Fractal Antenna Systems Releases Tagtenna™; A Low-cost, Frequency Agile and Efficient Antenna for UHF RFID

        MALDEN, MA  (September 24, 2001) - Fractal Antenna Systems today announced the release of Tagtenna™, a compact frequency agile antenna for UHF (862-928 MHz) RFID.  Available now in evaluation quantities, the innovative dipole-like antenna is 55x20mm, paper thin, and directly mounts SMT and chip RFID devices.  With outstanding efficiency,  bandwidth and pattern, the low-cost fractal antenna can be impedance matched to customer requirements.  Keying off industry standards initiatives by ICC/EAN GTAG, and ISO/IEC JTC1 SC31, Fractal Antenna Systems recognizes that small, efficient, and low-cost antennas will create new opportunities for passive RFID tags and offers the antennas for sale or licensing to the automated data collection market.

Antennas are Critical to RFID

New RFID technologies generally employ passive tags that must couple RF energy to power the RFID chip for operation and communication with the reader.  Read range is directly related to the efficiency of the energy transfer and the responding RF transmission.  The antenna is key to this process, yet traditional antennas are much too large for convenient use in tags.  Tagtenna™ antennas offer the benefit of small size with high efficiency, leading to longer read ranges and better performance. 

Another important consideration is frequency coverage. Global standards for UHF RFID frequencies in the 900 MHz range span about 66 MHz.  Tagtenna™ antennas offer tunable multiband or wideband coverage so that a single antenna can be used by region-specific chips—no matter what the region. 

“Focusing on the RFID applications of fractal antennas makes sense,” according to David Moschella, CEO.  “Our experience providing custom antenna solutions allows us to optimize performance of compact antenna designs, a key need for the RFID marketplace.  After all, an RFID tag is merely an encased IC chip and antenna.  Chip performance is fixed in silicon, leaving the antenna as the only line of optimization.  Tagtenna™ antennas meet this challenge with versatility and results.”

Reader Antennas too

Fractal antennas also offer many benefits to RFID readers.  Small multi-band reader antennas with a variety of possible polarization modes have been created by the company.  Custom versions of these reference design are also offered to wireless and RFID OEMs.  Fractal Antenna Systems works with OEM marketing and engineering teams to create compact antennas that provide a competitive edge.  Contact us for a complimentary analysis of your needs. 

Price and Availability

Tagtenna™ antennas are available now in evaluation quantities at standard impedance matching of 50 Ohms.  Evaluation packs are priced at $995 for ten antennas. Quantity pricing of the antennas is significantly lower, and licensing of the design can also be accomplished when quantities warrant.  Customized versions of the antennas can be created with modest non-recurring engineering cost.

 About FAS 

Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. is a next-generation antenna company that provides the Fractal Advantage™: solutions, products and IP licensing to OEM manufacturers of wireless products.  The company was founded in 1996 and now holds 3 U.S. patents as well as several pending patents, including foreign patents pending, on fractal antenna technology. The firm has seen high growth as fractal antenna technology becomes more widely known as the superior choice in the smaller-cheaper-multi/broadband environment of wireless, telecom, RFID, and other fields.  

For the PDF: Tagtenna tm

  Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. is based in Massachusetts and is privately held. It maintains its R&D and Products Facility at Telecom City (http://www.telcomcity.com) in Malden Massachusetts. Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc.'s web site is at http://www.fractenna.com.

CONTACT: 

Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc.
Phil Salkind or Nuno Alves: 617-381-9595
KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS