Sequenced antenna array for determining where gaming chips with embedded rfid tags are located on a blackjack, poker or other gaming table & for myriad of other rfid applications

A method for obtaining information associated with objects, each object having associated therewith an RFID device comprising unique information and an optical bar code comprising information associated therewith, the method comprising:

• at a given location, transmitting interrogation signals for receipt by RFID devices associated with the objects and receiving interrogation response signals from the RFID devices associated with the objects responsive to the interrogation signals;
• processing the interrogation response signals to obtain the unique information associated with respective RFID devices;
• and
• at or associated with the given location, reading optical bar codes associated with the objects and obtaining respective information represented by a bar code associated with a respective object.

A system for obtaining information associated with objects, the system comprising:

• an RFID device associated with each of a plurality of the objects, each of the RFID devices comprising unique information;
• two or more antennas positioned at a given location to transmit interrogation signals for receipt by RFID devices associated with the objects and to receive interrogation response signals from the RFID devices associated with the objects responsive to the interrogation signals;
• and
• means coupled to the two or more antennas for providing the interrogation signals and for receiving and processing response signals to obtain information comprising unique RFID information which is associated with at least one RFID device which is associated with at least one of the plurality of the objects.