Configurable radio-frequency identification reader
AssigneeZebra Technologies Corporation
InventorDavid Bellows
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An example configurable radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader assembly includes a base unit and an integrable multiplexer. The base unit includes a first housing, a printed circuit board (PCB), an internal multiplexer, a first plurality of antenna ports accessible from outside the first housing, and a first radio-frequency (RF) connector accessible from outside the first housing. The integrable multiplexer is attached to the first housing and includes a second housing that is attachable to and removable from the first housing from outside the first housing, a second plurality of antenna ports accessible from outside of the second housing, and a second RF connector accessible from outside the integrable multiplexer housing and connected to the first RF connector.
Claims13
A configurable radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader assembly, comprising:
- a base unit, comprising:
- a first housing;
- a printed circuit board (PCB) positioned within the first housing;
- an internal multiplexer positioned within the first housing and communicatively coupled to the PCB;
- a first plurality of antenna ports communicatively coupled to the PCB through the internal multiplexer, wherein each of the first plurality of antenna ports extends through a first wall of the first housing and is accessible from outside the first housing;
- a first radio-frequency (RF) connector communicatively coupled to the PCB through the internal multiplexer, wherein the first RF connector is accessible from outside the first housing through a second wall of the first housing, separate from the first wall;
- and
- an RFID reader accessory attached to the second wall of the first housing of the base unit, wherein the RFID reader accessory is attachable to and removable from the second wall of the first housing from outside the first housing and prevents access to the first RF connector with the RFID reader accessory attached to the second wall of the first housing.
A method of configuring a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader assembly, comprising:
- providing a base unit, comprising:
- a first housing;
- a printed circuit board (PCB) within the first housing;
- an internal multiplexer positioned within the first housing and communicatively coupled to the PCB;
- a first plurality of antenna ports communicatively coupled to the PCB through the internal multiplexer, wherein each of the first plurality of antenna ports extends through a first wall of the first housing and is accessible from outside the first housing;
- and a first radio-frequency (RF) connector communicatively coupled to the PCB through the internal multiplexer and accessible from outside the first housing through a second wall of the first housing;
- and
- attaching a first RFID reader accessory to the second wall of the first housing of the base unit, separate from the first wall;
- wherein
- the first RFID reader accessory is an integrable multiplexer, the integrable multiplexer comprising:
- a second housing that is attachable to and removable from the second wall of the first housing from outside the first housing;
- a second plurality of antenna ports, wherein each of the second plurality of antenna ports extends through the second housing and is accessible from outside of the second housing;
- and
- a second RF connector accessible from outside the second housing and connected to the first RF connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.