Systems and methods for providing a media located on a spool and/or a cartridge where the media includes a wireless communication device attached thereto
View Patent ↗A media supply apparatus and associated methods are provided. The apparatus can include a spool on which a media is wound, and/or the media can be provided in a cartridge either wound about a spool or wound about itself. A wireless device such as a programmable radio frequency identification (RFID) device is disposed on the media, for example, near one of the ends of the media. The wireless device can have a memory that is configured to store data and an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency signal for programming the memory. Thus, the wireless device can be used to store data associated with the supply apparatus such as the type of media, aspects of the manufacture of the media, and the like. In some cases, the data can be programmed before or during use of the supply apparatus.
1. A media supply apparatus for maintaining a transfer ribbon comprising:
a spool;
a transfer ribbon defining first and second distal ends and being at least partially wound on the spool; and
a wireless device disposed on said transfer ribbon, said wireless device having a memory configured to store data and an antenna configured to at least transmit the data stored in the memory to a remote location,
wherein said transfer ribbon is wound on the spool such that the first end is disposed radially inward of a plurality of wound layers of said transfer ribbon and the second end is disposed radially outward of the plurality of wound layers of said transfer ribbon, said wireless device being disposed on said transfer ribbon proximate to the first end and in contact with the spool such that said wireless device is disposed between the spool and the plurality of wound layers of said transfer ribbon.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said transfer ribbon is a dye carrier with at least one thermal transfer dye disposed thereon.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said wireless device is programmed with data corresponding to a characteristic of said transfer ribbon.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a housing defining an interior space, the spool being disposed in the interior space of the housing and said wireless device being configured to receive a wireless signal transmitted through said housing.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said wireless device is selected from the group consisting of RFID, optical, capacitive sense element, and magnetic sense element.
6. An apparatus for supplying a transfer ribbon, the apparatus comprising:
a spool;
a media of a transfer ribbon, said media defining first and second distal ends said media at least partially wound on the spool; and
a first wireless device disposed on said media, said wireless device having a memory configured to store data and an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency signal for programming the memory;
wherein said spool defines at least one of the group consisting of an outer surface defining a recess for at least partially receiving the wireless device, an outer surface defining an annular groove for at least partially receiving the wireless device, an aperture extending from an outer surface of said spool with said wireless device being configured on said spool to communicate through the aperture, and a portion of the spool configured to be deformed such that said spool at least partially receives said wireless device.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein an outer surface of said spool defines a recess for at least partially receiving the wireless device.
8. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein an outer surface of said spool defines an annular groove for at least partially receiving the wireless device.
9. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said spool defines a bore extending at least partially therethrough and an aperture extending from an outer surface of said spool to the bore, said wireless device being configured on said spool such that said wireless device can communicate through the aperture.
10. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein a portion of the spool is configured to be deformed such that said spool at least partially receives said wireless device.
11. An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a housing defining an interior space, said spool being disposed in the interior space of said housing and said wireless device being configured to receive a wireless signal transmitted through said housing.
12. An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a second wireless device mounted to said spool and having a memory configured to store data and an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency signal for programming the memory of said second wireless device.
13. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said media is disposed in a wound configuration such that the first end is disposed radially inward of a plurality of wound layers of said media and the second end is disposed radially outward of the plurality of wound layers of said media, said wireless device being disposed on said media proximate to the first end.
14. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said media is disposed in a wound configuration such that the first end is disposed radially inward of a plurality of wound layers of said media and the second end is disposed radially outward of the plurality of wound layers of said media, said wireless device being disposed on said media proximate to the second end.
15. An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a structure and first and second spools rotatably mounted to said structure, said media being at least partially wound on said first spool and configured to be transferred therefrom to said second spool.
16. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said wireless device is programmed with data corresponding to a characteristic of said media.
17. An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising an overlay adhered to said media with said wireless device disposed between said overlay and said media, wherein said overlay is a label with indicia thereon.
18. An apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said media includes multiple plies and said wireless device is located between two of the plies of said media.
19. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said wireless device is a radio frequency identification device configured to receive data via a radio frequency signal.
20. An apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said wireless device is selected from the group consisting of RFID, optical, capacitive sense element, and magnetic sense element.
21. An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a second wireless device, said wireless device having a memory configured to store data and an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency signal for programming the memory.
22. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said first and second wireless devices are configured to receive radio frequency signals from transceivers at different locations.
23. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said first and second wireless devices are configured to store different data.