey of the prior work, describe the concept of a paperclip tag, demonstrate several prototypes accompanied by experimental results and electromagnetic simulations, and discuss possible applications and future work.

c I. INTRODUCTION

All passive UHF RFID tags available on the market today have specially designed antennas, specific for particular applications. One of many RFID applications is document tracking and management. To track documents using RFID, it was earlier proposed to attach standard flexible RFID inlays to the front page of a document [1]. Another existing approach is to attach rigid tags to file holders in a file cabinet [2]. Finally, both Hitachi and Hewlett Packard have introduced chips which operate at 2.4 GHz ISM band and can be mounted directly on objects: Hitachi mu-chip [3] and HP Memory Spot chip [4]. Those chips use on-chip antennas and thus can only be read with special readers from very close (sub-mm) range (an optional external antenna can be used for Hitachi mu-chip). In all approaches described above, labels, rigid tags, or chips must somehow be attached to the paper document.

d
Fig. 1. Prior work on document tracking using RFID: a inlays attached to the paper (from [1]), b rigid tags attached to file holder (from [2]), c - Hitachi mu-chip (from [3]), d HP Memory Spot chip and its reading device (from [4]).

At the same time, there exists an object which has remained an attribute of almost any office during for over one hundred years. This object is a simple paperclip. Most well known Gem paperclip design was introduced in late 1800s and is still in use today. The photograph of this paperclip is shown in Figure 2. There exist many other paperclip designs, some which are shown in Figure 3. Many more paperclip designs can be found, for example in [5].

Fig. 2. Most well known Gem paperclip.

Fig. 3. Some other paperclip designs.

While modern paperclips can be made of various materials such as plastic or recycled wood, most paperclips are still made of galvanized steel wire. We propose to recognize that the metal wire bodies of such paperclips can be reused as RFID tag antennas. In this way, an ordinary paperclip can also acquire RFID functionality. Such RFID paperclip can still be used for its primary purpose (mechanically holding together sheets of papers) while at the same time acting as an RFID tag storing data. This idea was briefly described by us in [6] and is developed in details in this paper. II. PAPERCLIP TAG CONCEPT

Such a tag can operate in three different modes described below. Mode 1 (short range): as is, when the paperclip tag is not attached to the paper (for example, when all paperclip tags are still in the box). In this mode, paperclip wires touch each other, creating a short circuit and strongly affecting tag antenna impedance and gain. As a result, the tag range is minimal, and the tag can be considered to be deactivated. Mode 2 (long range): the paperclip is attached to the paper (or stack of papers). In this position, the paperclip wires are separated by one or more sheets of paper. The paperclip tag can be designed to have a longer read range in this position, and the tag can be considered to be activated. Mode 3 (adjusted range): the paperclip is attached to the paper which, in its turn, has one or more conducting strips attached to it. Such strips can act as external antenna elements, allowing one to adjust the paperclip tag range and/or its resonant frequency. The three modes of operation are illustrated in Figure 5.

Mode 1: short range

Short circuit

Mode 2: long range

Paper Open circuit

We propose to reuse the metal wire body of a generic paperclip as a tag antenna, as illustrated in Figure 4. In order to achieve proper chip impedance matching and antenna gain characteristics, the shape of the paperclip may need to be accordingly modified.

Mode 3: adjusted range

Paper

Conducting strip acts as an external antenna element

Fig. 4. RFID paperclip tag concept.

Fig. 5. Three modes of operation of paperclip tag: short range mode (top), long range mode (middle), adjusted range mode (bottom).

III.

PROTOTYPES AND MEASUREMENTS

A. Prototypes To verify the concept, several prototypes of RFID paperclip tags were built and tested. The prototypes are summarized in the Table 1. Most of the prototype tags used unfolded steel wires from the standard paperclips of various sizes. Those wires are tin plated and can be easily soldered. All these prototypes were initially designed and optimized experimentally, which was easier and faster than using modeling and simulation for these paperclips which involved 3-D structures of curved wires soldered to ICs or to PCBs with ICs. Later, we used simulations for analysis of the tag performance and for understanding of the physical effects which we observed in experiments. The read range of prototype paperclip tags (as is and on a single piece of A4 sized office printer paper) was tested in anechoic chamber using our wideband RFID tag testing equipment (1 W reader and a linearly polarized 6 dBi antenna, both covering 800-100 MHz band) described in [7]. The results are shown in Figure 6. The testing distance (between the reader antenna and the tag) was 2 feet, and hence the read range below that value was not detected. Tag 1 IC Monza 2 (TSSOP package) Photographs

nevertheless it proved that the concept works: the paperclip wire body can be used as a tag antenna. The second prototype (tag 2) was made using the unfolded wire from the large paperclip (its length was about right for this tag antenna). The RFID IC was NXP G2iL [9] in TSSOP package, mounted on a piece of 60 mil FR4 PCB board to which the wire was soldered. When attached to paper, it had maximum read range of about 18 feet at 880 MHz (shown in Figure 6) but the protruding sharp edges of the wire made it difficult to slide it on and off the paper easily. The third prototype (tag 3) was made using the same unfolded steel wire from the standard large paperclip. The RFID IC was Monza 4 QT [8] in UDFN package, also mounted on a piece of 60 mil FR4 PCB board to which the wire was soldered. The design was modeled after the Niagara paperclip [5]. When attached to the paper, it had maximum read range of about 19 feet at 865 MHz (shown in Figure 6). Again, the protruding sharp edges of the wire made it difficult to slide it on and off the paper easily. Finally, the fourth prototype (tag 4) was made using the same wire and the same RFID IC as the previous prototype (tag 3), but the design was modified to follow the shape of improved Niagara paperclip with rounded edges [5]. On our opinion, this design worked the best in terms of compromise between its mechanical paper holding ability and its electrical performance. We chose to tune it to the middle of US ISM band. When attached to the paper, tag 4 had maximum read range of about 17 feet at 915 MHz (shown in Figure 6).
24 22 20 Tag 2, as is Tag 3, as is Tag 4, as is Tag 2, on 1 sheet Tag 3, on 1 sheet Tag 4, on 1 sheet

G2iL
Range (ft)

18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4

(TSSOP package) 3 Monza 4 (UDFN package)

Monza 4 (UDFN package)

2 0 800 820 840 860 880 900 920 940 960 980 1000 Frequency (MHz)

Fig. 6. Read range (ft) of paperclip tag prototypes (for 4 W EIRP in free space).
TABLE I.
PAPERCLIP TAG PROTOTYPES

The first prototype (tag 1) was used as proof of concept verification. The RFID IC used in it was Impinj Monza 2 [8] in TSSOP package. It was directly soldered to the tin plated steel wire. Read range of that prototype was only about 2 feet and the connection to the chip was not sturdy but

All tags described above were linearly polarized. The gain of these small tags was modest, on the order of -1 dBi. Tags 2, 3, and 4 employed a T-matching structure which is well known in RFID tag antenna design community [10-12]. The frequency shift observed in Figure 6 when a paperclip tag is placed on one sheet of paper is mainly due to the fact that the paper separates the antenna wires, which are otherwise crossed and touching each other. The presence of

paper removes the electrical short between those wires, thus changing the tag antenna impedance and gain. For studying the effect of the number of paper sheets on the tag performance and the effect of the adjusted range mode (due to conducting strip on the paper), we picked prototype tag 4, shown on detailed photograph with dimensions in Figure 7.

C. Adjusted range mode To prove that the tag performance can be adjusted in terms of range and frequency (we are referring to the adjusted range mode illustrated in Figure 5), we tested the tag 4 on 1 sheet and 20 sheets of paper and on then on the same stacks but with conducting strip on the first sheet. The strip was made of copper foil (10 mm wide, 135 mm long) and attached to the paper as shown in Figure 9.

Fig. 7. Detailed view and dimensions of paperclip tag 4. B. Effect of number of paper sheets To see the effect of the number of pieces of paper that the paperclip tag holds together on its performance, we tested the tag 4 on stacks of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 30 sheets of standard A4 office printer paper. The results are shown in Figure 8. As one can see, the strongest effect is due to inserting 1 sheet of paper. As mentioned above, this separates the antenna wires, which are otherwise crossed and touching each other. However, those wires are still in the close proximity to each other and thus are strongly coupled.
24 22 20 18 16 Range (ft) 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 800 820 840 860 880 900 920 Frequency (MHz) 940 960 980 1000 Tag 4, as is Tag 4, on 5 sheets Tag 4, on 20 sheets Tag 4, on 1 sheet Tag 4, on 10 sheets Tag 4, on 30 sheets

Fig. 9. Paperclip tag 4 on a plain sheet of paper (top) and on the same sheet of paper with attached copper foil strip (bottom).

As one can see from the data in Figure 10, the tag performance indeed can be adjusted by the conducting strip. In this particular example, the conducting strip increases the tag antenna gain and significantly improves tag range (up to 36 ft at 955 MHz).
45 40 35 30 Range (ft) 25 20 15 10 5 0 800 820 840 860 880 900 920 940 960 980 1000 Frequency (MHz) Tag 4, on 1 sheet Tag 4, on 20 sheets Tag 4, on 1 sheet with copper strip Tag 4, on 20 sheets with copper strip

Fig. 8. Read range (ft) of paperclip tag 4 on 1, 5, 10, 20, and 30 sheets of office paper (for 4 W EIRP in free space).

Adding more paper increases the spacing between the wires, reducing the coupling. At the same time, the paper stack acts as a sheet of dielectric which increases the equivalent electrical length of the tag antenna and shifts the antenna resonant frequency down. As a result, the tag resonance shifts down in frequency as more and more sheets of paper are added to the stack.

Fig. 10. Read range (ft) of paperclip tag 4 on plain sheet of office paper and on the piece of paper with copper strip.

D. Simulations We performed modeling and simulation of tag 4 using Ansoft HFSS. Here we present three cases: tag as is, tag on 1 sheet of paper, and tag on 1 sheet of paper with conducting strip. The paper sheet was assumed to be 0.1 mm thick and have dielectric constant of 3. Modeling the exact geometry of the hand bent and soldered wire was difficult. We approximated it to the best extent with straight cylinders. The wire diameter was 1 mm. The snapshots of HFSS geometry of these three cases are shown in Fig. 11-13.

50 Tag 4, as is (HFSS) 45 40 35 Range (ft) 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 800 820 840 860 880 900 920 940 960 980 1000 Frequency (MHz) Tag 4, on 1 sheet (HFSS) Tag 4, on 1 sheet with strip (HFSS) Tag 4, as is (data) Tag 4, on 1 sheet (data) Tag 4, on 1 sheet with strip (data)

Fig 14. Read range for three cases (data and HFSS)
3 2 Gain (dBi)

Fig. 11. HFSS geometry for simulation case 1: tag 4 as is.

1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4

Tag as is Tag on 1 sheet Tag on 1 sheet with strip

800 820 840 860 880 900 920 940 960 980 1000 Frequency (MHz)

Fig. 15. Maximum tag antenna gain (HFSS simulation).

0 -3 Tau (dB)

Fig. 12. HFSS geometry for case 2: tag 4 on 1 sheet of paper.

-6 -9 Tag as is Tag on 1 sheet Tag on 1 sheet with strip

-12 -15 -18

800 820 840 860 880 900 920 940 960 980 1000 Frequency (MHz)

Fig. 16. Tag impedance matching coefficient (HFSS simulation). Fig. 13. HFSS geometry for case 3: tag 4 on 1 sheet of paper with conducting strip.

The range was calculated from simulations as shown in [7]. The complex impedance of Monza 4 chip mounted on FR4 board was measured experimentally and approximated by the following formula:

f f low , (1) Z ic ( f )[ Ohm ] = 18 j180 (7 j 40 ) f f high low where f low =800 MHz and f high =1000 MHz.

Simulation results are presented in Fig. 14-16. One can see that the agreement between data and simulations is reasonable, given the complexity of the bent wire geometry. Adding a sheet of paper and then a conducting strip improves both antenna gain and impedance matching (although one can see from Fig. 16 that there is still room for improvement). We also simulated tag performance on multiple stacks of multiple sheets of paper (modeled as thick paper slabs) and observed that adding more paper resulted in lower tag resonant frequency although the exact amount of frequency shift was not as measured (most likely due to the fact that the stack of loose papers cannot be modeled as a solid dielectric slab).

IV.

APPLICATIONS

A. Document tracking One main envisioned application of RFID paperclip tags is document tracking and management. Imagine an office where information about each paper or stack of papers is contained in the memory of its RFID paperclip. Furthermore, assume that the current localization technology for UHF RFID tags [13-16] will eventually mature and reach the point where one would be able to tell the tag location with affordable hardware. Then one could potentially locate a misplaced document in a papercluttered office by simply searching for the tag with appropriate document record using the localization-enabled RFID reader. B. Direct data exchange between paperclip tags The concept of smart document tracking can be taken one step further. Imagine paper document stacks whose paperclips know what other documents are located nearby. This can potentially be done with direct tag-to-tag communication between paperclip tags. Direct tag-to-tag communication is currently possible only between specially designed battery-powered active tags (see for example, [17]). However, passive UHF RFID tags in close proximity of each other (such as paperclip tags in stack of papers) can potentially communicate directly even in the absence of RFID reader, as long as some external RF source is available to power up the tags (see [18] for example of using external RF source). The tags can communicate by modulating and backscattering to each other the RF CW signal from the source as illustrated in Figure 17. Of course, the communication protocol would need to be modified accordingly to allow tags discover each other (for example, tags could periodically backscatter queries to each other). This idea was previously briefly described by us in a patent application [19]. Note that the concept of direct tag-to-tag communication applies not only to paperclip tags but to any tags in close proximity of each other.

Sample link budget presented in Table 2 shows that the proposed direct communication between paperclip tags is indeed possible for the tags which are in close proximity of each other. If we assume that the coupling loss between the tags is 10 dB or less, then the received power of -12 dBm is more than sufficient for operation of even small tags, especially if they use latest sensitive RFID ICs. Transmitted RF CW EIRP Free space path loss from CW source to the tag A over 1 m distance at 915 MHz Backscatter modulation loss of the tag A Coupling loss between the tags A and tag B Backscattered signal power seen by tag B
TABLE II.

36 dBm 32 dB 6 dB 10 dB -12 dBm

LINK BUDGET FOR DIRECT TAG-TO-TAG COMMUNICATION

To experimentally verify the concept of tag-to-tag communications, we have performed experimental measurements using the setup shown and photographed in Figures 18 and 19. We used our prototype tag 4 (shown in Figure 6) as a paperclip tag. The 1 W RFID reader connected to 6 dBi linearly polarized antenna was constantly interrogating paperclip tag from the distance of approximately 1 m in an anechoic chamber. A half-wavelength broadband dipole antenna was placed 1 cm away from the paperclip tag. The dipole was tuned to be well matched to 50 Ohms in 915 MHz ISM band and was connected via coaxial cable directly to the real time spectrum analyzer.

Fig 17. Concept of direct communication between paperclip tags. Tag A transmits data to tag B by backscattering RF CW signal from the external source. Tag B demodulates this signal and thus receives data directly from tag A. Tag B can respond to tag A in a similar manner.

Fig. 18. Experimental setup for verification of possibility of direct tag-to-tag communication between paperclip tags.

V.

DISCUSSION AND FUTURE WORK

Dipole antenna

One can imagine that the concept of a paperclip tag (reusing paperclip body as an antenna) opens a whole new field for RFID tag design. Now an antenna designer must ensure that a tag not only has good read range, but also retains its primary paperclip functionality (can be attached to papers conveniently and can hold them together well). The same antenna reuse concept can be applied to other document holders (metal document binders, etc.). The proposed paperclip tags have several attractive features such as: Paperclip tags can be used anywhere where ordinary paperclips are used (badges, money tracking [20], etc.) Paperclip tags can be designed to automatically enable/disable as they are slid on/off the paper Paperclip tags can be made economically competitive due to their double functionality as normal paperclips There are still quite a few questions to be answered which we have not covered in this work such as: Which out of many existing paperclip designs are best suited to be reused (without or with minimal shape modifications) with modern RFID ICs as tags? What is the best (reliable, low loss, and low cost) method to attach RFID IC to the paperclip wire antenna terminals? What should be the design rules which specify the tradeoff between mechanical and electrical functionalities of a paperclip tag? How to effectively adjust the resonance of the single wire paperclip tag (or how to make it broadband)? How does the coupling between the closely spaced paperclip tags affect their performance? Some of these questions have been partially answered in existing literature. For example, the trade-off between the small antenna size and its performance has been well covered in antenna literature [21-22] whereas tag-to-tag coupling has been studied in RFID literature [23-25]. However, we believe that any of the questions above can become a subject for fruitful future research. Electromagnetic modeling and simulation tools will play the key role in answering those questions. VI. CONCLUSIONS

Paperclip tag

Fig. 19. Antenna fixture used in experimental setup for verification of possibility of direct tag-to-tag communication.

The spectrum analyzer performed non-coherent demodulation by amplitude envelope detection, just like an RFID tag IC. Thus, the signal from the dipole antenna observed on the spectrum analyzer was very similar to demodulated RF signal inside the IC on a tag which is properly matched and placed in the vicinity of our paperclip tag. Figure 20 shows the signals observed by the dipole antenna: the original reader signal and the backscattered modulated signal from the paperclip tag. One can see that the backscattered signal seen by the dipole antenna has enough modulation depth and hence should be detectable by another nearby tag.

Fig. 20. Demodulated voltage observed by the dipole antenna (approximate equivalent of another tag) in the vicinity of the paperclip tag interrogated by the RFID reader as shown in Figure 18 at 915 MHz.

In this paper, we described a concept of a passive UHF RFID tag which uses paperclip body as an antenna while also functioning as a regular paperclip. Sliding the tag on or off the paper allows one to increase/decrease tag range (activate/deactivate the tag), while an additional conducting strip placed on the document can enhance tag range as was demonstrated experimentally. We believe that as the world moves forward to smarter document management systems, the RFID paperclip tags described in this paper can potentially find their use in many modern office applications.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank three anonymous reviewers who read our manuscript and made many valuable comments and suggestions on both the form and the content of the presented research. Their comments and suggestions, which we tried to address to the best of our extent, helped us to significantly improve this paper. REFERENCES
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