Performance optimized smart label printer

• US 6,246,326 B1
• Filed: 05/05/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Larsson, Jan-Erik, Wiklof, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US09/305,393
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.5, 340/551, 298/27, 156/177
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0025 the arrangement consisting of a wireless interrogation device in combination with a device for optically marking the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• 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: G08B 13/244 Tag manufacturing, e.g. continuous manufacturing processes

Abstract

A smart label printing system and method for printing smart labels is provided. The smart label printing system enables the expedited programming of the RFID tag component of the smart label so that delays due to the unequal time between printing the exterior of the smart label and encoding the smart label are avoided. The smart label printing system comprises a thermal printing unit to print the exterior of the smart label as well as an RF driver to program the RFID tag embedded inside the smart label. Methods are provided to increase overall throughput speed of the smart label, including prioritizing RFID tag data over exterior printing data in a RAM, compressing RFID tag data sent from a host computer, pre-loading fixed and regularly varying data, and predicting variable unknown data through the use of an artificial intelligence model. In addition, methods for uniquely arranging programming antennas and media pathways which act to speed up overall programming speed are also provided.

Claims

1. A printing system for smart labels, wherein said smart labels comprise outer printing surfaces for printing indicia thereon and embedded RFID tags, comprising:

a printing unit;

a plurality of antennas disposed around said printing unit;

a radio frequency driver sending signals to said antennas for transmission to said RFID tags;

a processor coupled to said printing unit and said radio frequency driver;

a memory coupled to said processor storing data to be sent to said printing unit and said radio frequency driver; and

,

a non-volatile memory coupled to said processor storing program instructions for controlling said processor, said program instructions comprising the steps of reading said data from said memory;

generating a writing signal for said radio frequency driver; and

generating a printing signal for said printing unit, said processor commanding operation of said radio frequency driver to encode at least one smart label and said printing unit to print said smart label in response to said data;

wherein a first one of said plurality of antennas broadcasts a carrier wave signal to energize one of said RFID tags and a second one of said plurality of antennas subsequently communicates with said one of said RFID tags.

2. The printing system of claim 1, further comprising an artificial intelligence model coupled to said processor and configured to learn individual RFID tag data characteristics.

3. The printing system of claim 2, wherein said artificial intelligence model comprises a model configured to predict incomplete RFID tag data based upon previous RFID tag data characteristics.

4. The printing system of claim 1, wherein said printing unit further comprises a print head, a controller coupled to said print head sending activation signals, and a media transport mechanism adapted to transport a Print media to said print head, said print media being comprised of individual ones of said labels, and wherein said printing unit further comprises a pathway means for delivering said print media from a print media roll to said print head, wherein said pathway means provides a queue between said print media roll and said print head including a variable length of said print media.

5. The printing system of claim 4, wherein said pathway means further comprises a variable length loop of said print media between said print media roll and said print head.

6. The printing system of claim 4, wherein said pathway means further provides an accordion fold arrangement of said print media between said print media roll and said print head.

7. A printing system for smart labels, wherein said smart labels comprise outer printing surfaces for printing indicia thereon and embedded RFID tags, comprising:

means for individually programming said RFID tags;

means for compressing data to be programmed into said RFID tags; and

means for pre-loading a data range to be programmed into said RFID tags.

8. The printing system of claim 7, wherein said data range comprises fixed data.

9. The printing system of claim 7, further comprising means for predicting missing portions of data sets to be sent to individual RFID tags.

10. The printing system of claim 7, wherein said printing unit further comprises a pathway means for delivering said labels from a label origin to said print head, wherein said pathway means provides a queue between said origin and said print head including a variable length of media.

11. The printing system of claim 10, wherein said pathway means further comprises a variable length loop of media between said origin and said print head.

12. The printing system of claim 10, wherein said pathway means further provides an accordion fold arrangement of media between said origin and said print head.

13. A printing system for smart labels, wherein said smart labels comprise outer printing surfaces for printing indicia thereon and embedded RFID tags, comprising:

means for individually programming said RFID tags;

means for prioritizing data to be programmed into said RFID tags; and

means for pre-loading a data range to be programmed into said RFID tags.

14. The printing system of claim 13, wherein said data range comprises fixed data.

15. The printing system of claim 13, further comprising means for predicting missing portions of data sets to be sent to individual RFID tags.

16. The printing system of claim 13, wherein said printing unit further comprises a pathway means for delivering said labels from a label origin to said print head, wherein said pathway means provides a queue between said origin and said print head including a variable length of media.

17. The printing system of claim 16, wherein said pathway means further comprises a variable length loop of media between said origin and said print head.

18. The printing system of claim 16, wherein said pathway means further provides an accordion fold arrangement of media between said origin and said print head.

19. A method for increasing the speed at which the RFID tag component of a smart label is programmed during a printing operation of said smart label by a printing unit having a print head for printing information onto an exterior portion of said smart label, wherein said printing unit is coupled to a smart label printing system, wherein a plurality of antennas are used to write to said RFID tag, and wherein a pathway is provided for said smart label, said pathway extending between an origin for said smart label and said print head, said method comprising the steps of:

optimally configuring data to be programmed into said RFID tag by one or more of predicting said data, pre-loading said data, prepending said data, and compressing said data; and

programming said data into said RFID tag.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising energizing selected ones of said antennas for sequential programming of said smart label.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising broadcasting a carrier wave signal to energize an RFID tag with a first of said plurality of antennas and communicating with said RFID tag with a second of said plurality of antennas.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of configuring further comprises predicting variable data, including evaluating said RFID tag data and generating a model based on historical characteristics.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of configuring further comprises comparing predicted variable data programmed into said RFID tag with actual RFID tag data upon receipt.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of configuring further comprises writing said actual RFID tag data to said RFID tag if said predicted data does not match said actual RFID tag data.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of configuring further comprises pre-loading fixed and regularly varying data ranges for said RFID tag data into said smart label printing system.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of configuring further comprises prepending said RFID tag data onto data to be printed on said exterior portion of said smart label.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of configuring further comprises compressing said RFID tag data to a code format with fewer than 8 bits per character.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein said printing unit further comprises a thermal printing unit.

29. A printing system for smart labels, wherein said smart labels comprise external printing surfaces for printing indicia thereon and embedded RFID tags, said system comprising:

a printing unit;

at least one antenna disposed near said printing unit, wherein said antenna is configured to broadcast a carrier wave signal to energize said RFID tags;

a radio frequency driver configured to send signals to said antenna for transmission to said RFID tags;

a processor coupled to said printing unit and said radio frequency driver;

a memory coupled to said processor for storing data to be sent to said printing unit and said radio frequency driver;

wherein said system is operable at selectable times to encode at least one of said smart labels with at least a first portion of said data, and to print said at least one of said smart labels with at least a second portion of said data.

30. The printing system of claim 29, further comprising an artificial intelligence model coupled to said processor and configured to learn individual RFID tag data characteristics.

31. The printing system of claim 30, wherein said artificial intelligence model comprises a model configured to predict incomplete RFID tag data based upon previous RFID tag data characteristics.

32. The printing system of claim 29, wherein said printing unit further comprises a print head, a controller coupled to said print head sending activation signals, and a media transport mechanism adapted to transport a print media to said print head, said print media being comprised of individual ones of said smart labels.

33. The printing system of claim 29, wherein said printing unit further comprises a thermal printing unit.

34. The printing system of claim 32, wherein said printing unit further comprises means for delivering said print media from a print media roll to said print head, wherein said delivering means provides a queue between said print media roll and said print head including a variable length of said print media.

35. The printing system of claim 34, wherein said delivering means further comprises a variable length loop of said print media between said print media roll and said print head.

36. The printing system of claim 34, wherein said delivering means further provides an accordion fold arrangement of said print media between said print media roll and said print head.

37. The printing system of claim 29, further comprising a plurality of antennas, including said at least one antenna, disposed near said printing unit, wherein at least one of said plurality of antennas is configured to broadcast a carrier wave signal to energize said RFID tags.

38. The printing system of claim 37, wherein a first one of said plurality of antennas broadcasts a carrier wave signal to energize ones of said RFID tags and a second one of said plurality of antennas subsequently communicates with said ones of said RFID tags.

39. A printing system for smart labels, wherein said smart labels comprise external printing surfaces for printing indicia thereon and embedded RFID tags, said system comprising:

a printing unit for printing indicia on said smart labels;

transmitting means for transmitting signals to said embedded RFID tags;

a processor coupled to said printing unit and said transmitting means;

speed increasing means for increasing the speed of operation of said system;

wherein said system is operable at selectable times to encode successive ones of said embedded RFID tags with at least a first portion of said data, and to print successive ones of said smart labels with at least a second portion of said data.

40. The printing system of claim 39, wherein said speed increasing means further comprises an artificial intelligence model coupled to said processor and configured to learn individual RFID tag data characteristics.

41. The printing system of claim 40, wherein said artificial intelligence model comprises a model configured to predict incomplete RFID tag data based upon previous RFID tag data characteristics.

42. The printing system of claim 39, wherein said printing unit further comprises a print head, and a media transport mechanism adapted to transport a print media to said print head, and means for delivering said print media from a print media roll to said print head, wherein said delivering means provides a queue between said print media roll and said print head including a variable length of said print media.

43. The printing system of claim 42, wherein said delivering means further comprises a variable length loop of said print media between said print media roll and said print head.

44. The printing system of claim 42, wherein said delivering means further provides an accordion fold arrangement of said print media between said print media roll and said print head.

45. A method for increasing the speed at which the RFID tag component of a smart label is programmed during a printing operation of said smart label by a printing unit having a print head for printing information onto an exterior portion of said smart label, wherein said printing unit is coupled to a smart label printing system, and wherein a plurality of antennas are used to write to said RFID tag, said method comprising the steps of:

configuring data to be programmed into said RFID tag into a plurality of data portions; and

sequentially energizing selected ones of said antennas to broadcast to corresponding ones of said plurality of data portions, thereby programming said data into said RFID tag.