Patent ID: 7832952

Claim:
A printer comprising: a print head, a web path for a longitudinally extending web of record members having longitudinally spaced high frequency RFID transponders, the web path extending in a downstream direction to the print head, and a high frequency magnetic coupler disposed along the web path, the coupler being capable of magnetically coupling with the transponders by writing to and/or reading the transponders one-at-a-time, the coupler including an inductor capable of radiating and receiving magnetic energy, the inductor having a single magnetizable core and an energizable winding coupled to the core, and the coupler being disposed to radiate or receive magnetic energy at a level to write to or read a transponder in the web generally aligned with the core but insufficient to write to or read any transponder in the web not generally aligned with the inductor, wherein the core is elongate and extends generally transversely across the web path to provide a substantially uniform magnetic field across the web; and a pair of conductive walls straddling the core.