Wisent: Robust downstream communication and storage for computational RFIDs

Jethro Tan , Przemek Pawelczak, Aaron Parks, Joshua R. Smith

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volumeConference contributionScientificpeer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Computational RFID (CRFID) devices are emerging platforms that can enable perennial computation and sensing by eliminating the need for batteries. Although much research has been devoted to improving upstream (CRFID to RFID reader) communication rates, the opposite direction has so far been neglected, presumably due to the difficulty of guaranteeing fast and error-free transfer amidst frequent power interruptions of CRFID. With growing interest in the market where CRFIDs are forever-embedded in many structures, it is necessary for this void to be filled. Therefore, we propose Wisent - a robust downstream communication protocol for CRFIDs that operates on top of the legacy UHF RFID communication protocol: EPC C1G2. The novelty of Wisent is its ability to adaptively change the frame length sent by the reader, based on the length throttling mechanism, to minimize the transfer times at varying channel conditions. We present an implementation of Wisent for the WISP 5 and an off-the-shelf RFID reader. Our experiments show that Wisent allows transfer up to 16 times faster than a baseline, non-adaptive shortest frame case, i.e. single word length, at sub-meter distance. As a case study, we show how Wisent enables wireless CRFID reprogramming, demonstrating the world's first wirelessly reprogrammable (software defined) CRFID.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication35th annual International Conference on Computer Communications, IEEE INFOCOM 2016
Place of PublicationPiscataway
PublisherIEEE
Pages1-9
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)978-1-4673-9953-1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016
Event35th annual IEEE International Conference on Computer Networks, IEEE INFOCOM 2016 - San Francisco, United States
Duration: 10 Apr 201614 Apr 2016

Conference

Conference35th annual IEEE International Conference on Computer Networks, IEEE INFOCOM 2016
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Francisco
Period10/04/1614/04/16

Keywords

  • Protocols
  • Radiofrequency identification
  • Wireless Sensor Networks
  • Data transfer
  • Wireless communication
  • Nonvolatile memory
  • Standards

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