URSI GASS 2023, Sapporo, Japan, 19 – 26 August 2023

Design and Evaluation of mmWave Backscatter Tag System for Internet of Things Applications
Fathul Muin(1), Tommi Hariyadi (1), and Seong-Ook Park(1)
(1) Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea; e-mail: fathul.muin@kaist.ac.kr;
tommi@kaist.ac.kr; soparky@kaist.ac.kr

Abstract the passive RFID tag for optimal performance in real-

The demand for Internet of Things (IoT) devices that
provide wireless communication has increased
significantly in recent years. RFID technology is currently
one of the most widely used and prevalent technologies.
Low power consumption and simple hardware design are
the main benefits of RFID technology. However, RFID
implementation in expansive spaces with massive
obstructions would make it difficult for the RFID reader
to detect the RFID tag due to interference from these
obstructions. This paper describes the practical design of
the mmWave FSK backscatter tag system and its
evaluation. The experiment results indicate that the FSK
backscatter tag system generates the FSK signal from the
incoming signal and that the tag can be programmed with
any frequency modulation and multiple frequencies.
Based on these findings, the mmWave FSK backscatter
tag’s performance is more promising than the
conventional RFID tag. In the following section, we will
discuss how the mmWave backscatter tag system is more
powerful than conventional RFID tag systems.
1 Introduction
The Internet of Things (IoT) technology has become
increasingly popular recently, and its usage has grown
significantly. IoT involves connecting devices and
appliances to the internet, allowing them to collect and
exchange data. This has led to numerous benefits and
applications, from improved efficiency and automation in
various industries to new opportunities for innovation and
progress in our daily lives. Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) is one of the IoT devices developed by numerous
researchers and used in many practical uses due to its
comprehensive functionality and adaptability [1]. RFID
systems have seen a rise in demand for various
applications such as inventory management, asset
tracking, shipping container tracking, etc. However, the
conventional RFID system, especially the RFID tag, is
plagued by many issues, such as tag interference and the
inability to implement in large spaces due to path loss [2].
Numerous researchers have created a variety of RFID tags
resulting in a novel design and method. Several studies
[3–5] have made advances in overcoming the limitations
of conventional RFID tags by developing unique designs
and techniques. These studies optimize the placement of
world environments. One approach uses modulation depth
enhancement to improve the angle of the incoming RF
signal from the source. Ultimately, integrating the RFID
tag with an FPGA is another solution for adding advanced
features. However, most of the work operates on the UHF
frequency, which is widely used in communication
technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Mobile Cellular,
and other RFID signal. This makes the RFID tag signal
susceptible to interference from other signals.
Consequently, it can be difficult for the reader to extract
the RFID tag information.
In recent years, another similar technology of the RFID
tag system has been researched that has the same
functionality: a backscatter tag/transponder tag. One of
the most significant benefits of the backscatter tag is the
ability to modify the incoming signal by implementing a
modulation scheme or other signal modification
techniques on the tag. Recent backscatter tags employ
straightforward digital modulation, such as ASK and PSK
[6-7]. These modulations have a high bandwidth
efficiency and require a simple design for generating the
modulated signal, which reduces the manufacturing cost
of the system and provides a high data rate. However, due
to the variation in ASK leverage amplitude, the noise will
likely degrade the signal's amplitude. Meanwhile, the PSK
signal's binary data require a complex decoding procedure
involving estimating the signal's phase states.
Furthermore, since both the incoming and backscatter
signals have the same frequency, both signals can easily
interfere.
This paper proposes a mmWave Frequency Shift Keying
(FSK) Backscatter Tag System that can be used for
various IoT applications. Typically, we implement FSK
modulation into the backscatter tag so that it can transmit
its ID information by shifting the reader's carrier
frequency to represent the bit signal. We can avoid
interference between the reader's incoming signal and the
tag's backscattering signal by utilizing FSK modulation.
In addition, the FSK signal has several advantages, such
as its resistance to fading as a constant-envelope
modulation and its greater noise resistance than amplitude
modulation due to its ability to achieve a lower Bit Error
Rate (BER) for the same digital-to-noise ratio. This
system employs frequency signal modulation at 24 GHz
to prevent interference from UHF frequencies such as Wi-

This paper's copyright is held by the author(s). It is published in these proceedings and included in any archive such as IEEE
Xplore under the license granted by the “Agreement Granting URSI and IEICE Rights Related to Publication of Scholarly
Work.”
Fi, Bluetooth, and other RFID tag antenna. In addition, Sout ( t )=Γ T ( t ) ⋅S ¿ ( t )
mmWave signals have a broad bandwidth, allowing for j ( 2 π ( f ¿ +f T ) t ) (3)
massive communication. ¿|Γ T| A ¿ e
2 24 GHz FSK Backscatter Tag System
As a result, the backscatter signal Sout ( t ) is frequency
The FSK backscatter is a tag system that uses the FSK
shifted by f T from S¿ ( t ), and attenuated by |Γ T|.
method to modulate the backscatter signal. Comparing
FSK modulation to other digital modulations like ASK In most cases, the backscatter system uses a digital signal,
and PSK reveals some advantages. First, FSK offers such as a square wave, to approximate a sine wave, and
robustness against fading as it is a constant-envelope for the sake of simplicity, we can define Γ T (t ) as a square
modulation. Second, FSK is more resistant to noise than wave.
amplitude modulation because it can achieve a lower Bit
Error Rate (BER) for the same digital-to-noise ratio. AT AT
Γ ( t )=
2
( sin sin ( 2 π f T t ) ) +
2
∞ (4)
¿ ∑ γk ( t )
k=0

Then the backscatter signal from the tag becomes

Sout ( t )=γk ( t ) ⋅S ¿ ( t )
A ¿ AT j ( 2 π (f −k f ) t ) j ( 2 π ( f (5)
¿ (e ¿ T
+e
¿ +k f T ) t )
)
kπ
The model presented in the previous section indicates that
the backscatter signal generates multiple sidebands, each
Figure 1. FSK Backscatter Tag system architecture. of which is frequency-shifted by +k f T ,and attenuated by

Figure 1 shows the FSK backscatter architecture that

describes how the FSK tag backscatters the
incoming/interrogation signal from the reader. Impedance
( )
AT
kπ
.

mismatching is the key concept behind modifying and

reflecting RF signals [8]. To shift the signal's frequency,
the tag varies its impedance over time Γ T between AT
and 0 to approximate a sine or square wave.
Consequently, the incoming signal's frequency is shifted
by f T based on the frequency modulation of the
backscatter tag. We can analyze the signal in a
mathematical equation to better understand how the
baseband signal flows into the backscatter tag [8].

First, let's define the incoming signal S¿ (t) from the
transmitter as a continuous wave.
j(2 π f ¿ t )
S¿ ( t ) = A ¿ e (1)
Where A¿ is the amplitude of the incoming signal, f ¿ is
the frequency of the incoming signal.
The backscatter tags adjust Γ T over time so that Γ T (t ) is
or roughly resembles a sine wave to alter the frequency of
the reflected signal Sout ( t ).
Γ T (t )=| Γ T|e
j (2 π f T t) (2)
Figure 2. 24 GHz FSK Backscatter Tag Prototype.
Figure 2 depicts the prototype of the mmWave FSK
Backscatter Tag. FSK digital modulation is implemented
in a backscatter tag using a commodity electronic
component, ADRF5300-EVALZ SPDT switch. The RF
switch can route the high-frequency signal along various
transmission paths. On the backscatter tag, the RF switch
connects the antenna to RF load with varying impedance
and switches between them. By alternating between the
RF1 and RF2 ports, the backscatter tag conducts FSK
modulation, effectively adjusting the reflectivity over
time.

Where f T is the frequency modulation from the tag. So,

the backscatter signal from the tag leads to
 Numerous experiments were conducted to evaluate the
capabilities of the mmWave FSK backscatter tag system.
We evaluate the backscatter tag signal in an indoor
environment (Laboratory) and determine its frequency
shift using Arduino Nano. To analyze the FSK signal
modulation, we programmed the backscatter tag to
generate one or two different frequencies and compare it
with the measurement data from the oscilloscope. The
intermediate frequency (IF) signal was recorded using
(a) (b) Infineon GUI and processed raw data signal from the
Figure 3. (a) Fabricated 2x2 element array antenna (b) S- radar in MATLAB.
Parameter simulation result of the array antenna.

Table 1. Antenna array 2x2 element specifications

No. Antenna Parameter Value Backscatter Tag Reader
1. Frequency range (resonant) 23.1 – 24.7 Laptop
(24 GHz) Oscilloscope
2. Bandwidth 1.6 GHz
3. Gain 13 dBi
4. HPBW 0
36
5. Radiation pattern Directional
6. Substrate material Taconic
TLY-5
7. Dimensions 20x20 mm
Figure 4. Experiment setup for evaluating the 24 GHz
The RFC port of the switch is connected to a microstrip
backscatter tag system
2x2 element array antenna operating at 24 GHz. Figure 3
and Table 1 illustrate the antenna's detailed specifications
and simulation results, respectively. At the same time, the Tag Frequency Hormonic signals
RF1 and RF2 ports of the RF Switch are connected to a
50 Ω- matched ground connection and an open
connection, respectively. The transition rate between
reflection and absorption governs the modulation
frequency of the tag. A low-power microcontroller
afterward controls the RF switch; in this case, we use an
Arduino Nano. The Arduino Nano is utilized to control (a)
the RF switch's signal state and speed of the RF switch.
After evaluating the performance of the Arduino Nano, Tag Frequency
this microcontroller can generate a clock frequency of up
to 16 MHz, meaning that the frequency modulation of the
tag can be set to a maximum of 16 MHz.

3 Evaluations and Discussions

(b)
The experimental setup for evaluating the mmWave
Figure 5. Recoded IF data from radar module for (a) 2
backscatter tag system is depicted in Figure 4. We are
kHz (b) 8 kHz frequency modulation scenario.
utilizing a commodity 24 GHz Distance2Go radar module
from Infineon for the system's reader, which can produce
Figure 5 shows the IF frequency signal that was captured
Continuous Wave (CW), process the received signal
by the radar. The IF signal is the result of the mixing
within its internal components, and display it in Infineon
process of the received and transmitted signals.
GUI. The radar is configured to use a single transmitting
Furthermore, any peak magnitude observed in the IF
and receiving antenna to simulate an omnidirectional
signal corresponds to the signal from the FSK backscatter
reader. The radar has a maximum transmission power of
tag. In this experiment scenario, we set the frequency
10 dB (written on the software) and utilizes the entire 250
modulation at a single frequency at 2 kHz and 8 kHz.
MHz bandwidth of the 24 GHz ISM band. For the ground
Based on the peak magnitude of the measured data, the
truth of the backscatter tag frequency modulation, we
captured IF data detect peak magnitudes at the same
measure the frequency modulation on the tag board with
frequency at approximately 2 kHz and 8 kHz. Regarding
an MDO3102 Mixed Domain Oscilloscope.
this result, the FSK backscatter tag successfully

This paper's copyright is held by the author(s). It is published in these proceedings and included in any archive such as IEEE
Xplore under the license granted by the “Agreement Granting URSI and IEICE Rights Related to Publication of Scholarly
Work.”
modulates its frequency/shifting the carrier frequency
from the incoming signal with the desired frequency, and
is detectable by the reader. According to the data, there
are a number of peaks in other frequencies; these peaks
are harmonic signals caused by frequency modulation of
the tag.
Tag Frequencies
(a)
Tag Frequencies
(b)
Figure 6. Recoded IF data from radar module for (a) 4 &
6 kHz (b) 5 & 9 kHz frequency modulation scenario.
Another scenario to evaluate the FSK backscatter tag is
implemented for real/practical situations. Generally, RFID
tag sends their ID information with bit signal ‘0’ and ‘1’.
Therefore, the backscatter tag needs to produce two
distinct frequencies to enable the tag to send information
that represents '0' and '1'. The measurement result
depicted in Figure 6 demonstrates that the FSK
backscatter tag generates two distinct frequency
modulations. For simplicity, we set the FSK backscatter
tag to send signals ‘0’ and ‘1’ bit frequency alternately
with an interval of 4 ms. The two first highest peaks in the
IF signal represent the bit signal. When we set the
frequency modulation of the tag to 4 kHz and 6 kHz to
represent bits '0' and '1', the radar can detect these two
peak signal frequencies. In a different scenario, when the
frequency modulation was set to 5 kHz and 9 kHz, the
peak magnitudes signal from the IF data was located at
the same frequency modulation, which was also the
frequency we had set on the backscatter tag.
Based on this evaluation, the FSK backscatter tag system
successfully modulates the carrier signal from the reader
by shifting its frequency with either one or two different
frequencies simultaneously. This system can transmit any
ID information required to implement Internet of Things
applications based on an RFID system.
4 Conclusion
This research presents the mmWave FSK backscatter tag
system for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The
system's performance was evaluated by testing its ability
to implement frequency shift keying (FSK) modulation on
the backscatter tag. The backscatter tag transmits its
identification information by sending two distinct
frequencies representing the binary signals "0" and "1" to
the reader. Due to the advantages of noise-resistant FSK
modulation, this tag can be utilized in various
environments. The mmWave signal used in this system
also avoids interference from widely used frequency
spectrums such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Mobile Cellular.
Due to the large bandwidth in mmWave, this backscatter
tag system is capable of massive communication.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by Samsung Research Funding
& Incubation Center of Samsung Electronics under
Project Number SRFC-IT2101-06
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This paper's copyright is held by the author(s). It is published in these proceedings and included in any archive such as IEEE
Xplore under the license granted by the “Agreement Granting URSI and IEICE Rights Related to Publication of Scholarly
Work.”