Granted Patent B2

US 8,058,995 · App. 12/211,391 · Granted Nov 15, 2011

Abstract

Claims (51)

1. A device for enabling printing of a multi-frequency RFID label scheme, comprising:

a first circuit configured to program a first RFID tag having a first frequency;

a second circuit configured to program a second RFID tag having a second frequency, the first and second RFID tags being associated with the multi-frequency RFID label scheme;

a third circuit for receiving a request having the multi-frequency RFID label scheme; and

a fourth circuit for communicating with and controlling each of the first and second circuits, and selecting at least one thereof based upon one or more RFID tag types or frequencies identified in the request having the multi-frequency RFID label scheme.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first antenna operatively coupled to the first circuit, said first antenna configured to permit communication between said first circuit and said first RFID tag over said first frequency; and

a second antenna operatively coupled to said second circuit, said second antenna configured to permit communication between said second circuit and said second RFID tag over said second frequency.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein said first and second antennas are combined into a single substrate to form a single antenna assembly.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein said first antenna is configured to operate at approximately 13 to 14 MHz and said second antenna is configured to operate at approximately 865 to 928 MHz.

5. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a storage module configured to store a first tag object encoded with RFID tag information corresponding to said first RFID tag and a second tag object encoded with RFID tag information corresponding to said second RFID tag, wherein the fourth circuit has access to the first and second tag objects.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein said RFID information includes one or more of a tag identifier, a tag operating frequency, a tag protocol, an operation to be performed, a tag position and data to be programmed.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a physically removable module configured to be operatively coupled with a printing device.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a printing device.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first RFID tag is an HF RFID tag and the second RFID tag is a UHF RFID tag.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit, second circuit, third circuit, and fourth circuit are integrated into a single module.

11. The device of claim 10 , further comprising:

a first RF stage for operatively coupling the single module to a first antenna; and

a second RF stage for operatively coupling the single module to a second antenna.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the fourth circuit selects both the first and second circuits for programming the first and second tags, respectively, based upon the request.

13. A method for printing a multi-frequency RFID label scheme, comprising:

receiving a print job that includes a multi-frequency RFID label scheme;

accessing RFID tag information associated with the multi-frequency RFID label scheme;

identifying a first RFID tag type associated with the multi-frequency RFID label scheme, including a first RFID operating frequency;

selecting a first RFID programmer associated with the first RFID operating frequency, the selecting of the first RFID programmer being based upon the multi-frequency RFID label scheme in the print job;

programming a first RFID tag associated with the first RFID operating frequency by the first RFID programmer;

identifying a second RFID tag type associated with the multi-frequency RFID label scheme, including a second RFID operating frequency;

selecting a second RFID programmer associated with the second RFID operating frequency, the selecting of the second RFID programmer being based upon the multi-frequency RFID label scheme in the print job; and

programming a second RFID tag associated with the second RFID operating frequency by the second RFID programmer.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining if said programming the first and second RFID tags was successful.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising returning a programming result to page management circuitry.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein said identifying the first and second RFID tag types includes accessing at least one tag object data structure, the at least one tag object data structure encoded with RFID information of the first and second RFID tags associated with the multi-frequency RFID label scheme.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

identifying a third RFID tag type associated with the multi-frequency RFID label scheme, including a third RFID operating frequency;

selecting an RFID programmer associated with the third RFID operating frequency; and

programming a third RFID tag associated with the third RPID operating frequency.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising printing the multi-frequency RFID label scheme using a single printing device.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising printing the multi-frequency RFID label scheme on a single media using a single printing device.

20. A non-transitory article, comprising one or more storage mediums having stored thereon instructions that when executed by one or more processors result in execution of a process for printing a multi-frequency RFID label scheme, the process comprising:

receiving a print job that includes a multi-frequency RFID label scheme;

accessing RFID tag information associated with the multi-frequency RFID label scheme;

identifying a first RFID tag type associated with the multi-frequency RFID label scheme, including a first RFID operating frequency;

selecting a first RFID programmer associated with the first RFID operating frequency, the selecting of the first RFID programmer being based upon the multi-frequency RFID label scheme in the print job;

programming a first RFID tag associated with the first RFID operating frequency by the first RFID programmer;

identifying a second RFID tag type associated with the multi-frequency RPID label scheme, including a second RFID operating frequency;

selecting a second RFID programmer associated with the second RFID operating frequency, the selecting of the second RFID programmer being based upon the multi-frequency RFID label scheme in the print job; and

programming a second RFID tag associated with the second RFID operating frequency by the second RFID programmer.

21. The article of claim 20 , further comprising:

returning a programming result to page management circuitry;

printing the multi-frequency RFID label scheme using a single printing device.

22. The article of claim 20 , wherein said identifying first and second RFID tag types includes accessing at least one tag object data structure, the at least one tag object data structure encoded with RFID information of the first and second RFID tag types associated with the multi-frequency RFID label scheme.

Assignments (8)