Cognitive Solutions Advantage RFID Thermal Printer User Manual
Advantage RFID
Thermal Printer HF
(13.56 Mhz)
User Guide
105-132-01 Rev A
*105-132-01*
Copyright © 2004, Cognitive.
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®
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permission of Cognitive. All program listings in this document are copyrighted and are the
property of Cognitive and are provided without warranty.
To contact Cognitive:
Cognitive Solutions, Inc.
4403 Table Mountain Drive
Suite A
Golden, CO 80403
E-Mail: info@cognitive.com
Telephone: +1.800.525.2785
Fax: +1.303.273.1414
Table of Contents
RFID and the Advantage RFID Thermal Printer..................................... 1
What is RFID?..................................................................................... 1
Active Versus Passive RFID Tags....................................................... 2
RFID Frequencies ............................................................................... 3
Uses for HF RFID................................................................................ 3
RFID Standards................................................................................... 3
Drivers and Label Software..................................................................... 4
Installing Printer Drivers from the Companion CD............................... 4
Setup......................................................................................................... 7
Printer Requirements .......................................................................... 7
Communications ........................................................................... 7
Power (US) ................................................................................... 7
Environment.................................................................................. 7
Controls, Indicators, and Connectors .................................................. 8
Connecting Power and Cables............................................................ 9
Releasing the Print Mechanism......................................................... 10
Loading a Ribbon (Thermal Transfer Only) ....................................... 11
Loading Print Media .......................................................................... 13
Performing the Self Test.................................................................... 15
Printing Standard Labels and Tags...................................................... 18
Using Label Software ........................................................................ 18
Using CPL Programming................................................................... 18
Creating a Text File..................................................................... 19
Sample Label.............................................................................. 22
Using Third-Party and Proprietary Applications................................. 22
Printing from Microsoft Word ...................................................... 22
Printing from Proprietary Applications......................................... 27
Printing RFID Tags ................................................................................ 28
RFID Tag Overview........................................................................... 28
Using Label Software ........................................................................ 30
Using CPL Programming................................................................... 30
Creating a Text File..................................................................... 30
Stored Formats ........................................................................... 32
Sample RFID Tag ....................................................................... 34
Using Third-Party and Proprietary Applications................................. 34
Maintenance and Calibration ................................................................ 35
Maintenance...................................................................................... 35
Calibration ......................................................................................... 36
Programming ......................................................................................... 37
Programming Overview..................................................................... 37
Programming Rules .................................................................... 38
RFID Command Name Structure................................................ 38
RFID Command Structure Example............................................ 39
RFID Commands............................................................................... 40
RF ID_GET ................................................................................. 41
RF HOST .................................................................................... 42
RF VAR_CLEAR......................................................................... 43
RT ............................................................................................... 44
WT .............................................................................................. 45
WTLOCK .................................................................................... 46
RF_TYPE.................................................................................... 48
RF_IDNUM ................................................................................. 49
RF_BLKSZ.................................................................................. 50
RF LOCATION............................................................................ 51
!RFID ? ....................................................................................... 52
!RFID CONFIRM......................................................................... 53
!RFID HOST ............................................................................... 54
!RFID LEDFLSH ......................................................................... 55
!RFID LEDTIME.......................................................................... 56
!RFID MARK ............................................................................... 57
!RFID RDAFTWT ........................................................................ 58
!RFID RETRY ............................................................................. 59
!RFID SSONCMD ....................................................................... 60
!RFID TAGTYPE......................................................................... 61
!RFID TIMEOUT ......................................................................... 62
!RFID TXAFTER ......................................................................... 64
!RFID VOID................................................................................. 65
Troubleshooting .................................................................................... 66
Isolating Problems............................................................................. 66
Run a Printer Self Test................................................................ 66
Print a Proven Label Format ....................................................... 66
Print a Label Format Written on Your System............................. 66
Check the Label Format Header Line ......................................... 67
Comment Out Portions of the Nonworking Label Format............ 67
Common Issues ................................................................................ 67
Labels Skipping or Printer Feeding Blank Labels ....................... 67
READY Light is Red.................................................................... 68
Setting Up an Ethernet Printer .................................................... 68
Printer Drivers............................................................................. 69
Serial Communication................................................................. 69
Parallel Communication .............................................................. 69
Printing Too Light........................................................................ 69
Upgrade From Blazer Printer ...................................................... 70
Technical Support Contact Information ............................................. 71
Appendix A – Specifications................................................................. 72
Appendix B – Certified RFID Tags........................................................ 73
Chapter
1
RFID and the Advantage RFID Thermal Printer
Cognitive’s Advantage barcode label printers provide an integrated
solution for traditional barcode labeling and writing a radio frequency
identification (RFID) tag. Using an RFID label, the printer can
simultaneously write RFID data and print a barcode label. The printer
will also perform either operation independently. The Advantage prints
both thermal and thermal transfer labels and tags in a host and
network system or in a standalone keyboard or scanner input device
system.
Today’s businesses face increasing pressure to provide goods and
services quickly, accurately, and at the lowest possible cost. From the
component level, through manufacturing, throughout the supply chain,
and onto the shelves, managers attempt to control loss, shortage,
spoilage, and other factors that impact profitability. RFID is a
technology that allows real-time tracking and inventory control.
What is RFID?
Simply put, RFID is a method of remotely storing and retrieving
information using devices called RFID tags. An RFID tag is a small
object, such as an adhesive sticker, that can be attached to or
incorporated into a product. The stored information may consist of a
serial number or other data that identifies a person or object.
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RFID AND THE ADVANTAGE RFID PRINTER
Refer to Figure 1-1, RFID Overview. The RFID tag contains an antenna
(A) that allows the tag to receive and respond to radio-frequency queries
from an RFID reader. The reader transmits radio waves (B). The radio
waves are reflected back from the RFID tag (C) and converted into
digital information. This information is then passed on to computers (D)
that can make use of the data.
Figure 1-1. RFID Overview
Active Versus Passive RFID Tags
RFID tags can be either active or passive.
Passive RFID tags do not have their own power supply. A small
electrical current is induced in the antenna by the RFID reader. This
provides enough power for the tag to send a response. The device,
lacking a power supply, is quite small. The smallest such devices
commercially available measure 0.4 mm × 0.4 mm, and are thinner
than a sheet of paper. Passive tags have practical read ranges that vary
from about 10 mm up to about 5 meters.
Active RFID tags have a power source, and can have longer ranges and
larger memories than passive tags. Active tags also often have the
ability to store additional information sent by the transceiver. Presently,
the smallest active tags are about the size of a coin. Many active tags
have practical ranges of tens of meters, and a battery life of up to
several years.
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RFID AND THE ADVANTAGE RFID PRINTER
RFID Frequencies
RFID tags operate at a specific frequency and both the reader and the
tag must be tuned to the same frequency to transfer information. The
Advantage RFID Thermal Printer is designed for RFID tags that
operate at 13.56 Megahertz. This frequency is referred to as High
Frequency, or HF.
Uses for HF RFID
HF RFID tags are used in a variety of industries and situations
including library book or bookstore tracking, pallet tracking, building
access control, baggage tracking, and apparel item tracking. Highfrequency tags are widely used in identification badges, replacing earlier
magnetic stripe cards. These badges need only be held within a certain
distance of the reader to authenticate the holder. RFID tags are also
used in payment systems that allow customers to pay for items without
using cash. Hospitals are using RFID tags for patient identification and
pharmaceutical management.
RFID Standards
RFID devices have been in use since World War II. The United
Kingdom used RFID devices to differentiate between English aircraft
and German aircraft. Widespread use of RFID technology has been
hampered by a lack of international standards for RFID devices and
technology that is not advanced enough for RFID to be cost effective.
A number of international standards have been adopted for specific
applications. These include tracking animals and freight containers.
Other standards initiatives are under way. The International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) is working on standards for
tracking goods in the supply chain using high-frequency tags (ISO
18000-3) and ultra-high frequency tags (ISO 18000-6). EPCglobal, a
joint venture set up to commercialize Electronic Product Code
technologies, has its own standards process that was used to create bar
code standards. EPCglobal intends to submit EPC protocols to ISO so
that they can become international standards.
Copyright © 2004, Cognitive. 3
Chapter
2
Drivers and Label Software
Printer drivers are software tools that translate information from an
external system into an acceptable format for the printer. Older DOSbased systems do not require special drivers. Other systems may use a
generic text driver to communicate with the printer. The companion CD
contains drivers for the Microsoft Windows operating system. You can
also download current drivers from the Cognitive website at
http://www.cognitive.com.
Installing Printer Drivers from the Companion CD
1. Insert the Companion CD into your CD drive. If the CD does
not start automatically, do the following:
a. Click the Start button.
b. Click Run.
c. In the Open: text box, type D:/autorun.exe, where D is the
letter assigned to your CD drive.
2. Click the Software button at the top of the screen.
3. Click the Printer Drivers button.
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DRIVERS AND LABEL SOFTWARE
4. Click the hyperlink for your operating system. The Welcome
window appears.
5. Click Next. The Selecting the Printer window appears.
6. Choose your printer from the Printers: list.
7. Click Next. The Options window appears.
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DRIVERS AND LABEL SOFTWARE
8. Choose the port that the printer is connected to from the
Available ports: list. Keep the default (LPT1) if you are not
sure how the printer is connected.
9. Click Finish. The proper files will be copied to your computer
and the installation wizard will close. This may take several
minutes.
The Advantage RFID Thermal Printer driver is now installed and
available for use.
Copyright © 2004, Cognitive. 6
Chapter
3
Setup
Setting up the Advantage RFID Thermal Printer is simple. This chapter
describes printer requirements, printer controls, loading thermal
transfer ribbon and loading print media. The printer self test is also
described.
Printer Requirements
The Advantage RFID Thermal Printer has the following operational
requirements.
Communications
Serial – Standard RS-232 null modem •
•
USB Option – USB to serial cable
•
Ethernet option – Standard 10Base-T Ethernet cable
Power (US)
•
Class 2 transformer
•
Input: 120VAC, 60Hz, 107W
•
Output: 19VAC 4.0A
Environment
•
Operating mode: 41ºF to 104ºF (5ºC to 40ºC)
•
Storage: -4ºF to 122ºF (-20ºC to 50ºC), 25-85% non-condensing
relative humidity
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SETUP
Controls, Indicators, and Connectors
Controls and indicators for the Advantage RFID Thermal Printer are
conveniently located on the front panel and right side of the unit.
Figure 3-1. Advantage RFID Thermal Printer Front View
Device Primary Function Use
A - POWER indicator Shows power status ON – printer on and ready to print
OFF – no power applied
B - READY indicator Shows printer status GREEN – printer ready to accept data
RED – printer error, empty media roll, or paused
operation during batch mode processing
OFF – no power applied
C - FEED button Advances print media Press to advance media
D - ON/OFF switch Controls printer power Press to turn printer on and off
Press and hold while turning unit on to initiate self
test and print current configuration
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SETUP
Figure 3-2. Advantage RFID Thermal Printer (Rear View) Connections
and Power
Connector Use
A - Parallel port (optional) Parallel data communications port
B - Serial port (RS232) Serial data communications port
C - Ethernet connector (optional) Ethernet communications port for network connectivity
D - POWER connector Connection for power adapter
E – Universal Serial Bus (USB) port USB communications port
NOTE: Printer port options are dependent upon printer model.
Connecting Power and Cables
The following steps describe how to connect power and data cables.
1. Connect a data cable (parallel, serial, USB, or Ethernet) to the
connector on the back of the printer.
NOTE: A null modem cable is required for serial connections. Do NOT use
a standard serial cable.
For parallel connections, use a standard, non-bidirectional (Centronix
cable. The parallel port must be configured as an LPT port, not an ECP
port.
2. Connect the cable from the power supply to the power connector
on the back of the printer.
IMPORTANT!
Use only the 19VAC power supply provided with the printer.
®
)
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SETUP
Releasing the Print Mechanism
Refer to the figure below to release the print mechanism.
Figure 3-3. Releasing the Print Mechanism
1. Open the dust cover.
2. Refer to Figure 3-3. Slide the black latches towards the rear of
the unit to release the print mechanism.
3. Raise the printhead mechanism in preparation for loading the
print media and/or ribbon. This also provides access to the
printhead for cleaning purposes.
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SETUP
Loading a Ribbon (Thermal Transfer Only)
Refer to the figure below to load thermal transfer ribbon.
Figure 3-4. Loading Thermal Transfer Ribbon
1. Release the print mechanism.
2. Unwind a few inches of the new ribbon from the supply core.
3. Pull gently on the supply core mount flexible arm and insert the
ribbon supply roll.
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SETUP
Figure 3-5. Loading Thermal Transfer Ribbon (continued)
4. Refer to Figure 3-5. Turn the ribbon take-up core to align the
slotted end with the take-up mount.
5. Gently push the flexible arm out and snap the take-up core into
place.
NOTE: The printer automatically takes up the slack in the ribbon.
6. Lower the print mechanism and press down firmly to secure the
latches.
NOTE: The latches click into place when properly closed. The READY light
turns green indicating that the printer is ready for use.
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SETUP
Loading Print Media
Refer to the figures and instructions below to load print media.
Figure 3-6. Loading Print Media onto the Spindle
1. Release the print mechanism.
2. Lift out the media spindle.
3. Load the media onto the spindle, keeping the black media
guide to the right of the media roll.
IMPORTANT!
The label surface must face UP as it passes under the print mechanism.
The label roll must be left justified on the label spindle.
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SETUP
Figure 3-7. Feeding Media Under the Print Mechanism
4. Place the loaded media spindle into the printer with the black
guide to the right.
5. Feed the media under the open print mechanism.
NOTE: The media spindle should fit securely with the black guide pressed
against the media roll. The label roll must be left justified on the label
spindle.
6. Lower the print mechanism and press down firmly to secure
the latches.
NOTE: The latches click into place when properly closed. The READY light
turns green indicating that the printer is ready for use.
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SETUP
Performing the Self Test
The self test checks the printer’s overall operability. Refer to the figures
and instructions below to perform the printer self test.
Figure 3-8. Performing the Printer Self Test
IMPORTANT!
The printer should be loaded with media, connected to AC power, and
turned off.
1. Press and hold the FEED button.
2. Turn the printer ON while holding the FEED button.
3. Release the FEED button when the self test starts to print.
4. Turn the printer off and then on again to return to normal
printing operation.
IMPORTANT!
After performing the self test, the printer is in hexadecimal dump mode and
cannot print normally until you cycle the power.
Copyright © 2004, Cognitive. 15
SETUP
The output from the self test is described in the table below.
Setting Description Example
S/N Printer serial number S/N: A123456789
F/W Firmware version F/W: 195-150-320
REVISION and BUILD Firmware revision and build number REVISION: 3.20 BUILD = 08
DATE Date and time of the self test DATE: AUG 19 2004 11:05:40
INCHES PRINTED Total inches printed INCHES PRINTED: 000000801
TEXT BUF Size and overflow value for the text
buffer
COMM Communications port configuration
values (Baud, Parity, Data Bits, Stop
Bits)
XON/XOFF Indicates the status of XON/XOFF
handshaking
FEEDBACK Shows the status of VARIABLE
USER_FEEDBACK
DARKNESS Darkness setting of printer. FACT is
Factory setting (not user modifiable).
VAR is the variable, user modifiable
setting.
MEDIA ADJUSTMENT Adjusts print contrast on object leading
edges for optimum print quality.
P-H TEMP, P-H VOLTS Printhead temperature and voltage P-H TEMP: 181(30) P-H VOLTS: 211
POWER UP PITCH Print density in dots per inch at power
up
DEFAULT WIDTH Default label width (approximate), in
hundredths of an inch
SHIFT LEFT Distance the image is shifted to the
left, in hundredths of an inch
TEXT BUF: Size=64512 Ovf=256
COMM: 9600,N,8,1
XON/XOFF: ON
FEEDBACK: Off
DARKNESS: FACT=34 VAR=0
MEDIA ADJUSTMENT: 300
POWER UP PITCH: 200
DEFAULT WIDTH: 224
SHIFT LEFT: 0
LABEL PRESENTATION When ON, Printer will advance and
reverse the distance specified below
for each label printed.
FORWARD With PRESENTLABEL ON, the
distance that a label is advanced, in
hundredths of an inch
REVERSE With PRESENTLABEL ON, the
distance that a label is retracted, in
hundredths of an inch
PRINT SPEED Displays the current printing speed
setting.
INDEX Displays index configuration, including
FEED_TYPE mode, gain, tx, rx, top of
form, filter, and current index value
Copyright © 2004, Cognitive. 16
LABEL PRESENTATION: ON
FORWARD (1/100 inches): 8
REVERSE (1/100 inches): 8
PRINT SPEED: HIGH
INDEX: GAP .3.2.36.01.0000.053.217
SETUP
Setting Description Example
RECALIBRATE If a label travels the No Media Timeout
distance without seeing an index
mark, the printer will attempt to
recalibrate the printer if
RECALIBRATE: ON. If
RECALIBRATE: OFF, the printer will
error out with a red ready light.
PRINT MODE DT indicates direct thermal printing,
TT indicates thermal transfer printing
and AUTO indicates automatic print
mode switching. In AUTO mode, the
printer will check for the presence of a
ribbon when it is turned on or when
you lower the printhead. If it detects a
ribbon it will set itself for TT mode,
otherwise it will automatically select
DT mode.
ERROR REPORT LEVEL Displays current setting for error
reporting
NO MEDIA TIMEOUT Distance (in inches) the label travels
before the printer either attempts to
recalibrate, or errors out with a red
ready light. (Gap indexing mode only)
EMULATION MODE Displays status of Blazer Emulation
Mode. A value of 0 sets the default
print pitch to its highest value.
IMAGE BUFFER Available free space in the image
buffer
RECALIBRATE: ON
PRINT MODE: DT (AUTO)
ERROR REPORT LEVEL: 0
NO MEDIA TIMEOUT: 0
EMULATION MODE: 0
IMAGE BUFFER: 1903911 bytes free
MEM SLOT 3 Amount of space in Flash RAM for
stored objects
MAC ADDRESS Hardware address of the printer 00:E0:70:00:00:00
IP ADDRESS Network address 255.255.0.0
GATEWAY Network gateway address 0.0.0.0
SNMP TRAP IP Address for the network SNMP trap 0.0.0.0
LPD Displays status of LDP protocol LPD: ON
Telnet Displays status of Telnet protocol Telnet: ON
BootP Displays status of BootP/DHCP BootP: OFF
RTEL Displays status of RTEL protocol RTEL: ON
Ethernet TXTBFR Displays the size of the text and
overflow buffers
MEM SLOT 3: 3670016 bytes installed
Ethernet TXTBFR: Size=8192 Ovf=1514
Copyright © 2004, Cognitive. 17
Chapter
4
Printing Standard Labels and Tags
The Advantage RFID Thermal Printer prints both direct thermal and
thermal transfer labels and tags in a host or network environment. The
Advantage RFID Thermal Printer also has the capability to program
and read RFID tags placed within special media as well as print on
certain areas of that media.
Sources for printed label and tag data include the following:
• Label software
• CPL programming
• Third party applications or interfaces
Using Label Software
A version of NiceLabel labeling software, designed specially for
Cognitive printers, is included on the Companion CD. This software
provides label printing and label design capabilities. Refer to the
NiceLabel help files for information on how to use this product with
your Cognitive printer.
Using CPL Programming
A common method of printing labels is CPL programming. Commands
and data are sent to the printer through a generic text printer driver.
The commands prepare the printer to receive the label, establish print
position and characteristics, and terminate printing operation. Data is
passed as ASCII text and may be printed on the label, encoded in an
RFID device, or both.
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PRINTING LABELS AND TAGS
Creating a Text File
Use the following instructions with Windows-based computers.
1. Click Start.
2. Choose Run.
3. In the Open: text box, type command.
4. Click OK. The Command window appears.
5. In the Command window, at the prompt, type edit and press
ENTER. The DOS Editor window appears.
Copyright © 2004, Cognitive. 19
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