Supply package having support element with RFID

An apparatus for dispensing sheet material from a supply package, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing arranged for receiving the supply package;
• a feed mechanism for advancing said sheet material through a discharge opening of said housing;
• a motor for driving said feed mechanism;
• and
• a controller for powering the motor to drive the feed mechanism, wherein
• said controller includes a radio frequency identification base station provided with an antenna adapted to communicate with an antenna in a radio frequency identification tag applied on a releasable support element releasably attached to said supply package, said controller being arranged to allow the motor to drive the feed mechanism depending on information stored in a memory circuit in said radio frequency identification tag applied on said supply package, and a connector device for locating said supply package in said housing so that a signal from the radio frequency identification tag on the releasable support element is receivable at the antenna of the base station, and
• the supply package is a roll of sheet material having an axis of symmetry extending along an axial direction of the roll of sheet material, the radio frequency identification tag is positioned centrally on the releasable support element to cover the axis of symmetry, and the antenna of the radio frequency identification base station is positioned in the housing to be in the axis of symmetry.