RFID TAG WITH INTEGRATED DISABLING AND METHOD OF USE

• US 20100194542A1
• Filed: 04/05/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amtech Systems LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TC License Limited
• Inventors: Gravelle, Kelly, Noakes, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,228,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07327 Passive means, e.g. Faraday cages Faraday-type protection of electric circuits in general H05K9/00

Abstract

Systems, tags and methods for disabling transponders used in electronic toll collection or other RFID systems, wherein the transponders include an antenna and RFID circuitry. The transponders can be selectively disabled by positioning (e.g., pivotably moving) a disabling member having a metallic portion to an operative position over the antenna of the RFID system, whereupon the metallic portion is coupled to the antenna in such a manner as to disable the RFID circuitry so long as the disabling member is at the operative position. The RFID circuitry is arranged to be automatically enabled upon removal of the disabling member from the operative position (e.g., pivoting the disabling member back to an inoperative position).

Claims

1. An RFID tag arranged for mounting on a vehicle, said tag comprising an RFID transponder and an integrated disabling member arranged for selectively disabling and enabling said transponder, said transponder comprising an antenna and RFID circuitry, said transponder being located within a body arranged to be fixedly secured to the vehicle, said disabling member being connected to said transponder body and arranged to be moved from a operative position with respect to said transponder body to an inoperative position with respect to said transponder body, and vice versa, said disabling member comprising a metallic portion, said metallic portion being coupled to said antenna in such a manner as to disable said RFID circuitry when said disabling member is in said operative position, said RFID circuitry being arranged to be automatically enabled when said disabling member is moved to said inoperative position.

2. The tag of claim 1 wherein said transponder body comprises a card arranged to be secured to the windshield of the vehicle.

3. The tag of claim 2 wherein said disabling member comprises a thin, planar member pivotably connected to said card.

4. The tag of claim 1 additionally comprising a first connector for releasably securing said disabling member in said operative position and a second connector for releasably securing said disabling member in said inoperative position

5. The tag of claim 3 additionally comprising a first connector for releasably securing said disabling member in said operative position and a second connector for releasably securing said disabling member in said inoperative position.

6. The tag of claim 4 wherein said first connector comprises one component of a hook and loop connector system, and wherein said second connector comprises one component of a hook and loop connector system.

7. The tag of claim 5 wherein said first connector comprises one component of a hook and loop connector system, and wherein said second connector comprises one component of a hook and loop connector system.

8. The tag of claim 1 including visible indicia indicating the state of operation of said tag.

9. The tag of claim 8 wherein said indicia is readily visible to observer outside of the vehicle when said disabling member is in said operative position.

10. The tag of claim 9 wherein said indicia comprises a color.

11. The tag of claim 9 wherein said indicia comprises an alphanumeric character.

12. The tag of claim 1 wherein said transponder includes a substrate with metallic traces and wherein said metallic portion of said disabling member comprises a portion of said substrate.

13. The tag of claim 1 wherein said metallic portion of said disabling member is arranged to alter the impedance of said antenna to shift its resonance frequency when said disabling member is in said operative position.

14. The tag of claim 1 wherein said metallic portion of said disabling member is arranged to reduce the electric field at said antenna when said disabling member is in said operative position.

15. A method of selectively disabling a RFID tag located on a vehicle and which is used in an electronic toll system or some other electronic system wherein a vehicle with the RFID tag is to be interrogated by a reader to determine the vehicle'"'"'s presence at a certain location, said tag comprising an RFID transponder and an integrated disabling member, said RFID transponder comprising a body including an antenna and RFID circuitry, said tag being fixedly secured to the vehicle and arranged to provide a first electrical signal when queried by a transmitter forming a portion of the electronic system, said disabling member including a metallic portion and being connected to said transponder body and arranged to be moved from a operative position with respect to said transponder body to an inoperative position with respect to said transponder body, and vice versa, said method comprising moving said disabling member with respect to said transponder body to said operative position whereupon said metallic portion of said disabling member is coupled to said antenna in such a manner as to disable said RFID circuitry from producing said first electronic signal so long as said disabling member is in said operative position, said RFID circuitry being arranged to be automatically enabled upon movement of said disabling member to said inoperative position.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said transponder body comprises a card arranged to be secured to the windshield of the vehicle and wherein the movement of said disabling member from said operative position to said inoperative position and vice versa is pivoting movement.

17. The method of claim 15 additionally comprising releasably securing said disabling member in said operative position.

18. The method of claim 15 additionally comprising releasably securing said disabling member in said inoperative position

19. The method of claim 15 wherein when said disabling member is in said operative position said metallic portion of said disabling member alters the impedance of said antenna to shift its resonance frequency and to reduce the electric field at said antenna.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein when said disabling member is in said operative position said metallic portion of said disabling member alters the impedance of said antenna to shift its resonance frequency.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein said tag is provided with visible indicia indicating the state of operation of said tag.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said indicia is readily visible to observer outside of the vehicle when said disabling member is in said operative position.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said indicia comprises a color.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said indicia comprises an alphanumeric character.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein the electronic system is an electronic toll system which is used on a roadway that includes a high occupancy vehicle or high occupancy toll (HOV or HOT, respectively) lane and wherein said method comprises:

disabling said transponder by moving said disabling member to said operative position when the vehicle is utilized in the HOV/HOT lane with at least the minimum number of occupants to meet the HOV/HOT requirements of the entity operating the electronic toll system, so that the account associated with said transponder will not be charged when said transponder is queried by the transmitter of the system.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said method comprises:

enabling said transponder by moving said disabling member from said operative position to said inoperative position when the vehicle is utilized with less than the minimum number of occupants to meet the HOV/HOT requirements of the entity operating the electronic toll system, so that the account associated with the transponder will be charged when said transponder is queried by the transmitter of the system.