Printer having integrated communication port
AssigneeZIH Corp.
InventorNorman Butler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printer having an integrated communication port for communicating with a host device is provided. The printer can include a printing mechanism for printing indicia on a media multiple communication devices for communicating data to or from the media. For example, first and second electronic communication devices of the printer can be adapted for communicating according to a select protocol with select electrical storage devices that can be provided on the media. In addition, each of the electronic communication devices can be integral to the printer, and can communicate with the host device via the integrated communication port. The host computer can be programmed to control each of the operations of the printer using an integral software program.
Claims25
A printer configured to communicate with a host device for receiving a signal and, in response to the signal, printing indicia on a media and selectively electronically storing data on the media according to one of multiple protocols, the printer comprising:
- a print device for printing the indicia on a surface of the media;
- a first electronic communication device for storing the data on the media according to a first protocol;
- a second electronic communication device for storing the data on the media according to a second protocol different than the first protocol;
- at least one controller configured to control the print device and the electronic communication devices;
- and
- an integrated communication port configured to receive from the host device at least one signal representative of the indicia and the data, the communication port being in electrical communication with the controller such that the controller is configured to receive the signal and print the indicia and store the data according to the signal.
A method of printing on a media in a printer and selectively electronically storing data on the media according to one of multiple communication protocols in response to a signal received from a host device, the method comprising:
- receiving a signal from the host device via an integrated communication port, the signal being representative of an indicia and data;
- printing the indicia on a surface of the media according to the signal;
- selecting one of multiple communication protocols for storing the data;
- and
- storing the data on the media according to the signal using the select communication protocol.
A computer program product for communicating between a host device and a printer, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
- a first executable portion for communicating a signal representative of an indicia and data to the printer, such that the signal controls the printer to print the indicia on a surface of a media and store the data on the media according to a select one of multiple communication protocols;
- and
- a second executable portion for providing an integral user interface for controlling the printing of the indicia and the storing of the data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.