RECORDS COMPONENTS READER

• US 20110025467A1
• Filed: 03/26/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Longhurst, Philip J., Barker, Philip A.
• Application Number:
  US12/934,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20110025467A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/562 locatable, e.g. using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil

Abstract

A records component reader comprising a member comprising a front-facing surface and a rear-facing surface, a transceiver disposed on the front-facing surface, for projecting a reading field enabling an interrogation to be sent to the records component and a response to be received from the records component, the transceiver being arranged in use to adaptably curve about a surface of an item including a records component, and shielding means for confining the sending of the interrogation and the receipt of the response within the reading field.

Claims

1. A records component reader comprising

a member comprising a front-facing surface and a rear-facing surface,

a transceiver disposed on the front-facing surface, for projecting a reading field enabling an interrogation to be sent to the records component and a response to be received from the records component, the transceiver being arranged in use to adaptably curve about a surface of an item including a records component, and

shielding means for confining the sending of the interrogation and the receipt of the response within the reading field.

2. A reader according to claim 1 wherein the transceiver is flexible, or comprises linked rigid sections.

3. A reader according to claim 2 wherein the transceiver comprises a toroidal coil antenna.

4. A reader according to claim 1 wherein the transceiver is arranged in use to move between a straight position and a curved position.

5. A reader according to claim 1 wherein the member is flexible, or comprises linked rigid sections.

6. A reader according to claim 5 wherein the linked rigid sections of the member are hinged to each other.

7. A reader according to claim 1 wherein the member is arranged in use to move between a straight position and a curved position.

8. A reader according to claim 7 in a glove configuration.

9. A reader according to claim 1 further including a processor to process the response to obtain information about the item.

10. A reader according to claim 1 wherein the shielding means comprises a shield layer disposed on the rear-facing surface.

11. A reader according to claim 1 wherein the interrogation and the response comprise an electromagnetic wave.

12. A records components reader according to claim 11 wherein the interrogation and the response comprise a radio-frequency signal.

13. A records components reader according to claim 12 wherein the transceiver comprises an antenna, and wherein the records component comprises a radio frequency identification tag.

14. A records components reader according to claim 1 further including alerting means to alert a user about receipt of the response from the records component.

17. A system comprising a records component reader according to claim 1 and a cable comprising

an elongate core,

a cable covering, and

a records component covered by the cable covering which directly or indirectly urges the records component against the elongate core.

18. A system comprising a records component reader according to claim 1 and a cable comprising

an elongate core which comprises at least one sub-element,

a records component included with the sub-element, and

a cable covering.

19. A method for recording work done in a system according to claim 17 comprising automatedly recording location and identity information associated with the records component of the cable on completion of work done using the records components reader.

20. A method for locating the cable in a system according to claim 17 comprising using Global Positioning System information and the records components reader.

15. A method of operating a records components reader comprising

adaptably curving a transceiver about a surface of an item including a records component, and

sending an interrogation to a records component to receive a response from the records component.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the step of curving the transceiver comprises curving a member upon which the transceiver is disposed.