Near-field pad / mat antenna
Near-field
What is it?
Near-field pad antennas are flat, desktop-sized mats that read any tagged items placed on their surface. Drop a stack of tagged garments on the pad and every item is identified in seconds. They are the basis of point-of-sale RFID checkout, returns processing, and rapid stocktaking at workstations. The contained read zone means only items physically touching or very close to the pad are counted - no risk of reading items in a neighbouring pile.
How it works
The antenna uses a dense pattern of loop traces on a PCB or flexible substrate to create a uniform near-field zone across the pad surface. When tagged items are placed on the pad, the tags couple magnetically with the antenna loops and respond to the reader's interrogation. The pad connects to a standard UHF reader, and because the read zone is so tightly defined, the reader can singulate and identify dozens of tags in under a second without anti-collision complexity. Some pads include shielding on the underside to prevent reading through the table surface.
Industries
Use cases
- Bulk checkout - customer places items on pad, all identified instantly
- Returns processing - verify returned items match receipt
- Workstation stocktaking - count items on a tray or in a bin
- Encoding station - write EPC data to tags placed on the pad
- Quality assurance - verify correct tags on correct items before shipping
Pros
- Instant bulk identification of stacked items
- Zero stray reads - items must be on the pad
- Simple UX - place items on pad and results appear
- No moving parts or complex read-zone engineering
- Flat form factor integrates into counters and workstations
Cons
- Limited to items that fit on the pad surface
- Stacked metal items can shield tags from the antenna
- Indoor desktop use only
- Single-purpose - each pad serves one workstation
- Higher per-unit cost than a generic panel antenna
Specifications
| Form factor | Near-field |
|---|---|
| Polarization | Near-field (magnetic coupling) |
| Frequency | UHF (860–960 MHz) or HF (13.56 MHz) |
| Gain | N/A |
| Beamwidth | N/A |
| Read range | 0–20 cm |
| Connector | SMA or proprietary |
| IP rating | IP50–IP54 |
| Dimensions | A4 (210 × 297 mm) to A3 (297 × 420 mm) pads |
| Price range | $200–$800 |