System and method for marking print media

• US 8,488,133 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoang, Cuong Manh, Mickan, David John, Underwood, Mark Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mushambo, Martin
• Application Number:
  US11/468,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20080055610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,512 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.2, 340/572.1, 340/568.1, 340/540, 340/500
• US Class Current: 358/1.1
• 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 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for marking media are provided. The method may include preparing an image for printing on print media, the image including an indication of a first and a second event. The method may further include printing a first portion of the image on the print media, evaluating data and electing to print a second portion of the image wherein the second portion includes the indication of either of the first or second event.

Claims

1. A method of marking print media comprising:

preparing an image for printing on a sheet of print media, the image including an indication of a first and a second event;

printing, by a print engine of an image forming device, a first portion of the image on the sheet of print media at a first location in the image forming device at or near the print engine;

evaluating data associated with the sheet of print media and selecting, based upon the data evaluated, only one of a second portion of the image indicating an occurrence of the first event and the second portion of the image indicating an occurrence of the second event; and

printing, by the print engine, the selected second portion of the image on the sheet of print media at the first location in the image forming device,

wherein the first portion of the image comprises a first predetermined number of bands of the image and the second portion of the image comprises a second predetermined number of bands of the image, the bands being linked together in a linked list data structure, wherein the data structure containing a last band of the first portion of the image includes a first link to a first band of the second portion of the image corresponding to the occurrence of the first event and a second link to a first band of the second portion of the image corresponding to the occurrence of the second event, the first and second links forming a branch in the linked list data structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is associated with an object on or within the print media.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the object is an RFID device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the evaluating comprises determining whether the RFID device is defective or non-defective, the RFID device being defective corresponding to one of the first and second events and the RFID device being non-defective corresponding to the other of the first and second events.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising programming the RFID device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising wirelessly receiving the data.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein printing the second portion of the image is printed after the first portion of the image.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein preparing an image for printing occurs before the print media reaches an image point.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein evaluating data includes determining if a defective or a non-defective RFID device is present.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first event corresponds to a non-defective RFID object and the second event corresponds to a defective RFID object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the image comprises a first predetermined number of bands of the image and the second portion of the image comprises a second predetermined number of bands of the image, the second portion of the image indicating the occurrence of the first event and the second portion of the image indicating the occurrence of the second event include a third predetermined number of bands having identical image data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the data structure for a band associated with the first link and the data structure for a band associated with the second link includes a link to a same band in the second portion of the image.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the preparing comprises preparing a page description language description of the image, including sections for the first portion of the image, and only one of the second portion of the image indicating the occurrence of the first event and the second portion of the image indicating the occurrence of the second event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the section for the second portion of the image indicating the occurrence of the second event describes a watermark which overlays the second portion of the image indicating the occurrence of the first event.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the section for the second image indicating the occurrence of the second event describes the image as a watermark or overlay relative to at least one of the section for the first image and the section for the second image indicating the occurrence of the second event.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in the following as applied to print media:

preparing an image for printing on a sheet of print media, the image including an indication of a first and a second event;

printing, by a print engine of a printing device, a first portion of the image on the sheet of print media at a first print location in the printing device at or near the print engine;

evaluating data associated with the sheet of print media and electing, based upon the data evaluated, to print a second portion of the image indicating an occurrence of the first event or to print the second portion of the image indicating an occurrence of the second event, the evaluating performed during the printing the first portion of the image on the sheet of print media; and

printing, by the print engine, the elected second portion of the image on the sheet of print media at the first print location in the printing device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the data is associated with an object on or within the print media.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the object is an RFID device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the first event corresponds to the RFID device being defective and the second event corresponds to the RFID device being non-defective.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 18, further comprising programming the RFID device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, further comprising wirelessly receiving the data.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein printing the second portion of the image is performed after the first portion of the image is printed.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein preparing the image for printing occurs before the print media reaches an image point.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the first portion of the image comprises a first predetermined number of bands of the image and the second portion of the image comprises a second predetermined number of bands of the image, the bands being linked together in a linked list data structure, wherein the data structure containing a last band of the first portion of the image includes a first link to a first band of the second portion of the image corresponding to the occurrence of the first event and a second link to a first band of the second portion of the image corresponding to the occurrence of the second event, the first and second links forming a branch in the linked list data structure.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the first portion of the image comprises a first predetermined number of bands of the image and the second portion of the image comprises a second predetermined number of bands of the image, and the second portion of the image indicating the occurrence of the first event and the second portion of the image indicating the occurrence of the second event include a third predetermined number of bands having identical image data.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the evaluating comprises electing, based upon the data evaluated, to print only one of a second portion of the image indicating an occurrence of the first event and the second portion of the image indicating an occurrence of the second event.

27. A system for marking media during a printing process comprising:

at least one processor configured to prepare an image for printing on a sheet of print media, the image including an indication of a first and a second event;

a printing device configured to print a first portion of the image on the sheet of print media at a first print location within the printing device; and

a radio frequency controller having control logic for performing a set of radio frequency control functions, the controller configured to evaluate data associated with an object on or within the sheet of print media during the printing the first portion of the image on the sheet of print media at the first print location within the printing device;

wherein the at least one processor selects a second portion of the image to be printed based upon the data evaluated, the second portion indicating only one of an occurrence of either the first event or the second event, and controls the printing device to print the second portion of the image on the sheet of print media selected at the first print location within the printing device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the printing device comprises an electrophotographic printer, an inkjet printer, a fax device, a copier, an all-in-one device or a multipurpose device.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the object is an RFID tag.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the radio frequency controller generates data indicating if the RFID tag is defective or non-defective, the first event corresponding to the RFID tag being defective and the second event corresponding to the RFID tag being non-defective.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the data is wirelessly communicated.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the printing device is configured to print the second portion of the image after the first portion of the image is printed.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor prepares an image for printing before the print media reaches an image point within the printing device.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the radio frequency controller determines if a defective or non-defective RFID device is present.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the first portion of the image comprises a first predetermined number of bands of the image and the second portion of the image comprises a second predetermined number of bands of the image, the bands being linked together in a linked list data structure, wherein the data structure containing a last band of the first portion of the image includes a first link to a first band of the second portion of the image corresponding to the occurrence of the first event and a second link to a first band of the second portion of the image corresponding to the occurrence of the second event, the first and second links forming a branch in the linked list data structure.