Method and apparatus for applying bar code information to products during production
First Claim
1. A method for applying bar code information to a product on a production line, comprising:
- pre-printing, prior to a production run, and on a printable surface associated with the product, bar code information associated with the product;
printing, on the printable surface associated with the product, and during the production run, bar code information that supplements the bar code information associated with the product;
wherein the supplemental bar code information provides information associated with the production run, andwherein the supplemental bar code information and the bar code information associated with the product form a composite bar code.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Bar code information is printed on a printable surface associated with a product, such as a label or container of the product, or the product itself, during a production run under the control of a printer computer. The bar code information may include two components of a composite bar code symbol, where the first component is either pre-printed or printed during a production run, and the second component is printed during the production run. The first component may identify a product that is carried in the containers, while the second component identifies a lot, batch, expiration date or commodity number. In another aspect, check data is used to confirm the accuracy of information that is used by a printer computer to control a printer. In another aspect, first and second bar code symbols portions are read to recover information, and a database is accessed to determine if the recovered information is consistent.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for applying bar code information to a product on a production line, comprising:
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pre-printing, prior to a production run, and on a printable surface associated with the product, bar code information associated with the product; printing, on the printable surface associated with the product, and during the production run, bar code information that supplements the bar code information associated with the product; wherein the supplemental bar code information provides information associated with the production run, and wherein the supplemental bar code information and the bar code information associated with the product form a composite bar code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for applying bar code information to a product on a production line, comprising:
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means for pre-printing, prior to a production run, and on a printable surface associated with the product, bar code information associated with the product; means for printing, on the printable surface associated with the product, and during the production run, supplemental bar code information that supplements the bar code information associated with the product; wherein the supplemental bar code information provides information associated with the production run, and wherein the supplemental bar code information and the bar code information associated with the product form a composite bar code.
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13. A method for applying bar codes for a product on a production line, comprising:
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pre-printing, prior to a production run, and on a printable surface associated with the product, bar code information associated with the product; programming a computer with supplemental information associated with the production run; printing, responsive to the programming, during the production run, and on the printable surface associated with the product on the production line, the supplemental information as supplemental bar code information, wherein the supplemental bar code information and the bar code information associated with the product form a composite bar code. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for applying bar codes for a product on a production line, comprising:
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pre-printing, prior to a production run, and on a printable surface associated with the product, bar code information associated with the product; means for programming a computer with supplemental information associated with the production run; means for printing, responsive to the programming means, during the production run, and on the printable surface associated with the product on the production line, the supplemental information as supplemental bar code information, wherein the supplemental bar code information and the bar code information associated with the product form a composite bar code.
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22. An error detection method for use in a production line in which bar codes are applied to products, comprising:
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receiving first check data at a first computer that controls a printer on the production line; wherein the first check data is calculated at a second computer based on information associated, at least in part, with a production run on the production line; receiving the information at the first computer; computing second check data at the first computer based on the received information; and determining whether the first and second check data agree. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An error detection apparatus for use in a production line in which bar codes are applied to products:
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means at a first computer for receiving first check data; wherein the first computer controls a printer on the production line, and the first check data is calculated at a second computer based on information;
associated, at least in part, with a production run on the production line;means at the first computer for receiving the information; means at the first computer for computing second check data based on the received information; and means for determining whether the first and second check data agree.
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31. An error detection method for use in a production line in which bar codes are applied to products:
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reading first pre-printed bar code indicia from at least one product during a production run on the production line to recover first information therefrom; printing, during the production run, second bar code indicia representing second information about the production run; reading the second bar code indicia from the at least one product during the production run to recover the second information therefrom; and determining if the first and second information are consistent, wherein the first and second bar code indicia form a composite bar code symbol.
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32. An error detection apparatus for use in a production line in which bar codes are applied to products, comprising:
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means for reading first pre-printed bar code indicia from at least one product during a production run on the production line to recover first information therefrom; means for printing, during the production run, second bar code indicia representing second information about the production run; means for reading the second bar code indicia from the at least one product during the production run to recover the second information therefrom; and means for determining if the first and second information are consistent, wherein the first and second bar code indicia form a composite bar code symbol.
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Specification