Vehicle mounted directionally focused tolling device enclosure
View Patent ↗An enclosure for housing a radio frequency integrated device (RFID) transponder. The enclosure includes a front surface comprising a non-shielding material, a top surface, a bottom surface, a right-side surface, a left-side surface and a rear surface. The top surface, the bottom surface, the right-side surface, the left-side surface and the rear surface include a shielding material. The enclosure selectively enables and disables communication between the RFID transponder and toll collection units relative to a position of the front surface of the enclosure within a vehicle.
1. An enclosure for housing a radio frequency integrated device (RFID) transponder comprising:
a front surface comprising a non-shielding material;
a top surface, a bottom surface, a right-side surface, a left-side surface and a rear surface, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, the right-side surface, the left-side surface and the rear surface comprise a shielding material; and
wherein the enclosure selectively enables and disables communication between the RFID transponder and toll collection units relative to a position of the front surface of the enclosure within a vehicle;
wherein the enclosure selectively enables and disables communication between the RFID transponder and the toll collection units via manual rotation of the enclosure by a vehicle operator; and
wherein, when the front surface of the enclosure comprising the non-shielding material is facing the vehicle operator, communication between the RFID transponder and the toll collection units is disabled.
2. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein, when the front surface of the enclosure comprising the non-shielding material is facing a front windshield of the vehicle, communication between the RFID transponder and the toll collection units is enabled.
3. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure selectively enables and disables communication between the RFID transponder and the toll collection units via vertical rotation of the enclosure by a vehicle operator.
4. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure selectively enables and disables communication between the RFID transponder and the toll collection units via horizontal rotation of the enclosure by a vehicle operator.
5. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is mounted on a front windshield of the vehicle via a mount assembly.
6. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is mounted on a dashboard of the vehicle via a mount assembly.
7. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is mounted towards a front region of the vehicle that is easily assessable by a vehicle operator.
8. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the shielding material comprises a material that isolates the RFID transponder from communication with the toll collection units.
9. The enclosure of claim 8 , wherein the shielding material comprises at least one of sheet metal, metal screens, metal foams and metallic ink.
10. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the non-shielding material comprises plastic.
11. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the RFID transponder is completely enclosed within the enclosure.
12. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure does not require a manual operable sliding portion for selectively shielding the RFID transponder housed within the enclosure.
13. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is rectangular shaped.
14. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein, when the front surface of the enclosure comprising the non-shielding material is facing a vehicle operator, the RFID transponder is in a disabled state.
15. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein, when the front surface of the enclosure comprising the non-shielding material is facing a front windshield of the vehicle, the RFID transponder is in an enabled state.
16. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein, when a vehicle operator chooses to pay toll charges using the RFID transponder, the vehicle operator rotates the enclosure such that the front surface of the enclosure comprising the non-shielding material is facing a front windshield of the vehicle.
17. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein, when a vehicle operator chooses to not pay toll charges using the RFID transponder, the vehicle operator rotates the enclosure such that the front surface of the enclosure comprising the non-shielding material is facing a vehicle operator.
18. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the RFID transponder is an active RFID transponder.
19. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the RFID transponder is a passive RFID transponder.
20. A method for utilizing an enclosure for paying toll fees comprising:
receiving a radio frequency integrated device (RFID) transponder within the enclosure, the enclosure comprising a front surface comprising a non-shielding material, a top surface, a bottom surface, a right-side surface, a left-side surface and a rear surface, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, the right-side surface, the left-side surface and the rear surface comprise a shielding material;
determining if a vehicle operator chooses to pay the toll fees using the RFID transponder; and
responsive to a determination that the vehicle operator chooses to pay the toll fees using the RFID transponder, rotating the enclosure such that the front surface of the enclosure comprising the non-shielding material is facing a front windshield of a vehicle.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
responsive to a determination that the vehicle operator chooses not to pay the toll fees using the RFID transponder, rotating the enclosure such that the front surface of the enclosure comprising the non-shielding material is facing the vehicle operator.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the enclosure selectively enables and disables communication between the RFID transponder and toll collection units relative to a position of the front surface of the enclosure within the vehicle.
23. An enclosure for housing a radio frequency integrated device (RFID) transponder comprising:
a top surface, a bottom surface, a right-side surface, a left-side surface and a rear surface defining a frontal area for receiving the RFID transponder therein for communication with transponder readers;
wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, the right-side surface, the left-side surface and the rear surface comprise a shielding material;
wherein the enclosure selectively enables and disables communication between the RFID transponder and toll collection units relative to a position of the frontal area of the enclosure within a vehicle;
wherein, when the frontal area of the enclosure comprising a panel of non-shielding material is facing the vehicle operator, communication between the RFID transponder and the toll collection units is disabled; and
wherein, when the frontal area of the enclosure comprising the panel of non-shielding material is facing a front windshield of the vehicle, communication between the RFID transponder and the toll collection units is enabled.
24. The enclosure of claim 23 ,
wherein the panel of non-shielding material is secured in the frontal area to completely enclose the RFID transponder within the enclosure.
25. The enclosure of claim 23 , wherein a panel of non-shielding material is not secured in the frontal area.
26. The enclosure of claim 23 , wherein:
when the frontal area of the enclosure is facing the vehicle operator, communication between the RFID transponder and the toll collection units is disabled; and
when the frontal area of the enclosure is facing a front windshield of the vehicle, communication between the RFID transponder and the toll collection units is enabled.
27. The enclosure of claim 23 , wherein the enclosure is mounted on a front windshield of the vehicle via a mount assembly.
28. An enclosure for housing a radio frequency integrated device (RFID) transponder comprising:
a front surface comprising a non-shielding material;
a top surface, a bottom surface, a right-side surface, a left-side surface and a rear surface, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, the right-side surface, the left-side surface and the rear surface comprise a shielding material;
wherein the enclosure selectively enables and disables communication between the RFID transponder and toll collection units relative to a position of the front surface of the enclosure within a vehicle; and
wherein, when a vehicle operator chooses to pay toll charges using the RFID transponder, the vehicle operator rotates the enclosure such that the front surface of the enclosure comprising the non-shielding material is facing a front windshield of the vehicle.
29. An enclosure for housing a radio frequency integrated device (RFID) transponder comprising:
a front surface comprising a non-shielding material;
a top surface, a bottom surface, a right-side surface, a left-side surface and a rear surface, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, the right-side surface, the left-side surface and the rear surface comprise a shielding material;
wherein the enclosure selectively enables and disables communication between the RFID transponder and toll collection units relative to a position of the front surface of the enclosure within a vehicle; and
wherein, when a vehicle operator chooses to not pay toll charges using the RFID transponder, the vehicle operator rotates the enclosure such that the front surface of the enclosure comprising the non-shielding material is facing a vehicle operator.
30. An enclosure for housing a radio frequency integrated device (RFID) transponder comprising:
a front surface comprising a non-shielding material;
a top surface, a bottom surface, a right-side surface, a left-side surface and a rear surface, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, the right-side surface, the left-side surface and the rear surface comprise a shielding material;
wherein the enclosure selectively enables and disables communication between the RFID transponder and toll collection units relative to a position of the front surface of the enclosure within a vehicle; and
wherein, when the front surface of the enclosure comprising the non-shielding material is facing a vehicle operator, the RFID transponder is in a disabled state.