Arrangement for and method of optimally adjusting the scan rate of scan beams generated by a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader having an array

摘要

Retail items movable from an inventory location at a retail venue (such as a shop) 102 through a portal (or door) 100 to a retail exit are automatically tracked. The items are individually associated with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags 104, 106. An RFID tag reader has an array of antennas 10 for generating a multitude of scan beams at an adjustable scan rate. A first set of the beams covers the inventory location, and a second set of the beams covers the portal to determine an exit characteristic of the items (e.g. the number of items that have exited the retail venue). A point-of-sale workstation, or check-out, 108 at the retail venue is operative, independently of the tag reader, for determining a sold characteristic of the items (e.g. the number of items that have been sold). A controller 12 dynamically adjusts the scan rate of the first and second sets of scan beams to an optimal scan rate as a function of the determined exit and sold characteristics.