Registers – Coded record sensors – Particular sensor structure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-17
2003-04-01
Frech, Karl D. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Particular sensor structure
C235S462070, C235S487000, C705S404000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06540142
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING COPYRIGHT RIGHTS
A portion of this disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office Patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for printing bar code labels and more specifically to a native printer that prints bar code labels based on an XML data stream.
BACKGROUND
Printer systems for printing barcodes and for transmitting data to a barcode printer are known. However, many such systems use proprietary methods of data encoding, and therefore such methods cannot be used interchangeably with other barcode printers. Also, known data encoding methods typically render the underlying data unreadable by humans. While this presents no impediment to the computer systems, it may be burdensome to humans attempting to review, debug or understand certain data appearing in the underlying barcode element names.
Barcode labeling is used extensively in many facets of commerce. In particular, packages or merchandise shipped from one destination to another are identified by the shipper by a specific barcode label. Conversely, merchandise received may also be identified and entered into the receiver's inventory system by use of the barcode label. Often, the receiver of merchandise may dictate the form and content of the barcode applied by the shipper. This is referred to as “compliance labeling.” Of course, merchandise need not be shipped to avail itself of the benefits of barcode labeling. For example, inventory control systems make extensive use of barcode labeling to track and monitor various goods within a facility or between facilities.
Compliance labeling is typically used by buyers of merchandise having relatively large market power or purchasing power. Because of their economic power, they may be able to dictate the form and content of the barcode labels applied to products provided to them by their suppliers or vendors. Although this may be burdensome to the supplier, if the supplier desires to do business with the buyer, they must comply with their demands with respect to labeling. For example, large retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Inc., not only have the ability and purchasing power to require that suppliers meet their compliance labeling demands, but may also fine suppliers who fail to comply with the labeling requirements.
Further, such barcode labeling requirements may change at the whim of the entity demanding compliance. Accordingly, the supplier must implement the new labeling requirements and test the modified barcode to insure that it meets all specifications. This is relatively inefficient and time consuming. It is also prone to errors, which may translate into monetary fines.
A need exists to provide an open standard for defining barcode labeling information that is self-validating and which does not require significant software programming changes to implement a change in form or content of a barcode label. A need also exists for use of a format in which to provide data to a barcode printer where the data is understandable by a human reading the data.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5860068 (1999-01-01), Cook
patent: 6154378 (2000-11-01), Peterson et al.
patent: 6226675 (2001-05-01), Meltzer et al.
patent: 6289501 (2001-09-01), Mutschler, III
patent: 6449620 (2002-09-01), Draper et al.
patent: 6457883 (2002-10-01), Silverbrook et al.
Cohen Eric D.
Frech Karl D.
Welsh & Katz Ltd.
ZIH Corp.
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