Apparatus and method for supporting and shielding a wireless device

• US 8,076,593 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Traffic Solutions Consolidated LLC
• Original Assignee: Highway Toll Administration LLC
• Inventors: Centner, David, Faure, Burt, Schweiger, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US12/079,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20090248500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 174/377, 174/382, 361/816, 361/818, 340/572.8
• US Class Current: 174/382
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07327 Passive means, e.g. Faraday cages Faraday-type protection of electric circuits in general H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0833 Card having specific functional components
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0893 the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner

Abstract

A receptacle for supporting a transponder on a support structure includes a housing having a first housing portion securable to the transponder and a second housing portion securable to the support structure. The first housing portion is pivotally secured to the second housing portion. The first housing portion and second housing portion include a shield for attenuating the transmission of electromagnetic signals. The first housing portion has a first position wherein the first housing portion and second housing portion form a chamber for enclosing the transponder and restricting the transmission of electromagnetic signals from the chamber. The first housing portion has a second position wherein the first housing portion and the transponder are displaced from the second housing portion thereby opening the chamber and exposing the transponder to permit the transmission of electromagnetic signals to and from the transponder.

Claims

1. A receptacle for retaining an automatic toll payment device on or adjacent to a vehicle windshield comprising:

a housing including a first portion fixedly securable to the payment device and a second portion being fixedly securable to the vehicle on, or adjacent to, the vehicle windshield, the first portion being rotatably secured to the second portion, the first and second portion forming a chamber for enclosing the payment device when the first portion is in a closed position, the first and second housing portions each including a shield for restricting the transmission of signals to or from the payment device when the first housing portion is in the closed position and permitting the transmission of signals when the first housing portion is in an open position, wherein when the housing is in the open position, the payment device is positionable to face the windshield, and a space between the payment device and the windshield is substantially unobstructed by the housing.

2. The receptacle as defined in claim 1, wherein the first housing portion includes a first recess for accommodating the wireless device and the second housing portion includes a second recess, the first and second recesses forming the chamber when the first housing portion is in the first position.

3. The receptacle as defined in claim 1, wherein the first housing portion includes a first planar wall bounded along adjacent edges by a first and second perimeter wall.

4. The receptacle as defined in claim 3, wherein the first housing portion is rotatable about an axis X-X.

5. The receptacle as defined in claim 4, wherein the first planar wall lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis X-X.

6. The receptacle as defined in claim 3, wherein the second housing portion includes a second planar wall bounded along adjacent edges by a third and fourth perimeter wall.

7. The receptacle as defined in claim 1, wherein the chamber is fully enclosed and surrounded by the housing, wherein the toll payment device is disposed within the chamber is fully enclosed by the shield of the first and second housing portions.

8. The receptacle as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second housing portions are connected by a hinge, and wherein the first housing portion includes a first wall and the second housing portion includes a second wall, the first and second walls being in opposed spaced relation when the first housing portion is in the first position to form the chamber, and wherein the first wall and second walls remain substantially parallel to each other when the first housing portion is pivoted about the hinge relative to the second housing portion.

9. The receptacle as defined in claim 1, wherein the shield of the first and second housing portions includes a layer of metallic material disposed on the housing.

10. The receptacle as defined in claim 9, wherein the metallic layer is supported on either of an inside or outside surface of the housing.

11. The receptacle as defined in claim 1, further including an attachment device for fixedly securing the second housing portion to the support structure.

12. The receptacle as defined in claim 1,wherein the first housing portion is adapted to be fixedly secured to the toll payment device wherein movement of the first housing portion causes movement of the wireless device.

13. The receptacle as defined in claim 1, further including a detent mechanism for maintaining the first housing portion in the second position.

14. The receptacle as defined in claim 13, wherein the detent mechanism includes a biased device supported on the first housing member and a depression supported on the second housing member.

15. A receptacle for retaining an automatic toll payment device on a vehicle comprising:

a housing including a first portion fixedly securable to the payment device and a second portion being fixedly securable to the vehicle, the first portion rotatably secured to the second portion, the first and second portion forming a chamber for enclosing the payment device when the first portion is in a closed position, the first and second housing portions each including a shield for restricting the transmission of signals to or from the payment device when the first housing portion is in the closed position and permitting the transmission of signals when the first housing portion is in an open position, and the first housing portion including a first side wall and the second housing portion including a second side wall, the first and second side walls being in opposed spaced relation forming the chamber when the first portion is in the closed position and wherein the first portion rotates relative to the second portion about an axis of rotation, and the first and second side walls are spaced from each other a distance, d, extending generally along the axis of rotation, and wherein the distance, d, remains substantially the same when the first portion is rotated relative to the second portion.

16. The receptacle as defined in claim 15, wherein the first portion includes a first and second peripheral wall extending from the first side wall, the first and second peripheral walls and first side wall surrounding three sides of the payment device when in the open and closed positions.

17. The receptacle as defined in claim 16, wherein the second portion includes a second side wall and third and fourth perimeter walls, the second side wall and third and fourth perimeter walls surrounding three sides of the payment device when the first housing portion is in the opened and closed positions.

18. The receptacle as defined in claim 15, further including a retainer for releasably securing the first housing portion in the closed position.

19. The receptacle as defined in claim 15, further including a hinge for rotatably securing the first housing portion to the second housing portion and wherein the hinge includes a stop for limiting a degree of movement of the first housing portion.

20. The receptacle as defined in claim 15, wherein the first housing portion extends outwardly beyond the second housing portion when the first portion is in the open position.

21. The receptacle of claim 15, further including a detent mechanism for maintaining the first housing portion in the open position.

22. A method of affecting the operability of a toll payment device including the steps of:

providing a housing including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being rotatably secured to the second portion, the first and second portions forming a chamber for enclosing the payment device when the first portion is in a closed position, the first and second housing portions including a shield, the shield restricting the transmission of signals to or from the payment device when the first portion is in the closed position;

securing the second housing portion to a vehicle;

securing the payment device to the first housing portion;

rotating the first housing portion to a closed position to prevent operation of the payment device; and

rotating the first housing portion to an open position to open the chamber and permit operation of the payment device, wherein when the housing is in the open position, the payment device is positionable to face a windshield of the vehicle, and a space between the payment device and the windshield is substantially unobstructed by the housing.

23. A receptacle for supporting a wireless device on a support structure comprising:

a housing including a first housing portion securable to the wireless device and a second housing portion being securable to the support structure, the first housing portion being pivotally secured to the second housing portion, the first housing portion and second housing portion each including a shield for attenuating the transmission of electromagnetic signals; and

the first housing portion having a first position wherein the first housing portion and second housing portion form a chamber for enclosing the wireless device and restricting the transmission of electromagnetic signals from the chamber, the first housing portion having a second position wherein the first housing portion is displaced from the second housing portion thereby opening the chamber and exposing the wireless device to permit the transmission of electromagnetic signals to and from the wireless device, and wherein the first and second housing portions are connected by a hinge, and wherein the first housing portion includes a first wall and the second housing portion includes a second wall, the first and second walls being in opposed spaced relation when the first housing portion is in the first position to form the chamber, and wherein the first wall and second walls remain substantially parallel to each other when the first housing portion is pivoted about the hinge relative to the second housing portion.