Improved Backscattering Communication Range Using Reflection Amplifiers

As next-generation communication technologies advance, the demand for low-power wireless communication continues to grow. Among low-power communication technologies, backscatter communication offers a wireless communication energy efficiency of a few picojoules per bit but has the drawback of a limited range. This study explored methods for improving the communication range of backscatter systems by utilizing a reflective amplifier. A backscatter tag was designed by integrating a reflective amplifier, a hybrid coupler, and a high-isolation antenna array. Using software-defined radio (SDR) to transmit and receive signals, the magnitude of the backscattered signal increased approximately 1.5 times when employing the proposed backscatter tag at the same location. Additionally, the experimental results demonstrated that the communication range of the backscatter tag was extended by 40 cm compared to that of a passive tag. The proposed amplified reflection tag design technology can be applied to ultralow-power indoor short-range Internet of Things (IoT) networks.