RFID label printing system
AssigneeBrady Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsTony J. Barrett, Charles J. Check, Craig A. Mauch, Michele Lauria, Peter G. Scharpf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A radio frequency identification device (RFID) label printing system which includes a printer for printing on a label having RFID circuitry. The printer includes a label exit for expelling a printed label, and an external programming module disposed adjacent the label exit for encoding the label expelled from said label exit. The external programming module can include a label marking mechanism which selectively marks a label to indicate a defective label to a user. A host computer communicatively connected to the printer and the external programming module coordinates the operation of the printer and the external programming module.
Claims38
A radio frequency identification device (RFID) label printing system comprising:
- a printer including a label exit for expelling a printed label having RFID circuitry;
- an external programming module disposed adjacent said label exit for encoding the label expelled from said label exit, said programming module including an antenna disposed adjacent an exit slot of said printer, and having a shield mounted adjacent said antenna for focusing a magnetic field generated by said antenna toward a label being encoded, wherein said shield is formed from material selected from a group consisting of conductive and magnetic materials;
- and
- a host computer communicatively connected to said printer and said external programming module for coordinating the operation of said printer and said external programming module.
An external programming module for programming radio frequency identification device (RFID) labels exiting a printer slot, said module comprising:
- an antenna;
- circuitry electrically connected to said antenna for interacting with an RFID label, and communicatively connected to a host, wherein said host communicates data to said circuitry for encoding on a printed RFID label exiting said printer slot and passing said antenna;
- and
- a shield mounted adjacent said antenna for focusing a magnetic field generated by said antenna toward a label being encoded, wherein said shield is formed from a material selected from a group consisting of conductive and magnetic materials.
A programming module for programming printed radio frequency identification device (RFID) labels, said module comprising:
- an encoder for encoding a printed RFID label, said encoder including an antenna, and having a shield mounted adjacent said antenna for focusing a magnetic field generated by said antenna toward a label being encoded, wherein said shield is formed from material selected from a group consisting of conductive and magnetic materials;
- means for determining whether said label is defective;
- and
- a label marking mechanism disposed adjacent said encoder for selectively marking the printed RFID label if said label is defective.
A method of providing a radio frequency identification device (RFID) label comprising the steps of:
- printing on a label having RFID circuitry;
- advancing said label into the range of an antenna of a programming module;
- focusing radio frequency (RF) energy from said antenna toward said RFID circuitry using focusing means mounted adjacent the antenna to encode data in said RFID circuitry;
- determining whether said label is defective;
- and
- selectively marking said label if said label is defective.
In a computer system having a label printing application comprising:
- means for printing on a label having radio frequency identification device (RFID) circuitry;
- means for advancing said label into the range of an antenna of a programming module;
- means for focusing radio frequency (RF) energy from said antenna toward said RFID circuitry to encode data in said RFID circuitry;
- means for determining whether said label is defective;
- and
- means for selectively marking said label if said data is not transmitted by said RFID circuitry to indicate the label is defective.
A machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:
- printing on a label having radio frequency identification device (RFID) circuitry;
- advancing said label into the range of an antenna of a programming module;
- focusing radio frequency (RF) energy from said antenna toward said RFID circuitry to encode data in said RFID circuitry;
- determining whether said label is defective;
- and
- selectively marking said label if said data is not transmitted by said RFID circuitry to indicate the label is defective.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.