Electronic inventory tracking system

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for tracking items in a shopping cart using radio frequency identification. In one embodiment, a first set of items is positioned in a first item zone alongside an aisle. An electronic tag reader is capable of remotely reading identification tags on the items into an electronic record of shopping cart contents when the identification tags are within a readable range from the electronic tag reader. An energy field generator such as an electromagnetic field generator generates a first electromagnetic field extending from a location within the readable range of at least some of the items in the first item zone to a location outside the readable range of any of the items in the first item zone. The tag reader is movable along the aisle into and out of the first electromagnetic field, and is configured to not read the identification tags into the electronic record while the tag reader is within the first electromagnetic field and to selectively read the identification tags into the electronic record when the tag reader is outside the first electromagnetic field.