Patent ID: 7492259

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 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, wherein each response includes information that identifies the radio frequency identification tag from which said 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 radio frequency identification tags and outputs first signals corresponding to the responses and including the information; and a processor that receives the first signals from the receiver, wherein the processor is programmed to associate said information included in 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 based upon whether the processor receives a predetermined number of said first signals while at least a portion of the first item is within the second area, wherein the predetermined number of first signals include first said information identifying the same radio frequency identification tag, and upon whether the processor has received a said first signal including information identifying a radio frequency identification tag other than said same radio frequency identification tag while at least a portion of the first item is within the second area, thereafter prohibit association of the first information with a second said item that is upstream from the first item on the conveyor with respect to the path of travel.