Patent ID: 7586411

Claim:
A conveyor system for processing items on which radio frequency identification tags are disposed, said system comprising: a frame; a conveyor 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; at least one 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; at least one second antenna disposed proximate the path of travel so that the second antenna receives responses to the radio frequency signals from the respective radio frequency identification tags on the items; a radio frequency receiver that receives signals from the second antenna corresponding to the responses received by the second antenna from the radio frequency identification tags and outputs first signals corresponding to the responses; and a processor that receives the first signals from the receiver, wherein the processor associates a said first signal with a first said item based upon whether the processor receives the 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 at least one first antenna radiates the radio frequency signals if at least one said item is in the path of travel within a third area with respect to the path of travel that includes, and is larger with respect to the path of travel than, the second area.