METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATIONS WITH A PRINTER

• US 20130215467A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Fein, Michael, Lodwig, Dean H., Sayad, Joseph Sargon
• Application Number:
  US13/773,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20130215467A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1209 resulting in adapted or bridged legacy communication protocols, e.g. emulation, protocol extension
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00342 with a radio frequency tag transmitter or receiver storage of additional information in an RFID tag attached to an image bearing paper sheet H04N1/32138
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/006 Using near field communication, e.g. an inductive loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure provide systems, methods, and apparatuses for leveraging near field communications (NFC) in conjunction with printer devices. Examples of the disclosure provide for novel methods of interfacing with printers configured to use near field communications using NFC enabled readers and output media. Examples include using a smart phone to access data stored on an NFC tag associated with the printer. The data provided by the NFC tag may include printer status information, printer configuration information, network information, or other data relating to operation and maintenance of the printer. The printer may also encode the NFC tag dynamically, including encoding data to NFC tags included on print media. The printer may encode an NFC tag associated with media with a variety of information in support of various use cases.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a near field communication (NFC) field using an NFC enabled device;

receiving, from an NFC tag associated with a printer, a set of data associated with the printer in response to the generated NFC field; and

executing at least one operation via the NFC enabled device in response to receiving the set of data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the set of data comprises network address data for the printer; and

the at least one operation is establishing a network connection between the NFC enabled device and the printer using the network address data, the network connection established via a protocol other than NFC.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of data comprises a password.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising enabling a remote access console for the printer on the NFC enabled device via the network connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises at least one of a printer serial number or printer model number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one operation comprises identifying one or more products or services compatible with the printer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing an interface to purchase at least one of the one or more products or services compatible with the printer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises printer state information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises a process status identifying a step of a manufacturing process or a shipping process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data is a uniform resource locator.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the uniform resource locator identifies at least one of a manufacturer website, an instructional video, or a printer user manual.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises one or more records provided in a NFC data exchange format.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more records indicate an address of at least one of an instructional video or a printer user manual.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises device warranty data.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises instructions for performing a plurality of operations and wherein the method further comprises:

displaying an interface to allow a user to select at least one of two or more of the plurality of operations;

receiving an indication of a user input to select at least one of the two or more operations; and

performing the selected at least one of the two or more operations.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one operation is a printer maintenance request, wherein the information further comprises printer maintenance information, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting the printer maintenance information to a remote computer using the NFC enabled device as part of a printer maintenance operation.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises at least one of a paper jam indication, a ribbon out indication, a media out indication, an ink level indication, or a non-authentic media indication.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises instructions to launch an application, and wherein the at least one operation comprises launching the application.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises a web page address, and wherein the at least one operation comprises launching a browser to load a web page associated with the web page address.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data comprises instructions for downloading a printer maintenance application, and wherein the at least one operation comprises downloading the printer maintenance application to the NFC enabled device.

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26. An apparatus comprising:

a printer; and

a near field communications (NFC) tag configured to, in response to a NFC field, provide a NFC enabled device with information associated with the printer.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the information comprises at least one of a printer model number, a printer serial number, media compatible with the printer, parts compatible with the printer, or a uniform resource locator associated with the printer.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the NFC tag is configured to provide instructions that cause the NFC enabled device to execute an application associated with the printer.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the information is encoded in one or more NFC data exchange format records.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the information comprises network information for initiating network communication with the printer via a wireless network.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the information comprises instructions that cause an NFC enabled device to initiate a remote management interface with the printer.

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