Tape indicia on clear film media

Abstract

A print medium is encoded with information bearing indicia. A transparent layer or substrate which receives the printed information during printing has a first surface, a second surface and a leading edge. A strip of tape is applied to the first surface. A machine readable information bearing indicia is applied to at least one surface of the tape strip. The indicia is formed by a pattern of fluorescent material which upon excitation by radiation of a given spectral excitation range emits radiation in a fluorescent spectral range. The tape reflects radiation in the given excitation spectral range and in the fluorescent spectral range. In another embodiment, the strip of tape is applied to the first surface of the layer of the print medium, and has a top surface which is exposed when the tape strip is applied to the print medium and a bottom surface adjacent the first surface of the print medium. A first machine readable information bearing indicia is applied to the top surface of the tape strip. A second machine readable information bearing indicia is applied to the bottom surface of the tape strip. One type of indicia is a bar code pattern, although other types can also be employed.

1 - 33 . (canceled)  
   
   
       34 . A method of reading data encoded on transparent print media, comprising: 
 providing a transparent layer of a print medium having a first surface and a second surface and a leading edge, the medium including a strip of tape applied to the first surface of the layer of the print medium, a machine readable information bearing indicia applied to a surface of the tape strip, the indicia formed by a pattern of fluorescent material which upon excitation by radiation of a given spectral excitation range emits radiation in a fluorescent spectral range, and    wherein the tape reflects radiation in said given excitation spectral range and in said fluorescent spectral range;    providing an image transfer device having a light source for illumination the tape strip and a sensor for detecting the radiation emitted by the indicia; and    illuminating the indicia with the light source and detecting the radiation emitted by the indicia to read the information represented by the indicia.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the transparent layer is in the form of a sheet.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the transparent layer is in the form of a roll.  
   
   
       37 - 39 . (canceled)  
   
   
       40 . A method of reading data encoded on transparent print media, comprising: 
 feeding a transparent print medium into a media path of a printer, the print medium having a first surface and second surface and a leading edge, the medium including a strip of tape applied to the first surface of the layer of the print medium, a machine readable information bearing indicia applied to a surface of the tape strip, the indicia formed by a pattern of fluorescent material which upon excitation by radiation of a given spectral excitation range emits radiation in a fluorescent spectral range, the tape reflecting radiation in said given excitation spectral range and in said fluorescent spectral range;    illuminating the indicia with radiation of said given spectral excitation range;    sensing the radiation in said fluorescent spectral range to read the information represented by the indicia; and    employing said information to control an operation of said printer.    
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the transparent layer is in the form of a sheet.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40  wherein the transparent layer is in the form of a roll.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 40  wherein said second surface is for recording printed information during a print process, and said strip of tape is applied to said first surface which is opposite to said second surface on which print information is recorded during the print process, and further comprising: 
 operating the printer to record information on said second surface.    
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising an optically transparent adhesive layer adding said strip of tape to said first surface of the layer of the print medium.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said tape is fabricated of a white material.