Abstract:
The present invention relates to an integrated RFID card holder, cage, lid or rack and system for collecting census, inventorying, and tracking of animal cages, lids, card holders, racks, and other related equipment. Preferably, the card holder is comprised of an RF transparent material such as plastic. During operation, a RFID reader reads each integrated RFID card holder attached to an animal cage for virtually linking the cage to an animal rack in effect assigning a parking spot to each animal cage within an animal cage rack system. The integrated RFID card holder can be determined to be in a room when the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) is the highest comparing multiple reads from one or many antennas.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/056,901, filed May 29, 2008, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventionally, cards identifying research animals have been attached to animal cages in a rack system. A card holder is attached to the animal cage system. The card slides into the card holder. Typically, the card holder is comprised of metal. 
     Dyanasys has developed a product referred to as Dyanasys Animal Care Warehouse Management System which attaches a radio frequency identification (RFID) transmitter to a conventional metal card holder. The card can be read up to a range of about 8 to 10 feet. 
     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0241591 describes an animal cage in which a rear wall has an opening for inserting a monitoring module. The monitoring monitor monitors various conditions of the cage. A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag can be integrated with the monitoring linkage. The RFID tag can be programmed with identification information, such as number of the cage, type of animal, number of animals and type of testing. The tag can be read with a reader to keep track and identify each cage. This patent has the drawback of not including the combination of a card holder and RFID tag with an animal cage. It is desirable to provide an improved integrated RFID card holder and a system operable at a greater range for RFID inventorying and/or tracking of animals, animal cages, and racks 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an integrated RFID card holder and system for inventorying and/or tracking animal cages. Preferably, the integrated RFID card holder is manufactured of an RF transparent material, such as a non-metallic material. In one embodiment, a RFID inlay is received in a cavity of the card holder for unencumbering the RFID inlay and allowing a greater range of transmission of the passive RFID signal up to about 25 feet. The cavity can be environmentally sealed to enable repeatable autoclaving, chemical decontamination, such as with vaporized hydrogen peroxide gas, chlorine dioxide gas or wet chemical wipe down, and repeatable washing cycles. Alternatively, the RFID inlay can be integrated into an animal cage or lid of the animal cage or rack of animal cages which are comprised or a portion is comprised of a RF transparent material. In one embodiment, during operation, a RFID reader reads each integrated RFID card holder attached to an animal cage for virtually linking the cage to a database including information of the animal rack, in effect assigning a parking spot to each animal cage within an animal cage rack system. The integrated RFID card holder or RFID inlay integrated into the animal cage or lid of the animal cage or rack of animal cages can be determined to be in a room or a position in a room where the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) is the highest by comparing multiple reads from one or many antennas for providing data collection. The pin-pointing of a location of the integrated RFID card holder, cage, lid or rack within a facility can be used for census, inventory, and tracking purposes. 
     The invention will be more fully described by reference to the following drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a rear elevational view of an integrated RFID card holder in accordance with the teaching of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the integrated RFID card holder. 
         FIG. 3  is a front and side elevational view of the integrated RFID card holder attached to the animal cage. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of assembly of the integrated RFID card holder. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of an animal information card. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of the animal information card being inserted in the integrated RFID card holder 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of an alternate embodiment of an assembly of the integrated RFID inlay assembled directly to a RF transparent card holder. 
         FIG. 8  is an alternate embodiment of an integrated RFID inlay or RFID integrated circuit (IC) in an animal cage or lid of the animal cage. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of a rack system for inventorying or tracking animal cages. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram of an inventory cart including a RFID reader. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of a handheld RFID reader. 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a plurality of fixed positioned antennas associated within a room. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
       FIGS. 1-4  illustrate an integrated RFID card holder  10  in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Card holder  12  includes cavity  13  for receiving RFID inlay  14 . Cavity  13  has a shape substantially matching the shape of RFID inlay  14 . In one embodiment, RFID inlay  14  can comprise RFID support  15  having the shape substantially matching the shape of cavity  13  and RFID tag  16 . For example, RFID tag  16  can be applied as a RFID label or with an adhesive to RFID support  15 . Alternatively, RFID tag  16  can be integrated with RFID support  15 . Cover  17  can be assembled into place over cavity  13  for retaining RFID inlay  14  within cavity  13 . For example cover  17  can be environmentally sealed to cavity  13  by using one or more of the following, sonic welding of similar materials, snap fit of cover  17  and cavity  13  and use of weather seal gasket  11 , insert molding of RFID inlay  14  and an adhesive applied between cavity  13  and RFID inlay  14 . Preferably, card holder  12  is comprised of a RF transparent material such a non-metallic material. For example, RF transparent material can be rigid plastic or ceramic. 
     A plurality of protrusions  18  are positioned at edges  19  of card holder  12 . Slot  20  is positioned within each protrusion  18 . Animal cage information card  40  can slide within slot  20  and be retained by protrusions  18 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . For example, the card can be a 3×4 or 3×5 card. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , integrated RFID card holder  10  is attached to animal cage  21  and moves with animal cage  21  independent of placement of animal cage  21  on a rack for animal cages. In this embodiment, integrated RFID card holder  10  is used in a vertical position. Clip holder  22  attaches to rear surface  24  of card holder  12  for removably or permanently attaching integrated RFID card holder  10  to animal cage  21 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Clip  28  is attached to clip holder  22 . For example, clip  28  can be attached using mounting bracket  30 . Mounting bracket  30  is attached to clip holder  22  using rod  32  received within apertures  33  of clip holder  22  and apertures  34  of mounting bracket  30 . E-ring  36  retains rod  32 . Clip  28  can be attached to animal cage  21 . 
     Animal cage information card  40  includes indicia region  42 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Indicia region  42  includes information directed to the animal. For example, the information can include investigator, protocol, contact, vendor, vendor breeding area, number of animals, species, strain, age, date of birth, sex and room assignment. Bar code  44  is associated with card  40 . Bar code  44  provides a unique identification number. 
     In an alternate embodiment, RFID inlay  14  comprises RFID tag  16  which is attached directly on a RF transparent, integrated RFID card holder  100  without using cavity  13 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . For example, RFID tag  16  can be applied as a RFID label with an adhesive or insert molded to integrated RFID card holder  100 . In this embodiment, integrated card holder  100  can be used in a horizontal or vertical position. Clip holder  102  attaches to rear surface  104  of integrated RFID card holder  100  for removably or permanently attaching integrated RFID card holder  100  to animal cage. Clip  108  is attached to clip holder  102 . Clip  108  is attached to animal cage  21  (not shown). 
     In an alternate embodiment, RFID inlay  14  can be attached or integrated into animal cage  21  or lid  202  as shown in  FIG. 8 . For example, RFID tag  16  can be applied as a RFID label or with an adhesive to animal cage  201  or lid  202 . Alternatively, RFID tag  16  can be insert molded. 
     Animal cages  21  including RFID inlay  14  in any of the embodiments of integrated RFID card holder  10 , integrated RFID card holder  100 , attached to animal cage  21  or lid  202  can be used in a rack system for inventorying or tracking animal cages  300 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . RFID reader  302  reads an identification of RFID inlay  14  or each RFID inlay  14  positioned within rack housing animal cages  301 . For example, RFID reader  302  can read RFID inlay  14  at a distance up to 20 feet to 25 feet. RFID inlay  305  can also be associated with rack housing animal cages  301 . RFID inlay  304  can include RFID tag  16 . Alternatively, RFID inlay  304  can include an active RFID tag. In one embodiment, RFID inlay  304  provides a housing for RFID tag  16 . 
     RFID reader  302  can be associated with inventory cart  400 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . Inventory cart  400  includes antennas  402  associated with RFID reader  302 . Inventory cart  400  can also include computer device  406 . Inventory cart  400  moves adjacent to the rack housing animal cages (not shown). Inventory cart  400  includes wheels  407  for allowing inventory cart  400  to be rolled adjacent the rack housing animal cages. During operation, RFID reader  302  logs an identification from the RFID tag associated with each cage having an associated integrated RFID card holder  10 , integrated RFID card holder  100 , attached to animal cage  21  or lid  202  in order to interact with a database stored in computer device  406  and effectively virtually assign a parking spot to each particular animal cage in an animal cage rack system. The data from integrated RFID card holder  10 , integrated RFID card holder  100 , attached to animal cage  21  or lid  202  can be stored in the data base or memory of computer device  406  and can be used for pin-pointing the location of associated RFID card holder  10 , integrated RFID card holder  100 , attached to animal cage  21  or lid  202  within a facility for census, inventory and tracking purposes. In one embodiment, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) at RFID antenna/reader  402  mounted at top  409  of inventory mast  410  can be used to determine location, such as within a room or a particular room, which contains integrated RFID card holder  10 , integrated RFID card holder  100 , attached to animal cage  21  or lid  202  attached to an animal cage. Integrated RFID card holder  10 , integrated RFID card holder  100 , attached to animal cage  21  or lid  202  is determined to be in a position of a room or room where the RSSI is the highest based on one or more RFID location tags  412  located within the room, such on the ceiling of the room. 
     In an alternate embodiment, RFID reader  302  is included in handheld device  500 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . Hand held device  500  can be waved in front of the rack housing animal cages (not shown). 
     Alternatively, one or more RFID readers  602  can be associated with a room containing one or more racks housing animal cages  301 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . In this embodiment, RFID reader  602  can be a LAN based RFID reader with fixed positioned antennas  603 . In one embodiment, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) at RFID reader  602  from positioned antennas  603  can be used to determine location, such as within a room or a particular room which contains integrated RFID card holder  10 , integrated RFID card holder  100 , attached to animal cage  21  or lid  202  attached to an animal cage. Integrated RFID card holder  10 , integrated RFID card holder  100 , attached to animal cage  21  or lid  202  is determined to be in a position of a room or room where the RSSI is the highest. 
     It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments, which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.