An application dependent medium access protocol for active RFID using dynamic tuning of the back-off algorithm

Active radio frequency identification (A-RFID) is a technology where the tags (transponders) carry an on-board energy source for powering the radio, processor circuits, and sensors. Besides offering longer working distance between RFID-reader and tag than passive RFID, this also enables the tags to do sensor measurements, calculations and storage even when no RFID-reader is in the vicinity of the tags. In this paper we introduce a medium access data communication protocol which dynamically adjusts its back-off algorithm to best suit the actual active RFID application at hand. Based on a simulation study of the effect on tag energy cost, readout delay, and message throughput incurred by some typical back-off algorithms in a CSMA/CA (carrier sense multiple access / collision avoidance) A-RFID protocol, we conclude that by dynamic tuning of the initial contention window size and back-off interval coefficient, tag energy consumption and read-out delay can be significantly lowered. We also present specific guidelines on how parameters should be selected under various application constraints (viz. maximum readout delay; and the number of tags passing).