Interrogating RFID transponders during rotation of palletized items, systems and methods

An improved pallet-wrapping apparatus, said pallet wrapping apparatus comprised of:

• a rotational platform that is capable of rotation, wherein one or more items at least a portion of which are associated with RFID transponders, are placed on a pallet and said pallet with said items is placed on said rotational platform;
• a programmable logic controller adapted to control said pallet wrapping apparatus;
• a computer that interfaces with at least said programmable logic controller;
• wherein said computer includes a display capable of displaying operating characteristics of said pallet wrapping apparatus and an input device for receiving operating instructions for said pallet wrapping apparatus;
• a carriage device, wherein said carriage device is capable of moving substantially vertically relative to said one or more items and said carriage device holds a shipping membrane that is wrapped at least in part about said pallet and said items as they are rotated on said rotational platform, said carriage further having attached thereto at least one RFID reader and said pallet with said items with said RFID transponders associated therewith are placed upon said rotational platform and rotated while said at least one RFID reader reads information from said RFID transponders until all the RFID transponders on the pallet have been read or until a predetermined time limit has passed.

A method of reading RFID transponders, comprising:

• providing one or more items having affixed RFID transponders;
• providing at least one RFID reader;
• and
• rotationally changing either the angular position of the affixed RFID transponders to the RFID reader or the RFID reader to the affixed RFID transponders and simultaneously reading said affixed RFID transponders with said at least one RFID reader.

A method of reading RFID transponders, comprising:

• providing one or more items having affixed RFID transponders;
• providing at least one RFID reader;
• and
• placing said one or more items on a rotational device and simultaneously rotating said items about an imaginary axis approximately through the midpoint of said one or more items and reading said affixed RFID transponders with said at least one RFID reader.

A method of reading RFID transponders, comprising:

• providing one or more items having affixed RFID transponders;
• providing at least one RFID reader;
• and
• placing said one or more items on a rotational device and simultaneously rotating said items substantially about said at least one RFID reader and reading said affixed RFID transponders with said at least one RFID reader.

A method of reading RFID transponders, comprising:

• providing one or more items having affixed RFID transponders;
• providing at least one RFID reader;
• and
• rotating said at least one RFID reader substantially about said items and reading said affixed RFID transponders with said at least one RFID reader.

A method of reading RFID transponders, comprising:

• providing one or more items and affixing at least one RFID transponder to each of said one or more items;
• placing said one or more items on a pallet;
• providing at least one RFID reader;
• placing said pallet with said one or more items on a rotational device and simultaneously rotating said items about an imaginary axis approximately through the midpoint of said one or more items and reading said affixed RFID transponders with said at least one RFID reader;
• and
• rotating said pallet with said one or more items and reading said RFID transponders until all the RFID transponders affixed to the one or more items have been read or until a predetermined time limit has passed.

A method of reading RFID transponders, comprising:

• providing one or more items and affixing at least one item RFID transponder to each of said one or more items;
• placing said one or more items on a pallet, wherein said pallet has an affixed pallet RFID transponder;
• electronically linking said one or more item RFID transponders to said pallet RFID transponder;
• encoding said affixed pallet RFID transponder with at least a count of the items on said pallet having said affixed item RFID transponders;
• providing at least one RFID reader;
• placing said pallet with said one or more items on a rotational device;
• reading said pallet RFID transponder to determine at least the count;
• wrapping a shipping membrane around at least a portion of said pallet and said items while simultaneously reading and counting said item RFID transponders with said at least one RFID reader while said pallet and said items are rotated on said rotational device about an imaginary axis approximately through the midpoint of said one or more items and reading said affixed RFID transponders with said at least one RFID reader until the wrapping is complete and determining a pallet item count that is equal to the number of item RFID transponders that have been read by the at least one RFID reader;
• and
• comparing the pallet item count to the count and signaling an alert or continuing reading the item RFID transponders if the number of item RFID transponders is not equal to the count.