Patent ID: 6963351
Filing Date: 2005-11-08
Classification: B41J,B65H,G01N,H01Q

Abstract:
1. A method of tracking usage of a roll of a consumable supply in data bearing document production equipment, comprising: loading a roll of a consumable supply into the equipment, the supply including a supply cylinder, unused material wound onto the supply cylinder waiting to be used, and a take-up cylinder for taking-up used material, at least one of said supply cylinder and said take-up cylinder containing read/write memory clement having stored data therein relating to the amount of material remaining to be used; operating the equipment to perform a document production task so that at least some of the material remaining to be used is used; and changing the data stored in the memory element relating to the amount of material remaining to be used based at least in part on the amount of material expected to be used for the production task, wherein the roll of consumable supply comprises print ribbon, cleaning tape, indent foil, labels, topping foil, holographic topcoats, or polyester laminates.