Tape indicia on clear film media

A print medium encoded with information bearing indicia, comprising:

• a transparent layer of a print medium having a first surface and a second surface and a leading edge;
• a strip of tape applied to the first surface of the layer of the print medium, the tape strip having a top surface which is exposed when the tape strip is applied to the print medium and a bottom surface adjacent the first surface of the print medium;
• a first machine readable information bearing indicia applied to the top surface of the tape strip;
• and
• a second machine readable information bearing indicia applied to the bottom surface of the tape strip.

A print media detection system for use in a printing device, the print media detection system comprising:

• a source configured to transmit a light signal;
• a sensor configured to detect light energy and convert the light signal into an electrical signal;
• a controller coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to receive the electrical signal from the sensor and based at least in part on the electrical signal control an operating parameter of the printing device;
• and
• a substrate configured to receive a printing composition from the printing device, the substrate having a characteristic and an edge, and a strip of tape applied to the first surface of the layer of the print medium, the tape strip having a top surface which is exposed when the tape strip is applied to the print medium and a bottom surface adjacent the first surface of the print medium, a first machine readable information bearing indicia applied to the top surface of the tape strip, and a second machine readable information bearing indicia applied to the bottom surface of the tape strip, the first and second indicia encoded with information regarding said characteristic.

A method of reading data encoded on transparent print media, comprising:

• providing a transparent layer of a print medium having a first surface and a second surface and a leading edge, the medium including a strip of tape applied to the first surface of the layer of the print medium, a machine readable information bearing indicia applied to a surface of the tape strip, the indicia formed by a pattern of fluorescent material which upon excitation by radiation of a given spectral excitation range emits radiation in a fluorescent spectral range, and
• wherein the tape reflects radiation in said given excitation spectral range and in said fluorescent spectral range;
• providing an image transfer device having a light source for illuminating the tape strip and a sensor for detecting the radiation emitted by the indicia;
• and
• illuminating the indicia with the light source and detecting the radiation emitted by the indicia to read the information represented by the indicia.