CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S.

Provisional Patent Application No. 62/779,264 filed December 13, 2018 and entitled "Modular Housing for an RFID Reader and

Antennas" which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if set forth in its entirety herein.

STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] This application relates to radio frequency

identification devices and, in particular, housings and/or mountings for radio frequency antennas for communication with radio frequency identification readers and tags.

BACKGROUND

[0004] Radio frequency identification ("RFID") uses

electromagnetic fields and radio frequency ("RF") signals to wirelessly communicate between an RFID reader (e.g., a local interrogator) and RFID transponder (e.g., a tag) . RFID systems can be used for a wide array of purposes, such as inventory management and tracking, access control, or wireless data communication .

[0005] An RFID transponder includes an integrated circuit ("IC") for storing information and an antenna for sending and receiving signals from the RFID reader. A typical RFID reader uses radio waves to transfer data from the RFID transponder or tag to locate information based on signals from the antennas. [0006] Some RFID systems place the RFID reader at control points (such as, for example, points of entry or doors between rooms) to monitor the flow of inventory or people carrying the tag or past the control point.

SUMMARY

[0007] In most RFID systems in which the RFID reader is placed at one or more control points, there is usually only a single unidirectional RFID reader placed to detect tags. For example, in a ceiling-mounted reader, the RFID reader may point directly downward as it is contemplated that the tag will travel directly beneath the reader. Likewise in a wall-mounted reader, the RFID reader may point horizontally.

[0008] While such orientations and configurations may be appropriate in some use circumstances, these conventional mountings are recognized herein to be far from ideal in terms of both read coverage area and therefore reliability in tag

detection. Disclosed herein are various improved structures for RFID devices and systems incorporating which can include a housing having one or more antennas thereon or therein either in which the antennas can be oriented at different directions from one another and/or obliquely angled with respect to the surface on which the housing is mounted. In this way, housing and reader can be configured to orient the antenna (s) at an angle which provides maximum RF signal area coverage to improve reliability in tag detection.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a modular housing is provided for a radio frequency identification reader that is in electrical communication with one or more radio frequency identification antennas in which the modular housing is mountable to a substantially planar mounting surface. The housing comprises a base and one or more wings. The base has a side mountable at the substantially planar mounting surface, has sidewalls defining a volume therein, and is configured to receive the radio frequency identification reader therein. The wing(s) are coupled to the base with each wing having an angled wall configured to support a corresponding radio frequency identification antenna at an angle oblique relative to the substantially planar mounting surface.

[0010] In some forms, the modular housing may further include one or more slots on one of the base and the wing(s) and may further include one or more tabs on the other of the base and the wing(s) . The wing(s) may be removably coupled to the base by inserting the tab(s) into the slot(s) . In one instance, the base can have slots and the wing(s) can have tabs with the tabs being inserted into the slots to removably couple the wing(s) to the base.

[0011] In some forms, the base may have a mounting opening formed in a sidewall thereof which is configured for mounting an electrical sign such as, for example, an exit sign.

[0012] In some forms, the wing(s) may define an interior wing volume. Each wing may have an inner wall surface which has a set of receiving guides for receiving a corresponding radio frequency identification antenna therein. Put differently, each of the antennas might be slid into a set of guides for reception in a corresponding wing.

[0013] In some forms, the angled wall may have an angle that is measured from the substantially planar mounting surface to the angled wall having a value in the range of 20 and 70 degrees, having a value in the range of 40 to 50 degrees, or in some forms having a value of 45 degrees.

[0014] In some forms, the base may be rectangular shaped and the wing(s) may be triangular prism shaped. For example, a rectangular side of one of the triangular prism shaped wing(s) can be parallel with a sidewall of the base, forming a right angle between the sidewall of the base that is parallel with the respective wing and the substantially planar mounting surface.

It is also contemplated trim pieces could be located, for example, between lateral sides of the wings to fill in gaps or provide improved aesthetics. The base and a corresponding wing may include one or more wire openings between the base and the wing. The wire opening (s) can provide access for an electrical connection from the antenna configured in the wing to a circuit board or controller located within the base.

[0015] According to another aspect, an assembly is provided including a housing, one or more radio frequency identification antennas, and a radio frequency identification reader. The housing is mountable to a substantially planar mounting surface. The radio frequency identification antenna (s) are received in the housing and each are oriented at an angle oblique relative to the substantially planar mounting surface. The radio

frequency identification reader is in electrical communication with the radio frequency identification antenna (s) with each of the radio frequency identification antennas being oriented in different directions, when there are more than one antenna present .

[0016] In some forms, the housing of this assembly may be a modular housing. The modular housing can include a base and one or more wings. The base may have sidewalls defining a volume receiving the radio frequency identification reader and with a side mountable at the substantially planar mounting surface.

Each wing may define an interior wing volume having an inner wall surface and this wall surface can include a set of

receiving guides for receiving a corresponding radio frequency identification antenna therein. The set of receiving guides may adhere to a corresponding antenna. The wing(s) may be coupled (in some cases, removably coupled) to the base with the wing(s) having an angled wall configured to support a corresponding radio frequency identification antenna at an angle oblique relative to the substantially planar mounting surface. The base and the wing(s) can further include one or more slots or one or more tabs, with the wing(s) and the base being removably coupled between the tab(s) and slot(s) .

[0017] Again, in some forms, the base may be rectangular shaped and the wings may be triangular prism shaped. For example, a rectangular side of one of the triangular prism shaped the wing(s) may be parallel with a sidewall of the base, forming a right angle between the sidewall of the base that is parallel with the wing(s) and the substantially planar mounting surface. The base and a corresponding wing(s) may further include one or more one wire opening (s) between the base and the wing(s) . As a non-limiting example, the wire opening (s) can provide access for an electrical connection from the antenna (s) configured in the wing(s) to a circuit board or controller located within the base.

[0018] In some forms, the assembly may further include an electrical sign with the housing potentially having a mounting opening formed in a sidewall thereof which is configured for mounting this electrical sign.

[0019] In some forms, the angled wall may have an angle that is measured from the substantially planar mounting surface to the angled wall having a value in the range of 20 and 70

degrees, having a value in the range of 40 to 50 degrees, or in some forms having a value of 45 degrees.

[0020] These and still other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description and drawings. What follows is merely a description of some preferred embodiments of the present invention. To assess the full scope of the invention the claims should be looked to as these preferred embodiments are not intended to be the only embodiments within the scope of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a front view of an electrical signage assembly including a modular housing for a radio frequency identification reader with an electrical sign mounted thereto.

[0022] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the modular housing (without the sign) from FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a top side perspective view of the modular housing from FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a wing sub-assembly apart from the modular housing of FIG. 1.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a top down view of the modular housing assembly of FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the modular housing assembly of FIG. 5 taken through line 6-6.

[0027] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the smart signage assembly from FIG. 1 in which the detection areas are indicated.

[0028] FIGS. 8A-8G illustrate various configurations of a signage assembly having a modular housing having components similar to the modular housing in FIGS. 1-6.

[0029] FIG. 9 is a top side perspective view of another smart signage assembly.

[0030] FIG. 10 is a front view of the smart signage assembly of FIG. 9, further showing the orientation of the interior antennas .

[0031] FIGS. 11A-11D illustrate various configurations of a signage assembly generally similar to the modular housing in FIGS. 1-6 but in the wings are differently shaped as in FIGS. 11A and 11B or include intermediate trim pieces between the wings as in FIGS. 11C and 11D.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[ 0032 ] Referring first to FIG. 1, a signage assembly is illustrated including a modular housing 100 for supporting a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader 102 and for

mounting an electrical sign 104. As illustrated, the electrical sign 104 may be an exit sign of a type that is typically mounted to a planar mounting surface such as a ceiling or wall to indicate the location of an exit for a building. Although an exit sign is shown, it will be appreciated that other types of signs might be part of this assembly or that no signs at all need be present (and the assembly may simply be the housing for the RFID reader 102) .

[ 0033 ] With additional reference being made to FIGS. 2 and 3, the various parts of the modular housing 100 and the RFID reader 102 are now described.

[ 0034 ] With respect to the modular housing 100 itself, the modular housing 100 includes a base 116 (which is generally rectangular shaped as illustrated) with one or more wings 118 (which are generally triangular prism shaped as illustrated) that are attached to the four sidewalls of the base 116. In the particular form shown, the wings 118 which support the RFID antennas 106 are removably attachable to the sidewalls of the base 116 which supports the RFID reader 102 by inserting tabs 128 on the wings 118 into slots 126 on the base 116 to couple the wings 118 to the base 116. As illustrated, the tabs 128 are on the wings 118 and the slots 126 are on the base; however, other forms of mechanical attachment are contemplated and, still further, it is contemplated that the base and wing(s) might be unitarily formed together such that their connection is unnecessary .

[0035] It should be appreciated at this stage that while an embodiment showing multiple wings is illustrated and described with respect to FIGS. 1-6, that it is contemplated that there may be only a single wing in some constructions of the modular housing (as will be described later on with respect to FIGS. 8A- 8G and FIGS. 8E and 8G, in particular) . Accordingly, when

"wings" are described in the description below, it should be understood as meaning one or more wings.

[0036] In the illustrated embodiment, in order to permit the passage of wires from the RFID antennas 106 supported by the wings 118 to the RFID reader 102 supported in the base 116, there can be wire openings or slots 124 and 126 formed in the base 116 and the wings 118 respectively. While these are illustrated on a shared peripheral edge of each component (best shown in the partially assembled view of FIG. 3), it is also contemplated that such an opening could be formed as a co aligned through-hole or by outright elimination of a portion of the shared walls between the base and wings.

[0037] With reference to FIG. 2 in particular and with further reference to FIG. 5, the modular housing 100 is

connectable to a mounting assembly for attachment to the

mounting surface (e.g., the wall or ceiling) . As best shown in FIG. 2, this mounting assembly includes a standard junction box 110 (typically permanently installed into the mounting surface or wall) and a universal junction box attachment plate 112 affixed to the junction box 110. Interfacing with attachment plate 112 is a quick release attachment plate 114 which is secured to the base 116 of the modular housing 100 which, in the form shown, is securable to a plurality of corner mounts 119 of the base 116. The quick release attachment plate 114 is attachable to the universal junction box attachment plate 112 via hardware and/or mechanical engagement so that the modular housing 100 can be attached and released from each other

rapidly. With such a construction, in the case of servicing of the modular housing 100, swapping out one or more of the

components of the modular housing 100 can be done quickly and easily by detaching the modular housing 100 from the junction box 110 and the circuit within the junction box 110.

[ 0038 ] Electrical wires from an external electrical system and their connections are received in the junction box 110 with the junction box attachment plate 112 covering the contents of the junction box 110. An access opening provides access between the junction box 110 and the base 116 of the modular housing 100 for wires from the electrical system and/or from the RFID reader 102 in the base 116 of the housing 100 (and of the sign 104, if the sign 104 is electrically powered) .

[ 0039 ] The mounting assembly is at least in part fixed to a substantially planar mounting surface 108 (best shown in FIG. 6) which may be a ceiling or wall depending on the configuration of the modular housing. The substantially planar mounting surface 108 can include a surface that is considered to be a flat plane but can include textured features such as grooves, ridges, paint, fabric, wood, small geometric changes, and other textures (while still maintaining this generally planar quality) . It is contemplated that the substantially planar mounting surface 108 can be, for example, any horizontal, vertical, or angled surface capable of having the modular housing 100 mounted to it.

[ 0040 ] With reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, the modular housing 100 itself is designed to support the RFID reader 102 in the base 116 which is in electrical communication with one or more RFID antennas 106 supported by the corresponding wing(s) 118. The base 116 has sidewalls defining a volume within the base 116 that provides space for housing components including the RFID reader 102 and the associated circuitry and electrical wires required to connect the RFID reader 102 to the RFID antennas 106, to the junction box 110, and to the electrical sign 104. To secure the RFID reader 102 in the base 116, the base 116 can include standoffs 120 (best shown in FIG. 2 and 3) into which the RFID reader 102 is affixed by screws or other securement modes.

[ 0041 ] The base 116 can be adapted for attachment to the other components as well. For instance, the base 116 can also have a side mountable at the substantially planar mounting surface 108 on which the attachment plate 114 is attached, structure for attaching the wings 118 to the sidewalls (e.g., a slot and groove type of attachment) , and a mounting opening 121 in one of the sidewall of the base 116 that is configured for mounting the electrical sign 104 and for running cables in order to mount the electrical sign 104 to the modular housing 100 through the base 116.

[ 0042 ] Turning now to the wings 118 and with reference being made to FIGS. 3 and 4 in particular, each of the wings 118 have an angled wall 122 with a pair of lateral walls 123 defining an internal wing volume and are configured to support therein a corresponding RFID antennas 106 parallel to the angled wall 122 at an oblique angle relative to the mounting surface 108 and/or the floor. Looking at FIG. 4 in particular, each wing assembly 130 includes both the wing 118 and a corresponding RFID antenna 106 as shown. As shown, each wing 118 has a set of receiving guides 133 on its lateral walls 123 for receiving a

corresponding RFID antenna 106. The receiving guides 133 can be slots or grooves, for example. The RFID antenna 106 fits into the receiving guides 133 to secure the RFID antennas 106 within the respective wing 118 and define the angle of orientation of the RFID antenna 106. Of course, different modes of attachment are contemplated such as, for example, adhesively fixing an antenna to the interior surface of the angled wall 122. As noted above, a connection wire from the antenna 106 can then be directed through the openings 126 and 124 to connect the RFID antenna (s) 106 to the RFID reader 102.

[ 0043 ] Referring now to FIG. 6, it can be best seen how the installed modular housing 100 enables the orientation of the RFID antennas 106 relative to the mounting surface 108 or the floor, and also representatively shows the wired connection between the RFID antennas 106 and the RFID reader 102. As noted above, each RFID antenna 106 is each supported inside a

corresponding wing 118 at an angle relative to how the wing is attached to the base 116. Accordingly, when the base 116 is mounted to the mounting surface 108, each RFID antenna 106 is angled with respect to the mounting surface 108. As one non limiting example, the angle of the angled wall 122 and the angle of the RFID antennas 106 can have a value within the range of 20 to 70 degrees or 40 to 50 degrees. As a more specific example, the angle of the angled wall 122 and the RFID antenna 106 angle is 45 degrees. In the form illustrated, the wings 118 and base 116 for a plus sign structure such that collectively the RFID antennas 106 each point outwardly and downwardly away from the base 116 in various opposing directions. This increases the detection area as will be described in greater detail below.

[ 0044 ] Referring now to FIG. 7, it is illustrated how the angled wall 122 of the wing 118 (and more specifically the parallel antenna 106 located therebeneath) produces a unique and improved detection area. The angle of the RFID antenna (s) 106 allows them to detect an RFID tag 134 within an enlarged

detection area that is larger than a typical detection area as illustrated by the "cones" or zones of detection 136 in FIG. 7. It will be appreciated that, although only two cones or zones are illustrated in FIG. 7, that there will be comparable cones or zones emanating forward and backwards into the page in the four antenna configuration.

[ 0045 ] In this enlarged detection area 136, the ability to read an RFID tag 134 carried by an individual or product (e.g., a person, medical professional, patient, and equipment ) is far improved in comparison to an antenna that points merely downward or, in the case of just a single antenna, unidirectionally . By orienting the antenna (s) 106 at an angle, there is a larger area

136 for detection; accordingly, an item or body travelling through the enlarged detection area will have more dwell time within the detection area 136 to improve read success of the tag 134 by the RFID reader 102. This area is further increased by the inclusion of multiple angled antennas in which each of the antennas point in a different direction from the others.

[ 0046 ] Referring now to FIGS. 8A through 8G and in order to present some readily contemplated variations on the

aforementioned design, various exemplary signage assemblies are illustrated in which the signage assemblies have components similar to those that were discussed in the embodiment

illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7, but with some components being assembled in differing configurations and orientations. In some configurations, such as those shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C, the base is mounted to the ceiling and in other configurations, such as those shown in FIGS. 8D, 8E, 8F, and 8G, the base is mounted to a side wall of a room. In the ceiling-mounted

configurations, it is illustrated that the wings could be mounted on all four sides of the base as in FIG. 8A consistent with the embodiment generally depicted in FIGS. 1 through 7, on opposing front and back sides as in FIG. 8B (as might be useful in a hallway) , and on a front side and the two lateral sides as in FIG. 8C (as might be useful if the assembly is mounted to a ceiling near a side wall of the room) . In the wall-mounted configurations, the wings are shown attached to the lateral and bottom sides of the base in FIGS. 8D and 8F and just attached to the bottom side in FIGS. 8E and 8G in some example one-wing configurations. Further, it is contemplated the sign itself could be separated from the base using an extender bar as depicted in FIGS. 8A through 8E or might be directly attached to the base as illustrated in FIGS. 8F and 8G.

[ 0047 ] In all of FIGS. 8A through 8G, it is observed that the angled surface (s) of the wing(s) point downward towards the floor (where the RFID tag will typically be positioned) .

However, it is contemplated the wing(s) and the antenna (s) positioned therein might be differently orientated, particularly in the wall-mounted configurations in which, for a signage assembly mounted relatively close to floor level, it might be acceptable to point the wing(s) outward, rather than downward.

[ 0048 ] Of course, the constructions in FIGS. 8A through 8G are merely exemplary and other orientations and numbers of wings relative to the base are contemplated. These are but a limited number of example constructions based on typical mounting and usage conditions using the aforementioned components. Various numbers of wings (for example, between one and four) might be selected based on the size of the room and the coverage desired by the RFID antennas and in other modular constructions the numbers and angular orientations might differ. For example, a triangular or hexagonal base may be implemented with varying numbers of wings.

[ 0049 ] Leaving the variations of the first illustrated embodiment and referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, another unique signage assembly 200 is illustrated in which there are not

"wings" as in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, but rather internally-located RFID antennas 206 (shown schematically in FIG. 10) in a rectangular housing 201 in which the antennas 206 are obliquely angled with respect to the floor and

differently angled with respect to one another. In comparison to a typical exit sign, the illustrated signage assembly 200 may have a thicker depth (see, for example, the "double deep" construction in FIG. 9) to provide ample room for the RFID antennas 206 and their respective mounting structures, as well as the RFID reader and other electrical equipment (not shown for simplicity) . As illustrated in the schematic of FIG. 10, these antennas 206 may be angled downwardly and towards one another, at least in part, in order to minimize overall size of the signage assembly 200. Still further, given the depth of the housing 201, the antennas 206 may be disposed at different depths from one another to improve read range and interference from one another.

[ 0050 ] Returning to modular housings of the type previously described in FIGS. 1-8, it is contemplated that the lateral sides of the wings may be modified or trim included to improve the aesthetic appearance of the assembled housing. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 11A, the wings may have lateral side walls that abut join at an 45 degree angle and also have square, rounded corners as in FIG. 11A. In an alternative example shown in FIG. 11B, wings may have lateral side walls that abut at a 45 degree angle joint, but instead of round corners as in FIGS.

11A, there may be inwardly chambered at the corners to form a concave corner as illustrated. Still yet, the wings could have a triangular prism profile as in FIGS. 1-6, but there can be trapezoidal corner trim between the wings as illustrated in FIG. llC or rounded corner trim as in FIG. 11D.

[ 0051 ] Of course, the constructions in FIGS. 11A through 11D are merely exemplary of some example wing and trim profiles to provide a desired aesthetic appearance and other designs which provide angled antennas might be readily employed, even if they look different or involve different numbers of wings and/or trim pieces .

[ 0052 ] As noted above, it should be appreciated that various other modifications and variations to the preferred embodiments can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Therefore, the invention should not be limited to the described embodiments. To ascertain the full scope of the invention, the following claims should be referenced.