a system for locating one or more radio frequency identification tags , the system comprising a radio frequency receiver including a receiver processor , the receiver adapted to programmably adjust reception range depending on a programmably variable attenuation parameter , the receiver further adapted to receive identification data from the one or more rfid tags , and a system host adapted to receive rfid tag data from any of the one or more rfid tags within the reception range and receiver attenuation data associated with the receiver , and provide an estimated location area for a received rfid tag using the rfid tag data and the receiver attenuation data . other examples include methods for determining an rfid tag &# 39 ; s location .