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US 8,127,991 B2Granted
Removable media spindle and antenna assembly for printer
AssigneeBrady Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsPeter G. Ross, William D. Tischer, Robert F. Behlmer, Peter G. Scharpf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A removable spindle for use in a thermal transfer printer houses dual RFID reader antennas that are used to read an RFID tag attached to the core of the print media. The information provided by the RFID tag enables the printer to self-calibrate based on the type of media loaded. The antenna design eliminates “null” areas at which the tag cannot be read, and enables the tag to be read around and across the entire length of the printer spindle. The design also allows the media holder to be easily removed from the printer.
Claims20
A printer, comprising:
- an RF transceiver;
- an antenna assembly sized and dimensioned to be received in the interior of a core of a roll of media including at least one RFID tag, the antenna assembly comprising a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the first antenna is positioned with respect to the second antenna to allow the transceiver to acquire data from the RFID tag from the other of the first and second antennas when a selected one of the first and second antennas is in a null area for data communications from the RFID tag;
- and
- a controller connected to the RF transceiver, the controller being programmed to switch between the first and second antennas to avoid the null area.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.