Spaced apart extended range RFID tag assembly

A method of assembling a radio frequency identification (RFID) assembly having a radio frequency energy and a wavelength of a predetermined operating frequency in the UHF frequency band, the method comprising:

• mounting an RFID tag having a mounting substrate with an exposed first planar surface and an opposing second planar surface, at least one of which is adapted for selective attachment to a surface of a carrier, said RFID tag having an RFID semiconductor chip having a predetermined operating frequency with an antenna interface mounted on the second planar surface, a conductor electrically coupled to the antenna interface of the RFID semiconductor chip, and an antenna electrically coupled to the conductor and having a two sided planar antenna with a first side oriented away from an operating surface of a body and a second side opposing the first side and oriented towards the operating surface of the body;
• and
• attaching a spacer composed of a foam material that is non-conducting and non-absorbing of a substantial amount of energy at the predetermined operating frequency, said spacer is attached to the at least one of the first and second planar surfaces of the mounting substrate and is positioned for placement between the operating surface of the body and the RFID tag for positioning at a minimum spaced apart distance from the operating surface of the body during operation of the RFID tag, the spacer composed of non-conducting material having a predetermined thickness of between about 0.125 inches and about 0.5 inches and that is non-absorbing of a substantial amount of radio frequency energy at the predetermined operating frequency transmitted by a remotely positioned antenna of a base station radio transceiver,
• wherein the mounted RFID tag and the attached spacer are configured to receive at the first side of the two sided planar antenna a first portion of the radio frequency energy as direct energy as transmitted from the antenna of the base station radio transceiver and receives at the second side of the two-sided planar antenna a second portion of the radio frequency energy as indirect energy as transmitted from the antenna of the base station radio transceiver responsive to the absorbing of the substantial amount of radio frequency energy by the body, said second portion of the radio frequency energy being received at the predetermined operating frequency, and the RFID semiconductor chip processes the received first and second portions of the radio frequency energy and generates a reply radio frequency energy at a predetermined reply operating frequency in response to the receiving and processing the first and second received radio frequency energy portions, radiates the generated reply radio frequency energy from at least one of the first side and the second side of the two-sided planar antenna.