Systems and methods for package sortation and delivery using radio frequency identification technology

A method comprising the steps of:

• scanning a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag on a package to generate scanned data;
• sending the scanned data from the scanner to a hub control system remote from the scanner;
• receiving the scanned data at the hub control system;
• determining at the hub control system whether the scanned data identifies package information including the package's destination;
• if the scanned data does not identify the package's destination, determining whether the scanned data identifies a package identifier or consignee alias to retrieve package information indicating the package's destination;
• if so, retrieving the package information at the control system based on the package identifier or consignee alias;
• if the scanned data does not identify the package destination and no package information can be retrieved using the scanned data,
• optically scanning a shipping label on the package using a camera to produce optically scanned data;
• key-entering package information into the control system to provide the control system with the package information necessary to transport the package to the package's destination using the optically scanned data;
• generating at the hub control system a handling instruction for the package based on the scanned data by determining one of multiple sort destinations within a hub facility to which the package is to be routed by execution of the handling instruction;
• transmitting the handling instruction from the hub control system to machine controllers associated with respective conveyors and sorting devices along a sortation path to the one sort destination;
• receiving the handling instruction at the machine controllers for the multiple conveyors and sorting devices along the sortation path;
• and
• sorting the package by executing the handling instruction at the machine controllers for the multiple conveyors and sorting devices to route the package along the sortation path to the sort destination corresponding to the package's destination, at least some of the multiple sorting devices positioned at different locations in the hub facility spaced apart from one another by respective ones of the multiple conveyors.