Dual rfid modules in an rfid printer/encoder/verification system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016189019-A1
Application number	US-201514882225-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2015
Priority date	Oct 13, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A high speed tabletop and industrial printer is disclosed with integrated high speed RFID encoding and verification at the same time. The industrial printer simultaneously prints on and electronically encodes/verifies RFID labels, tags, and/or stickers attached to a continuous web. The industrial printer comprises a lighted sensor array for indexing the printing to the RFID tags; and a cutter powered from the industrial printer for cutting the web that the RFID tags are disposed on. The industrial printer comprises two RFID reader/writers that are individually controlled. Specifically, one of the RFID reader/writers comprises the ability to electronically encode the RFID tags while the web is moving; and the second RFID reader/writer uses an additional RFID module and antenna on the printer for verifying the data encoded to the RFID tags.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A radio frequency identification (RFID) printer device for electronically encoding and verifying radio frequency identification (RFID) labels, tags, or other construction media, comprising:
a print head capable of printing on the RFID tags; a first RFID reader/writer module that electronically encodes the RFID tags with data; a second RFID reader/writer module that verifies the data encoded to the RFID tag; and a processor for communicating with the first and the second RFID reader/writer modules; and wherein the printer device can encode and verify simultaneously via the first and the second RFID read/writer modules.

2 . The printer device of claim 1 , wherein the first and the second RFID reader/writer modules cooperate with each other and operate independently encoding and verifying RFID transponders within the RFID labels, tags, or other construction media.

3 . The printer device of claim 2 , wherein the RFID tags each comprise an RFID transponder.

4 . The printer device of claim 3 , wherein the first RFID reader/writer module encodes data to an RFID transponder when the RFID transponder reaches an encoding location.

5 . The printer device of claim 4 , wherein the second RFID reader/writer module reads the RFID transponder and compares the read data with data provided by a printer controller.

6 . The printed device of claim 5 , wherein if the compared read data does not match the data provided by the printer controller the RFID transponder is defective and marked with a visual indication.

7 . The printer device of claim 1 , wherein the RFID tags are arranged in a continuous web so that the RFID tags can be printed or encoded as part of a continuous process.

8 . The printer device of claim 7 , further comprising a cutter to cut the continuous web being printed on.

9 . The printer device of claim 1 may optionally use a shield between multiple RFID units to improve performance and minimize cross talk.

10 . The printer device of claim 1 , wherein the RFID transponder status and data can be communicated by I 2 C NFC transponder embedded in the printer.

11 . The printer device of claim 10 , wherein the print head can accept input information from Java Script Object Notation (JSON), Document Format (PDF) or Personalized Print Markup Language (PPM L).

12 . A radio frequency identification (RFID) printer device for electronically encoding and verifying radio frequency identification (RFID) labels, tags, or other construction media, comprising:
a print head capable of printing on the RFID tags, wherein each of the RFID tags comprises an RFID transponder; a first RFID reader/writer module that electronically encodes data to an RFID transponder when the RFID transponder reaches an encoding location; a second RFID reader/writer module that reads the RFID transponder and compares the read data with data provided by a printer controller; and a processor for communicating with the first and the second RFID reader/writer modules; and wherein the first and the second RFID reader/writer modules cooperate with each other and operate independently, simultaneously encoding and verifying RFID transponders within the RFID labels, tags, or other construction media; and wherein the RFID tags are arranged in a continuous web so that the RFID tags can be printed or encoded as part of a continuous process.

13 . A process for encoding, and verifying RFID products, using a printer device of claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
feeding a label in position; encoding desired data to an RFID transponder when the RFID transponder reaches an encoding location via a first RFID reader/writer module; reading the RFID transponder; and comparing the read data with data provided by the printer controller via a second RFID reader/writer module.

14 . The process of claim 13 , further comprising operating the first and the second RFID reader/writer modules independently.

15 . The process of claim 14 , further comprising simultaneously encoding and verifying RFID transponders within the RFID labels via the first and the second RFID reader/writer modules.

16 . The process of claim 15 , further comprising determining whether the RFID tag contains a failed RFID.

17 . The process of claim 16 , wherein if the compared read data does not match the data provided by the printer controller it is determined that the RFID tag contains a failed RFID.

18 . The process of claim 17 , wherein if the RFID tag contains a failed RFID, then marking the failed RFID via a print mechanism.

19 . The process of claim 18 , wherein the failed RFID is marked with a visual indication.

20 . The process of claim 19 , further comprising sending the failed RFID to a host for data logging purposes.

Assignees

• Avery Dennison Retail Information Services Llc

Inventors

• Duckett Jeanne F
• Neuhard Lance D
• Wimmers David J
• Wirrig Richard D

Classifications

• G06K19/0725

  the arrangement being a circuit for emulating a plurality of record carriers, e.g. a single RFID tag capable of representing itself to a reader as a cloud of RFID tags · CPC title

• B41J2/36

  Print density control · CPC title

• B41J15/00

  Devices or arrangements {of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers,} specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in continuous form, e.g. webs · CPC title

• B41M5/0052

  by thermal printing · CPC title

• G06K7/00

  Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, {e.g. for reading patterns} (methods or arrangements for marking the record carrier in digital fashion G06K1/00; pattern recognition G06F18/00; arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding G06V10/00; character recognition, recognising digital ink or document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00) · CPC title