Probabilistic inventory RFID method and system

A radio frequency identification (RFID) system for monitoring a space, the system comprising:

• a controller connected to a plurality of RFID readers, the readers to detect data signals from a plurality of RFID tags carried by objects;
• at least one processor to communicate with the controller, the processor to:
• perform an inventory analysis of the objects based on a confidence probability curve, the confidence probability curve based on at least one of the following four parameters:
• PS—the probability of an RFID tag from the plurality being read in a day;
• PD—the probability of an RFID tag from the plurality that is unreadable becoming readable within a day;
• PE—the probability of an RFID tag from the plurality exiting the space monitored by the RFID system without being detected by the RFID system;
• or
• ID—the percentage of objects exiting the space monitored by the RFID system.

A probabilistic inventory system for use with a radio frequency identifier (RFID) system for monitoring a space, the system including:

• a controller connected to a plurality of RFID readers, the readers to detect data signals from a plurality of RFID tags carried by objects;
• a database accessible by the controller, the database to record (a) times when data signals are received from tags in the plurality of RFID tags, and (b) the data contained in the data signals from the tags;
• and
• a point-of-sale (POS) system to record sales information in the database for respective sales of an objects, at least one of the plurality of RFID readers is an exit reader, the POS system to:
• calculate in-store probabilities for the tags based on (a) a confidence probability curve and (b) a time for respective RFID tags;
• monitor the RFID reader for detection of data;
• when sales information is received from the POS system, monitor the exit RFID reader for detection of a data signal from a RFID tag in the plurality;
• if an RFID tag is detected, match the sales information to the RFID tag and update the database;
• if an RFID tag is not detected, create a contra-EPC associated with the object and update the database;
• and
• report summed in-store probabilities.

A probabilistic inventory system method for use with a radio frequency identification (RFID) system for monitoring a space, the system including:

• a controller connected to a plurality of RFID readers, the readers to detect data signals from a plurality of RFID tags carried by objects;
• and
• a database accessible by the controller, the database to record (a) times when data signals are received from tags in the plurality of RFID tags, and (b) the data contained in the data signals from the tags, the controller to:
• calculate in-store probabilities for a plurality of RFID tags based on a confidence probability curve, the confidence probability curve based on at least one of the following four parameters:
• PS—the probability of an RFID tag from the plurality being read in a day;
• PD—the probability of an RFID tag from the plurality that is unreadable becoming readable within a day;
• PE—the probability of an RFID tag from the plurality exiting the space monitored by the RFID system without being detected by the RFID system;
• or
• ID—the percentage of objects exiting the space monitored by the RFID system.