System and method for extending range of radio frequency identification (RFID) signal communications

A sensing system comprising:

• a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader or transponder device mounted on a first portion of the sensing system and including a first antenna device;
• and
• a RFID extender circuit mounted on a second portion of the sensing system, the RFID extender circuit including second and third antenna devices coupled at least indirectly by way of a first connecting structure including a resistor, wherein the first antenna device includes a first tank circuit, wherein the second and third antenna devices include respectively second and third tank circuits, wherein each of the second and third tank circuits includes a respective inductor and a respective capacitor coupled in parallel between respective first and second nodes of a respective pair of nodes, wherein the respective first nodes of the respective pairs of nodes are coupled at least indirectly by way of the first connecting structure including the resistor and the respective second nodes of the respective pairs of nodes are also coupled at least indirectly with one another by way of a second connecting structure, so that the respective second nodes of the respective pairs of nodes are at or substantially at a common voltage;
• wherein the second antenna device is capable of communicating with the first antenna device and the third antenna device is configured to communicate with an external device,
• whereby the RFID reader or transponder device is able to detect a presence of the external device in proximity to the third antenna device by virtue of wireless communications between first and second antenna devices.

A method or facilitating wireless communications between a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader device and a RFID transponder device, the method comprising:

• receiving a first wireless communication signal from the RFID transponder device at a first tank circuit of a RFID extender circuit, the first tank circuit having a first pair of nodes;
• communicating an electrical signal based upon the received first wireless communication signal from the first tank circuit to a second tank circuit of the RFID extender circuit, the second tank circuit having a second pair of nodes, with a respective one of the second pair of nodes of the second tank circuit being electrically coupled to a respective one of the first pair of nodes of the first tank circuit at least by way of a resistor, and with respective other nodes of the first and second pairs of nodes being short-circuited so as to be at or substantially at a common voltage;
• and
• sending a second wireless communication signal from the second tank circuit for receipt by the RFID reader device.