Printer, system and method for programming RFID tags on media labels

• US 10,399,361 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Datamax-O'Neil Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: d'Armancourt, Sebastien Michel Marie Joseph, Wong, Chin Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Huan H
• Application Number:
  US15/819,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20190152238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/32 using thermal heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/325 by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4075 Tape printers; Label printers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/50 Mechanisms producing characters by printing and also producing a record by other means , e.g. printer combined with RFID writer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/20 Simultaneous marking of record carrier and printing-out of data, e.g. printing-punch
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications

Abstract

A printer is provided which includes a control unit and a print head with a burn line and a platen roller. The print head is coupled to the control unit. The print head is positioned in a vertical orientation relative to the platen roller over which a media label passes during printing. A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, coupled to the control unit, for programming RFID tags on the media label is also provided. The RFID reader is coupled to a RFID antenna. The RFID antenna is above the media label path, the print head'"'"'s vertical orientation allowing the RFID antenna to be accommodated in close proximity to the print head burn line. Further, a label stop sensor (LSS) module is provided, coupled to the control unit, for monitoring movement of the media label along a media path. The LSS module is disposed adjacent to the RFID antenna.

Claims

1. A printer comprising:

a control unit;

a print head with a burn line, coupled to the control unit, for printing on a media label, the print head positioned in a vertical orientation relative to a portion of a platen roller over which a media label passes during printing;

a RFID reader, coupled to the control unit, for programming RFID tags on the media label;

a RFID antenna coupled to the RFID reader, the RFID antenna being positioned above the media label path, the print head'"'"'s vertical orientation allowing the RFID antenna to be accommodated in close proximity to the print head burn line, the close proximity being of a distance to allow the RFID antenna to support metal tags on the media label;

a LSS module, coupled to the control unit, for monitoring movement of the media label along a media path, the LSS module being adjacent to the RFID antenna.

2. The printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the media label pitch is a length at least 12 mm.

3. The printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna has a centerline, the centerline being positioned within a distance not greater than 20 mm from the print head burn line.

4. The printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the RFID antenna has a centerline, the centerline being positioned at a distance not less than 15 mm from the print head burn line.

5. The printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printer is a RFID printer, and the RFID reader is to program metal RFID tags contained in or on the media label.

6. The printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printer is a thermal transfer printer and the RFID antenna is placed below a ribbon path corresponding to a ribbon of the thermal transfer printer.

7. The printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the LSS module is configured to position at least a portion of the media label under the RFID antenna and the print head.

8. The printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the LSS module is positioned at a distance not less than 20 mm from the print head burn line.

9. A method comprising:

positioning, a print head with a burn line in a vertical orientation relative to a portion of a platen roller over which a media label passes during printing;

arranging a radio frequency (RFID) antenna coupled to a RFID reader above a media path corresponding to a media label, wherein the vertical orientation of the print head allows the RFID antenna to be accommodated in close proximity to the print head burn line;

accommodating a label stop sensor (LSS) module adjacent to the RFID antenna; and

advancing, based upon signals from the LSS module, at least a portion of the media label below the print head and the RFID antenna, for printing.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising, programming by the RFID reader a RFID tag contained in or on the media label via the RFID antenna.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the media label is a small RFID media label having a pitch between labels of at least 12 mm.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the RFID antenna is accommodated at a distance not less than 15 mm from the print head burn line.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the RFID antenna is accommodated below the ribbon path of a thermal printer.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the LSS module is accommodated at a distance greater than at least 20 mm from the print head.

15. A system comprising:

a control unit;

a printing assembly coupled to the control unit, the printing assembly comprising;

a platen roller for feeding a media label for printing along a media path;

a print head with a burn line positioned in a vertical orientation relative to a portion of the platen roller over which the media label passes during printing;

a programming module for programming coded information on the media label, the programming module being coupled to the control unit, and wherein the programming module includes an antenna coupled to the programming module, the antenna being positioned above the media label path, the vertical orientation of the print head allowing the antenna to be accommodated in close proximity to the print head burn line; and

a LSS module to control movement of the media label along the media path, the LSS module being positioned adjacent to the antenna, wherein the LSS module is configured to position at least a portion of the media label under the antenna and the print head.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the programming module is an RF programming module for programming RFID tags in or on the media label.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the antenna is accommodated above the media path at a distance not less than 15 mm from the print head burn line.

18. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the antenna is accommodated above the media path at a distance no greater than 20 mm from the print head burn line.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the media label has a pitch of at least 12 mm.

20. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the LSS module is positioned at a distance not less than 20 mm from the print head burn line.