RFID-Tagged Paper Printer With Failed-Write Separation

Solution Overview

Problem

In image forming apparatuses with RFID-tagged paper, data writing errors result in the paper being discarded instead of being reused, leading to unnecessary ink consumption.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus includes a control unit that determines the success of RFID data writing and, if failed, reroutes the paper to a separate discharge tray, allowing it to be reused as regular paper and preventing unnecessary printing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the apparatus discards paper with RFID data writing errors, then data reliability is improved, but ink consumption increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata writing reliabilityVSAvoidink consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the paper discharge path into two separate trays: a first discharge tray for papers with successful RFID data writing, and a second discharge tray for papers with writing errors. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high data reliability by identifying error papers while preventing unnecessary ink consumption by separating them before the printing process completes, enabling reuse of error papers as regular paper.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the apparatus discards paper with RFID data writing errors, then data reliability is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata writing reliabilityVSAvoidpaper utilization efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the paper discharge path into two separate trays: a first discharge tray for papers with successful RFID data writing, and a second discharge tray for papers with writing errors. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high data reliability by identifying error papers while preventing unnecessary ink consumption by separating them before the printing process completes, enabling reuse of error papers as regular paper.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If the apparatus prints on paper with failed RFID data writing, then productivity is improved, but data reliability worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepaper utilizationVSAvoiddata writing success

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary detection of RFID data writing success or failure before the paper proceeds to the printing process. By detecting the writing result in advance and separating papers with errors into a second discharge tray before printing, the system ensures that only papers with successful data writing receive ink, thereby maintaining data reliability while optimizing paper utilization through the retry process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12406160B2Image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2025.09.02 TOSHIBA TEC KK

AI summary

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus has a printing unit to print images on a sheet of paper from a paper storage unit and a conveying unit configured to convey sheets from the storage unit to the printing unit. A tag reader/writer communicates with a wireless tag on a sheet when the sheet is at a communication position on the conveyance path. A control unit determines whether a writing of data to a tag on a first sheet has succeeded, then controls the printing unit to print on the first sheet if the writing of data succeeded but not if the writing of data to the wireless tag failed. When writing of data to the wireless tag has failed, the control unit executes a tag data writing retry process on another sheet from the paper storage unit.