SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING MEDIA UNITS AND AN ASSOCIATED MEDIA ROLL

• US 20080298822A1
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Anthony, Donato, Daniel F., Torchalski, Karl, Zwier, Tom, Tsirline, Boris Y., Schwan, Martin Andreas Karl, Gawelczyk, Robert, Shuff, William, Kovanko, Steven, Aiello, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 9,524,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/23
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/02 Web rolls or spindles; Attaching webs to cores or spindles
• 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: B65H 18/28 Wound package of webs
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2557/13 Data carrier, e.g. chip, transponder, magnetic strip
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/52 Integration of elements inside the core or reel
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/12 Single-function printing machines, typically table-top machines
• 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

Abstract

Media rolls, support structures for the media rolls, and media processing systems are provided. A media roll may include an identification transponder having retrievable information regarding the media units and associated media unit transponders wound around a core of the media roll. A support structure may include a spindle for supporting a media roll and include an identification coupler for communicating with the identification transponder. In addition to the spindle having the identification coupler, the media processing systems may include a second coupler for encoding the media unit transponders and a printhead for printing indicia onto the media units. The information retrieved from the identification transponder may be used to adjust one or more encoding and/or printing settings of the systems.

Claims

1. A media roll comprising:

a core;

a plurality of media units wound about the core;

wherein one or more of the plurality of media units include one or more media unit transponders;

an identification transponder attached to the core and having retrievable information pertaining to the plurality of media units; and

a RF field insulator positioned at least partially between the identification transponder and the plurality of media units such that the identification transponder is less susceptible to the one or more media unit transponders.

2. The media roll according to claim 1, wherein the identification transponder being at least partially embedded into the core.

3. The media roll according to claim 1, wherein the core extends from a first end to a second end and includes an outer surface and an inner surface and the identification transponder is attached to the outer surface.

4. The media roll according to claim 3, wherein the RF field insulator being a ferrite patch that covers at least the identification transponder opposite the outer surface of the core.

5. The media roll according to claim 4, wherein the ferrite patch substantially covers the outer surface of the core.

6. The media roll according to claim 4 further comprising a metal foil extending around the core and the ferrite patch.

7. The media roll according to claim 1, wherein the one or more media unit transponders are configured to operate within a first frequency band and the identification transponder is configured to operate within a second frequency band that is different from the first frequency band.

8. The media roll according to claim 1, wherein the one or more media unit transponders are configured to operate with a first communication protocol and the identification transponder is configured to operate with a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol.

9. The media roll according to claim 1, wherein the retrievable information includes a count of the plurality of media units left on the media roll.

10. The media roll according to claim 1, wherein the retrievable information includes a count of the plurality of media units that failed to process properly through an RFID system.

11. A system for processing a plurality of media units comprising:

a first spindle for supporting a roll of media units, wherein the roll includes an identification transponder;

a second spindle for support a printer ribbon supply, wherein the printer ribbon supply includes an identification transponder;

a first coupler adapted to couple with the identification transponder of the identification transponder;

a second coupler adapted to couple with the identification transponder of the printer ribbon supply;

at least a first transceiver in communication with at least one of the first coupler and the second coupler;

a controller for processing data from the identification transponder of the printer ribbon supply and the identification transponder of the media roll and adjusting a print setting based on the data; and

a printhead for printing indicia onto the plurality of media units.

12. The system according to claim 11 further comprising a third coupler adapted to couple with a plurality of media unit transponders associated with the plurality of media units.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the third coupler being orthogonally oriented with the first coupler.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the controller verifies the identity of the roll of media units and the printer ribbon supply from processing data from the identification transponder of the printer ribbon supply and the identification transponder of the media roll.