US 12,079,190 B2
Method and apparatus for storage of data for manufactured items
Erwan Fradet, Nyon (CH); Alain Sager, Bossonnens (CH); Patrick Mauroux, Ursy (CH); Patrick Chanez, Cheyres (CH); and Philippe Chatelain, Chavornay (CH)
Assigned to PHILIP MORRIS USA INC., Richmond, VA (US)
Filed by Philip Morris USA Inc., Richmond, VA (US)
Filed on Oct. 5, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/481,472.
Application 18/481,472 is a continuation of application No. 16/514,002, filed on Jul. 17, 2019, granted, now 11,797,512.
Application 16/514,002 is a continuation of application No. 15/928,474, filed on Mar. 22, 2018, granted, now 10,380,095, issued on Aug. 13, 2019.
Application 15/928,474 is a continuation of application No. 15/587,590, filed on May 5, 2017, granted, now 10,019,606, issued on Jul. 10, 2018.
Application 15/587,590 is a continuation of application No. 14/738,202, filed on Jun. 12, 2015, granted, now 9,665,847, issued on May 30, 2017.
Application 14/738,202 is a continuation of application No. 12/976,662, filed on Dec. 22, 2010, granted, now 9,058,584, issued on Jun. 16, 2015.
Claims priority of application No. 09252859 (EP), filed on Dec. 22, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2024/0028578 A1, Jan. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. G06F 16/22 (2019.01); G06K 1/12 (2006.01); G06K 7/14 (2006.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01); H04L 9/32 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 16/2291 (2019.01) [G06K 1/121 (2013.01); G06K 7/1413 (2013.01); G06K 7/1417 (2013.01); G06Q 10/087 (2013.01); H04L 9/3247 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system to mark manufactured items in a batch of manufactured items, the system comprising:
a processor configured to define, using a lower limit identifier and an upper limit identifier, a range of unique item identifiers for the batch, wherein each manufactured item in the batch is allocated a respective unique item identifier within the range, and wherein a number of unique item identifiers allocated to the manufactured items is smaller than the number of unique item identifiers in the range; and
a marking device configured to mark each manufactured item with a respective identification code derived from the respective unique item identifier.