Fargo Electronics Receives U.S. Patents 6,457,886 and 6,512,594.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 21, 2003

Fargo Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq:FRGO) today announced that it has received U.S. Patent 6,457,886, "Card stack lifter and exception feed" ('886) and U.S. Patent 6,512,594, "Printer or Laminator with multi-threaded program architecture ('594). Fargo Electronics is the world's leader in innovative technologies for desktop plastic card personalization systems.

"The new '886 patent covers the ability of end users to feed a single card through Fargo printers, without removing the stack of blank cards held in the card input hopper," said Jeffrey D. Upin, Fargo's General Counsel. "This permits fast access to the printer so that end users can quickly run a single exception card, then easily return to batch printing of multiple cards. This feature was first introduced on our DTC500 series printers and has become a valued feature for end users printing a variety of cards.

"The new '594 patent covers a broad operating system architecture of electronics and software that permits printers to run at faster speeds.

"These patents will add to our strong and growing intellectual property portfolio. They further protect Fargo's proprietary designs, and demonstrates our continued industry leadership in innovations which benefit the end user," Upin said. "We are very pleased with these patents, which will offer our product lines and distribution partners additional competitive strength.

"We have also been notified that the U.S. Patent Office has issued two "Notices of Allowance," the final stage prior to issuance of a patent, for a card hopper design and a peel-off roller for a laminated layer.

"Fargo has now been granted 39 U.S. patents and has over 90 patent applications pending, related to specific card printer technology such as lamination, card flipping, ribbon technology, High Definition Printing, dual input hoppers and output stackers. Our ability to bring such ideas to the card personalization market gives end users greater flexibility and leads ultimately to Fargo's strength and growth in the marketplace," Upin said.

About Fargo

Fargo Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq:FRGO) is the world's leader in innovative technologies for desktop plastic card personalization systems. Based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Fargo creates printing systems that personalize plastic identification cards, complete with digital images and text, lamination, and electronically encoded information.

Personalized identification cards provide physical, information and transaction security for a wide variety of applications including retail stores, e-commerce, government installations, schools, sports and recreation facilities, clubs and associations, and correctional facilities. More than 60,000 Fargo systems are currently installed throughout the U.S. and in over 100 other countries. For more information, visit Fargo's Web site at http://www.fargo.com.