Container identification system

Abstract

Multiple containers (e.g. cups 10/20/30/40 ) for liquid or solid materials each having along it top, peripheral edge ( 17/27/37 ) at least one series of peripherally extended, spaced, intelligent indica ( 13/23/33 ), four embodiments being illustrated (FIGS. 1 - 4 ). The indicia can be a series of letters (e.g., the alphabet “A-Z” 11/12/31 ), or numeric sequence ( 21/22/32 , “0-9”) with special value indicia (e.g., “100,” “200”). The user selects desired ones of the indicia for identification purposes from the one or more series and high-lights the selected ones by, for example, crushing a plastic bubble, pulling a tab, scratching of a covering or physically marking them with a writing instrument, etc. For example, using two alphabetic series of indicia, a user can mark his/her cup with his/her basic initials (FIG. 1 ) or, for further example, using two numeric series of indicia and special quantum indicia a number between 0-299 could be used to identify the container (FIG. 2 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of identifying a hand-holdable, rounded, container for goods by at least one user who has two hands, and distinguishing that container from other, like containers, each of which containers has an open, rounded top with a curved upper edge and a rounded, interior surface and a rounded, exterior surface, comprising the following steps: 
 a) using a series of containers each of a size and weight to be easily held in the adult human hand and each having at least one series of intelligent indicia including a series of juxtaposed indicia elements permanently presented on at least its exterior surface at least near its upper edge;    b) selecting for identification purposes some of the indicia elements on at least a first one container of said series of containers, and high-lighting the selected indicia elements using at least one hand of a user and thereby identifying that container in a relatively unique way with the high-lighted, selected indicia elements; and    c) selecting some different indicia elements on at least another container from said series of containers and high-lighting the different selected indicia elements, again using at least one hand of a user, and thereby identify that other container in a different, relatively unique way with the high-lighted different, selected indicia elements and thereby distinguishing the other container from the first container.    
     
     
         2 . The container identification method of  claim 1 , wherein each indicia element has an outer surface; and wherein in the high-lighting aspects of step “b” and in step “c” there is further included in each the steps of: 
 bc-1) holding the container in one hand while high-lighting the selected indicia elements; and  
 bc-2) using the other hand to cause the high-lighting of the selected indicia elements to occur.  
 
     
     
         3 . The container identification method of  claim 2 , wherein in step “a” there is included the step of: 
 a-1) using for the at least one series of intelligent indicia a series located circumferentially along and juxtaposed to the container's upper edge and using indicia elements which are each subject to a change in external appearance state when pressure is applied to its outer surface; and  
 wherein in sub-steps “bc-1” & “bc-2” there is included in each the step of:  
 bc1-2) separately applying pressure on each selected indicia between the user's thumb and the ball of another finger in a pincer movement, thereby high-lighting the selected, pressured indicia elements.  
 
     
     
         4 . The container identification method of  claim 3 , wherein each of said indicia element's outer surface includes a crushable bubble; and wherein there is further included in connection with step “bc1-2” the step of: 
 crushing the crushable bubble of each selected indicia element between the user's fingers, changing the selected indicia's external appearance.  
 
     
     
         5 . The container identification method of  claim 2 , wherein in step “a” there is included the step of: 
 a-1) using indicia elements which each have an associated tab positioned initially flat at least substantially in line with the exterior surface of the container and a back tab wall against which the tab initially lies; and  
 wherein in sub-steps “bc-1” & “bc-2” there is included in each the step of:  
 bc1-2) separately pulling the tab between the user's thumb and the ball of another finger and moving the initial edge of the tab at least about ninety (90°) degrees, thereby high-lighting the selected indicia elements with the moved tabs.  
 
     
     
         6 . The container identification method of  claim 5 , wherein each indicia element has its indicia located on the back tab wall; and wherein, in connection with step “bc1-2,” there is included the step of: 
 exposing the selected indicia on the back tab wall in pulling their associated tabs, thereby high-lighting the selected indicia.  
 
     
     
         7 . The container identification method of  claim 2 , wherein the containers are all drinking cups; and wherein, in association with step “a,” there is further included the step of: 
 a-1) using at least two, separate, but adjacent series of intelligent indicia each of which includes the letters of the alphabet; and  
 wherein in sub-steps “b” & “c” there is separately included the steps of:  
 bc1-2) separately selecting a letter from each of the two series of indicia based on the initials of the respective user of the respective drinking cup.  
 
     
     
         8 . The container identification method of  claim 2 , wherein, in association with step “a,” there is further included the step of: 
 a-1) using at least two, separate, but adjacent series of intelligent indicia each of which includes the numeric series of zero through nine (0-9); and  
 wherein in sub-steps “b” & “c” there is separately included the steps of:  
 bc1) separately selecting a number from each of the two series of indicia based on at least a double digit number to be assigned to the respective container.  
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein, in association with step “a,” there is further included the step of: 
 a-1) including in association with the series of numeric indicia at least one special quantum indicia element signifying the numeric quantum “100”; and  
 wherein in steps “b” and “c” there separately is included the step of:  
 bc1) high-lighting the special quantum indicia element when it is desired to identify the container with a number higher than ninety-nine (99).  
 
     
     
         10 . The container identification method of  claim 2 , wherein, in association with step “a,” there is further included the step of: 
 a-1) using at least two, separate, but adjacent series of intelligent indicia one of which includes a series of a first type of indicia and the other of which includes a series of a second, different type of indicia; and  
 wherein in steps “b” & “c” there is separately included the steps of:  
 bc1) separately selecting a different indicia element from each of the two series of indicia based on identifying the nature of the goods contained in the container.  
 
     
     
         11 . A container identification system for separately identifying a hand-holdable, rounded, containers for goods by at least one user who has two hands, and distinguishing that container from other, like containers, each of which containers has an open, rounded top with a curved upper edge and a rounded, interior surface and a rounded, exterior surface, comprising: 
 a series of containers each of a size and weight to be easily held in the adult human hand and each having at least two series of intelligent indicia each including a series of juxtaposed indicia elements permanently presented on at least its exterior surface, both of which series of intelligent series are circumferentially extended in parallel, side-by-side paths along and adjacent to its respective container's upper edge;    at least a first container of said series of containers having at least one selected, high-lighted, identification, indicia element in at least one of said series of intelligent indicia, identifying that container in a relatively unique way with the highlighted, selected indicia element(s); and    at least a second container of said series of containers having at least one selected, high-lighted, identification, indicia element in at least one of said series of intelligent indicia, the selected, highlighted indicia being different than the selected, high-lighted indicia of said first container, identifying said second container in a relatively unique way with said different high-lighted, selected indicia element(s), distinguishing said second container from said first container and from the other containers of said series of containers.    
     
     
         12 . The container identification system of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 each of said containers of said series of containers is of a size and configuration allowing it to be held in one hand of a human adult; and    wherein:    the size, container location and type of each of said indicia elements allowing said indicia elements to be high-lighted by the user using the other hand of the user while holding the container in the user's other hand.    
     
     
         13 . The container identification system of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 each of said indicia elements has an outer surface and are individually subject to a change in external appearance state, high-lighting the selected indicia, when pressure is applied to said outer surface, the pressure level to achieve said highlighting change in external appearance being that which can be applied by pressing the adult human thumb and another finger on one hand together in a pincer movement.    
     
     
         14 . The container identification system of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 each of said indicia element's outer surface includes a crushable bubble, curshable under the user's fingers' pincer movement, said selected, high-lighted indicia having crushed bubbles, causing said selected, high-lighted indicia being distinguishable from the non-selected, non-high-lighted indicia due to said highlighted indicia's appearance.    
     
     
         15 . The container identification system of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 each of said indicia elements on each of said first and said second and said other containers has an associated tab positioned initially flat at least substantially in line with the exterior surface and a back tab wall against which the tab can initially lie, and be separately pulled by the user's thumb and the ball of another finger on the same hand of the user and being capable of movement at least about ninety (90°) degrees, the selected indicia being so high-lighted with their respective moved tabs.    
     
     
         16 . The container identification system of  claim 15 , wherein: 
 each indicia element has its indicia located on the back tab wall, said selected, high-lighted indicia being exposed on the back tab wall due to their associated tabs being pulled away.    
     
     
         17 . The container identification system of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 said containers are all drinking cups; both of said series of intelligent indicia include the letters of the alphabet; and    wherein:    said selected, high-lighted indicia of said first and said second containers include a letter from each of the two series of indicia based on the initials of the respective user of the respective drinking cup.    
     
     
         18 . The container identification system of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 said two series of intelligent indicia each include the numeric series of zero through nine (0-9); and    wherein:    said first and said second container each separately have a number from each of the two series of indicia selected and high-lighted based on at least a double digit number, different for each container, assigned to the respective container.    
     
     
         19 . The container identification system of  claim 18 , wherein there is further included: 
 in association with the series of numeric indicia at least one special quantum indicia element signifying the numeric quantum “100”; said quantum indicia being high-lighting when it is desired to identify the respective container with a number higher than ninety-nine (99).    
     
     
         20 . The container identification method of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 one of said two separate series of intelligent indicia includes a series of a first type of indicia and the other includes a series of a second, different type of indicia, the selected, high-lighted indicia being based on the nature of the goods contained in the respective container.