Program stored in medium readable by computer for measuring optimum feed amount to RFID antenna, feed amount measuring method, and printer having RFID read/write function

• US 20060139662A1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,679,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.500
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• 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 19/07716 the record carrier comprising means for customization, e.g. being arranged for personalization in batch
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions

Abstract

A program executed by a computer for measuring an optimum feed amount to an RFID antenna from a print standby position of a printer which reads and writes data from/on an RFID tag by feeding a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and then prints on the label surface by feeding the label or tag in the reverse direction, having step of performing a read/write test to the RFID tag whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed amount from a print standby position, and a step of outputting the result of the read/write test visibly performed in the steps.

Claims

1. A program stored in a medium readable by a computer for measuring an optimum feed amount to an RFID antenna from a print standby position of a printer which reads and writes data from/on an RFID tag by feeding a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and then prints on the label surface by feeding the label or tag in the reverse direction, comprising:

testing the RFID tag for reading/writing whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed feed amount from a print standby position, and

outputting the result of the read/write test visibly.

2. The program stored in a medium readable by a computer according to claim 1, wherein

testing the RFID tag for reading is judgment whether specified data stored in the tag can be successfully read or not and testing the RFID tag for writing is a judgment which judges that data is successfully written when receiving a signal, which means that data is written to the RFID tag, from the RFID tag.

3. A program stored in a medium readable by a computer for measuring an optimum feed amount to an RFID antenna from a print standby position of a printer which reads and writes data from/on an RFID tag by feeding a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and then prints on the label surface by feeding the label or tag in the reverse direction, comprising:

testing the RFID tag for reading whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed feed amount from a print standby position, and

outputting the result of the read test visibly.

4. The program stored in a medium readable by a computer according to claim 3, wherein

testing the RFID tag for reading is judgment whether specified data stored in the tag can be successfully read or not.

5. A program stored in a medium readable by a computer for measuring an optimum feed amount to an RFID antenna from a print standby position of a printer which reads and writes data from/on an RFID tag by feeding a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and then prints on the label surface by feeding the label or tag in the reverse direction, comprising:

testing the RFID tag for writing whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed feed amount from a print standby position, and

outputting the result of the write test visibly.

6. The program stored in a medium readable by a computer according to claim 5, wherein

testing the RFID tag for writing is a judgment which judges that data is successfully written when receiving a signal, which means that data is written to the RFID tag, from the RFID tag.

7. A method of measuring an optimum feed amount to an RFID antenna from a print standby position of a printer which reads and writes data from/on an RFID tag by feeding a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and then prints on the label surface by feeding the label or tag in the reverse direction, comprising:

testing the RFID tag for reading/writing whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed feed amount from a print standby position, and

outputting the result of the read/write test visibly.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

testing the RFID tag for reading is judgment whether specified data stored in the tag can be successfully read or not and testing the RFID tag for writing is a judgment which judges that data is successfully written when receiving a signal, which means that data is written to the RFID tag, from the RFID tag.

9. A method of measuring an optimum feed amount to an RFID antenna from a print standby position of a printer which reads and writes data from/on an RFID tag by feeding a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and then prints on the label surface by feeding the label or tag in the reverse direction, comprising:

testing the RFID tag for reading whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed feed amount from a print standby position, and

outputting the result of the read test visibly.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein

testing the RFID tag for reading is judgment whether specified data stored in the tag can be successfully read or not.

11. A method of measuring an optimum feed amount to an RFID antenna from a print standby position of a printer which reads and writes data from/on an RFID tag by feeding a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and then prints on the label surface by feeding the label or tag in the reverse direction, comprising:

testing the RFID tag for writing whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed feed amount from a print standby position, and

outputting the result of the write test visibly.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

testing the RFID tag for writing is a judgment which judges that data is successfully written when receiving a signal, which means that data is written to the RFID tag, from the RFID tag.

13. A printer having an RFID read/write function to read/write an RFID tag of a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and print on the surface of the label or tag, comprising:

a test unit configured to perform a read/write test to the RFID tag whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed amount from a print standby position; and

a output device configured to output the result of the read/write test visibly.

14. The printer according to claim 13, wherein

the test unit tests the RFID tag for reading is judgment whether specified data stored in the tag can be successfully read or not and tests the RFID tag for writing is a judgment which judges that data is successfully written when receiving a signal, which means that data is written to the RFID tag, from the RFID tag.

15. A printer having an RFID read/write function to read/write an RFID tag of a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and print on the surface of the label or tag, comprising:

a test unit configured to perform a read test to the RFID tag whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed amount from a print standby position; and

a output device configured to output the result of the read/write test visibly.

16. The printer according to claim 15, wherein

the test unit tests the RFID tag for reading is judgment whether specified data stored in the tag can be successfully read or not.

17. A printer having an RFID read/write function to read/write an RFID tag of a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and print on the surface of the label or tag, comprising:

a test unit configured to perform a write test to the RFID tag whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed amount from a print standby position; and

a output device configured to output the result of the read/write test visibly.

18. The printer according to claim 17, wherein

the test unit tests the RFID tag for writing is a judgment which judges that data is successfully written when receiving a signal, which means that data is written to the RFID tag, from the RFID tag.

19. A printer having an RFID read/write function to read/write an RFID tag of a label or tag containing an RFID tag, and print on the surface of the label or tag, comprising:

a read/write unit configured to read and write from/in the RFID tag whenever the label or tag is fed by a fixed amount from a print standby position;

a take-in unit configured to take in the feed amount based on the results of the reading and writing; and

an issue unit configured to feed the label or tag based on the feed amount taken in by the take-in unit, and performs printing, when a command to issue a label or tag is received.

20. The printer according to claim 19, wherein

printing on the surface of the label or tag is performed by a thermal printer.

21. The printer according to claim 20, wherein printing is performed by transferring ink of a ink ribbon to a paper.