Process for RFID authentication of carton contents

Abstract

A process for RFID authentication of carton contents. A carton may be packed with a number of RFID-tagged items and sealed. The carton may then be placed near a scanner which can verify the number and type of items present in the container. The carton ID information and the measured RFID data of the carton contents may then be compared to a database and if there is no mismatch, an RFID package authentication tag is prepared for the carton. The cartons may then be scanned after unloading at a distribution center and again after reloading, such as passing them through a door entrance. This approach can significantly reduce the cost of scanning and tracking items in the supply chain.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 428,645, filed December 1, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Art

[0003] As more and more companies adopt RFID technology for tracking products, the importance of complying with RFID supply chain tags is increasing dramatically. Initially, the adoption of RFID technology focused on warehouse-level inventory visibility. Many warehouses have found that by using RFID technology to track inventory to improve inventory accuracy, higher inventory accuracy can be achieved, which has the potential to generate significant sales improvement. Therefore, a direct return on investment (ROI) can be inferred for the cost of investing in RFID media compared to continuing to use non-RFID media, providing cost-conscious companies with appropriate motivation to make the transition to using RFID media to track product inventory.

[0004] In order to extend the achievable ROI by transitioning to RFID technology, it has been found that significant benefits can be achieved by having item-level visibility throughout the enterprise's supply chain. However, in order to achieve the desired tracking of items throughout the supply chain with appropriate RFID performance and reading capabilities, it becomes more important to comply with RFID guidelines at the item level. In addition, scanning and auditing solutions must be implemented to support such a scenario.

[0005] Additionally, in many cases, distributors or retailers rely on manufacturers or distributors further up the supply chain to handle compliance with RFID guidelines. In some cases, retailers are encouraging their suppliers to achieve 100% compliance with RFID guidelines by incorporating refund provisions for non-compliance with RFID guidelines into purchasing contracts with these suppliers. This means that non-compliance with RFID guidelines will have a direct negative impact on suppliers, thereby increasing their motivation to improve their RFID tagging processes to the greatest extent practicable. As RFID technology continues to gain popularity, it is expected that the number of retailers including such provisions in their purchasing agreements will continue to increase.

[0006] The increasing number of RFID compliance regulations now appearing in purchasing agreements has been likened to the barcode compliance regulations that worked their way into such agreements following the adoption of the UPC barcode system over the past few years. The need to label or tag items with UPC information and scannable barcodes has quickly become critical to the success of retail business operations. Point-of-sale barcode scanning of individual items has become the norm at checkout counters around the world. Supplier compliance or noncompliance with barcode standards will have a direct financial impact on retail operations, so most major retailers have established similar "chargeback regulations" to penalize suppliers that do not meet the retailer's business practices and requirements.

[0007] RFID is becoming the next such standard in the evolution of standards for identifying all merchandise. RFID technology offers certain advantages over barcode technology. For example, RFID can function beyond the visible spectrum limits of barcodes, and, while barcode scanning of an item typically requires the item to be in close proximity to the barcode scanner, RFID scanning utilizes a portion of the radio frequency spectrum and has a wider proximity limit. Additionally, barcodes have the limitation of only identifying an item as part of a product group, and not uniquely identifying the item itself as RFID technology does. Therefore, with RFID technology, an item can be scanned and uniquely identified without direct physical access to the item itself. Summary of the invention

[0008] According to one exemplary embodiment, a process for implementing RFID authentication of carton contents may be shown and described. According to one exemplary embodiment of the process, a carton may be filled / packaged with multiple items tagged with RFID and sealed. The carton may then be placed near a scanner, which may verify the quantity and type of items present in the container. The carton ID information and measured RFID data of the carton contents may then be compared to a database, and if there is no mismatch, an RFID package authentication label may be prepared for the carton. The cartons may then be scanned after unloading at a distribution center and scanned again after reloading, such as by passing them through a door portal.

[0009] This process can allow the contents of a carton to be fully audited without the need for an auditor to open the carton to verify its contents. Essentially, this process can allow items to be tracked at an individual level at nearly every point as they move from the point of manufacture to the point of sale. Thus, this approach can provide true "track and trace" capabilities all the way down to the unique item level that barcode labels have previously failed to provide.

[0010] In one embodiment, such a process may include specific carton labels provided at the source, which may incorporate the advantages of RFID technology. Such labels may provide quality assurance value at the point of manufacture, which may have significant downstream benefits throughout the supply chain.

[0011] In one embodiment, such a process may use a dedicated device that can be used to read an RFID tag or multiple RFID tags and can be used to distinguish the RFID signatures of the RFID tags from each other. For example, as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 2016 / 0117534, "High density read chambers for scanning and encoding rfidtagged items," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a high density read chamber may be relied upon to provide a radio frequency interrogation of a particular carton containing RFID tagged items.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of the process for implementing RFID authentication of carton contents, the carton can be scanned at the source, and all items bearing the electronic product code (EPC) can be recorded and the accuracy of the items and counts can be checked against the expected packing list (which can be a printed paper or an online lookup list). If the package is found to be valid (i.e., the expected packing list and the recorded packing list are a perfect match with each other), a label can be printed with all EPC values ​​or a list of counts intended to be found in the carton. An RFID inlay can also be provided and embedded in a carton content label, which can be encoded with a unique value that identifies it as an RFID package authentication label. The inlay in the label of the RFID package authentication can contain a unique number. This number may be the best "fit" using UCC 128 barcode data. In this example, the operator no longer relies on scanning and reading records to sense UCC 128 data at the touch point through the system. The present invention can also add security tape or adhesive to the carton because the carton is now authenticated at the source. This is becoming increasingly important in combating theft and theft. Now, high value item packaging cartons can be rejected at any point along the supply chain and charged to the last placed handler (shipper, etc.) that possessed said item. As you can imagine, the rewards of providing this kind of visibility can be huge for high dollar items.

[0013] This approach can significantly increase the functionality of RFID audit solutions by implementing a comprehensive RFID scanning solution designed specifically for carton interrogation and combining the comprehensive RFID scanning solution with an RFID printer configured to print RFID inlays embedded in carton content labels. This approach can allow cartons to be verified at their source and can allow data from cartons to be captured and registered at the source. This means that quality and packaging accuracy can now be easily determined at the source, ensuring that only cartons with appropriate quality and packaging accuracy are delivered. The application of visible labels including such information, declaring such accuracy, and including RFID encoding can also ensure more efficient downstream processing.

[0014] This approach can provide improved functionality over item-specific tags because the use of RFID package authentication tags can provide advantages that item tags do not typically have, namely a larger form factor for the carton label itself. The RFID inlay that can be provided within a separate item tag can be constrained by the small or narrow dimensions of the label or tag. The smaller the item, the smaller the item tag must typically be, and therefore the smaller the RFID inlay must be, which will serve to at least limit the antenna profile of the inlay. A smaller antenna for the RFID inlay will mean a smaller performance range for the transponder; for some items, this range may be very limited. The use of a carton label can allow the use of an RFID inlay with a consistently large antenna, ensuring adequate range and performance in terms of RFID, regardless of the size of the item inside and the RFID inlay affixed thereto. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like elements and in which:

[0016] Figure 1 is one exemplary embodiment of a process for RFID authentication of carton contents.

[0017] Figure 2 is an exemplary embodiment of a carton contents tag for use in a process for RFID authentication of carton contents.

[0018] Figure 3 is an exemplary embodiment of a carton contents label compared to an item label. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Various aspects of the present invention are disclosed in the following description and related drawings for specific embodiments of the present invention. Alternative embodiments may be designed without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. In addition, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted to avoid obscuring the relevant details of the present invention. In addition, the description of several terms used hereinafter is discussed for ease of understanding.

[0020] As used herein, the word "exemplary" means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." The embodiments described herein are not limiting but are merely exemplary. It should be understood that the described embodiments are not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Furthermore, the terms "embodiments of the invention," "embodiments," or "invention" do not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed features, advantages, or modes of operation.

[0021] In addition, many embodiments are described in terms of sequences of actions to be performed by, for example, elements of a computing device. It will be appreciated that the various actions described herein may be performed by specific circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuits (ASICs)), program instructions executed by one or more processors, or a combination of the two. Additionally, these sequences of actions described herein may be considered to be fully embodied in any form of computer-readable storage medium, wherein corresponding computer instruction sets are stored, which, when executed, will cause the associated processor to perform the functions described herein. Therefore, various aspects of the present invention may be embodied in a variety of different forms, all of which are contemplated to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. In addition, for each embodiment described herein, the corresponding form of any such embodiment may be described herein as, for example, "logic" that is "configured to" perform the described actions.

[0022] There are missing parts in the entire supply chain today because RFID can be used by different users (i.e. companies) in an ad hoc manner. For example, a company may choose to place RFID tags only on items in a warehouse. RFID technology is only applied in this way. Other benefits of using RFID technology for the rest of the supply chain are excluded. In one embodiment currently envisioned, the source of the item or product that makes the item recognizes the item with RFID. They not only mark (one or more) items, but the factory also uses some means to verify the appropriate items and quantities packed in the carton. For example, before shipping, the source uses the HDRC solution described in this application to read all RFID tags in the carton. This is a collection of all items in the carton, and the user's ability to ensure correct packaging, certify that the sealed carton has been packaged and apply a large-format RFID carton label on the outside of the carton, stating that the contents are accurately counted. This large carton label, which will be discussed in more detail later in this application, allows downstream processes throughout the supply chain to process received cartons at a faster and more accurate pace because now they only need to look at the RFID authentication label instead of each item in the carton itself.

[0023] Typically, users such as factories today simply apply RFID tags / labels to meet the requirements of their customers (retailers) without gaining any benefit themselves. Therefore, retailers must create a rigorous audit system to ensure that they are receiving the appropriate items and quantities balanced with the PO that initiated the order.

[0024] Now turn to the example Figure 1 , Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of a process for RFID authentication of carton contents is shown. In an exemplary embodiment, a carton 102 may first be prepared, which may include packaging the carton with one or more RFID tagged items. The carton may then be sealed and may be placed near an RFID scanner. If this is an HDRC, it will be placed in a lane, and if it is in a lane, it will be passed through the lane. If a handheld scanner is used, the nearby contents will be read.

[0025] For example, according to one exemplary embodiment, a carton may be placed in a high-density RFID reading chamber that may perform an accuracy assessment of the contents of the carton 104. When placed in the high-density reading chamber, the carton ID may be scanned and the door to the chamber may be closed. A high-density reading process may then be initiated, which may be accomplished by, for example, a user pressing a start button on a processing unit coupled to the high-density reading chamber, which may activate an RFID reader of the high-density reading chamber, which in turn may send a signal via one or more connected antennas.

[0026] The transmission of the signal through one or more connected antennas may excite the RFID tags of one or more RFID-tagged items. This may cause the RFID tags of the items to respond with return signals to the antennas and readers indicating the EPC value of the items. After the return signal is received by the reader, the signal may be transmitted to the processing unit 106.

[0027] Once the processing unit 106 receives the signal, a lookup for the carton ID can be initiated, and data about which items will be packaged in the carton can be retrieved from the database. The processing unit can then compare the information retrieved from the database (second information) with the RFID tag data (first information) received from the reader of the processing unit 106. In an exemplary embodiment, if the data retrieved from the database matches the RFID tag data received from the reader of the processing unit 106, then an RFID packaging authentication label can be printed 108. Such an RFID packaging authentication label can display the total number of items contained in the carton, as well as a list of each item contained in the carton. In the next step, the label can be applied to the carton 110, and the carton can be designated as ready to be shipped. The inlay used in the RFID packaging authentication label can be designed so that if an attempt is made to remove or cut the label to gain access to the contents of the carton, the RFID inlay becomes invalid or detuned. The deactivated or detuned label can also be used to identify carton integrity issues.

[0028] However, in some cases, there may be a mismatch between the information retrieved from the database and the information received from the reader of the processing unit 108. For example, there may be a mismatch in the number of items, or there may be a mismatch in the items packaged in the container, each of which may be referred to as an item count mismatch. If there is an item count mismatch, the carton may be removed from the reader (e.g., a high-density reading chamber), the seal of the carton may be broken, and an evaluation may be performed; for example, an operator of the reading chamber may perform such a check manually. In one embodiment of the process, the operator of the reading chamber may then correct the carton to have the appropriate number and type of items. The carton may then be rescanned and re-evaluated to ensure that the carton has been correctly corrected and the source of the error has been correctly identified. An authentication label may then be printed 108 and applied to the carton 110, after which the carton may be ready to be shipped.

[0029] In one exemplary embodiment, cartons may be prepared for shipping by placing the cartons on pallets. Prior to loading the pallets for shipping, each of the pallets may be scanned by an RFID reader that may be mounted in a stationary station or may be provided in a handheld RFID reader. For example, according to one exemplary embodiment, the stationary station may be a door entry through which the pallets may pass as they are loaded into a container or semi-trailer for shipping. In one embodiment, the pallets may be isolated to avoid over-reading conditions that may be caused by adjacent RFID inventory.

[0030] The cartons may be shipped in shipping containers and received at a new location. Once received at a distribution center or at some other receiving operation, the cartons may be unloaded, for example, by pallet loading. The cartons may then be scanned as pallets, or may be unloaded individually for further sorting and re-routing.

[0031] In one exemplary embodiment, cartons may be scanned at the pallet level. In such an embodiment, a door entry may be used to provide for scanning of each pallet, which may be performed, for example, when unloading a shipping container. In another exemplary embodiment, cartons may be unloaded and scanned individually, for example, on a conveyor belt, and scanned on the conveyor belt. For example, in one embodiment, cartons may pass through a scanning tunnel mounted above a conveyor belt.

[0032] In one exemplary embodiment, the recipient of the cartons may only perform a carton-level scan of each carton and may, for example, only scan an RFID package-authenticated carton tag as confirmation of receipt. In another exemplary embodiment, when the cartons are scanned (e.g., at the pallet level or individually), the receiver may also perform an item-level scan of each carton in conjunction with or even in lieu of scanning an RFID package-authenticated carton tag to verify the integrity of each carton and confirm receipt.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, the items may be scanned at an intermediate stage after delivery. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the items may be delivered to a distribution center, scanned, and then cross-docked or graded and re-palletized to deliver the items out of the distribution center. The items may be scanned after unloading at the distribution center and before delivery. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, a gated entry may be used to scan incoming and outgoing items. In one embodiment, such a gated entry may provide tracking and tracing capabilities for the carton ID, providing a "last seen" location for the carton ID just before it enters the semi-trailer.

[0034] In one exemplary embodiment, the cartons can then be shipped to the retailer. At this point, the warehouse receiving the items can focus solely on scanning the RFID carton tags, rather than scanning each individual item, to enter the items into inventory. This can provide confirmation of receipt of the items to the warehouse system. In one exemplary embodiment, once scanned, the items can be automatically populated into a database as active inventory. In one embodiment, the boxes and carton tags can be removed from the database of active items and can be discarded once they arrive at the warehouse, as they have each fulfilled their designed purpose once there.

[0035] In some exemplary embodiments, the container can be expanded to multiple groups of items, or items for multiple destinations. For example, according to an exemplary embodiment, a carton can be created that represents multiple stock keeping units (SKUs) and can carry inventory from multiple locations or can carry multiple types of inventory. In such an embodiment, mixed SKU cartons can be opened and partially unloaded and then resealed. In another embodiment, mixed SKU cartons can be opened, partially unloaded, repackaged with other goods, and then resealed. In such an embodiment, a process similar to that completed at the source can be implemented; for example, according to an exemplary embodiment, after repackaging and sealing and before shipping, the carton can be scanned with a high-density reading chamber. In one embodiment, a new RFID package authentication label can be printed 108 for the repackaged carton after repackaging, and a label 110 can be applied to the carton instead of an RFID package authentication label already applied to the carton or a label 110 can be applied to the carton in addition to an RFID package authentication label already applied to the carton.

[0036] Now turn to the example Figure 2 , Figure 2 An exemplary embodiment of an RFID package authentication label 200 that may be applied to a carton is shown. In an exemplary embodiment, the label 200 may feature identification text 202 that identifies it as an "RFID package authentication" label, may feature a list of individual items stored in a container 204, and may feature a total item count 206. Optionally, according to an exemplary embodiment, the label 200 may include barcode information 208 that may be scanned with a barcode scanner to provide some or all of the information that would be provided by scanning the RFID package authentication label 20 with an RFID scanner. This may ensure that the label 200 is compatible with existing barcode-based systems as well as RFID systems, which may ensure that existing systems may continue to be used if necessary. Furthermore, although in the exemplary embodiment, the label 200 may include barcode information 208 that may be scanned with a barcode scanner to provide some or all of the information that would be provided by scanning the RFID package authentication label 20 with an RFID scanner. Figure 2The dimensions of the middle tag 200 are shown as being 6" in length and 4" in width, but it will be appreciated that these dimensions may be approximate or other dimensions of the tag 200 may be utilized as desired.

[0037] Now turn to the example Figure 3 , Figure 3 An exemplary embodiment of an RFID package authentication label 200 compared to an item tag 300 is shown. In one exemplary embodiment, the RFID package authentication label 200 can be significantly larger than the label intended for use with a particular item 300, and the RFID inlay provided within the RFID package authentication label 200 can likewise be significantly larger than the RFID inlay provided within the item tag 300, which can increase the read distance of the RFID inlay in the RFID package authentication label 200. Additionally, similar to the above, although Figure 3 The item tag 300 in FIG. 1 is shown as having a length of 3" and a width of 1", but it will be appreciated that these dimensions may be approximate or other dimensions of the item tag 300 may be utilized as desired.

[0038] In one embodiment, a security aspect is incorporated into the tag 200 where if the tag is cut and or the inlay is cut, this triggers the need for an audit. This is like using security tape on cartons in the current market, so if the tape is found to be cut at any point along the supply chain, the package is considered tampered. With the Avery Dennison certified tag 200, the tag becomes more useful and interactive than the current tags in the market because at any point, the RFID is engaged and it reports the status. If the RFID is not visible and is in a state of being altered, the package is considered tampered.

[0039] Additionally, in one embodiment currently contemplated, a QR code or some other 2D code is printed on the label 200 and combined with RFID, has significant value to the supply chain. Information such as the carton contents and country of origin can then be encoded into the label 200. Now, at any point along the supply chain, the contents of the carton can be assessed without the need to open the carton. In another embodiment, combined with RFID, the user can read all of the inlays contained within the carton and compare to the information contained within the barcode.

[0040] Referring now generally to the accompanying drawings, in one embodiment, such a process as described herein can be expected to have significant impact if integrated into the supply chain of one or more enterprises. For example, according to an exemplary embodiment of the process, upon arrival at a distribution center, items can be scanned at significantly higher speeds than previously possible. For example, according to an exemplary embodiment, items can be scanned as they are unloaded by passing the items loaded on a pallet through a door entrance; this can effectively eliminate the requirement to scan the items separately after they are unloaded at the distribution center. In an exemplary embodiment, the presence of an RFID package authentication tag on a carton can also indicate that the carton has been previously verified, thereby eliminating the need for a scanning system at the distribution center to look for tags other than the RFID package authentication tag.

[0041] In an exemplary embodiment, such an implementation may also eliminate scanning as a factor that may indicate conveyor speed. In addition, it may also affect whether there is a conveyor gap. Each of these can significantly reduce the cost of carton conveying by allowing the existing infrastructure to be modified to improve efficiency. For example, according to an exemplary embodiment, a conveyor-based scanning system will no longer be required to slow down the conveyor speed and create gaps between cartons to ensure that the scanning system has enough time to scan each carton at the item detail level. On the contrary, according to an exemplary embodiment, the conveyor scanning channel may be configured only to perform aggregation / merging of EPC data to the Uniform Code Council (UCC) code data, regardless of which point the EPC data is seen within the RF field. This can allow the conveying of cartons to be achieved without requiring the inclusion of spacing between cartons, which can therefore allow the scanning channel to operate at full power. In this case, the EPC-marked items can be known from the data generated at the source and can be bound to the appropriate Advanced Shipping Notice (ASN) for the carton, which can ensure that there is no under-reading or over-reading of the carton.

[0042] According to an exemplary embodiment, this improvement can be achieved for a number of reasons. First, importantly, the cartons are now authenticated at the source. Therefore, not only is the carton count known, but the individual EPC values ​​of the items in the carton have been recorded. This can facilitate an aggregate approach to RFID audit scanning of containers at distribution centers.

[0043] According to one exemplary embodiment, such an aggregated approach may be as follows. Rather than requiring the scanner to scan and record individual item counts and EPC values, as is done in metered and speed-limited channel scanning, the individual item counts are already known. Typically, scanning channels that have been configured to operate in such environments are quite expensive because the RF field within the channel must be carefully controlled, which increases the cost of employing custom antennas within the channel and requires the use of specific signal mitigation techniques. Using an aggregated approach may reduce the need for carefully controlled RF fields, and therefore may reduce costs.

[0044] Additionally, the use of an aggregation approach may eliminate the need to incorporate a barcode scanner with a lane scanner. This approach may eliminate the need to scan a barcode (e.g., a UCC 128 barcode) provided on a container, as the data typically contained in the barcode is now encoded in the RFID inlay of the carton contents label for RFID package authentication. This may further increase processing speeds, as the use of a barcode scanner requires line-of-sight visibility to be established between the scanner and the barcode. In situations where it is permitted to place a UCC 128 barcode on either side of a carton, or where the carton may be conveyed on either of its faces, this may require providing multiple scanners on multiple sides of the container so that the barcode can be scanned regardless of where the barcode ultimately faces. In contrast, RFID scanning of the tag may function based on a proximity sensor rather than based on line of sight, thereby ensuring that the tag can be read and analyzed regardless of what face the tag is provided on.

[0045] According to one exemplary embodiment, using an aggregation approach may require scanning a channel to view only larger form factor, high RF performance RFID package authentication tags, proving that cartons have been received. Once the RFID package authentication tag is scanned by a scanner, a processor coupled to the scanner can then combine the data captured from the RFID package authentication tag with the data that has been sent from the source, which can allow the processor to determine the number of items present in the carton bearing the RFID package authentication tag. By combining the data for all scanned cartons, the processor is then able to determine the total number of items that have been received in a particular session. This means that, essentially, a comparison of the ASN data (i.e., the data sent from the source) and the EPC data (i.e., the RFID package authentication tag) can produce a total number of items that have been processed in a particular session.

[0046] In one exemplary embodiment, using the aggregated approach can also reduce cross-docking time. Since the system now only needs to detect and read the RFID package authentication tag to determine whether the carton meets the appropriate quality standards, there is no need to implement a complex transfer process to ensure that the carton is properly authenticated, and the carton can be cross-docked between the receiving dock and the outbound shipping dock in a substantially shorter time.

[0047] In one exemplary embodiment, the use of an aggregated approach can also reduce the complexity of pallet scanning. Without the use of RFID package authentication tags, in order to verify the number and type of items in the carton, each RFID item in each carton stacked on the pallet must be scanned and verified. In contrast, with the use of RFID package authentication tags, the scanning solution only needs to complete energizing and capturing the carton contents of the larger RFID package authentication tag. This can be easier to implement than the alternative, and again is a task that can be accomplished via, for example, a door entrance rather than a detailed scan that must be performed manually.

[0048] The above description and accompanying drawings illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and operating modes of the present invention. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the specific embodiments discussed above. Those skilled in the art will appreciate other variations of the embodiments discussed above (e.g., features associated with certain configurations of the present invention may alternatively be associated with any other configuration of the present invention, as desired).

[0049] Therefore, the above embodiments should be regarded as illustrative embodiments rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that changes may be made to those embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for RFID authentication of carton contents, the method comprising: preparing a carton having at least one RFID tagged item, wherein the RFID tagged item is tagged with a first RFID inlay; placing the carton in an RFID reading chamber and activating an RFID reading process; transmitting a signal through at least one antenna of the RFID reading chamber, wherein in response to the signal, the at least one RFID tagged item responds to the RFID reading chamber with a return signal; communicating the return signal to a processing unit; printing an RFID package authentication label including a second RFID inlay, wherein the second RFID inlay includes data that allows the number of articles present in the carton to be determined, wherein the second RFID inlay is larger than the first RFID inlay, thereby allowing an increased distance at which the second RFID inlay can be read and allowing the number and type of items in the carton to be verified simply by scanning the RFID package authentication label; and Apply the RFID package authentication label to the carton.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The RFID reading process is initiated by a user pressing a start button on a processing unit coupled to the RFID reading chamber.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Communicating with the processing unit also includes initiating a lookup for the carton ID and retrieving data regarding the at least one RFID tagged item from a database.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: The RFID package authentication label includes a QR code.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein: The second RFID inlay is configured in such a manner that if the RFID packaging authentication label is removed or cut, the RFID packaging authentication label is disabled or detuned.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: reading the RFID-tagged item by at least one RFID reader to obtain first information; sending said first information to a reader of a processing unit; Second information retrieved from the database is compared to the first information, and if there is a mismatch between the first information and the second information, an evaluation is performed manually.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The reading of the RFID tagged item is performed by a scanner.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The at least one carton represents a plurality of stock keeping units.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: The RFID package authentication label is scanned to verify that the at least one carton has been received.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the processing unit combines data captured from the RFID package authentication tag with other data from a source.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The data from the source is Advanced Shipping Notification data, or ASN data.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The RFID package authentication label includes a 2-D code.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The RFID package authentication tag authenticates the accurate count of the cartons.

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