Method and apparatus for storage of data for manufactured items

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9665847-B2
Application number	US-201514738202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2015
Priority date	Dec 22, 2009
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to a method and apparatus for storing data for a batch of manufactured items. The method comprises defining in a processor, 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 unique item identifier falling within the range. The item identifiers are stored in allocated storage space. If an upper limit identifier is specified for each time interval, an amount of storage specified for all manufactured items during a production time period is calculated as a sum of a first product and a second product, the first product being a product of a production time and a size allocated to each upper limit identifier, and the second product being a product of the production time, a total number of manufactured items, and a percentage of unused identifiers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for storage of data for a batch of manufactured items, the method comprising:
defining in a processor, 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 unique item identifier falling within the range; and
storing the item identifiers in allocated storage space, wherein if an upper limit identifier is specified for each time interval, an amount of storage specified for all manufactured items during a production time period is calculated as a sum of a first product and a second product, the first product being a product of a production time and a size allocated to each upper limit identifier, and the second product being a product of the production time, a total number of manufactured items, and a percentage of unused identifiers,
wherein each identifier is derived by:
generating an identification code in the processor;
providing a plurality of secret codes; and
digitally signing, in the processor, the identification code by means of a secret derived from the plurality of secret codes, wherein the processor provides the plurality of secret codes to a checking centre for authenticating identifiers on the manufactured items.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein if a lower limit identifier is specified for each time interval, an amount of storage specified for all manufactured items during a production time period is calculated as a sum of a third product and a fourth product, the third product being a product of a production time and a size allocated to both the lower limit identifier and the upper limit identifier, and the fourth product being a product of the production time, a total number of manufactured items, and a percentage of unused identifiers.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each identifier is an encrypted version of a code generator identification that generates the code, the production date and time, and an incremental counter reset at the start of each minute.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the processor defines the unique item identifiers allocated to the manufactured items in a storage device using
the lower limit item identifier of the range,
the upper limit item identifier of the range, and
an indication of those item identifiers in the range which are not allocated to a manufactured item.

5. A method for storage of data for a batch of manufactured items, the method comprising:
defining in a processor, 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 unique item identifier falling within the range; and
storing the item identifiers in allocated storage space,
wherein if an upper limit identifier is specified for each time interval, an amount of storage specified for all manufactured items during a production time period is calculated in the processor as a sum of a first product and a second product, the first product being a product of a production time and a size allocated to each upper limit identifier, and the second product being a product of the production time, a total number of manufactured items, and a percentage of unused identifiers, and
wherein if a lower limit identifier is specified for each time interval, an amount of storage specified for all manufactured items during a production time period is calculated in the processor as a sum of a third product and a fourth product, the third product being a product of a production time and a size allocated to both the lower limit identifier and the upper limit identifier, and the fourth product being a product of the production time, a total number of manufactured items, and a percentage of unused identifiers.

6. An apparatus for storage of data for a batch of manufactured items, the apparatus 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 unique item identifier falling within the range, and store the item identifiers in allocated storage space,
wherein the processor is configured to determine an amount of storage specified for all manufactured items during a production time period by calculating one of:
a sum of a first product and a second product, the first product being a product of a production time and a size allocated to each upper limit identifier, and the second product being a product of the production time, a total number of manufactured items, and a percentage of unused identifiers, and
a sum of a third product and a fourth product, the third product being a product of a production time and a size allocated to both the lower limit identifier and the upper limit identifier, and the fourth product being a product of the production time, a total number of manufactured items, and a percentage of unused identifiers.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the indication of those item identifiers in the range which are not allocated to a manufactured item comprises an indication of one or more further ranges which are not allocated to a manufactured item.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein each identifier is derived by:
generating an identification code in the processor;
providing a plurality of secret codes; and
digitally signing, in the processor, the identification code by means of a secret derived from the plurality of secret codes,
wherein the processor provides plurality of secret codes to a checking centre for authenticating identifiers on the manufactured items.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein each item identifier comprises encrypted or non-encrypted production details associated with the respective manufactured item.

10. A method for storage of data for a batch of manufactured items, the method comprising:
defining in a processor, 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 unique item identifier falling within the range; and
storing the item identifiers based in the allocated storage space, wherein if a lower limit identifier is specified for each time interval, an amount of storage specified for all manufactured items during a production time period is calculated a sum of a first product and a second product, the first product being a product of a production time and a size allocated to both the lower limit identifier and the upper limit identifier, and the second product being a product of the production time, a total number of manufactured items, and a percentage of unused identifiers.
wherein each identifier is derived by:
generating an identification code in the processor;
providing a plurality of secret codes; and
digitally signing, in the processor, the identification code by means of a secret derived from the plurality of secret codes, wherein the processor provides the plurality of secret codes to a checking centre for authenticating identifiers on the manufactured items.

Assignees

• Philip Morris Usa Inc

Inventors

• Fradet Erwan
• Sager Alain
• Mauroux Patrick
• Chanez Patrick
• Chatelain Philippe

Classifications

• G06K7/1413

  1D bar codes · CPC title

• H04L9/3247

  involving digital signatures · CPC title

• G06K1/121

  by printing code marks (applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26) · CPC title

• G06K7/1417

  2D bar codes · CPC title

• G06F16/2291 Primary

  User-Defined Types; Storage management thereof · CPC title