Set-Cover Approximation Algorithms for Load-Aware Readers Placement in RFID Networks

Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) is an emerging wireless technology that poses new fundamental challenges. Coverage in RFID networks, which is one of these challenges, is the ability to accurately read a set of RFID tags. Accurate coverage is of utmost importance in RFID networks as missing some tags may result in missing important events and, for some RFID applications, losing asset and revenue. In this paper, the authors address an optimization problem related to the deployment of RFID readers to cover a set of RFID tags with the objectives of minimizing the number of readers, reducing overlapping among readers coverage, and balancing the load.