Abstract: A printing system (250) includes a printing subsystem (255) in the form of a printer assembly (14). The printing subsystem (255) includes a printer housing (257) in which a print engine (259) resides and (261) for storing data indicating the position of labels on media. The contents of memory (261) can be obtained from an end user application (270) which may supply the position data to the printing subsystem (255) in a print data stream. Pre-programmed position data is read from a tag (88) on print media (28) having multiple tags embedded thereon. The pre-programmed position data is compared to position data received in a print request data stream to determine the position of at least one tag on the print media.

Abstract: A digital apparatus having a cable comprising a plurality of high-speed and low-speed signal carrying conductors, the conductors carrying the low-speed signals are bypassed to a signal ground with selected values of capacitance so as to become virtual signal ground return conductors for the high-speed signal conductors. The selected values of capacitance have a lower impedance then the characteristic impedance of the conductors in the cable. The cable may be a multi conductor cable, a ribbon cable, a flex cable, a twisted pair cable, etc. In a similar fashion, signal conductors on a printed circuit board, not having a separate ground plane layer, may create virtual signal ground returns from the low-speed signal carrying conductors that are proximate to the high-speed signal carrying conductors for reduction of radiated electromagnetic radio frequency interference.

Abstract: The presence of a radio frequency signature (88) on a cut sheet of print media (28) is detected by a radio frequency interrogating device (94) to determine it's relative left/right position on the print media (28). Either the leading edge (124) or trailing edge (126) of the print media (28) is detected by one or more print media sensors (86, 90). A print controller (24) can note the time (t1) when print media is detected and cause the radio frequency interrogating device (94) to detect the radio frequency signature (88) at a time (t2) when the print media has reached a predetermined point along the print media pathway (110). The position of the radio frequency signature (88) on the print media (28) can be calculated using the time differential (t2-t1) and the known angular displacement of the radio frequency interrogating device (94).

Abstract: A radio frequency signature (88) on a cut sheet of print media (28) is detected by a radio frequency interrogating device (94) to determine whether the print media (28) is properly oriented. The leading edge (124) or trailing edge (126) of the print media (28) is detected by one or more print media sensors (86, 90). A print controller (24) can note the time (t1) and cause the radio frequency interrogating device (94) to detect the radio frequency signature (88) at a time (t2) when the print media has reached a predetermined point along the print media pathway (110). The position of the radio frequency signature (88) on the print media (28) can be calculated using the time differential (t2?t1), the velocity profile of the print media and the known separation between the print media (28) and the radio frequency signature (88). By comparing the computer position with the expected position, the orientation of the print media (28) can be determined.

Abstract: An improved data signal electromagnetic emissions system is provided for sending data signals over one or more data pathways. An original data signal is encoded into a set of sideband frequencies that exhibit a lower amplitude than the original data signal; then transmitted over the data pathway and later decoded back into a signal having the original data content. The encoding scheme uses a number of modulation pattern sets that each produce a set of sidebands about the data signal's fundamental and certain harmonic frequencies, in a manner that attempts to make the maximum amplitudes for each set of sidebands substantially equal to one another, although this is also dependent upon the data signal's frequency content.