System for identifying packaging 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 - 24 . (canceled)  
   
   
       25 . A system for identifying packages in a group, comprising: 
 a first printing device configured to print variable data on the packages, the first printing device being connected to a first computer,    an automatic packaging machine disposed at a remote location relative to the first printing device,    a variable data machine reader positioned proximate the automatic packaging machine, and    a second computer connected to the variable data reader, the second computer storing the variable data in a computer database and associating the variable data with other data in the computer database.    
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising a package pre-forming device positioned before the automatic packaging machine.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising an automated package quality reader disposed proximate the automatic packaging machine.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the computer database is used to recover a value from the second set of data for a specific package using a value from the first set of variable identifying data.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the computer database is used to identify which values in the first set of variable data correspond to specific values of the second set of data.  
   
   
       30 . A system for identifying packages in a group, comprising: 
 a first printing device configured to print variable data on the packages, the first printing device being connected to a first computer,    an automatic packaging machine disposed at a remote location relative to the first printing device, and    a variable data machine reader positioned proximate the automatic packaging machine.    
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the packages are grouped in lots, each of which contains at least 50 packages, and each package within a lot is printed with different variable data.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the packages are grouped in lots, each of which contains at least 50 packages, and each package within a lot is printed with different variable data.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the packages are grouped in lots, each of which contains at least 50 packages, and each package within a particular lot is printed with the same variable data.  
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the packages are grouped in lots, each of which contains at least 50 packages, and each package within a particular lot is printed with the same variable data.