Process for identifying individual packages in a group

Abstract

A process and system are provided for printing variable data on packaging material at a package printer and machine reading the variable data on a packaging facility packaging line and associating the variable data with other information in a computer database. The process and system render unnecessary the use of a printing stage at the packaging facility, thereby improving packaging efficiency.

1 - 14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . A process for creating a computer database to track an individual packaged item in a group of substantially identical packaged items, comprising: 
 obtaining a lot of at least fifty unfilled packages having a first set of variable data printed thereon,    automatically filling the packages,    determining the first set of variable data and storing it in a computer database at the time of filling, and    associating the first set of variable data with a second set of data, both the first set of variable data and the second set of data being stored in the computer database.    
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein determining the first set of variable data includes machine reading the first set of variable data.  
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein determining the first set of variable data includes sequentially determining the variable data from the starting point of the lot.  
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein sequential variable data is provided with the lot of unfilled packages.  
   
   
       19 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the second set of data is input into the computer database when the packages are filled.  
   
   
       20 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the first set of variable data is machine read before the packages are filled.  
   
   
       21 . The process of  claim 15 , further comprising automatically checking package quality before filling the packages and rejecting low quality packages.  
   
   
       22 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the first set of variable data is printed at a first location and the packages are filled at a second location that is remote relative to the first location.  
   
   
       23 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the computer database is used to recover the second set of data for a specific package using data from the first set of variable data.  
   
   
       24 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the computer database is used to identify which values from the first set of variable data correspond to specific values from the second set of data.  
   
   
       25 - 29 . (canceled)  
   
   
       30 . A process for creating a computer database to track an individual packaged item in a group of substantially identical packaged items, comprising: 
 obtaining a lot of at least fifty filled packages having a first set of variable data printed thereon, the variable data on each package being different than the variable data on the other packages,    determining the first set of variable data and storing it in a computer database, and    associating the first set of variable data with a second set of data, both the first set of variable data and the second set of data being stored in the computer database.    
   
   
       31 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein determining the first set of variable data includes machine reading the first set of variable data.  
   
   
       32 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein determining the first set of variable data includes sequentially determining the variable data from the starting point of the lot.  
   
   
       33 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein sequential variable data is provided with the lot of unfilled packages.  
   
   
       34 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein the second set of data is input into the computer database when the packages are filled.  
   
   
       35 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein the first set of variable data is machine read before the packages are filled.  
   
   
       36 . The process of  claim 30 , further comprising automatically checking package quality before filling the packages and rejecting low quality packages.  
   
   
       37 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein the first set of variable data is printed at a first location and the packages are filled at a second location that is remote relative to the first location.  
   
   
       38 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein the computer database is used to recover the second set of data for a specific package using data from the first set of variable data.  
   
   
       39 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein the computer database is used to identify which values from the first set of variable data correspond to specific values from the second set of data.