Patent ID: 9443218
Filing Date: 2016-09-13
CPC Classification: G06K,G06Q

Claim Text:
1. A method of monitoring a group merchandise event via wireless tracking comprising: receiving first RFID data from a first RFID reader comprising at least one first antenna, wherein the first RFID data associates first tag information of a first RFID tag with the at least one first antenna that read the first tag information; receiving second RFID data from a second RFID reader comprising at least one second antenna, wherein the second RFID data associates second tag information of a second RFID tag with the at least one second antenna that read the second tag information; identifying, by a processor in communication with the first RFID reader and the second RFID reader, a first appearance of first unique tag information in the first RFID data; identifying, by the processor, an appearance of the first unique tag information in the second RFID data prior to the first appearance of the first unique tag information in the first RFID data; identifying, by the processor, a first appearance of second unique tag information in the first RFID data within a predetermined time of the first appearance of the first unique tag information in the first RFID data; checking, by the processor, for an appearance of the second unique tag information in the second RFID data prior to the first appearance of the second unique tag information in the first RFID data; designating, by the processor, in response to the appearance of the second unique tag information in the second RFID data prior to the first appearance of the second unique tag information in the first RFID data is found, a first group comprising the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information; storing in memory a first group designation including the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information, a first time index indicating a time when the first group is designated, and a first event indicator indicating formation of a first group; checking, by the processor, the first RFID data for an appearance of the first unique tag information and for an appearance of the second unique tag information; and storing, in memory, in response to both the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information appearing in the first RFID data for a second predetermined time, (i) the first group designation including the first unique tag information and the second unique tag information, (ii) a second time index indicating a time when the first group is terminated, and (iii) a second event indicator indicating the termination of the first group.