Device for incrementally adjusting the position of an RFID tag

• US 8,164,456 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2009
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Adkins, Jason Michael, Asebes, Charles Christopher, Pillarisetti, Sudhakar
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/418,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20100253474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721-5729, 235/492
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/041 Constructional details G06K19/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

A device for incrementally adjusting the position of an RFID tag includes a base, and a lid releasably attachable to said base. The base includes a generally planar surface in which a plurality of locators are formed at regular intervals. A portion of the RFID tag is received by one of the plurality of locators for incrementally adjusting of the position of the RFID tag. The plurality of locators extend collinearly and are formed overlapping so that the position of the RFID tag is adjustable in increments less than the overall length of the RFID tag.

Claims

1. A device for incrementally adjusting the position of an RFID tag, said device comprising:

a base having a generally planar surface and a longitudinal axis;

a plurality of recesses formed in said planar surface, said recesses are dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the RFID tag, each one of said plurality of recesses having a center positioned on said longitudinal axis and positioned at regular intervals for incrementally adjusting the position of the RFID tag; and

a lid releasably attachable to said base.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is embedded within a floor, and wherein a top surface of said lid extends flush with the floor.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said plurality of recesses overlap so that the position of the RFID tag is adjustable in increments less than the overall length of the RFID tag.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein a second plurality of recesses extend along a second axis, said second axis being traverse to said longitudinal axis.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said second plurality of recesses overlap in said longitudinal axis and said second axis so that the position of the RFID tag is adjustable in increments less than the overall length of the RFID tag along said longitudinal axis and said second axis.

6. The devices of claim 5, wherein unrecessed portions of said planar surface form a plurality of supports to contain the RFID tag within said plurality of recesses.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said base has an outwardly extending lip bounding a perimeter of said planar surface, said outwardly extending lip having a predetermined height.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said lid has a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein said lid has a thickness equal to that of said predetermined height of said lip such that when said lid is attached to said base said bottom surface of said lid is adjacent to said planar surface and said top surface of said lid is flush with said lip.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said base and said lid are composed of a non-metallic material.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of locators are a plurality of recesses formed in said planar surface, and wherein each of said plurality of recesses are dimensioned to receive a portion of the RFID tag.

11. A device for incrementally adjusting the position of an RFID tag relative to a floor surface having a trench, said device comprising:

a base having a generally planar surface and a longitudinal axis, said base being disposed within the trench formed in the floor surface;

a plurality of locators formed to receive at least a portion of the RFID tag, each one of said plurality of locators having a center positioned on said longitudinal axis and positioned at intervals for incrementally adjusting the position of the RFID tag; and

a lid having a top surface, said lid being releasably attachable to said base such that said top surface extends flush with the floor surface.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said base has an outwardly extending lip having an upper surface, said outwardly extending lid bounding a perimeter of said planar surface, said outwardly extending lip having a predetermined height.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said lid includes a bottom surface opposite said top surface, and wherein said lid has a thickness equal to that of said predetermined height of said lip such that when said lid is attached to said base said bottom surface of said lid is adjacent to said planar surface and said top surface of said lid and said upper surface of said lip extend flush the floor surface.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein said base and said lid are composed of a non-metallic material.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein a second plurality of recesses extend along a second axis, said second axis being traverse to said longitudinal direction.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein said plurality of recesses and said second plurality of recesses overlap in said longitudinal axis and said second axis so that the position of the RFID tag is adjustable in increments less than the overall length of the RFID tag along said longitudinal axis and said second axis.

17. The devices of claim 16, wherein unrecessed portions of said planar surface form a plurality of supports to contain the RFID tag within said plurality of recesses and said second plurality of recesses.