Patent ID: 7515047

Claim:
A conveyor system for processing items on which radio frequency identification tags are disposed, said system comprising: a frame; a conveyor that is disposed movably on the frame and that conveys items through a path of travel, each item having at least one respective radio frequency identification tag disposed thereon; a first antenna disposed proximate the path of travel so that the first antenna radiates radio frequency signals into a first area that is proximate the path of travel and through which the items pass; a second antenna disposed proximate the path of travel so that the second antenna receives responses to the radio frequency signals from radio frequency identification tags on the items, wherein each response includes information that identifies the radio frequency identification tag from which the response is received; a radio frequency receiver that receives signals from the second antenna corresponding to the responses received by the second antenna from the respective radio frequency identification tags and outputs first signals corresponding to the responses and including the information; a barcode reader disposed with respect to the conveyor so that the barcode reader reads barcode label information from barcode labels on items at a first predetermined position in the path of travel, wherein the barcode reader outputs second signals corresponding to the barcode label information; and a processor that receives the first signals from the radio frequency receiver and the second signals from the barcode reader, wherein the processor associates said information included in a said first signal with a first said item based upon whether the processor receives said first signal from the receiver while at least a portion of the first item is within a second area that includes at least part of the first area, and the processor associates said barcode label information included in a said second signal with the first item based upon whether said second signal is received during a period in which the first item is within a predetermined area on the conveyor that includes the first predetermined position.