RFID transponder and methods for associating with a vehicle fuel tank

• US 10,055,679 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orpak Systems Ltd. (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Orpak Systems Ltd. (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Bakfan, Shay, Peri, Itay, Livneh, Saar
• Primary Examiner(s): St Cyr, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/113,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20160342884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 235492, 23546246, 23547202
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03 Fuel tanks chassis frame comprising fluid storage compartment B62D21/16 ; Details of the fuel feeding system related to the fuel tank F02M37/0076
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03203 during refueling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03434 for preventing theft of fuel locks for filler caps B60K15/0409; locking of the inlet cover B60K2015/0561
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07773 Antenna details antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22

Abstract

The present invention relates to electronic identification systems and more particularly but not limited to electronic identification systems to be used with vehicle-refueling systems, the identification system comprises a radio-frequency-identification (RFID) transponder (RFIDT) that may be easily associated with a vehicle at its vehicle fuel-tank-intake-pipe, the transponder having a ferrite-antenna.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency-identification (RFID) transponder (RFIDT) assembly (200) for an automated vehicle refueling system and configured to be securely associated with a vehicle around the fuel intake pipe with an adhesive that is inert to the environment near the fuel intake pipe the device having at least one tamperproof measure, the assembly including:

a. a housing (220) to be associated with a vehicle surface with said adhesive, said housing (220) having an internal compartment (222) for housing a ferrite antenna assembly (210), said housing (220) having an external face (223a) and an internal face (223b) defining said internal compartment (222);

i. said external face is (223a) is configured to face the opening of the fuel intake pipe;

ii. said internal face (223b) is configured to be coupled to the vehicle surface with said adhesive and features at least one opening (226) that is continuous with said internal compartment (222);

said opening (226) defining said at least one tamperproof measure;

wherein said internal face (223b) is configured to receive said adhesive along the surface of the internal face and into said opening (226);

b. a RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240) configured to fit along the surface of said internal face (223b);

said RFID ECB (240) features an ECB portion (246) that is configured to align with said opening (226) such that when assembled said ECB portion (246) fits within said opening (226);

said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240) having;

i. an ECB external face including an adhesive layer for coupling directly to a vehicle surface around the fuel intake pipe;

ii. and an ECB internal face for coupling with said housing (220) along said internal face (223b) and said opening (226) by the application of said adhesive;

the assembly characterized in that said opening (226) is configured to receive both said ECB portion (246) and said adhesive, therein forming a first tamperproof measure wherein said adhesive couples said ECB portion (246) within said opening (226);

a second tamperproof measure wherein said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240) includes at least one or more breaking slots for accelerating the breaking of the said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240) during a removal attempt;

and wherein an attempt to remove said radio-frequency-identification (RFID) transponder (RFIDT) (200) from said vehicle surface breaks at least a portion of said electronic circuit board (ECB) (246,240) therein rendering said radio-frequency-identification (RFID) transponder (RFIDT) assembly (200) nonoperational.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the ferrite-antenna assembly (210) comprises a coil (214) wounded around a ferrite brick (212) and adapted to operate at frequency of below 500 KHz.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said frequency is about 120-150 KHz.

4. The assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one dimension of the ferrite brick is larger than 5 mm.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said breaking slots are disposed about said ECB external surface or said ECB internal surface.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said breaking slots are disposed about said ECB portion (246).

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said ECB portion (246) is configured to include conducting wire that are essential for the proper functioning of said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240), wherein said conducting wire are configured to be severed during a removal attempt, therein rendering said assembly nonoperational.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said ECB portion (246) comprises at least one electronic component essential for the proper functioning of said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240), wherein said essential electronic component is configured to be severed from said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240) during a removal attempt therein rendering said assembly nonoperational.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240) may further comprise at least one opening for receiving an anchoring pin.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said internal face (223b) further comprises a second opening configured to receive at least a portion of said anchoring pin.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said internal face (223b) further comprises two opening (228a,228b) for threading wiring between said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240) and said ferrite antenna assembly (210).

12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said internal face (223b) further comprises a framing recess (224) for receiving the perimeter said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240).

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said housing (220) is configured to be further securely associated directly with the vehicle surface with said adhesive along the perimeter surrounding said framing recess (224).

14. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said framing recess (224) is configured for receiving the perimeter said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240).

15. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said framing recess (224) is surrounded by bumps (227) configured increase the surface area of said internal face (223b).

16. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said RFID ECB (240) is fit with a protective layer along said ECB internal face.

17. A method for assembling a radio-frequency-identification (RFID) transponder (RFIDT) assembly and coupling to a surface of the vehicle near a fuel-tank-intake-pipe chamber, the method comprising:

a. identifying a location for placing the assembly, the assembly including;

a housing having an internal compartment for housing a ferrite antenna assembly, said housing having an external face and an internal face defining said internal compartment;

said external face is configured to face the opening of the fuel intake pipe;

said internal face is configured to be coupled to the vehicle surface with said adhesive and features at least one opening that is continuous with said internal compartment;

said opening defining said at least one tamperproof measure;

wherein said internal face is configured to receive said adhesive along the surface of the internal face and into said opening;

a RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) configured to fit along the surface of said internal face;

said RFID ECB features an ECB portion that is configured to align with said opening such that when assembled said ECB portion fits within said opening;

said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) having;

an ECB external face including an adhesive layer for coupling directly to a vehicle surface around the fuel intake pipe; and

an ECB internal face for coupling with said housing along said internal face and said opening by the application of said adhesive;

the assembly characterized in that said opening is configured to receive both said ECB portion and said adhesive, therein forming a first tamperproof measure, wherein said adhesive couples said ECB portion within said opening;

a second tamperproof measure wherein said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) includes at least one or more breaking slots for accelerating the breaking of the said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) during a removal attempt;

wherein an attempt to remove said radio-frequency-identification (RFID) transponder (RFIDT) from said vehicle surface breaks at least a portion of said electronic circuit board (ECB) therein rendering said radio-frequency-identification (RFID) transponder (RFIDT) assembly nonoperational; and

b. affixing said ECB external face to said vehicle surface;

c. applying an adhesive that is inert to the environment near the fuel-tank-intake-pipe onto said ECB internal face;

d. coupling said housing onto said vehicle surface by associating said housing over said ECB internal face therein allowing said adhesive to flow along said ECB internal face and into said opening characterized in that said ECB portion is fit within said opening to form said assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said adhesive is further applied along the perimeter of housing (220) along at least one of said internal face (223b) or said external face (223a).

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising introducing an anchoring pin through an opening disposed along said RFID-electronic circuit board (ECB) (240), onto said vehicle surface, said anchoring pin configured to be coupled to said internal face (223b) with said adhesive.