Patent ID: 7383864

Claim:
A radio-frequency identification tag and tape applicator, comprising: a) a tag and tape handling system, comprising: i) a base; ii) a tape supply holder attached to said base; iii) a tag supply holder attached to said base; and iv) a tag applying mechanism attached to said base for applying a tag to a length of tape; v) a carrier roll holder attached to said base; and vi) a carrier path from said tag supply holder to said carrier roll holder; and vii) a first interrogator attached to said base; b) a roll of a plurality of radio-frequency identification tags on a carrier mounted on said tag supply holder; c) a roll of a tape mounted on said tape supply holder; d) a taping head for applying the tag and the length of tape to an object, wherein said taping head comprises: i) a tape cutting mechanism; and ii) a tape applying mechanism, wherein said tag applying mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein when said tag applying mechanism is in said first position, said tag applying mechanism does not apply one of said radio-frequency identification tags to a length of tape, and wherein when said tag applying mechanism is in said second position, said tag applying mechanism applies one of said radio-frequency identification tags to said length of tape; and e) a tape path between said tape supply holder to said tape applying mechanism, wherein said tape cutting mechanism is located on said tape path between said tape supply holder and said tape applying mechanism, wherein said tag applying mechanism is located on said tape path between said tape supply holder and said tape cutting mechanism, and wherein said tag applying mechanism is positioned and configured to alter said tape path when said tag applying mechanism is in said second position; f) a control system programmed for controlling operations of said system such that said first interrogator tests one of said radio-frequency identification tags for the functionality of said tag, and if said tag is functional, then said first interrogator writes information to said tag, wherein after said first interrogator writes the information, said first interrogator reads said tag for the information to verify the information was properly written to said tag, and wherein after said first interrogator verifies the information, said tag applying mechanism moves to said second position to contact said tape to adhere one of said radio-frequency identification tags to said tape and to separate said tag from said carrier.