System and method for applying codes onto packaged products
First Claim
1. Apparatus for applying codes onto packaged consumer products, wherein said products are packed individually and then further packed into groups of products;
- at least one coder applies information to said packaging;
said coder receives instructions from a processing system;
said processing system receives input data representing an image to be coded onto said packaging and generates said instructions for said coder, wherein said processing system generates said instructions with reference to the capabilities of said coder such that, in dependence upon said capabilities, said processing system either (a) instructs said coder to generate a graphical representation in response to coded instructions, or (b) said processing system assists said coder to generate said graphical representation before supplying lower level instructions to said coder,
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Codes, such as those representing dates (324), barcodes (326) and incrementing values (325) are applied onto packaged consumer products by a coder (410). The coder receives instructions from a processing system (406) composite data (405) representing information to be coded onto the packaging is received by the processing system (406). Coder instructions for a coder processing subsystem (411) are generated by processing system (406) with reference to coder capabilities (409). In response to these coder capabilities, the processing system (406) either instructs the coder to generate a graphical representation in response to said instructions or assists the coder to generate a graphical representation before supplying lower level instructions to the coder.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. Apparatus for applying codes onto packaged consumer products, wherein
said products are packed individually and then further packed into groups of products; -
at least one coder applies information to said packaging;
said coder receives instructions from a processing system;
said processing system receives input data representing an image to be coded onto said packaging and generates said instructions for said coder, wherein said processing system generates said instructions with reference to the capabilities of said coder such that, in dependence upon said capabilities, said processing system either (a) instructs said coder to generate a graphical representation in response to coded instructions, or (b) said processing system assists said coder to generate said graphical representation before supplying lower level instructions to said coder, - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of applying codes onto packaged consumer products, wherein said products are packed individually and then further packed into groups of products, wherein at least one coder applies information to said packaging and said coder receives instructions from a processing system, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving composite data representing information to be coded onto said packaging;
generating coder instructions with reference to the capabilities of a coder such that, in dependence upon said capabilities, said processing system either (a) instructs said coder to generate a graphical representation in response to said instructions, or (b) assists said coder to generate said graphical representation before supplying lower level instructions to said coder. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions executable by a computer such that, when executing said instructions, a computer will perform the steps of;
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receiving input data representing an image to be coded onto said packaging;
generating coder instructions with reference to the capabilities of a coder such that, in dependent upon said capabilities, said processing system either (a) instructs said coder to generate a graphical representation in response to said instructions, or (b) assists said coder to generate said graphical representation before supplying lower level instructions to said coder. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method of communicating between a first processing device configured to facilitate the design of codes for packaged consumer products and a second processing device configured to control coding machines for coding said packaged products in response to said design, wherein
data transmitted from said first processing station to said second processing station defines said codes in a generic non-coder specific format defining a requirement for said codes; - and
said second processing device is aware of coder capabilities and instructs specific coders to apply codes in response to a generic code design and a definition of capabilities for a specific coder. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A computer-readable memory system having computer-readable data stored therein, comprising
a generic code description for a code to be applied to packaged consumer products; -
a specification of coder capabilities; and
program instructions to produce coder specific code with reference to said generic description and with reference to said coder capabilities. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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Specification