Architecture for RFID tag reader/writer

An RFID transceiver (200) includes a common frequency source (250), a receiving channel (230) and a transmitting channel (240). The common frequency source (250) is configured to provide a predefined intermediate frequency signal fIF, and a predefined carrier frequency signal fc. The RFID receiving channel (230) includes an upconverting mixer (232) having a first input coupled to receive the predefined intermediate frequency signal fIF, a second input coupled to receive the predefined carrier frequency signal fc, and an output, the upconverting mixer (232) operable to produce an upconverted signal at a frequency defined by fc±fIF. The RFID receiving channel (230) further includes an image rejection downconverting mixer (234) having a first input coupled to receive an RFID signal having a carrier frequency substantially at the predefined carrier frequency fc, a second input coupled to receive the upconverted signal, and an output, the image rejection downconverting mixer (234) operable to produce an output a downconverted signal at substantially the predefined intermediate frequency fIF. The RFID transmitting channel (240) includes a modulator (244) operable to modulate modulation data onto the predefined carrier frequency signal fc.