Backscatter communication on 2-D waveguides

Abstract

Backscatter communication is a promising technology for low-power radio communications and will be useful also in two-dimensional communication (2DC) systems. A backscatterer (BX) modulates an externally supplied continuous wave (CW) by switching the terminating impedance of a 2DC surface coupler. The BX operates with very low power because it requires no radio frequency oscillator nor amplifier in itself. However, at the receiver (RX), separating the desired modulated signal and the interfering CW signal is a critical issue. In this paper, the BX generates a frequency-shifted modulation signal, and the RX rejects the strong CW by surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter. A prototype BX module achieved data transmission faster than 2Mb/s with 1.3mW power consumption. This technology provides insights into the practical use of 2DC for intelligent spaces and the Internet of Things (IoT).