Smart shelf with self calibration

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags disposed in a frame that provides a plurality of storage locations for storing items;
• at least one RFID antenna;
• at least one RFID reader coupled to the at least one RFID antenna and configured to monitor RFID signal characteristics of each of the RFID tags;
• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory storing one or more applications, which, when executed by the at least one processor, performs an operation comprising:
• obtaining, via the at least one RFID reader, a first set of RFID signal characteristics associated with each of the plurality of RFID tags at a first time instance of a plurality of time instances;
• predicting, based on a model of RFID tag behavior over a period of time, a second set of RFID signal characteristics at the first time instance;
• and
• determining, for each of the plurality of RFID tags, whether the RFID tag is unreliable based on the first set of RFID signal characteristics for the RFID tag and the second set of RFID signal characteristics.

A method, comprising:

• identifying a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags disposed in a plurality of storage locations defined by a frame, wherein each storage location is in proximity to a different set of the plurality of RFID tags;
• determining a distance between each of the plurality of RFID tags and at least one RFID antenna in proximity to the frame;
• monitoring a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) from each of the plurality of RFID tags;
• generating, for each RFID tag, a first parameter indicative of at least one environmental condition at a location of the RFID tag, based on the RSSI from the RFID tag and the distance between the RFID tag and the at least one RFID antenna;
• and
• tracking an RFID tagged item located in one of the plurality of storage locations based, at least in part, on the first parameter for each of the plurality of RFID tags.