Close proximity radio frequency identification (RFID) tag detection

Abstract

This invention is entitled "Detection of Small-Pitch Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tags". The invention describes a printer assembly including a media hub configured to receive a media roll and supply media from the media roll along a media path, wherein the media includes a plurality of tags, each tag including an RFID inlay. The printer assembly also includes a media guide positioned adjacent to the media path. The media guide includes an RFID antenna communicatively coupled to an RFID control system and configured to transmit signals to encode an RFID inlay on a first tag. The media guide also includes at least one shield positioned adjacent to the RFID antenna to prevent encoding of an RFID inlay on a second tag among the plurality of tags during encoding of the RFID inlay on the first tag.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The exemplary embodiments of this disclosure relate generally to radio frequency identification (RFID), and more specifically, to encoding RFID inlays. Background Technology

[0002] The applicant has identified numerous deficiencies and problems associated with conventional RFID printers. Through effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified problems have been addressed by the developed solutions, including those described in the embodiments herein, many of which are detailed in detail below. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Various embodiments illustrated herein disclose a printer assembly including a media hub configured to receive a media roll and supply media from the media roll along a media path. The media includes a plurality of tags, each of which includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) inlay. The printer assembly also includes a media guide positioned adjacent to the media path.

[0004] The medium guide includes an RFID antenna. The RFID antenna is communicatively coupled to an RFID control system and configured to transmit signals to encode an RFID inlay on a first tag of a plurality of tags. The medium guide also includes at least one shield. The at least one shield is positioned adjacent to the RFID antenna to prevent the encoding of an RFID inlay on a second tag of the plurality of tags during the encoding of the RFID inlay on the first tag.

[0005] In various embodiments, the at least one shielding element includes a material capable of absorbing electromagnetic signals. In some embodiments, the material is copper. In some embodiments, the medium guide includes a material that allows signals transmitted by the RFID antenna to pass through the medium guide. In some embodiments, the medium guide is made of plastic. In some embodiments, the medium guide is made of transparent material.

[0006] In various embodiments, the at least one shield is configured to be removable from the media guide. In some embodiments, the at least one shield is configured to be attached to the media guide at more than one location. In some embodiments, the media guide defines a plane extending outward from the wall of the printer housing. In some embodiments, the media guide includes a first shield positioned downstream of the RFID antenna and a second shield positioned upstream of the RFID antenna.

[0007] In various other embodiments, a printer assembly is disclosed. The printer assembly includes a media guide positioned adjacent to a media path. The media guide includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna communicatively coupled to an RFID control system and configured to transmit signals along the media path to encode an RFID inlay on the media. The media guide also includes at least one shield positioned to prevent encoding of a second RFID inlay on the media during the encoding of the RFID inlay. In various embodiments, the at least one shield includes a material capable of absorbing electromagnetic signals. In some embodiments, the material is copper. In some embodiments, the media guide includes a material that allows signals transmitted by the RFID antenna to pass through the media guide. In some embodiments, the material of the media guide is plastic. In some embodiments, the material of the media guide is transparent.

[0008] In various embodiments, the at least one shield is configured to be removable from the media guide. In some embodiments, the at least one shield is configured to be attached to the media guide at more than one location. In some embodiments, the media guide defines a plane extending outward from the wall of the printer housing. In some embodiments, the media guide includes a first shield positioned downstream of the RFID antenna and a second shield positioned upstream of the RFID antenna.

[0009] In various other embodiments, a media guide is disclosed. The media guide is configured to be coupled to a printer housing. The media guide includes an RFID antenna configured to transmit signals to encode an RFID inlay. The media guide also includes at least one shield positioned adjacent to the RFID antenna.

[0010] The above description of the invention is provided merely for the purpose of providing an overview of one or more exemplary embodiments described herein, in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the scope or substance of this disclosure in any way. It should be understood that, in addition to those summarized herein, the scope of this disclosure covers many possible embodiments, some of which will be further explained in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The description of the exemplary embodiments can be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that, for simplicity and clarity of illustration, the elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements are exaggerated relative to others. Embodiments incorporating the teachings of this disclosure are shown and described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] Figures 1A to 1C An exemplary RFID printer according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown;

[0013] Figures 2A to 2B A diagram is shown of an RFID printer component according to one or more embodiments described herein;

[0014] Figures 2C to 2D An exemplary representation of a schematic medium guide according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown;

[0015] Figure 3 A block diagram of an RFID encoder according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown; and

[0016] Figure 4 A block diagram of a control system for an RFID printer according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Some embodiments of this disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate some, but not all, embodiments of this disclosure. In fact, this disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to enable this disclosure to meet applicable legal requirements. Throughout this document, similar reference numerals refer to similar elements. The terminology used in this patent is not intended to be restrictive, and the device or portions thereof described herein may be attached or utilized in other orientations.

[0018] The term “comprising” means including but not limited to, and should be interpreted in the manner commonly used in the patent context. It should be understood that the use of broad terms such as “comprising,” “including,” and “having” provides support for narrow terms such as “consisting of,” “substantially consisting of,” and “substantially constitutes.”

[0019] The phrases “in one embodiment”, “according to one embodiment”, etc., generally mean that the specific feature, structure or characteristic following the phrase can be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, or can be included in more than one embodiment of the present disclosure (importantly, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment).

[0020] The term “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any specific implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other specific implementations.

[0021] If the specification states that a component or feature "may," "can," "should," "will," "preferably," "possibly," "usually," "optionally," "for example," "often," or "may" (or other such words) be included or have that characteristic, then that particular component or feature is not necessarily included or has that characteristic. Such components or features may be optionally included in some embodiments or may be excluded.

[0022] The term "Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) inlay" is used herein to refer to an RFID tag comprising an integrated circuit (IC), an antenna element, and a substrate. In one exemplary embodiment, the antenna element and the IC are fabricated on the substrate. Furthermore, the IC is communicatively coupled to the antenna element via interconnects on the substrate. In one exemplary embodiment, the integrated circuit in the RFID inlay may be configured to store coded information or coded data. In some examples, the RFID inlay may be configured to operate in various RF frequency bands, such as, but not limited to, 13.56 MHz (hereinafter referred to as the high-frequency band) or 860 MHz–960 MHz (UHF band). In some exemplary embodiments, the RFID inlay may have a dedicated power supply that enables the RFID inlay to communicate with one or more components such as an RFID encoder and an RFID reader. Such RFID inlays are referred to as active RFID inlays. In another exemplary embodiment, the RFID inlay may not have a dedicated power supply. In such embodiments, the RFID inlay may have a power coupler capable of inducing a charge when the RFID inlay is brought into an RF field. The induced charge is then used to power the RFID inlay itself.

[0023] The term "medium" is used herein to refer to a printable medium, such as a page or paper, on which content such as graphics, text, and / or visual images can be printed. In some embodiments, the medium may correspond to a continuous medium that can be loaded in a roll or stack in an RFID printer, or it may correspond to a medium that can be divided into multiple tags by perforations defined along the width of the medium. Alternatively or additionally, the medium may be divided into multiple tags by one or more marks that are defined relative to each other at a predetermined distance along the length of the medium. In some exemplary embodiments, a continuous stretch of the medium between two consecutive marks or two consecutive perforations corresponds to a tag of the medium. In one exemplary embodiment, each of the multiple tags includes a corresponding RFID inlay.

[0024] Various implementations describe RFID printers capable of encoding RFID inlays disposed on multiple tags in a medium. The RFID printer defines a medium travel path along which it traverses the medium. As described above and in some examples, the medium includes multiple tags, and each of the multiple tags also includes an RFID inlay. In operation and in some examples, the RFID printer facilitates traversal of the medium along the medium path to encode the RFID inlay in at least one of the multiple tags. In some examples, the RFID printer includes an RFID antenna located adjacent to the medium path, configured to transmit signals to encode the RFID inlay disposed on each of the multiple tags. Because the RFID antenna is located adjacent to the medium path, the RFID antenna facilitates the encoding of the RFID inlays on the multiple tags as the medium traverses the medium path.

[0025] In various implementations, the RFID antenna is coupled to a media guide. The media guide is located adjacent to the media path and is configured to guide the media along the media path and prevent media skewing as the media traverses the media path. Alternatively or additionally, the RFID antenna may be located adjacent to the media hub, printhead engine, and / or other structures along the media path.

[0026] To encode RFID inlays on tags among multiple tags as the medium traverses the medium path, a medium sensor generates an input signal as the medium travels along the medium path. Based on the input signal, a processor in the RFID printer can be configured to determine the real-time position of a tag (which includes the RFID inlay to be encoded). In some examples, after determining the real-time position of the tag, the processor can instruct the RFID control system to encode the RFID inlay on the tag by transmitting a signal via the RFID antenna. Because the RFID printer, according to various embodiments, encodes the RFID inlay as the medium traverses the medium path, it is not necessary to stop the medium traversal to enable the RFID antenna to encode the RFID inlay.

[0027] However, errors may occur in some examples during the encoding of RFID inlays on media with fine pitch. The term "pitch" describes the distance from the leading edge of one RFID inlay to the leading edge of the next adjacent tag's RFID inlay on the media. In other words, if the tags on the media have fine pitch, the RFID inlays are positioned close together (e.g., less than one inch, less than 0.5 inches in some examples, and less than 0.1 inches in others). Fine-pitch media may be desirable for cost savings and for including additional tags and RFID inlays on the media.

[0028] However, RFID antennas may not be able to accurately encode information into a given RFID inlay when the medium traverses a medium path with small spacing. That is, if there are target RFID inlays, upstream RFID inlays, and downstream RFID inlays, the RFID antenna can detect each of these multiple RFID inlays simultaneously. This can lead to errors, such as encoding multiple RFID inlays (e.g., each of target RFID inlays, upstream RFID inlays, and downstream RFID inlays) at once, resulting in the encoded RFID inlays missing parts of information, or it can cause the RFID antenna to fail to encode any RFID tags because multiple RFID inlays are detected consecutively and simultaneously as the medium traverses the medium path.

[0029] The various exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are configured to include a medium guide comprising at least one shield, such as a shield configured to shield an upstream or downstream RFID inlay from receiving encoded signals. That is, at least one shield is positioned adjacent to an RFID antenna to prevent encoding of RFID inlays on upstream and downstream tags of the first tag during the encoding process of an RFID inlay on a first tag among a plurality of tags. In this regard, at least one shield is configured to absorb radio and / or other electromagnetic waves that would otherwise be used to encode one or more additional RFID inlays during the encoding process of the RFID tag.

[0030] Figures 1A to 1C An exemplary RFID printer 100 according to one or more embodiments described herein is illustrated. The RFID printer 100 may include a media hub 102 and an RFID antenna 104 (described below in conjunction with...) Figures 2A-2B (Further description), RFID control system 105 and media output slot 106. In some examples, RFID printer 100 may also include ribbon drive assembly 108, ribbon pickup hub 110 and printhead 112.

[0031] In some exemplary embodiments, the media hub is configured to receive media volume 114. In some examples, media volume 114 may correspond to a volume of media 116 that may have multiple tags 118. For example, Figure 1A Exemplary labels 118a, 118b, 118c, and 118d are shown. Multiple labels 118 may be defined on the medium 116 through perforations 120. In an alternative embodiment, multiple labels 118 may be defined on the medium 116 through one or more markings (not shown). In some examples, the medium hub 102 may be coupled to a first electric drive device (not shown) that actuates the medium hub 102. Upon actuation, the medium hub 102 causes the medium roll 114 to rotate, which further causes the medium 116 to travel / traverse along the medium path 122 (e.g., ...). Figure 1B(As shown in the shaded area).

[0032] In some exemplary embodiments, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the media hub 102 facilitating the supply of media 116 along the media path 122. In another embodiment, in addition to the media hub 102, the RFID printer 100 may also include a pressure roller positionable along the media path 122 (exemplary pressure rollers are shown in...). Figure 2A (As further shown in the diagram). In such embodiments, the pressure roller may be coupled to a first electric drive that actuates the pressure roller. Upon actuation, the pressure roller may be configured to pull the medium 116 from the medium roll 114 (mounted on the medium hub 102), thereby causing the medium 116 to travel along the medium path 122.

[0033] Additionally or alternatively, the first electric drive unit can be coupled to both the pressure roller and the media hub 102, so that the pressure roller and the media hub 102 operate synchronously. Figure 2A This configuration of the RFID printer 100 (which includes a pressure roller and a media hub 102) is further described.

[0034] RFID antenna 104 corresponds to an antenna element located adjacent to medium path 122. In some examples, RFID antenna 104 is coupled to medium guide 250 (hereinafter referred to as...). Figure 2A -D further described). In one exemplary embodiment, as the medium traverses along the medium path 122, the RFID antenna 104 facilitates the encoding of RFID inlays 126 disposed on each of the plurality of tags 118 (on the medium 116).

[0035] The RFID control system 105 may include suitable logic and circuitry to control the operation of at least the RFID antenna 104. For example, the RFID control system 105 includes an RFID encoder and an RFID reader that can respectively cause the RFID antenna 104 to encode and read the RFID inlay 126. Already combined Figure 3 The structure and operation of the RFID control system 105 are further described.

[0036] In some examples, as discussed above, the RFID control system 105 causes the RFID antenna 104 to encode the RFID inlay 126 on one of the tags 118 among a plurality of tags as the medium 116 traverses along the medium path 122. Therefore, after the RFID inlay 126 is encoded, the encoded RFID inlay 126 is output from the medium output slot 106. In one exemplary embodiment, the medium output slot 106 corresponds to a slot in the housing of the RFID printer 100 through which the tag 118 having the encoded RFID inlay 126 is output.

[0037] In addition to encoding the RFID inlay 126 disposed on each tag 118, the RFID printer 100 may print content on the tags 118 in some exemplary embodiments. To facilitate the printing of content on the tags 118, the RFID printer 100 may also include a ribbon drive assembly 108, a ribbon pickup hub 110, and a printhead 112.

[0038] The ribbon drive assembly 108 may receive a ribbon reel 128 corresponding to a roll of ribbon 130. In one exemplary embodiment, the ribbon 130 may correspond to an ink medium for setting ink onto a medium 116 to print content (e.g., label 118) on the medium 116. In some exemplary embodiments, the ribbon drive assembly 108 may be coupled to a third electric drive device configured to actuate the ribbon drive assembly 108. Upon actuation, the ribbon drive assembly 108 rotates, which in turn causes the ribbon reel 128 to rotate and supply the ribbon 130 along the ribbon path 132 (e.g., label 118). Figure 1C (As shown in the shaded area). Along the ribbon path 132, the ribbon 130 traverses from the ribbon drive assembly 108 to the printhead 112 and further to the ribbon pickup hub 110.

[0039] In one exemplary embodiment, the ribbon pickup hub 110 may correspond to an assembly capable of receiving used ribbon (i.e., a section of ribbon 130 from which ink has been applied onto the medium 116). The ribbon pickup hub 110 may also be coupled to a third electric drive device configured to actuate the ribbon pickup hub 110. Upon actuation, the ribbon pickup hub 110 pulls the ribbon 130 from the ribbon reel 128, thereby moving the ribbon 130 along the ribbon path 132. In an exemplary embodiment, the third electric drive device (coupled to both the ribbon drive assembly 108 and the ribbon pickup hub 110) synchronizes the operation of the ribbon drive assembly 108 and the ribbon pickup hub 110 such that the amount of ribbon released from the ribbon reel 128 is equal to the amount of ribbon received by the ribbon pickup hub 110. For example, the length of the ribbon 130 released from the ribbon reel 128 is the same as the length of the ribbon 130 received by the ribbon pickup hub 110.

[0040] Printhead 112 may correspond to a component (e.g., label 118) configured to print content on media 116. In one exemplary embodiment, printhead 112 is positioned on media path 122 and ribbon path 132. Printhead 112 includes a plurality of heating elements (not shown) that are energized and pressed against ribbon 130 to perform a printing operation. During the printing operation, printhead 112 simultaneously applies heat to sections of ribbon 130 and presses ribbon 130 against media 116 to transfer ink onto media 116. In some examples, after the printing operation, media 116 and ribbon 130 are traversed along media path 122 and ribbon path 132, respectively, such that the printed media is output from media output slot 106 and the used ribbon is traversed to ribbon pickup hub 110.

[0041] In some exemplary embodiments, the RFID printer 100 may also include an input panel 134, which further includes one or more buttons 136. The one or more buttons may correspond to an input device through which a user of the RFID printer 100 provides input, thereby causing the RFID printer 100 to perform predetermined operations. For example, a user of the RFID printer 100 may provide input via one or more buttons 136 to configure settings of the RFID printer 100 and / or cause the RFID printer 100 to perform encoding and / or printing of one or more tags. Some examples of the one or more buttons 136 may include, but are not limited to, push-buttons, soft-push-buttons, touch buttons, etc.

[0042] Figure 2A and Figure 2BExemplary schematic diagrams 200a and 200b are shown of an RFID printer 100 according to one or more embodiments described herein. Schematic diagrams 200a and 200b show that, in some embodiments, the RFID printer 100 may further include a pressure roller 202, a media sensor 204, a media guide 250, one or more shielding elements 255, and a control system 206. Schematic diagrams 200a and 200b further depict a media path 122. Furthermore, schematic diagrams 200a and 200b show an RFID antenna 104 positioned adjacent to the media path 122 such that the RFID antenna 104 is pointed at the media 116 on the media path 122. Additionally, in some examples, the RFID antenna 104 is located upstream of the media sensor 204. In exemplary embodiments, the term "upstream" according to one or more embodiments described herein corresponds to a direction opposite to the media traversal direction along the media path 122 during encoding of the RFID inlay 126 on the tag 118. In an exemplary embodiment, the term "downstream" according to one or more embodiments described herein corresponds to the same direction as the media traversal direction along the media path 122 during encoding of the RFID inlay 126 on tag 118.

[0043] Figure 2C An exemplary top view of an exemplary media guide 250 is shown, and Figure 2D An exemplary bottom view of an exemplary media guide 250 is shown. In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 2C As shown, the RFID antenna 104 is coupled to or otherwise attached to the medium guide 250, such as via a slot 252 defined by the medium guide 250, and communicatively coupled to the RFID control system 105 (e.g., via coaxial cable 270). As shown, the RFID antenna 104 may include a grounding element 272 and one or more resistors 275. In this respect, an antenna connection is made from the center pin of the coaxial cable 270 to the antenna 104 via the grounding element 272. In this respect, energy enters the RFID reader 310 via a cable or Ethernet connection and is directed through the RFID control system 105 and into the center pin of the coaxial cable 270. The energy is then transmitted along the length of the coaxial cable 270 and moves through the relative center pin, via a central antenna connection located on or within the grounding element 272, and is then radiated from the antenna 104 in the form of an RF signal toward the RFID inlay within range.

[0044] The media guide 250 defines a plane that can be coupled to or otherwise attached to the housing of the printer 100. Figure 2C and Figure 2DAn exemplary shape of the plane defined by the media guide 250 is shown. In this respect, the media guide may be attached to and extend outward from a wall of the printer 100 housing (at side 254). In some embodiments, the media guide may be configured to be detachable and removable from the printer 100 housing. In some embodiments, such as Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, the media guide is adjacent to the media path 122 to maintain the media path and prevent the media from deviating from the media path. The RFID antenna 104 may be coupled to or otherwise attached to the top portion of the media guide 250 (e.g., via slot 252), such that the RFID antenna 104 rests on the top of the media guide 250, as... Figure 2C As shown, the medium simultaneously traverses below the bottom portion of the medium guide, as... Figure 2D As shown.

[0045] In some embodiments, the medium guide 250 is made of plastic or other non-metallic materials such that it does not interfere with signals (e.g., RF and / or other electromagnetic signals) transmitted from the RFID antenna 104 to one or more RFID inlays during the encoding process. In some embodiments, the medium guide 250 may be transparent, allowing light to pass through it.

[0046] In one exemplary embodiment, one or more shielding elements 255 may be coupled, secured, and / or otherwise attached to a media guide. The one or more shielding elements 255 may be attached to the media guide in various ways. For example, the shielding element 255 may clamp and / or snap onto the media guide and / or adhere to the media guide (e.g., attached to the top or bottom of the media guide via adhesive). In some examples, the shielding element 255 may be inserted into the media guide. In this regard, in some embodiments, the media guide may define one or more openings configured to receive one or more shielding elements 255.

[0047] In this respect, one or more shielding elements 255 may be configured to be removable from the media guide and positioned elsewhere on the media guide. For example, shielding elements 255 may be positioned on the media guide based on the spacing of the tags on the media 116. For example, for tags with a small spacing (e.g., less than one inch in some examples, less than 0.5 inches in some examples, and less than 0.1 inches in other examples), shielding elements 255 may be positioned closer to the RFID antenna (e.g., as shown in the image). Figure 2A and Figure 2B (As shown).

[0048] In various embodiments, one or more shielding elements 255 are made of a metallic material capable of absorbing RF and / or other electromagnetic signals transmitted by the RFID antenna 104. For example, in some embodiments, the shielding element is made of copper. In some embodiments, the shielding element is square or rectangular in shape, but it should be understood that the shielding element can be shaped in various ways. In various embodiments, the shielding element may include a thickness of 0.5 mm. It should be understood that in some embodiments, the thickness of the shielding element may vary. For example, the thickness of the shielding element may be less than or greater than 0.5 mm. In various embodiments, the length of one or more shielding elements 255 is greater than or equal to the length of the antenna 104. In various embodiments, the width of one or more shielding elements 255 is at least equal to the width of the medium 116. For example, the width of one or more shielding elements 255 may be at least equal to the maximum medium width supported by the printer 100, such that the entire tag upstream and / or downstream of the RFID antenna 104 of the medium is shielded during the encoding process.

[0049] In some implementations, the two shields 255 may be attached to the medium guide 250 (e.g., Figure 2B As shown), and positioned upstream and downstream of the RFID antenna 104 on the medium guide 250, the first RFID inlay 261 of the first tag 260 downstream of the RFID antenna 104 and the second inlay 264 of the second tag 265 upstream of the RFID antenna 104 are prevented from being detected and / or encoded by the RFID antenna 104, while the third RFID inlay 262 of the third tag 263 currently below the RFID antenna 104 undergoes the encoding process as the medium 116 traverses the medium path 122. In other words, during the encoding process, the shield 255 is positioned such that it absorbs RF and / or other electromagnetic signals emitted by the RFID antenna 104 that would otherwise encode one or more additional RFID inlays 261 and 264, while still allowing the RFID inlay 262 below the RFID antenna 104 to be encoded. In this respect, the shield 255 reduces the RF field directly beneath the shield 255, preventing the RFID tag from being detected and / or encoded until the RFID inlay traverses the RF field directly beneath the RFID antenna 104. For example, as Figure 2D As shown, a shield can be attached to the medium guide 250 upstream of the RFID antenna at position 288, and a second shield can be attached to the medium guide 250 downstream of the RFID antenna 104 at position 286.

[0050] In another embodiment, a single shield may be attached to the medium guide 250 and positioned upstream and downstream of the RFID antenna 104 on the medium guide 250, such that a first RFID inlay 261 of a first tag 260 downstream of the RFID antenna 104, which has already undergone the encoding process performed by the RFID antenna 104, and a second inlay 264 of a second tag 265 upstream of the RFID antenna, are prevented from being detected and / or encoded by the RFID antenna 104, while a third RFID inlay 262 of a third tag 263 currently below the RFID antenna 104 undergoes the encoding process as the medium 116 traverses the medium path 122. In this respect, the single shield may include an opening in the middle that allows the transmission of RF and / or electromagnetic signals from the RFID antenna 104 to pass through.

[0051] In some exemplary implementations, such as Figure 2A As shown, the pressure roller 202 is positioned downstream of the printhead 112 along the media path 122. As discussed above, the pressure roller 202 is coupled to a first electric drive that enables the pressure roller 202 to rotate and pull the media 116 from the media roll 114, thereby causing the media 116 to travel along the media path 122.

[0052] The media sensor 204 may correspond to a sensor configured to detect the presence of media 116 on media path 122. In one exemplary embodiment, the media sensor 204 is positioned upstream of printhead 112 and downstream of RFID antenna 104. In some exemplary embodiments, the media sensor 204 may be configured to detect the presence of media 116 by determining the transmittance and / or reflectance of media 116. In one exemplary embodiment, the transmittance of media 116 may correspond to a measure of the intensity of light signals allowed to pass through it. In one exemplary embodiment, the reflectance of media 116 may correspond to a measure of the intensity of light signals reflected from the surface of media 116.

[0053] In one exemplary embodiment, the medium sensor 204 includes a light emitter 210 and a light receiver 212. The light emitter 210 may correspond to a light source, such as a light-emitting diode (LED), a laser, etc. The light emitter 210 may be configured to direct light signals onto the medium path 122.

[0054] The optical receiver 212 may correspond to at least one of a photodetector, a photodiode, or a photoresistor. The optical receiver 212 may generate an input signal based on the intensity of the optical signal received by the optical receiver 212. In one exemplary embodiment, the input signal may correspond to a voltage signal, wherein one or more characteristics of the voltage signal (such as the amplitude and frequency of the voltage signal) are proportional to the intensity of a portion of the optical signal received by the optical receiver 212.

[0055] In operation, the light emitter 210 of the medium sensor 204 can be configured to direct an optical signal onto the medium path 122. If the medium 116 is present on the medium path 122, a portion of the optical signal can be reflected from the surface of the medium 116. The light receiver 212 can receive the portion of the optical signal and generate an input signal based on the intensity of the received portion of the optical signal. In some specific embodiments, if the medium 116 is not present on the medium path 122, the light receiver 212 may not receive the portion of the optical signal (transmitted by the light emitter) and therefore may not generate an input signal. Thus, the presence of the medium 116 on the medium path 122 can be determined based on the input signal generated by the medium sensor 204.

[0056] Alternatively or additionally, the medium sensor 204 may determine the presence of the medium 116 in the medium path 122 based on the transmittance of the medium 116. In such an implementation, the optical receiver 212 may receive the portion of the optical signal that passes through the medium 116. To receive the portion of the optical signal that passes through the medium 116, the optical receiver 212 is spaced apart from the optical transmitter 210 in such a manner that the medium roll 114 passes through the space between the optical receiver 212 and the optical transmitter 210. When the optical transmitter 210 directs the optical signal onto the medium 116, a portion of the optical signal passes through the medium 116, and this portion is then received by the optical receiver 212. Thereafter, the optical receiver 212 may generate an input signal based on the intensity of the received portion of the optical signal.

[0057] In some embodiments, the media sensor 204 can be used to detect the start and end portions of a tag 118a among a plurality of tags 118 in the media 116. In one exemplary embodiment, the start portion of tag 118a may correspond to a first perforation between tag 118a and another tag preceding tag 118a. In one exemplary embodiment, the end portion of tag 118a may correspond to a second perforation between tag 118a and yet another tag following tag 118a. As discussed above, the media 116 may include a plurality of tags 118 separated by perforations 120 or by one or more markings (not shown). Thus, when such markings or perforations 120 on the media 116 pass the media sensor 204 during traversal of the media 116 along the media path 122, the media sensor 204 can detect a sudden increase / decrease in the measure of the transmittance / reflectance of the media 116. Such a sudden increase / decrease in the measure of the transmittance / reflectance of the media 116 is reflected in the input signal generated by the media sensor 204. For example, the input signal generated by the medium sensor 204 may include peaks or valleys indicating a sudden increase or decrease in a measure of the transmittance / reflectance of the medium 116. Such peaks and valleys can be used to determine the start or end of a tag among a plurality of tags 118.

[0058] refer to Figure 2A and Figure 2B The RFID control system 105 is communicatively coupled to the RFID antenna 104 and the control system 206. The control system 206 may include suitable logic and circuitry to control the operation of the RFID printer 100. In one exemplary embodiment, the control system 206 may be communicatively coupled to one or more components of the RFID printer 100. For example, the control system 206 may be communicatively coupled to the printhead 112, the media sensor 204, the RFID control system 105, a first electric drive (associated with the media hub 102 and the pressure roller 202), a third electric drive (coupled to the ribbon drive assembly 108 and the ribbon pickup hub 110), and a second electric drive (coupled to the RFID antenna 104). Figure 4 The structure of the control system 206 is further described.

[0059] In some exemplary embodiments, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the RFID printer 100 that performs both RF inlay coding and printing operations. In some exemplary embodiments, the RFID printer 100 may not perform printing operations and may only perform RFID inlay coding operations. In such embodiments, the RFID printer 100 may not include the printhead 112, the ribbon drive assembly 108, and the ribbon pickup hub 110.

[0060] Figure 3A block diagram of an RFID control system 105 according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown. The RFID control system 105 includes a controller 302, a first memory device 304, a first communication interface 306, an RFID encoder 308, an RFID reader 310, a verification unit 312, and a power modification unit 314.

[0061] The controller 302 can be implemented as a device including one or more microprocessors having one or more accompanying digital signal processors, one or more processors without accompanying digital signal processors, one or more coprocessors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more controllers, processing circuitry, one or more computers, various other processing elements (including integrated circuits, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)), or some combination thereof. Therefore, although in Figure 3 While illustrated as a single controller, in one embodiment, controller 302 may include multiple controllers and signal processing modules. The multiple controllers may be embodied in a single electronic device or distributed across multiple electronic devices collectively configured to serve as circuitry for the RFID control system 105. The multiple RFID tags may operatively communicate with each other and may be collectively configured to perform one or more functions of the circuitry for the RFID control system 105 as described herein. In one exemplary embodiment, controller 302 may be configured to execute instructions stored in a first memory device 304 or otherwise accessible to controller 302. When these instructions are executed by controller 302, they may cause the circuitry for the RFID control system 105 to perform one or more functions as described herein.

[0062] Whether controller 302 is configured by a hardware method, a firmware / software method, or a combination thereof, the controller may include an entity capable of performing operations while being configured accordingly, according to embodiments of this disclosure. Thus, for example, when controller 302 is embodied as an ASIC, FPGA, etc., controller 302 may include hardware specifically configured to perform one or more of the operations described herein. Alternatively, for example, when controller 302 is implemented as an executor of instructions (such as those that may be stored in a first memory device 304), these instructions may specifically configure controller 302 to perform one or more algorithms and operations described herein.

[0063] Therefore, the controller 302 used herein may refer to a programmable microprocessor, microcomputer, or one or more multiprocessor chips that can be configured by software instructions (applications) to perform functions including those described in the various embodiments above. In some devices, multiple processors may be provided dedicated to wireless communication functions and one processor dedicated to running other applications. The software application may be stored in internal memory before being accessed and loaded into the processor. The processor may include sufficient internal memory to store the application software instructions. In many devices, the internal memory may be volatile or non-volatile memory such as flash memory or a combination of both. The memory may also be located within another computing resource (e.g., enabling computer-readable instructions to be downloaded via the Internet or another wired or wireless connection).

[0064] The first memory device 304 may include suitable logic, circuitry, and / or interfaces adapted to store a set of instructions executable by the controller 302 to perform predetermined operations. Some commonly known memory implementations include, but are not limited to, hard disks, random access memory, cache memory, read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) and electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, magnetic tape cassettes, magnetic tape, disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile optical disc read-only memory (DVD-ROM), optical discs, circuitry configured to store information, or some combination thereof. In one embodiment, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, the first memory device 304 may be integrated with the controller 302 on a single chip.

[0065] The first communication interface 306 may correspond to a communication interface that facilitates sending and receiving messages and data to and from various components of the RFID printer 100. For example, the first communication interface 306 may be communicatively coupled to the control system 206. Examples of communication interfaces may include, but are not limited to, antennas, Ethernet ports, USB ports, serial ports, or any other ports suitable for receiving and transmitting data. The communication interface transmits and receives data and / or messages according to various communication protocols, such as I2C, TCP / IP, UDP, and 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G communication protocols.

[0066] The RFID encoder 308 includes suitable logic and circuitry for encoding data in RFID inlays 126 among a plurality of tags 118 included in the medium. In some exemplary embodiments, the RFID encoder 308 encodes the data in the RFID inlays 126 according to one or more of the Electronic Product Code (EPC) or Department of Defense (DOD) formats. In some examples, the RFID encoder 308 may be configured to transmit data via antenna element 316 on one or more frequency bands (for the purpose of encoding the RFID inlays 126), such as, but not limited to, 13.56 MHz (hereinafter referred to as the “high frequency band” or “HF”) or 860 MHz–960 MHz (hereinafter referred to as the “UHF band”). Furthermore, the RFID encoder 308 may be configured to modulate data on an RF carrier in the HF or UHF band before transmitting the data used to encode the RFID inlays 126. Some examples of modulation techniques utilized by the RFID encoder 308 include, but are not limited to, phase jitter modulation (PJM), amplitude shift keying (ASK), etc.

[0067] In some examples, the RFID encoder 308 may be configured to transmit one or more commands to an RFID inlay 126 on a tag 118a among a plurality of tags 118, thereby causing the RFID inlay 126 to perform a predetermined operation according to one or more commands. For example, the RFID encoder 308 may transmit a "write" command that instructs the RFID inlay 126 to write data accompanied by the command into the memory of the RFID inlay 126. Similarly, the RFID encoder 308 may transmit other commands to the RFID inlay 126, such as, but not limited to, "lock," "access," "block write," and / or any other commands according to the EPCglobal standard.

[0068] RFID reader 310 includes appropriate logic and circuitry (e.g., 126) for reading data from an RFID inlay. To read data encoded in RFID inlay 126, RFID reader 310 may transmit an interrogation command to the RFID inlay on one or more frequency bands (such as HF and UHF). Furthermore, similar to RFID encoder 308, RFID reader 310 may also utilize one or more modulation techniques (such as ASK and PJM) to transmit the interrogation command on one or more frequency bands. In response to the interrogation command, RFID reader 310 may receive encoded data from RFID inlay 126. In one exemplary embodiment, RFID reader 310 may utilize antenna element 316 to transmit the interrogation command and receive encoded data from RFID inlay 126.

[0069] In some examples, both the RFID reader 310 and the RFID decoder 308 may include one or more of the following: a filter, an analog-to-digital (A / D) converter, a digital-to-analog (D / A) converter, a matching circuit, an amplifier, and / or a tuner that enables the RFID reader 310 and the RFID decoder 308 to transmit and receive data in one or more frequency bands via the antenna element 316.

[0070] Verification unit 312 includes appropriate logic and circuitry configured to verify whether the encoding of RFID inlay 126 is successful, such as Figure 3 As further described below. In some examples, to determine whether the encoding was successful, the verification unit 312 can determine the encoding success rate. The verification unit 312 can be implemented using one or more hardware components (such as, but not limited to, FPGA, ASIC, etc.).

[0071] The power modification unit 314 includes suitable logic and circuitry configured to manage the signal transmission power of the RFID antenna 104. In one exemplary embodiment, the signal transmission power corresponds to the transmitter power output of the signal transmitted from the RFID antenna 104. In one exemplary embodiment, the power modification unit 314 may be configured to modify the signal transmission power according to a plurality of power settings. In one exemplary embodiment, the power settings may correspond to the value of the signal transmission power used to transmit data from the RFID antenna 104. In some examples, the power modification unit 314 may modify the input voltage of the RFID antenna 104 to modify the signal transmission power. In one exemplary embodiment, the power modification unit 314 may modify the signal transmission power in response to an instruction received from the control system 206. The power modification unit 314 may be implemented using one or more hardware components, such as, but not limited to, FPGAs, ASICs, etc.

[0072] Figure 4 A block diagram of a control system 206 for an RFID printer 100 according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown. The control system 206 includes a processor 402, a second memory device 404, a second communication interface 406, an input / output (I / O) device interface unit 408, a calibration unit 410, an encoding operation unit 412, and a signal processing unit 414.

[0073] Processor 402 may be embodied as a device comprising one or more microprocessors having an accompanying digital signal processor, one or more processors without an accompanying digital signal processor, one or more coprocessors, one or more multi-core processors, one or more controllers, processing circuitry, one or more computers, various other processing elements (including integrated circuits, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)) or some combination thereof. Therefore, although in Figure 4 While illustrated as a single processor, in one embodiment, processor 402 may include multiple processors and signal processing modules. The multiple processors may be implemented on a single electronic device or distributed across multiple electronic devices configured collectively as circuitry for the control system 206. The multiple processors may operatively communicate with each other and may be collectively configured to perform one or more functions of the circuitry for the control system 206 as described herein. In one exemplary embodiment, processor 402 may be configured to execute instructions stored in a second memory device 404 or otherwise accessible to processor 402. When these instructions are executed by processor 402, they may cause the circuitry for the control system 206 to perform one or more functions as described herein.

[0074] Regardless of whether processor 402 is configured by a hardware method, a firmware / software method, or a combination thereof, the processor may include an entity capable of performing operations and being configured accordingly according to embodiments of this disclosure. Thus, for example, when processor 402 is embodied as an ASIC, FPGA, etc., processor 402 may include hardware specifically configured to perform one or more of the operations described herein. Alternatively, as another example, when processor 402 is implemented as an executor of instructions (such as those that may be stored in a second memory device 404), these instructions may specifically configure processor 402 to perform one or more algorithms and operations described herein.

[0075] Therefore, processor 402 as used herein may refer to a programmable microprocessor, microcomputer, or one or more multiprocessor chips that can be configured by software instructions (application programs) to perform various functions including those described in the various embodiments above. In some devices, multiple processors may be provided dedicated to wireless communication functions and one processor dedicated to running other applications. Software applications may be stored in internal memory before being accessed and loaded into the processor. The processor may include sufficient internal memory to store application software instructions. In many devices, internal memory may be volatile or non-volatile memory such as flash memory or a combination of both. Memory may also be located within another computing resource (e.g., enabling computer-readable instructions to be downloaded via the Internet or another wired or wireless connection).

[0076] The second memory device 404 may include suitable logic, circuitry, and / or interfaces adapted to store a set of instructions executable by the processor 402 to perform predetermined operations. Some commonly known memory implementations include, but are not limited to, hard disks, random access memory, cache memory, read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) and electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, magnetic tape cassettes, magnetic tape, disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile optical disc read-only memory (DVD-ROM), optical discs, circuitry configured to store information, or some combination thereof. In one exemplary embodiment, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, the second memory device 404 may be integrated with the processor 402 on a single chip.

[0077] The second communication interface 406 may correspond to a second communication interface 406 that facilitates the transmission and reception of messages and data to and from various devices. For example, the second communication interface 406 may be communicatively coupled to a computing device (not shown). For example, through the second communication interface 406, the RFID printer 100 may be configured to receive commands / jobs from the computing device, and the RFID printer 100 may perform predetermined operations based on the commands / jobs. Examples of the second communication interface 406 may include, but are not limited to, an antenna, an Ethernet port, a USB port, a serial port, or any other port suitable for receiving and transmitting data. The second communication interface 406 transmits and receives data and / or messages according to various communication protocols, such as I2C, TCP / IP, UDP, and 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G communication protocols.

[0078] I / O device interface unit 408 may include suitable logic and / or circuitry that can be configured to operate according to one or more device communication protocols (such as, but not limited to, I2C communication protocol, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) communication protocol, serial communication protocol, Controller Area Network (CAN) communication protocol, and 1-Wire). ®The I / O device interface unit 408 communicates with one or more components of the RFID printer 100 via a communication protocol. In one exemplary embodiment, the I / O device interface unit 408 may communicate with the media sensor 204, a first electric drive (associated with the media hub 102), a second electric drive, a third electric drive, the RFID antenna 104, the ribbon drive assembly 108 and the ribbon pickup hub 110, and one or more buttons 136 disposed on the input panel 134 of the RFID printer 100. For example, the I / O device interface unit 408 may receive an input signal from the media sensor 204. Additionally, for example, the first I / O device interface unit 408 may actuate the first electric drive associated with the media hub 102 and the pressure roller 202 to cause the media 116 to traverse along the media path 122. Some examples of the I / O device interface unit 408 may include, but are not limited to, a data acquisition (DAQ) card, an electric drive circuit, etc.

[0079] The encoding operation unit 412 may include suitable logic and / or circuitry for operating the RFID printer 100 in an encoding mode. In one exemplary embodiment, the encoding operation unit 412 may be configured to cause the RFID encoder 308 in the RFID control system 105 to encode the RFID inlay 126 on the tag 118a via the RFID antenna 104. The encoding operation unit 412 may be implemented using one or more hardware components, such as, but not limited to, FPGA, ASIC, etc.

[0080] Signal processing unit 414 may include suitable logic and / or circuitry for analyzing the input signal received from medium sensor 204. For example, signal processing unit 414 may include digital signal processor 402 configured to identify peaks and troughs in the input signal. Furthermore, signal processing unit 414 may utilize one or more signal processing techniques such as, but not limited to, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT), and Discrete-Time Fourier Transform (DTFT) to analyze the input signal. Signal processing unit 414 may be implemented using one or more hardware components, such as, but not limited to, FPGA, ASIC, etc.

[0081] In some examples, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to a separate control system 206 for the RFID printer 100. In an alternative embodiment, various units / modules of the control system 206 may be implemented on the RFID control system 105, thereby forming an integrated single device without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In another alternative embodiment, various functions of the RFID control system 105 may be implemented in the control system 206, thereby forming an integrated single device without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In such a specific implementation, the RFID antenna 104 may be directly communicatively coupled to the control system 206.

[0082] In some example implementations, some of the operations described herein may be modified or further amplified as described below. Furthermore, in some implementations, additional optional operations may be included. It should be understood that each of the modifications, optional additions, or amplifications described herein may be included in the operations herein, either individually or in combination with any other feature described herein.

[0083] The foregoing method descriptions and process flowcharts are provided as illustrative examples only and are not intended to require or imply that the steps of the various embodiments must be performed in the presented order. As those skilled in the art will understand, the order of steps in the above embodiments can be performed in any order. Words such as “after,” “then,” “next,” etc., are not intended to limit the order of steps; these words are merely used to guide the reader through the description of the method. Furthermore, any reference to singular claim elements, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” or “the,” should not be construed as limiting the element to the singular.

[0084] Hardware used to implement the various exemplary logics, logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the aspects disclosed herein may include general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), special-purpose processors such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor; alternatively, processor 402 may be any processor, controller, or state machine. Processor 402 may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors incorporating a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Alternatively or additionally, some steps or methods may be performed by circuitry specific to a given function.

[0085] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions described herein may be implemented by a combination of dedicated hardware or hardware programmed by firmware or other software. In firmware- or other software-dependent implementations, these functions may be performed by the execution of one or more instructions stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media and / or one or more non-transitory processor-readable media 402. These instructions may be embodied by one or more processor-executable software modules residing on one or more non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable storage media 402. In this respect, the non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable storage media 402 may include any storage medium accessible by a computer or processor 402. By way of example and not limitation, such non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable media 402 may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, disk storage devices, magnetic storage devices, etc. As used herein, disk storage devices include compact optical discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile optical discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs. ™ Other storage devices that store data magnetically or optically using lasers. Combinations of the above types of media are also included within the scope of the terms non-transitory computer-readable and processor-readable media 402. Additionally, any combination of instructions stored herein on one or more non-transitory processor-readable or computer-readable media 402 may be referred to as a computer program product.

[0086] Those skilled in the art will recognize many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein, which benefit from the teachings presented in the foregoing description and associated drawings. Although the drawings show only certain components of the apparatus and systems described herein, it should be understood that various other components may be used in conjunction with the supply management system. Therefore, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the steps in the described methods may not necessarily occur in the order depicted in the drawings, and in some cases, one or more of the depicted steps may occur substantially simultaneously, or additional steps may be involved. Although specific terminology is used herein, it is used only in a general and descriptive sense and not for limiting purposes.

Claims

1. A printer assembly, comprising: A media hub configured to receive a media roll and supply media from the media roll along a media path, wherein the media includes a plurality of tags, each of the plurality of tags including a radio frequency identification (RFID) inlay; A media guide, positioned adjacent to the media path, wherein the media guide includes: An RFID antenna, communicatively coupled to an RFID control system and configured to transmit signals to encode the RFID inlay on a first tag of the plurality of tags; and At least one shielding element, wherein the at least one shielding element is positioned adjacent to the RFID antenna to prevent the encoding of the RFID inlay on a second tag among the plurality of tags during the encoding of the RFID inlay on the first tag among the plurality of tags. The at least one shield is configured to be removable from the media guide, and the at least one shield is configured to be attached to the media guide at more than one location.

2. The printer assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one shield comprises a material capable of absorbing electromagnetic signals.

3. The printer assembly of claim 1, wherein the media guide includes a material that allows the signal transmitted by the RFID antenna to pass through the media guide.

4. The printer assembly of claim 1, wherein the media guide defines a plane extending outward from the wall of the printer housing.

5. The printer assembly of claim 1, wherein the media guide includes a first shield positioned downstream of the RFID antenna and a second shield positioned upstream of the RFID antenna.

6. The printer assembly of claim 2, wherein the material comprises a material capable of absorbing at least one of RF signals and electromagnetic signals.

7. The printer assembly of claim 6, wherein the material comprises a metallic material.

8. The printer assembly of claim 7, wherein the material comprises copper.

9. The printer assembly of claim 3, wherein the material is plastic.

10. The printer assembly of claim 3, wherein the material is transparent.

11. The printer assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one shield is adjustable along the medium guide at least in part based on the size or spacing of at least one of the plurality of labels of the medium.

12. A printer assembly, comprising: A media guide, positioned adjacent to the media path, wherein the media guide includes: A radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna, communicatively coupled to an RFID control system and configured to transmit signals along the medium path to encode an RFID inlay on the medium; and At least one shielding element is positioned to prevent the encoding of a second RFID inlay on the medium during the encoding of the RFID inlay. The at least one shield is configured to be removable from the media guide, and the at least one shield is configured to be attached to the media guide at more than one location.

13. A media guide configured to be coupled to a printer housing, wherein the media guide comprises: An RFID antenna configured to transmit signals to encode an RFID inlay; and At least one shielding element, wherein the at least one shielding element is positioned adjacent to the RFID antenna. The at least one shield is configured to be removable from the media guide, and the at least one shield is configured to be attached to the media guide at more than one location.

14. The medium guide of claim 13, wherein the medium guide comprises a material that allows the signal transmitted by the RFID antenna to pass through the medium guide.

15. The medium guide of claim 14, wherein the material is plastic.

16. The medium guide of claim 14, wherein the material is transparent.

17. The dielectric guide of claim 13, wherein the at least one shield comprises a material capable of absorbing at least one of RF signals and electromagnetic signals.

18. The medium guide according to claim 17, wherein the material comprises a metallic material.

19. The medium guide of claim 18, wherein the material comprises copper.

20. The media guide of claim 13, wherein the media guide defines a plane extending outwardly from the wall of the housing of the printer.

21. The medium guide of claim 13, wherein the medium guide comprises a first shield positioned downstream of the RFID antenna and a second shield positioned upstream of the RFID antenna.

22. The media guide of claim 13, wherein the at least one shield can be adjusted along the media guide at least in part based on the size or spacing of at least one of a plurality of labels of the media provided by the media hub of the printer.

23. The media guide of claim 13, wherein the media guide is detachable and removable from the housing of the printer.

24. The medium guide of claim 13, wherein the medium guide defines at least one opening configured to receive the at least one shield.

25. The medium guide of claim 13, wherein the at least one shield can be inserted into the medium guide.

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