XML printer system with RFID capability

• US 7,988,051 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2009
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZiP Corp.
• Inventors: Alleshouse, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US12/551,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20090321513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.08, 235/462.09, 235/462.15, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An XML system is configured to print bar code labels, tags, tickets, cards, or other media, and/or encode RFID devices embedded in media, based upon an extensible markup language (XML) input data stream. The XML system includes a computer system operatively coupled to a network. 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. Alternatively, the system includes an XML processor configured to receive and process the XML input data stream, a ZPL processor configured to receive and process a format template, a variable data integrator configured to develop an association between the XML data contained in the XML input data stream and the format template, a formatting engine configured to format the associated XML data according to a format governed by the format template, and a barcode rendering engine configured to generate a printable representation of the bar code label, tag, ticket, card, other media, and/or generate encoding information for an RFID device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

formatting XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language;

generating a printable representation based on the formatted XML data; and

associating XML data contained in the XML input data stream with the format template; and

wherein formatting the XML data includes formatting the associated XML data according to the format governed by the format template; and

wherein generating the printable representation includes;

generating the printable representation based on the formatted and associated XML data, and

generating the encoding information based on the associated and formatted XML data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the encoding information includes processing an in-stream RFID-type object.

3. A method comprising:

formatting XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a proprietary programming language; and

generating a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein formatting the XML data includes formatting the XML data in accordance with program instructions scripted in the proprietary programming language.

4. A method comprising:

formatting XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language;

generating a printable representation based on the formatted XML data; and

generating one or more events based upon commands embedded in the format template.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein formatting the XML data includes formatting the XML data with a Simple API for XML (SAX) processor.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising reading data encoded in an RFID device.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising printing the printable representation on a printer.

8. A method comprising:

formatting XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language;

generating a printable representation based on the formatted XML data; and

printing the printable representation on a printer using a proprietary printer control language.

9. A method comprising:

formatting XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

generating a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein generating the printable representation includes processing an in-stream foreign object.

10. A method comprising:

formatting XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

generating a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein generating the printable representation includes processing an in-stream barcode-type object.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a formatting engine configured to format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language;

a rendering engine configured to generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

a variable data generator configured to associate XML data contained in the XML input data stream with the format template; and

wherein the formatting engine configured to format the XML data includes being configured to format the associated XML data according to the format governed by the format template; and

wherein the rendering engine configured to generate the printable representation includes being configured to

generate the printable representation based on the formatted and associated XML data; and

generate the encoding information based on the formatted and associated XML data.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the rendering engine configured to generate the encoding information includes being configured to process an in-stream RFID-type object.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a formatting engine configured to format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

a rendering engine configured to generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein the formatting engine configured to format the XML data includes being configured to format the XML data in accordance with program instructions scripted in the proprietary programming language.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a formatting engine configured to format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

a rendering engine configured to generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein the rendering engine is further configured to generate one or more events based upon commands embedded in the format template.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the formatting engine configured to format the XML data includes being configured to format the XML data with a Simple API for XML (SAX) processor.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a processor configured to receive encoded data read from an RFID device.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the rendering engine is further configured to direct a printer to print the printable representation.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a formatting engine configured to format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

a rendering engine configured to generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein the rendering engine is further configured to direct a printer to print the printable representation using a proprietary printer control language.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a formatting engine configured to format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

a rendering engine configured to generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein the rendering engine configured to generate the printable representation includes being configured to process an in-stream foreign object.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a formatting engine configured to format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

a rendering engine configured to generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein the rendering engine configured to generate the printable representation includes being configured to process an in-stream barcode-type object.

21. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having executable computer-readable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program code instructions configured to:

format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein the computer-readable program code instructions are further configured to associate XML data contained in the XML input data stream with the format template; and

wherein the computer-readable program code instructions configured to format the XML data include being configured to format the associated XML data according to the format governed by the format template; and

wherein the computer-readable program code instructions configured to generate the printable representation include being configured to;

generate the printable representation based on the formatted and associated XML data; and

generate encoding information based on the formatted and associated XML data.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the computer-readable program code instructions configured to generate the encoding information includes being configured to process an in-stream RFID-type object.

23. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having executable computer-readable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program code instructions configured to:

format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein the computer-readable program code instructions configured to format the XML data include being configured to format the XML data in accordance with program instructions scripted in the proprietary programming language.

24. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having executable computer-readable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program code instructions configured to:

format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein the computer-readable program code instructions are further configured to generate one or more events based upon commands embedded in the format template.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the computer-readable program code instructions configured to format the XML data include being configured to format the XML data with a Simple API for XML (SAX) processor.

26. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the computer-readable program code instructions are further configured to receive encoded data read from an RFID device.

27. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the computer-readable program code instructions are further configured to direct a printer to print the printable representation.

28. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having executable computer-readable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program code instructions configured to:

format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein the computer-readable program code instructions are further configured to direct a printer to print the printable representation using a proprietary printer control language.

29. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having executable computer-readable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program code instructions configured to:

format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML data;

wherein the computer-readable program code instructions configured to generate the printable representation include being configured to process an in-stream foreign object.

30. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having executable computer-readable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program code instructions configured to:

format XML data in an XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template, the format template being configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a printer control and formatting language or a proprietary programming language; and

generate a printable representation based on the formatted XML

wherein the computer-readable program code instructions configured to generate the printable representation include being configured to process an in-stream barcode-type object.