System and method for reading RFID tags across a portal

A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag portal system, comprising:

• a system controller;
• at least one RFID reader operatively coupled to the system controller;
• at least one RFID steerable antenna system capable of controlling a direction of an RF beam in response to a beam control signal;
• the system controller configured to generate one or more commands to cause the RFID reader in cooperation with the RFID steerable antenna system to
• perform a first detection of one or more RFID tags in a portal zone having a predetermined flag set by generating with an RFID portal at first detection intervals at least one first detection RF field, directed toward a first physical space on a first side of a boundary, the at least one first detection RF field exciting RFID tags within a first detection proximity to the RFID portal using one of a Session 2 mode and a Session 3 mode, having a long duration session persistence,
• perform a second detection of the RFID tags in the portal zone which have the predetermined flag set by generating with the RFID portal at second detection intervals at least one second detection RF field, directed toward a second physical space on a second side of the boundary opposed to the first side, the at least one second detection RF field exciting RFID tags within a second detection proximity to the RFID portal using one of the Session 2 mode and the Session 3 mode,
• perform a first sampling of the RFID tags in the portal zone having the predetermined flag set by generating with the RFID portal at first sample cycle intervals at least one first sampling RF field, directed toward the first physical space, the at least one first sampling RF field exciting the RFID tags within a first sampling proximity to the RFID portal using a Session 0 mode having a minimal duration session persistence which is less than the Session 2 mode and Session 3 mode, the first sampling proximity extending a lesser distance from the RFID portal as compared to the first detection proximity,
• perform a second sampling of the RFID tags in the portal zone having the predetermined flag set by generating with the RFID portal at second sample cycle intervals at least one second sampling RF field, directed toward the second physical space, the at least one second sampling RF field exciting the RFID tags within a second sampling proximity to the RFID portal using the Session 0 mode, the second sampling proximity extending a lesser distance from the RFID portal as compared to the second detection proximity, and
• based on the first detection, second detection, first sampling and second sampling, determine an occurrence of at least one of the RFID tags transitioning between the first physical space and the second physical space.