Native XML printer

For use in a barcode printer apparatus, an XML processing system comprising:

• a computer system operatively coupled to the barcode printer apparatus;
• the computer system further including
• an XML processor configured to receive and process an XML input data stream, and obtain schema identified in the XML data stream from a schema repository, the XML processor validating the XML data stream based upon the schema obtained;
• an extensible stylesheet language transformation (XSLT) processor configured to obtain a stylesheet identified in the XML data stream from a stylesheet repository, the XSLT processor transforming data in the XML input data stream into transformed XML data based upon the stylesheet obtained;
• an extensible stylesheet language formatting object (XSLFO) processor configured to format the transformed XML data into formatted XML data based upon XSLFO instructions contained in the stylesheet;
• and
• a barcode rendering subsystem configured to receive the formatted XML data and generate a bit map representative of the bar code label.

A method for generating a bar code label in an XML printer system adapted to print bar code labels based upon an extensible markup language (XML) input data stream, the XML printer system including a printer apparatus having a media control system, a print head assembly, and a print head driver, the method comprising:

• obtaining schema identified in the XML data stream from a schema repository;
• processing the XML input data stream using an XML processor;
• validating the XML data stream based upon the schema obtained;
• obtaining a stylesheet identified in the XML data stream from a stylesheet repository;
• transforming data in the XML input data stream into transformed XML data using an extensible stylesheet language transformation (XSLT) processor based upon the stylesheet obtained;
• formatting the transformed XML data into formatted XML data using an extensible stylesheet language formatting object (XSLFO) processor based upon XSLFO instructions contained in the stylesheet;
• generating a bitmap representative of the bar code label using a barcode rendering subsystem based on the formatted XML data, the barcode rendering subsystem processing a barcode-type instream foreign object defined in the stylesheet;
• and
• transmitting the bitmap to the print head driver to facilitate printing of the bar code label.

For use in a barcode printer apparatus, an XML processing system comprising:

• a computer system operatively coupled to the barcode printer apparatus;
• the computer system further including
• an XML processor configured to receive and process an XML input data stream and obtain schema identified in the XML data stream, the XML processor validating the XML data stream based upon the schema obtained;
• an extensible stylesheet language transformation (XSLT) processor configured to obtain a stylesheet identified in the XML data stream, the XSLT processor transforming data in the XML input data stream into transformed XML data based upon the stylesheet obtained;
• an extensible stylesheet language formatting object (XSLFO) processor configured to format the transformed XML data into formatted XML data based upon XSLFO instructions contained in the stylesheet;
• and
• a barcode rendering subsystem configured to receive the formatted XML data and generate a bit map representative of the bar code label.