Patent ID: 7975925

Claim:
A cartridge reader device comprising: a radio frequency identification (RFID) unit that reads cartridge memory (CM) data from an RFID tag of a data cartridge; a bar code unit that reads bar code data from a bar code of the data cartridge; and a housing that encloses the RFID unit and the bar code unit, wherein the housing defines a first receiving area and a second receiving area, wherein the first receiving area is configured to accept the data cartridge when the data cartridge is enclosed in a case and enables the bar code unit to read the bar code data from the bar code of the data cartridge when the data cartridge is enclosed in the case, and wherein the second receiving area is configured to accept the data cartridge when the data cartridge is not enclosed in the case and enables the bar code unit to read the bar code data from the bar code of the data cartridge when the data cartridge is not enclosed in the case.