System, apparatus and method for sequencing objects having rfid tags on a moving conveyor

A method of tracking objects using radio frequency identification (RFID) communications, the method comprising:

• transporting a plurality of objects along a conveyance path of a conveyor system, wherein each of the plurality of objects includes a near field only RFID tag associated therewith and identifying the object, wherein each near field only RFID tag is not coupled to a far field antenna such that it is not readable in a far field of RFID communication and communicates only in a near field of RFID communication;
• sending, by a first RFID tag reader positioned relative to a first portion of the conveyor system, read signals to attempt to read the near field only RFID tag of each of the plurality of objects;
• receiving, by the first RFID reader, responses from the near field only RFID tag of each of the plurality of objects when the near field only RFID tag is within the near field of RFID communications of the first RFID reader;
• and
• processing, by a control circuit, the responses from the plurality of near field only RFID tags to determine an order of the plurality of objects being conveyed.

An apparatus comprising:

• a networked control circuit coupled to a memory device and configured to:
• automatically receive a read response received at a first radio frequency identification (RFID) reader from a near field only RFID tag of each of a plurality of objects being transported by a conveyor system along a conveyance path, each near field only RFID tag associated with and identifying a given one of the plurality of objects, and each near field only RFID tag being not coupled to a far field antenna such that it is not readable in a far field of RFID communication and communicates only in a near field of RFID communication, wherein the first RFID reader is positioned relative to a first portion of the conveyor system in order that the near field only RFID tag of each of the plurality of objects responds to a read signal from the first RFID reader when the near field only RFID tag is within the near field of RFID communication of the first RFID reader;
• and
• automatically process the read response of each of the plurality of objects to determine an order of the plurality of objects being conveyed on the conveyor system.

A method comprising:

• by a networked control circuit coupled to a memory device,
• automatically receiving a read response received at a first radio frequency identification (RFID) reader from a near field only RFID tag of each of a plurality of objects being transported by a conveyor system along a conveyance path, each near field only RFID tag associated with and identifying a given one of the plurality of objects, and each near field only RFID tag being not coupled to a far field antenna such that it is not readable in a far field of RFID communication and communicates only in a near field of RFID communication, wherein the first RFID reader is positioned relative to a first portion of the conveyor system in order that the near field only RFID tag of each of the plurality of objects responds to a read signal from the first RFID reader when the near field only RFID tag is within the near field of RFID communication of the first RFID reader;
• and
• automatically processing the read response of each of the plurality of objects to determine an order of the plurality of objects being conveyed on the conveyor system.