A ribbon roll held by a ribbon holder comprises a cylindrical member, an ink ribbon wound around the cylindrical member and a data holding section which is arranged on surface of the cylindrical member and has plural areas where identification codes indicating information relating to the ink ribbon are recorded A driver rotates the cylindrical member held by the ribbon holding section. A detector detects components of the identification code and the mark from a position facing the data holding section of the ribbon roll held by the ribbon holder. A rotation controller enables the driver to rotate the cylindrical member to an extent to which the detector can detect the identification code. A reading controller carries out reading of the identification code by taking the mark as a reference from the components detected by the detector in synchronization with the rotation by the rotation controller.

Provided is a medicine packaging device. The medicine packaging device includes: a reader-writer that reads information from an IC tag installed at a supply core of an ink ribbon roll detachably installed to an ink ribbon cassette as well as writes information to the IC tag; a motor control unit that controls a winding motor for rotating a winding core, based on a used length of the ink ribbon which is information read from the IC tag, so that the ink ribbon of the ink ribbon roll runs in a winding direction at a higher speed than a feeding speed of a continuous sheet for packaging; and a written information output unit that outputs information showing the used length of the ink ribbon which has been changed due to use of the ink ribbon, to the reader/writer as information written on the IC tag.

A tape cartridge is detachably installed on a tape printing apparatus provided with a detection portion which detects attribute information of the tape cartridge installed on a cartridge installation portion on which the tape cartridge is installed. The tape cartridge includes a wound printing tape and a core shaft. In the tape cartridge, the core shaft is positioned at an inner peripheral side of the wound printing tape, and the core shaft includes a detection object which faces the detection portion when the tape cartridge is installed on the tape printing apparatus.

A tape printing device includes a cartridge loading section where a tape cartridge having a platen roller and a portion to be guided is loaded in an unloadable manner; two recess portions in which fingers for gripping the tape cartridge are inserted; a platen support shaft inserted in the platen roller; and a guide pin inserted in the portion to be guided. The guide pin is situated on a side opposite to the platen support shaft across an imaginary line connecting the two recess portions and is arranged at a site where a distance from the recess portion at a position farther from the first insertion shaft, of the two recess portions, is shorter than a distance from the recess portion at a position closer to the platen support shaft.

A method for automatically adjusting the setting(s) of a printer having a control circuit in communication with a sensory system and a database. The database is located in a storage medium and the data in the database includes one or more defined parameter settings corresponding to one or more media types. The sensory system is used to obtain a media identifier from media loaded into the printer. The control circuit determines the type of media from the media identifier. The media type is then compared to the database entries and used to retrieve any defined parameter setting(s) corresponding to the media type identified by the media identifier. Instructions to adjust the printer setting(s) according to the defined parameter setting(s) are determined at the control circuit. The control circuit then sends the instructions to the appropriate systems of the printer to adjusted the printer setting(s) according to the defined parameter setting(s).

A tape cartridge to be loaded in an unloadable manner in a tape printing device having an open/close cover to open/close a cartridge loading section where the tape cartridge is loaded. The tape cartridge includes: a tab portion which is provided on a surface of the tape cartridge that faces the open/close cover when loaded in the cartridge loading section, and which is configured to move between a gripping position and a non-gripping position in relation to the surface; and an energizing portion which energizes the tab portion toward the gripping position. The tab portion is pressed by a pressing portion provided on the open/close cover, in a closed state of the open/close cover. The energizing portion is displaced to resist the pressing force of the pressing portion via the tab portion.

In a method of detecting a location of a print section of a transfer ribbon, the transfer ribbon is fed in a feed direction relative to a print section sensor. The print section sensor includes a reflective sensor and a transmissive sensor. The reflective sensor is positioned upstream of the transmissive sensor relative to the feed direction. A registration mark on the transfer ribbon, which indicates the location of the print section on the transfer ribbon, is detected using the reflective sensor. The registration mark is detected using the transmissive sensor. The location of the print section is determined based on the detection of the registration mark using the transmissive sensor.

A tape printing device includes a print unit having a print head, a cartridge loading section which is loaded with a tape cartridge accommodating a print tape, and a device case in which the cartridge loading section and the print unit are arranged and which has a tape discharge port through which the print tape is discharged. The tape cartridge has a first display section which is provided on a first surface of the tape cartridge and which displays a type of the print tape. A first opening is formed on a first outer surface of the device case where the tape discharge port is formed, and the first opening is formed in such a way that the first display section of the tape cartridge is visible.

An ink ribbon includes a core and a mounting section. The core is configured to be wound with an ink ribbon tape. The mounting section is mounted with an identification information recording part in which identification information of the ink ribbon tape is recorded to be inputtable and outputtable. The mounting section includes at least one hole section which supports at least one end portion of the core to be rotatable. The mounting section covers at least a part of the core via the ink ribbon tape wound around the core in a state where the core is rotatable.

A method for providing remote programming of a supply tag of a print supply used with an authorized entity's card personalization system is provided. The method includes an issuance server authenticating remote programming of the supply tag, receiving first supply tag data of the print supply including a first digital signature, updating the first supply tag data to obtain second supply tag data, and issuing a second digital signature based on the second supply tag data. The second digital signature secures the second supply tag data.