INTEGRATED RFID TAG IN A CARD HOLDER, CAGE, LID, AND RACK FOR USE WITH INVENTORYING AND TRACKING OF CAGE OCCUPANTS AND EQUIPMENT

• US 20090293815A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allentown, LLC
• Original Assignee: Allentown Caging Equipment Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Miller, Steven J., COIRO, Michael A. SR., Schupsky, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 8,161,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/417
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/006 Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

The present invention relates to an integrated RFID card holder, cage, lid or rack and system for collecting census, inventorying, and tracking of animal cages, lids, card holders, racks, and other related equipment. Preferably, the card holder is comprised of an RF transparent material such as plastic. During operation, a RFID reader reads each integrated RFID card holder attached to an animal cage for virtually linking the cage to an animal rack in effect assigning a parking spot to each animal cage within an animal cage rack system. The integrated RFID card holder can be determined to be in a room when the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) is the highest comparing multiple reads from one or many antennas.

Claims

1. An integrated RFID card holder for an animal cage comprising:

a card holder, and

a RFID inlay attached or integrated with said card holder;

said card holder including a slot adapted for receiving a card,

wherein said card holder is comprised of a RF transparent material.

2. The integrated RFID card holder of claim 1 wherein;

said card holder including a cavity;

said RFID inlay being received in said cavity of said card holder;

a cover coupled to said cavity for retaining said RFID inlay within said cavity, thereby attaching said RFID inlay to said card holder.

3. The integrated RFID card holder of claim 2 wherein said cover is environmentally coupled to said cavity by sonic welding.

4. The integrated RFID card holder of claim 2 wherein said cover is environmentally coupled to said cavity by snap fitting said cover into said cavity.

5. The integrated RFID card holder of claim 2 wherein said cover is environmentally coupled to said cavity by insert molding said cover into said cavity.

6. The integrated RFID card holder of claim 1 wherein said RF transparent material is a non-metallic material.

7. The integrated RFID card holder of claim 1 wherein said RF transparent material is a plastic or ceramic material.

8. The integrated RFID card holder of claim 1 further comprising clip means for coupling said card holder to said animal cage.

9. The integrated RFID card holder of claim 1 wherein said RFID inlay comprises a tag, said tag being applied to said card holder as a RFID label or with an adhesive.

10. The integrated RFID card holder of claim 1 further comprising a card received in said card holder wherein said card includes an indicia region adapted for receiving information directed to an animal within the animal cage and/or a bar code.

11. An integrated RFID animal cage comprising:

an animal cage,

a RFID inlay attached or integrated with said animal cage or a lid of said animal cage;

wherein said animal cage is comprised of a RF transparent material.

12. The integrated RFID card holder of claim 11 wherein said RFID inlay comprises a tag, said tag being applied to said animal cage as a RFID label or with an adhesive.

13. A system for inventorying or tracking one or more animal cages, lids or racks of animal cages comprising:

a RFID inlay attached or integrated with said animal cage or a lid of said animal cage or a rack of said animal cages;

a RFID reader for reading an identification from said RFID inlay; and

inventorying or tracking means for receiving said identification from said RFID reader and providing inventory or tracking information.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a card holder adapted for receiving a card.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said card holder includes a cavity;

said RFID inlay including a RFID tag, said RFID inlay being received in said cavity of said card holder;

a cover coupled to said cavity for retaining said RFID inlay within said cavity, thereby attaching said RFID inlay to said card holder.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said card holder is comprised of a RF transparent material.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein said RFID inlay comprising an RFID tag, said RFID tag being applied to said card holder as a RFID label or with an adhesive.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein said card including an indicia region adapted for receiving information directed to an animal within the animal cage.

19. The system of claim 13 further comprising an inventory cart, said inventory cart being associated with said RFID reader.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein said inventory cart being associated with said inventorying or tracking means and further comprising:

means for storing said identification in a database.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein said RFID reader is a LAN based RFID reader with fixed position antennas, said inventorying means further comprising means for determining received signal strength of said identification from said RFID reader for detecting said location of said animal cage.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein said RFID reader is included in a hand held device.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein said one or more animal cages, or lids, or racks are comprised of a RF transparent material, said RFID inlay comprising an RFID tag, said RFID tag being applied to said one or more animal cages or lids as a RFID label or with an adhesive.