RFID mobile workstation device
View Patent ↗A mobile radio frequency identification (RFID) device for use with supply chain operations, association of things, and work in process operations. The mobile RFID device comprises a cart comprising four wheels and a handle for guiding its motion. The cart also comprises a top surface, an open lower shelf below the top surface, and a lower enclosure below the open lower shelf. The top surface of the cart comprises a very refined RF field which only scans items within a defined area. The defined area can be a flat work surface or a recessed well. The top surface also comprises a directional antenna that is completely hidden and communicatively coupled to an RFID reader. The lower enclosure below the open lower shelf is an enclosed storage cabinet that can house an RFID reader, an inverter (DC to AC), a battery, and a charger for the battery.
1. A mobile radio frequency identification (RFID) device, comprising:
a wheeled cart comprising an enclosure below a lower shelf;
a fixed RFID reader mounted to the wheeled cart;
a directional antenna that is hidden and capable of being communicatively coupled to the RFID reader, wherein the directional antenna is concealed on the wheeled cart and only focuses RF energy within a defined area on the wheeled cart so that items are scanned only within the defined area and where the defined area is a recessed well on a top of the wheeled cart; and
a processing unit mounted to the wheeled cart and communicatively coupled to the RFID reader for operational control of the RFID reader;
an electrical cord such that the device can be plugged in providing AC power.
2. The mobile RFID device of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit comprises a touchscreen.
3. The mobile RFID device of claim 2 , wherein data is collected and stored locally on the processing unit.
4. The mobile RFID device of claim 2 , wherein data is interfaced wirelessly to an information technology (IT) infrastructure.
5. The mobile RFID device of claim 1 , further comprising a barcode scanner mounted to the wheeled cart and communicatively coupled to the RFID reader.
6. The mobile RFID device of claim 1 , further comprising a host computer communicatively coupled to the RFID reader for operational control of the RFID reader.
7. The mobile RFID device of claim 1 , further comprising an inverter for converting DC to AC power mounted to the wheeled cart.
8. The mobile RFID device of claim 1 , further comprising a battery and a battery charger mounted to the wheeled cart.
9. A mobile radio frequency identification (RFID) device, comprising:
a wheeled cart comprising a top surface, an open lower shelf below the top surface, and a lower enclosure below the open lower shelf, where the lower enclosure is a storage cabinet;
a fixed RFID reader mounted to the wheeled cart;
a directional antenna capable of being communicatively coupled to the RFID reader, wherein the directional antenna is concealed on the wheeled cart and only focuses RF energy within a defined area on the wheeled cart and where the defined area is a recessed well; and
a processing unit mounted to the wheeled cart and communicatively coupled to the RFID reader for operational control of the RFID reader; and
wherein the defined area is a flat work surface on the top surface of the wheeled cart;
a volt inverter able to support a plurality of peripheral devices.
10. The mobile RFID device of claim 9 , further comprising a barcode scanner mounted to the wheeled cart and communicatively coupled to the RFID reader.
11. The mobile RFID device of claim 9 , further comprising a host computer communicatively coupled to the RFID reader for operational control of the RFID reader.
12. The mobile RFID device of claim 9 , wherein the processing unit comprises a touchscreen.
13. The mobile RFID device of claim 12 , wherein data is collected and stored locally on the processing unit.
14. The mobile RFID device of claim 12 , wherein data is interfaced wirelessly to an information technology (IT) infrastructure.
15. The mobile RFID device of claim 9 , further comprising an inverter, a battery and a battery charger mounted within the lower enclosure of the wheeled cart.
16. A mobile radio frequency identification (RFID) device, comprising:
a wheeled cart comprising a top surface, an open lower shelf below the top surface, and a lower enclosure below the open lower shelf, where the lower enclosure is a storage cabinet;
a fixed RFID reader mounted to the wheeled cart;
a directional antenna capable of being communicatively coupled to the RFID reader, wherein the directional antenna is concealed on the wheeled cart and only focuses RF energy within a defined area on the wheeled cart;
a processing unit mounted to the wheeled cart and communicatively coupled to the RFID reader for operational control of the RFID reader; and
a barcode scanner mounted to the wheeled cart and communicatively coupled to the RFID reader;
a processing unit comprises a touchscreen, and data is collected and stored locally on the processing unit, or interfaced wirelessly to an information technology (IT) infrastructure; and
wherein the defined area is a recessed well formed by a metal tub on the top surface of the wheeled cart;
a volt inverter able to support a plurality of peripheral devices.
17. The mobile RFID device of claim 16 , further comprising an inverter, a battery and a battery charger mounted within the lower enclosure of the wheeled cart.
18. A system for using a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, comprising:
a RFID reader;
a directional antenna that is hidden and capable of being communicatively coupled to the RFID reader, wherein the directional antenna is concealed and focuses RF energy within a defined area;
a volt inverter able to support a plurality of peripheral devices;
a processing unit communicatively coupled to the RFID reader for operational control of the RFID reader, the processing unit having a touchscreen, data is collected and stored locally on the processing unit, or interfaced wirelessly to an information technology (IT) infrastructure; and
a barcode scanner communicatively coupled to the RFID reader.