Electronic tracking tag
First Claim
1. An electronic tracking tag for attaching to a physical asset to assist in asset identification, the tracking tag comprising:
- a tag body having a base face, a top face opposite the base face, a front face extending between the base face and the top face, and a back face extending between the base face and the top face and opposite the front face;
a receiving cavity within the tag body and extending to the front face;
a drawer slidably positionable within the receiving cavity;
an electronic transponder for positioning on the drawer, such that the drawer and electronic transponder may be slid into the receiving cavity to an inserted position with a front drawer face not extending substantially outward of the front face of the tag body and the electronic transponder housed within the tag body; and
the tag body including a left-side face and a right-side face each extending between the base face and the top face, each of the left-side face and the right-side face having a curved configuration.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic tracking tag 10 may be attached to various types of physical assets to assist in asset identification. The plastic material tag body 12 includes a receiving cavity 60 therein so that a drawer 14 and an RFID transponder 16 may be slid into the receiving cavity and mechanically locked in the inserted position within the receiving cavity. A visual display cavity 54 is provided on the tag body, and a display label 56 may be selectively positioned on the tag body. The tag body with the electronic transponder therein may be secured to the physical asset by screws or other conventional securing members 46 positioned in respective securing holes 42, 44 provided in the tag body. Alternatively, one or more flexible straps 18, 19 may extend through a respective tie down hole 46, 48 in the tag body for strapping the tag body to the physical asset. A substantially universal tracking tag 10 of the present invention may be easily and economically read by an RFID reader unit to assist in asset identification, tracking, and equipment safety. Significant benefits are realized by providing a tagging system wherein an electronic transponder may be selected and secured within the tag body shortly before the tag body is attached to the physical asset.
246 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An electronic tracking tag for attaching to a physical asset to assist in asset identification, the tracking tag comprising:
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a tag body having a base face, a top face opposite the base face, a front face extending between the base face and the top face, and a back face extending between the base face and the top face and opposite the front face; a receiving cavity within the tag body and extending to the front face; a drawer slidably positionable within the receiving cavity; an electronic transponder for positioning on the drawer, such that the drawer and electronic transponder may be slid into the receiving cavity to an inserted position with a front drawer face not extending substantially outward of the front face of the tag body and the electronic transponder housed within the tag body; and the tag body including a left-side face and a right-side face each extending between the base face and the top face, each of the left-side face and the right-side face having a curved configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electronic tracking tag for attaching to a physical asset to assist in asset identification, the tracking tag comprising:
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a plastic material tag body having a base face, a top face opposite the base face, a front face extending between the base face and the top face, and a back face extending between the base face and the top face and opposite the front face; a receiving cavity within the tag body and extending to the front face; a hook cavity within the tag body in communication with the receiving cavity; a plastic material drawer slidably positionable within the receiving cavity; an electronic transponder for positioning on the drawer, such that the drawer and electronic transponder may be slid into the receiving cavity to an inserted position with a front drawer face not extending substantially outward of the front face of the tag body and the electronic transponder housed within the tag body; and a hook member affixed to the drawer for fitting within the hook cavity to secure the drawer in the inserted position within the receiving cavity. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of tagging a physical asset to assist in asset identification, the method comprising:
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providing a tag body having a base face, a top face opposite the base face, a front face extending between the base face and the top face, a back face extending between the base face and the top face and opposite the front face, and a receiving cavity within the tag body and extending to the front face; positioning an electronic transponder on a drawer; sliding the drawer and the electronic transponder into the receiving cavity to an inserted position with a front drawer face not extending substantially outward of the front face of the tag body and the electronic transponder housed within the tag body; providing a hook cavity within the tag body in communication with the receiving cavity; inserting the drawer into the receiving cavity so that a hook affixed to the drawer fits within the hook cavity within the tag body; and subsequently using an electronic reader to read information stored in the transponder to identify the asset. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. An electronic tracking tag for attaching to a physical asset to assist in asset identification, the tracking tag comprising:
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a tag body having a base face, a top face opposite the base face, a front face extending between the base face and the top face, and a back face extending between the base face and the top face and opposite the front face; a receiving cavity within the tag body; a drawer slidably positionable within the receiving cavity; an electronic transponder for positioning on the drawer, such that the drawer and electronic transponder may be slid into the receiving cavity to an inserted position with the electronic transponder housed within the tag body; and first and second securing holes each extending through the base face, each securing hole adapted to receive a securing member for attaching the tag body to the physical asset. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of tagging a physical asset to assist in asset identification, the method comprising:
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providing a tag body having a base face, a top face opposite the base face, a front face extending between the base face and the top face, a back face extending between the base face and the top face and opposite the front face, and a receiving cavity within the tag body; positioning an electronic transponder on a drawer; sliding the drawer and the electronic transponder into the receiving cavity to an inserted position with the electronic transponder housed within the tag body; providing first and second securing holes in the tag body each extending through the base face; inserting a securing member into each respective securing hole; attaching each securing member to the physical asset to secure the tag to the physical asset; and using an electronic reader to read information stored in the transponder to identify the asset. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An electronic tracking tag for attaching to a physical asset to assist in asset identification, the tracking tag comprising:
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a tag body having a base face, a top face opposite the base face, a front face extending between the base face and the top face, and a back face extending between the base face and the top face and opposite the front face; a receiving cavity within the tag body; a drawer slidably positionable within the receiving cavity; an electronic transponder for positioning on the drawer, such that the drawer and electronic transponder may be slid into the receiving cavity to an inserted position with the electronic transponder housed within the tag body; a display cavity within the tag body extending to the top face of the tag body, the display cavity adapted to receive a visual display label; and the visual display label being selectively positionable within and removable from the display cavity within the tag body. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of tagging a physical asset to assist in asset identification, the method comprising:
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providing a tag body having a base face, a top face opposite the base face, a front face extending between the base face and the top face, a back face extending between the base face and the top face and opposite the front face, and a receiving cavity within the tag body; positioning an electronic transponder on a drawer; sliding the drawer and the electronic transponder into the receiving cavity to an inserted position with the electronic transponder housed within the tag body; providing a display cavity within the tag body extending to the top face of the tag body; selectively positioning a visual display label within the display cavity; and using an electronic reader to read information stored in the transponder to identify the asset. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification