Apparatus for supporting and shielding a wireless device

• US 8,829,363 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• 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:
  US13/316,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20120081211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 174/382, 174/384, 361/816, 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 supporting a wireless device on a support structure comprising:

a housing including a first housing portion securable to the wireless device, the first housing portion having an open front face, and a second housing portion having a mounting surface 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, and the open face of the first housing portion faces a first direction, 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 open face of the first housing portion remains facing the first direction when the first housing portion is in the second position.

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 second housing portion includes a second planar wall bounded along adjacent edges by a third and fourth perimeter wall.

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

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

7. The receptacle as defined in claim 1, wherein the chamber is surrounded by the shield.

8. The receptacle as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second housing portions are connected by a hinge and the hinge includes a post extending between the first and second housing portions.

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 wireless 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. 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 a second outwardly extending perimeter wall and having at least one edge unbounded by a perimeter wall, the second housing portion includes a second planar wall bounded along adjacent edges by a third and a fourth perimeter outwardly extending wall and having at least one edge unbounded by a perimeter wall, wherein when the first housing portion is in the first position, the first and second perimeter walls and the third and fourth perimeter walls completely enclose a perimeter of the chamber.

16. The receptacle as defined in claim 15, wherein the first planar wall has two adjacent edges unbounded by a perimeter wall, the second planar wall has two adjacent edges unbounded by a perimeter wall, wherein the first planar wall unbounded edges engage the third and fourth perimeter walls and the second planar wall unbounded edges engage the first and second perimeter walls to completely enclose the chamber perimeter when the first housing portion is in the first position.

17. 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 including a first side wall and a second portion being fixedly securable to the vehicle and including a second side wall, 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 housing 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

wherein the first housing portion includes a first and a second perimeter wall extending generally perpendicular from the first side wall to form a space for receiving and supporting the payment device, the first and second perimeter walls and first side wall are configured to cover three sides of the payment device when in the open and closed positions, and the second portion includes a third and a fourth perimeter wall extending generally perpendicular from the second side wall, the second side wall and the third and fourth perimeter walls forming a space in the second portion for receiving the payment device when the first portion is moved into the closed position, the second side wall and third and fourth perimeter walls configured to cover three sides of the payment device when the first housing portion is in the closed position.

18. The receptacle as defined in claim 17, wherein the first and second side walls being in opposed spaced relation forming the chamber when the first portion is in the closed position.

19. The receptacle as defined in claim 18, 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 generally along the axis of rotation.

20. The receptacle as defined in claim 17, further including a retainer for releasably securing the first housing portion in the closed position.

21. The receptacle as defined in claim 17, 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.

22. The receptacle as defined in claim 17, wherein the first housing portion extends outwardly beyond the second housing portion when the first portion is in the open position.

23. The receptacle as defined in claim 17, wherein the first side wall, the first and second perimeter walls and the second side wall and third and fourth perimeter walls completely enclose the chamber and the payment device therein when the first housing portion is in the closed position.