Abstract: An apparatus and method for locating and identifying an object comprises attaching an RFID tag around a cylindrical object. The RFID tag comprises a flexible circuit constructed and arranged for conformably positioning about a cylindrical object and a plurality of antenna loops serially positioned about the flexible circuit. The antenna loops are overlapped with each other so that the flexible circuit receives an RF signal at a strength for transmission to the flexible circuit at any orientation of the RFID tag about the cylindrical object. The RF signal is received by at least one of the plurality of overlapping antenna loops. The source receives from the RFID tag a reply signal comprising identification data corresponding to the RFID tag. An identity and location are determined for the cylindrical object in response to the reply signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for locating and identifying an object comprises attaching an RFID tag around a cylindrical object. The RFID tag comprises a flexible circuit constructed and arranged for conformably positioning about a cylindrical object and a plurality of antenna loops serially positioned about the flexible circuit. The antenna loops are overlapped with each other so that the flexible circuit receives an RF signal at a strength for transmission to the flexible circuit at any orientation of the RFID tag about the cylindrical object. The RF signal is received by at least one of the plurality of overlapping antenna loops. The source receives from the RFID tag a reply signal comprising identification data corresponding to the RFID tag. An identity and location are determined for the cylindrical object in response to the reply signal.

Abstract: Described are examples of a method and a system for locating and identifying an object in a search space. The method may be used to determine the presence, identity and relative location of a consumable item. The method uses an array of RFID antennas to interrogate the search space in which one or more objects having an attached RFID tag may be present. The RFID antennas transmit RF signals into the search space and detect RFID reply signals from RFID tags. RFID antennas can be operated at different receiver sensitivity gains or transmit power gains to define additional cell locations within the search space. The identity and location of the objects is determined from the detected RFID reply signals. In various applications, the location is determined in a linear search space, a two-dimensional search space or a three-dimensional search space according to array configuration and gain implementation.