Adjustable shield for vehicle mounted toll collection identifier

• US 6,127,938 A
• Filed: 02/12/1999
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Traffic Solutions Incorporated (Verra Mobility Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Privacy Shield LLC
• Inventors: Friedman, Solomon
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/268,133
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 340/693.6, 340/825.54, 340/933, 340/904, 340/905, 340/825.34, 342/44, 206/720
• US Class Current: 340/693.6
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence

Abstract

A holder is provided for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device conventionally used in conjunction with automatic toll collection. The holder includes a shielding portion which is manually actuated by the vehicle operator when it is desired to permit communication between the signal of the vehicle identifying transponder and an externally located interrogator which ascertains the presence of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device, comprising:

a housing forming a container for the vehicle identifying device, at least a portion of the housing constructed of a shielding material which provides shielding of electronically generated signals, and

manually operable translation means for selectively moving said shielding material portion of the housing between first and second positions relative to the vehicle identifying device, said first position characterized as said shielding material portion overlying the vehicle identifying device to prevent external electronic signal transmission with the vehicle identifying device and said second position displacing said shielding material portion from the vehicle identifying device to permit external electronic signal transmission with the vehicle identifying device.

2. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 1, wherein said holder includes attachment means for mounting to a vehicle.

3. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 2, wherein said attachment means mounts to a vehicle windshield.

4. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 2, wherein said attachment means mounts to a vehicle visor.

5. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 1, wherein said holder is carried by a vehicle visor.

6. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes first and second members, said first member being a drawer and said second member being an enclosure for the reciprocal movement of said drawer within said enclosure between said first and second positions, said enclosure providing said shielding material portion to electronically shield the vehicle identifying device when said drawer is manually moved to said first position.

7. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 6, wherein said enclosure is formed of a plastic having shielding properties.

8. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 6, further including stop means between said drawer and enclosure to define the end limits of said first and second positions.

9. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 2, wherein said housing includes first and second members,

said first member being stationary, and adapted to retain the vehicle identifying device,

said second member being a shield for reciprocal movement relative to said first member between said first and second positions.

10. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 9, wherein said shield is planar.

11. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying transmitter, comprising:

first and second housing members, said second housing member being a drawer for slidable engagement with said first housing member,

said drawer adapted to retain the vehicle identifying transmitter and movable between a first position, substantially completely within said first housing member, and a second position extending outward of said first housing member;

at least a portion of said first housing member formed of shielding material to prevent the transmission of electronic signals outward of said holder when said drawer is in its second position, and permitting the transmission of electronic signals outward of said holder when said drawer is in its first position; and

means for manually moving said drawer between its first and second positions;

whereby the transmission of electronic signals from said holder requires said drawer to be manually moved to its second position.

12. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 11, wherein said holder includes attachment means for mounting to a vehicle.

13. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 12, wherein said attachment means mounts to a vehicle windshield.

14. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 11, wherein said first housing member is formed of a plastic having shielding properties.

15. A holder for the reception and selective shielding of an electronic vehicle identifying device according to claim 11, further including stop means between said first and second housing members to define the end limits of said first and second positions.