XML PRINTER SYSTEM

• US 20080030771A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Alleshouse, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 7,959,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1243 Variable data printing, e.g. document forms, templates, labels, coupons, advertisements, logos, watermarks, transactional printing, fixed content versioning
• 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: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/154 Tree transformation for tree-structured or markup documents, e.g. XSLT, XSL-FO or stylesheets

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. Alternatively, the system includes a SAX 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 receive the associated and formatted XML data and generate a bit map representative of the bar code label.

Claims

1. An XML printer system adapted for printing bar code labels, tags, tickets, cards or other media and/or for encoding of RFID devices associated with a media, based upon an extensible markup language (XML) input data stream, the XML printer system comprising:

a computer system having

a memory subsystem;

a communication interface;

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

a formatting engine configured to format XML data in the XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template; and

a rendering engine configured to receive the formatted XML data and generate a printable presentation of the bar code label, tag, ticket, card or other media and/or generate encoding information for the RFID device.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a variable data integrator configured to associate XML data contained in the XML input data stream and the format template,

wherein said formatting engine formats the associated XML data received from the variable data integrator according to the format governed by the format template, and said rendering engine generates the printable representations and encoding information based on the associated and formatted data.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the formatting engine is configured to execute computer program instructions scripted in a proprietary programming language.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the format template is configured to govern formatting of data in accordance with a proprietary programming language.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the format template is a ZPL-based format template.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the format template is sent to the XML processor and saved for use with XML data downloaded at a subsequent time.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the XML processor is an SAX processor.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the XML processor generates one or more events based upon commands embedded in the format template.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein the events are selected from the group consisting of a set printer speed event, set quantity of labels to print event, select media event, select ribbon to use event, choose paper event, use 300 dpi printer event, use 600 dpi printer event, and variable data event.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein the computer system reads data encoded in the RFID device.

11. The system according to claim 1 further including a host computer operatively coupled to the network

12. The system according to claim 10 wherein the data read from the RFID device is transmitted to a host computer.

13. The system according to claim 1 further including a printer operatively coupled to the computer system.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the printer is controlled according to a ZPL-based printer control language.

15. The system according to claim 13 wherein the printer is controlled according to a proprietary printer control language.

16. The system according to claim 1 wherein the rendering engine is further configured to process an in-stream foreign object.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein the in-stream foreign object is a barcode-type object.

18. The system according to claim 16 wherein the in-stream foreign object is a RFID-type object.

19. A method for printing bar code labels, tags, tickets, cards or other media and/or for encoding of RFID devices associated with a media, based upon an extensible markup language (XML) input data stream, the method comprising:

receiving the XML input data stream;

formatting XML data in the XML input data stream according to a format governed by a format template; and

generating a printable presentation of the bar code label, tag, ticket, card or other media and/or generating encoding information for the RFID device.

20. The method according to claim 19 further comprising:

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

formatting the associated XML data received from the variable data integrator according to the format governed by the format template, and wherein said generating steps generate the printable representations and encoding information based on the associated and formatted data.

21-68. -68. (canceled)