Art of comparing RFID reader power outputs

19 September 2011

Mirva Saarijrvi

A white paper describing how to compare RFID reader power outputs.

I have recently tumbled into few RFQ's and RFP's where RFID readers radiating power
figures are asked. And at the same time in some customer discussions it became obvious
that it is not always clear how to compare figures of different formats. We collected this
paper together with one of Nordic ID's RF gurus -Mr. Toni Heijari. Our goal is to explain in
an easy way what the different RFID power figures mean, and how they can be used.

RFID radiating power is an essential figure describing the performance, although it must be
noted that it is not the only one. To put it simply - more power out from antenna mean that
tags further away hear the reader - it is a good thing if long reading distance is the goal. But
power output does not describe all aspects of the reader performance. It does not describe
receiver sensitivity - from how far can a reader hear the tag, it does not describe readers
speed or ability to read tags without orientation sensitivity etc.

There are two common ways to show radiating power: milliwatt (mW) and some form of
decibels (dB). Complexity arises when different types of decibel figures are compared -
fine if it is done correctly, but mistakes are easily done. An example: Other things equal -
which reader has longer reading distance, a reader with 30dBm (1.0W) ERP or a reader
with 32dBm (1.6W) EIRP? We will give the answer later in this article.

Decibels (dB) describe relations of two figures in logarithmic scale.

0dB: x=1*y
3dB: x=2*y
6dB: x=4*y
10dB: x=10*y
20dB: x=100*y
and
-3dB: x=y/2
-10dB: x=y/10

When RFID readers power is discussed dB is not just a plain dB, but dBm, dBi etc. the part
after dB describes into which the figure is compared to. For example an antenna with gain
3dBi emits to the main direction 2 times the power of an isotropic reference antenna. The
"i" in dBi stands for the isotropic reference antenna.

RFID readers power output depends on 2 components. Power output going into the antenna
and antenna gain. Power going into the antenna (RF power) is usually given as milliwatt
(mW) or in dBm. In this case dBm describes the power compared to 1mW. In table one
below the dBm to mW relation is described.

Other component - antenna gain - is given as compared to some reference antenna.

dBi describes gain compared to isotropic reference antenna

dBd describes gain compared to reference dipole antenna
dBic describes gain compared to reference isotropic circular polarized antenna
We have seen also dBiL being used, it refers to reference linear polarized antenna, but the
relation to dBi is not clear*), and we don't recommend use of dBiL.

There is a clear relation between the established reference antennas:

- dipole antenna radiates more to directions in 90 degree angle to the antenna dipole than
ideal isotropic antenna, 0dBd = 2.14 dBi
(source: www.ti.com)

- Isotropic circular polarized antenna "looses" some of the radiation power in the
circulating polarization due to polarization mismatch when tag antenna is linear. As a result
0dBic = -3 dBi

Picture: Illustration of linear and circular polarization. (www.ti.com)

In European legislation radiating power limits are described in relation to dipole antenna
and ERP (Efficient Radiating Power) is used as a measure. An example: RF power is
27dBm (500mW) and antenna has gain of 5dBi. ERP = 27dBm + 5dBi -2.15 = ca. 30dBm
(1.0W)

In US legislation EIRP (Equivalent Isotropical Radiated Power) is used. Power is compared

to isotropic reference antenna. With same reader and antenna as above (RF power is 27dBm
(500mW) and antenna has gain of 5dBi) EIRP = 27dBm + 5dBi = 32 dBm (1.6W)

Answer to the question posted above reader with radiating power of 1W ERP same as
reader with radiating power of 1.6W EIRP.

Formulas:
ERP in dBm = (RF power in dBm) + (antenna gain in dBi) -2.15dB, this can be converted
to mW using table above
EIRP in dBm = (RF power in dBm) + (antenna gain in dBi), this can be converted to mW
using table above
dBi = dBic - 3dB (in RFID use)
dBi = dBd +2.15dB

More examples:
reader with 500mW RF power, antenna with 6dBic gain
- 500mW = 27dBm
- ERP =27 dBm + (6dBic -3dB) -2.15dB = ca. 28dBm (630mW)
- EIRP =27 dBm + (6dBic-3dB) = 30 dBm (1W)
reader with 400mW RF power, antenna with 5 dBi gain
- 400mW = ca 26dBm
- ERP = 26 dBm + 4dBi -2.15dB = ca. 28 dBm (630mW)
- EIRP = 26dBm + 4dBi =30 dBm (1W)

Authors: Teemu Ainasoja and Toni Heijari

For more information, please contact: support@nordicid.com

*) http://www.nitehawk.com/rasmit/ve3ont.html . In the reference calculation of dBiL is

done by substracting 3dB from dBic, which in fact means that dBiL would be same as dBi.
From antenna performance point of view linear antenna is usually a dipole antenna.

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11

3 comments on Art of comparing RFID reader power outputs

1. Wodzimierz Pa

Posted 20 September 2011 at 16:40:57

Plse send me white paper about current in antenna

2. Steve Wright

Posted 21 September 2011 at 08:57:30

This article is a bit misleading as the power measurements described are only
applicable in the far field (where the antenna beam has formed). In the near field
(where a lot of RFID takes place) It is not certain the the power flux density (power
on mW or Dbm) is an accurate represenation of actual power level. The correct way
to measure in the E and H fields and calculate the power.

I learned this when measuring RF power levels at aviation navigation aids from LF (
100 KHz NDB) to S band (3 GHz ATC Radar)

3. Teemu Ainasoja

Posted 22 September 2011 at 11:15:30

Good point Steve, the article is about far field and we had only the "EPC C1G2
supply chain" and passive UHF RFID in mind. With other branches of RFID such as
LF, HF and near field UHF a different approach is needed.