Native XML printer

• US 6,655,593 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Alleshouse, Bruce N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAIK, STEVE S
• Application Number:
  US10/348,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20030136841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.07, 235/487, 235/385, 235/383, 235/380, 705/404, 707/513
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1246 by handling markup languages, e.g. XSL, XML, HTML
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26

Abstract

An XML processing system for use in a barcode printer apparatus includes a computer system operatively coupled to the barcode printer apparatus. The computer system further includes an XML processor configured to receive, parse, and process an XML input data stream and obtain schema identified in the XML data stream from a schema repository. The XML processor validates the XML data stream based upon the schema obtained. Also included is an XSLT processor configured to obtain a stylesheet identified in the XML data stream from a stylesheet repository. The XSLT processor transforms data in the XML input data stream into transformed XML data based upon the stylesheet obtained. Also, an XSLFO processor formats the transformed XML data into formatted XML data based upon XSLFO instructions contained in the stylesheet. A barcode rendering subsystem then receives the formatted XML data and generates a bit map representative of the bar code label.

Claims

1. An XML system adapted for printing bar code labels, tags, tickets, cards or other media, based upon an extensible markup language (XML) input data stream, the XML system comprising:

a computer system having

a menmory subsystem;

a communication interface operatively coupled to a network;

an XML processor configured to receive and process the XML input data stream;

an extensible stylesheet language transformation (XSLT) processor configured to either obtain a stylesheet identified in the XML data stream or obtain the stylesheet from a stylesheet repository, the XSLT processor transforming data in the XML input data stream into transformed XML data based upon the stylesheet obtained;

an extensible style sheet language formatting object (XSLFO) processor configured to format the transformed XML data into formatted XML data based upon XSLFO instructions contained in the stylesheet; and

a barcode rendering subsystem configured to receive the formatted XML data and generate a printable representation of the bar code label, tag, ticket, card or, other media.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the memory subsystem is selected from the group of memory components consisting of RAM, ROM, hard disk storage and database system.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the memory subsystem is remote from the computer system and accessible through the network.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the memory subsystem is incorporated into the computer system.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the computer system includes a processor selected from the group consisting of a computer, microprocessor, RISC processor, mainframe computer, work station, single-chip computer, distributed processor, server, controller, micro-controller, discrete logic computer and internet computer.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system sends the XML input data stream to the XML system to initiate printing of the barcode label, tag, ticket, card or other media.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the enterprise resource planning system is a warehouse management system.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein the enterprise resource planning system is coupled to the XML system through the network.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the network is selected from the group of networks consisting of a local area network, remote network, dedicated network, Ethernet, Internet, public-switched telephone network (PSTN), and plain-old telephone system.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein the stylesheet repository contains a plurality of stylesheets and is accessed remotely by the computer system through the network.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein the barcode rendering subsystem processes an in-stream foreign object defined in the stylesheet.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein the in-stream foreign object is a barcode-type object.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the XSLFO processor cannot process an in-stream foreign object of the barcode type.

14. The system acoording to claim 1 wherein an external source transmits a request to the XML system to generate a representation of the barcode label, tag, ticket, card or other media.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the external source transmits the request over the network.

16. The system according to claim 14 wherein the external source transmits the XML input data stream to the XML system.

17. The system according to claim 1 wherein an external source transmits a request to the XML system to generate a barcode label bitmap, and in response to the request, the XML system processes the request in accordance with claim 32 and transmits the bitmap to the external source.

18. The system according to claim 1 wherein the computer system receives a request from an external source to render a barcode label, tag, ticket, card or other media, the external source transmitting the XML input data stream and wherein a bitmap generated by the barcode rendering subsystem is transmitted to the external source.

19. A method for generating a bar code label, tag, ticket, card or other media, in an XML system adapted to print bar code labels, tags, tickets, cards or other media, based upon an extensible markup language (XML) input data stream, the method comprising:

processing the XML input data stream using an XML processor;

obtaining a stylesheet either identified in the XML data stream or obtained from a stylesheet repository;

transforming data in the XML input data stream into transformed XML data using an extensible stylesheet language transformation (XSLT) processor based upon the stylesheet obtained;

formatting the transformed XML data into formatted XML data using an extensible stylesheet language formatting object (XSLFO) processor based upon XSLFO instructions contained in the stylesheet;

generating a printable representation of the bar code label, tag, ticket, card or other media using a barcode rendering subsystem based on the formatted XML data, the barcode rendering subsystem processing a barcode-type instream foreign object defined in the stylesheet; and

printing or transmitting for printing, the printable representation of the bar code label, tag, ticket, card or other media.

20. For use in a barcode apparatus, an XML processing system comprising:

a computer system operatively coupled to the barcode apparatus;

the computer system further including

an XML processor configured to receive and process an XML input data stream;

an extensible stylesheet language transformation (XSLT) processor configured to either obtain a stylesheet identified in the XML data stream or obtain the stylesheet from a stylesheet repository, the XSLT processor transforming data in the XML input data stream into tansformed XML data based upon the stylesheet obtained;

an extensible stylesheet language formatting object (XSLFO) processor configured to format the transformed XML data into formatted XML data based upon XSLFO instructions contained in the stylesheet; and

a barcode rendering subsytem configured to receive the formatted XML data and generate a printable bit map representation of the bar code label.