Printer or other media processor with on-demand selective media converter

• US 20030227528A1
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Donato, Daniel F., Hohberger, Clive P., Ream, Matthew R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,969,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/104
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4075 Tape printers; Label printers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/44 Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms having dual functions or combined with, or coupled to, apparatus performing other functions
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/0003 Use of RFID labels
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/0093 Devices switching between a peelable and a non peelable position
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2009/404 prior to labelling
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/1803 the labels being cut from a strip
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/1865 the labels adhering on a backing strip
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/1869 and being transferred directly from the backing strip onto the article
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/194 Web supporting regularly spaced adhesive articles, e.g. labels, rubber articles, labels or stamps
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/002 Web delivery apparatus, the web serving as support for articles, material or another web
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07716 the record carrier comprising means for customization, e.g. being arranged for personalization in batch
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07779 the inductive antenna being a coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07783 the coil being planar
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07786 the antenna being of the HF type, such as a dipole
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1105 Delaminating process responsive to feed or shape at delamination
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/171 Means serially presenting discrete base articles or separate portions of a single article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1906 Delaminating means responsive to feed or shape at delamination

Abstract

On demand apparatus for use in a printer, printer module, stand-alone media converter, or other media processor comprises a print device and a converting system. The print device receives a series of labels, tickets, tags, cards or other media samples and responds to a set of form and content print instructions which direct the print device regarding what and where to print on selected media samples. The converting system includes an applicator which receives the series of media samples from the print device and a series of value-adding elements. The applicator responds to a set of application instructions which direct the applicator to apply a value-adding element to selected media samples. A corresponding method is disclosed.

Claims

1. An on demand printer with converting capability, comprising:

a. a print device receiving a series of labels, tickets, tags, cards or other media samples, said print device responding to a set of form and content print instructions which direct the print device regarding what and where to print on selected media samples; and

b. a converting system having an applicator receiving said series of media samples and a series of value-adding elements, said applicator responding to a set of application instructions which direct the applicator to apply a value-adding element to selected media samples.

2. The printer of claim 1 configured to selectively produce smart media, wherein said series of value-adding elements includes RFID transponders.

3. The printer of claim 2 wherein said series of value-adding elements includes RFID transponders of different types with different attributes.

4. The printer of claim 3 wherein said application instructions include commands effective to cause plural transponders of like or different types to be applied to a selected media sample.

5. The printer of claim 2 wherein said print instructions cause said print device to print information on a selected media sample which is correlated with a value-adding element applied to said media sample.

6. The printer of claim 5 wherein said printer prints on said selected media sample alphanumeric symbols or a bar code representing information which corresponds to information stored or to be stored in said transponder.

7. The printer of claim 3 wherein said transponders have different values of any of the following:

storage capacity, communication protocol, sensitivity, or operating frequency.

8. The printer of claim 1 wherein said print device is located at said applicator.

9. The printer of claim 1 adapted to print bar codes, text or graphics on selected media samples.

10. The printer of claim 2 including an RFID transceiver configured to encode or verify data in said transponders.

11. The printer of claim 1 including a first print device configured to print said media samples before being received by said converting system, and a second print device configured to print media samples after a selected value-adding element has been applied.

12. The printer of claim 1 wherein said series of media samples are die-cut or otherwise singulated before being processed by said applicator.

13. The printer of claim 12 wherein said media samples are carried on a liner and wherein said printer is configured to relaminate said media samples to said liner after value-adding elements have been selectively applied thereto.

14. The printer of claim 1 configured to automatically apply a media sample to an object after a value-adding element has been selectively applied thereto.

15. The printer of claim 3 wherein value-adding elements of different types with different attributes are arranged on a supply web in a predetermined repeating sequence.

16. The printer of claim 3 wherein said value-adding elements are carried on a liner, and wherein said applicator in response to commands in said instruction set moves said liner bidirectionally to select a value-adding element of a prescribed type for application to a selected media sample.

17. The printer of claim 1 wherein said series of media samples includes first and second media samples of different types with different attributes.

18. The printer of claim 17 including a media conveyance adapted to convey media samples to said applicator, said instruction set including commands which direct the applicator to apply a value-adding element to a media sample of said first or second type.

19. The printer of claim 17 wherein the first and second media samples are arranged on a supply web in a predetermined repeating sequence.

20. The printer of claim 19 wherein said first and second media samples are carried on a liner, and wherein said printer in response to said instructions moves said liner bidirectionally to select a predetermined one of said first and second media samples for application to a selected value-adding element.

48. The system of claim 18 wherein said first and second value-adding elements are carried on a liner, and said applicator, in response to commands in said instruction set, moves said liner bidirectionally to select a predetermined one of said first and second value-adding elements for application to a selected media sample.

21. An on demand method of converting media samples, comprising:

a. from a received series of media samples and in response to a first instruction set, printing on a selected media sample; and

b. from a received series of value-adding elements and in response to a second instruction set, bonding said printed media sample with a selected value-adding element.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said series of value-adding elements includes one or more RFID transponders to convert standard media samples to smart media samples.

23. The method of claim 21 including generating said first and second instruction sets with a computer.

24. The method of claim 21 including providing a series of value-adding elements of different types with different attributes, and applying value-adding elements of said different types to the same or different media samples.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said value-adding elements of different types are RFID transponders having different values of any of the following:

sensitivity, operating frequency, communication protocol, or storage capacity.

26. The method of claim 21 including providing a series of media samples of different types with different attributes, and applying one or more of said value-adding elements to selected media samples of different types.

27. The method of claim 22 including printing information on a media sample which is correlated with information stored or to be stored in a transponder applied to said sample.

28. For use in a printer, printer module, stand-alone media converter, or other media processor, an on demand converting system having an applicator receiving a series of media samples and a series of value-adding elements, said applicator responding to a set of instructions which direct the applicator, sample by sample, to selectively apply or not apply a value-adding element to each media sample in said series of media samples.

29. The system of claim 28 including an element conveyance adapted to convey value-adding elements to said applicator wherein a selected value-adding element is applied to a selected media sample.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein said applicator receives media samples which have been separated from a liner and includes a vacuum conveyor arranged to convey said samples in a direction orthogonal to the direction which said element conveyance moves said value-adding elements to said applicator.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein said applicator receives media samples which have been separated from a liner and includes a vacuum conveyor arranged to convey said samples in the same direction as said element conveyance moves said value-adding elements to said applicator.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said value-adding elements are mounted on a liner and said applicator includes a peeler arranged to apply a peeled value-adding element to a media sample.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein said peeler is adjustable between a first state wherein it is ineffective to delaminate a value-adding element from said liner and a second state wherein it is effective to peel a value-adding element from said liner.

34. The system of claim 33 comprising a peeler member mounted for controlled movement between first and second positions which create said first and second states.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein said peeler member is mounted for rotation and is configured to present a rounded surface to said liner when in said first position and to present a peeling edge to said liner when rotated to said second position.

36. The system of claim 28 wherein said series of media samples are die-cut or otherwise singulated before being processed by said applicator.

37. The system of claim 31 configured to relaminate said media samples to said liner after value-adding elements have been selectively applied thereto.

38. The system of claim 30 configured to relaminate said media samples to said liner after value-adding elements have been selectively applied thereto.

39. The system of claim 31 configured to automatically apply a media sample to an object after a value-adding element has been selectively applied thereto

40. The system of claim 30 configured to automatically apply a media sample to an object after a value-adding element has been selectively applied thereto.

41. The system of claim 28 wherein said series of value-adding elements includes first and second value-adding elements of different types with different attributes.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein said first and second value-adding elements comprise first and second wireless transponders.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein said first and wireless transponders comprise transponders having different values of any of the following:

storage capacity, communication protocol, sensitivity or operating frequency range.

44. The peeler of claim 34 including means for controlling the movement of said peeler member between said first and second states.

45. The peeler of claim 35 including a motor for rotating said peeler member between said first and second positions.

46. The system of claim 41 including an element conveyance adapted to convey value-adding elements to said applicator, said instruction set including commands directing whether said first or second value-adding element, or neither value-adding element, shall be applied to said individual media sample.

47. The system of claim 41 wherein the first and second value-adding elements are arranged on a supply web in a predetermined sequence.

49. The system of claim 28 including a print device configured to print media samples after a selected value-adding element has been applied.

50. The system of claim 28 wherein said series of media samples includes first and second media samples of different types with different attributes.

51. The system of claim 50 including a media conveyance adapted to convey media samples to an applicator, said instruction set including commands directing whether a value-adding element shall be applied to said first media sample or said second media sample, or to neither media sample.

52. The system of claim 50 wherein the first and second media samples are arranged on a supply web in a predetermined sequence.

53. The system of claim 51 wherein said first and second media samples are carried on a liner, and wherein said applicator in responsive to said instructions moves said liner bidirectionally to select a predetermined one of said first and second media samples for receipt of a selected value-adding element.

54. The system of claim 28 under control of a programmed or programmable computer system.

55. The system of claim 54 wherein said computer system is located in said media processor.

56. The system of claim 54 wherein said computer system is located remotely from said media processor.

57. The system of claim 54 wherein said processor is connected in a network.

58. The system of claim 57 wherein said network comprises an intranet or the Internet.

59. The system of claim 54 including a print device, and wherein said system is under the control of printer control software.

60. The system of claim 54 configured to provide manual override of control by said computer system.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein said manual override is provided through a keyboard, pen, mouse, voice-entry or other manual input-output system.

62. The system of claim 28 wherein said series of value-adding elements includes first and second value-adding elements of different types with different attributes and wherein said series of media samples includes first and second media samples of different types with different attributes.

63. The system of claim 62 wherein the first and second value-adding elements are arranged on a supply web in a predetermined sequence.

64. The system of claim 62 wherein the first and second media samples are arranged on a supply web in a predetermined sequence.

65. The system of claim 62 wherein said first and second value-adding elements are carried on a value-adding element liner, and wherein said media samples are carried on a media liner.

66. The system of claim 62 including a media conveyance adapted to convey media samples to said applicator, and including an element conveyance adapted to convey value-adding elements to said applicator.

67. The system of claim 62 wherein said instruction set includes commands directing which of said first or second value-adding element, or neither value-adding element, shall be applied to a selected one of said first and second media samples, or neither of said media samples.

68. The system of claim 65 wherein said system is configured to move said media liner and said value-adding element liner bidirectionally to select said one or more value-adding elements for application to the selected media sample.

69. The system of claim 67 wherein the system is under control of a programmed or programmable computer system.

70. The system of claim 69 configured to provide manual override of control by said computer system.

71. For use in a system which processes a series of media samples carried on a liner, a peeler receiving the series of media samples and being configured to delaminate selected media samples from the liner, said peeler being adjustable between a first state wherein it is ineffective to delaminate media samples from said liner and a second state wherein it is effective to delaminate media samples from said liner.

72. The peeler of claim 71 comprising a peeler member mounted for movement between first and second positions which create said first and second states.

73. The peeler of claim 72 wherein said peeler member is mounted for rotation and is configured to present a rounded surface to said liner when in said first position and to present a peeling edge to said liner when rotated to said second position.

74. The peeler of claim 72 including a means for controlling the movement of said peeler member between said first and second states.

75. The peeler of claim 73 including a motor for rotating said peeler member between said first and second positions.

76. The peeler of claim 75 located in an on demand printer, said motor being configured to receive computer-generated rotation instructions.

77. For use in a printer, printer module, stand-alone media converter, or other media processor, apparatus comprising:

a. means receiving a series of media samples and responsive to a first instruction set for printing on a selected media sample; and

b. means receiving a series of value-adding elements and responsive to a second instruction set for applying to a printed media sample a selected value-adding element.

78. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said series of value-adding elements includes at least one RFID transponders to convert standard media samples to smart media samples.

79. The apparatus of claim 77 including means for generating said first and second instruction sets.

80. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein said series of value-adding elements comprises elements of different types with different attributes, said means for applying coupling value-adding elements of said different types to the same or different media samples.

81. The apparatus of claim 80 wherein said value-adding elements of different types comprise RFID transponders having different values of any of the following:

sensitivity, operating frequency, communication protocol, or storage capacity.

82. The apparatus of claim 78 wherein data is encoded into the RFID transponder.

83. The apparatus of claim 78 wherein data is read from the RFID transponder.

84. The apparatus of claim 82 wherein data is first encoded into the RFID transponder and then read from it and compared with the data written to verify that the RFID transponder was properly encoded.

85. The converting means of claim 77 wherein said series of media samples comprise samples of different types with different attributes, said means for applying coupling one or more of said value-adding elements to selected media samples of different types.

86. The converting means of claim 78 wherein said printing means prints information on a media sample which is correlated with information stored or to be stored in an RFID transponder applied to said sample.

87. The converting means of claim 86 wherein data is encoded into the RFID transponder.

88. The converting means of claim 86 wherein data is read from the RFID transponder.

89. The converting means of claim 86 wherein data is first encoded into the RFID transponder and then read from it and compared with the data written to verify that the RFID transponder was properly encoded.