Item Identifier for a Physical Item, Catalogs, and Catalog Query

Abstract

This invention is related to electronic information transfer between trading partners and more particularly to the use of a physical item identifier affixed to a physical item for tracking the item using physical identification systems. The invention further discloses the catalogs, catalog queries and processes to provide the information to initialize the item in the physical identification systems. In the present invention, a machine-readable item identifier is affixed to a physical item. The identifier is unique and is used to identify the item. The item identifier has three segments: 1) catalog identifier, 2) item description identifier, and 3) physical item identifier. The catalog identifier is used to determine the catalog that provides the item description and a description specific to the physical item. The item description identifier is used to query the catalog, which returns the description of the item. The physical item identifier is used to query the catalog, which returns a more detailed description of the physical item. The item identifier and the item description are used to initialize item in the physical identification system. The description specific to the item is added to the physical identification system and associated with the item identifier.

1 . An item identifier data structure embodied on a machine readable medium affixed to a physical item, a first catalog relating a catalog identifier to a second catalog, the second catalog relating an item description identifier to a description of the physical item, where the item identifier comprises three segments read as a single unit, the segments including:
 a catalog identifier that is unique within the first catalog and specifies the second catalog,   an item description identifier that is unique within the second catalog, and   a physical item identifier that is not null and uniquely distinguishes the item identifier from other item identifiers that share the same catalog identifier and item description identifier; and   
       by this construction, identifies and distinguishes the physical item from other physical items with item identifiers. 
     
     
         2 . The item identifier of  claim 1  where the item description is provided by a query of the first catalog including the catalog identifier to return access to the second catalog and a query of the second catalog including the item description identifier to return the item description. 
     
     
         3 . The item identifier of  claim 1  and a physical identification system where the physical identification system is initialized for the physical item with a single read of the item identifier where the item description is provided by a query of the first catalog including the catalog identifier to return access to the second catalog and a query of the second catalog including the item description identifier to return the item description, and the physical identification system is initialized by relating the item identifier to the item description. 
     
     
         4 . The item identifier of  claim 1  and a point of sale system relating the catalog identifier and item description segments of an item identifier to the price of the physical item where the item identifier is read and the point of sale system is provided the catalog identifier and item description segments and returns the price of the physical item. 
     
     
         5 . The item identifier of  claim 1  and an inventory system relating the catalog identifier and item description segments of an item to the quantity of the item where the item identifier is read and the inventory system is provided the catalog identifier and item description segments and returns the quantity of the physical item. 
     
     
         6 . The item identifier of  claim 1  where the second catalog is augmented to relate the item description and physical item segments with data specific to a physical item where the item identifier is read and the second catalog is queried with the item description and physical item segments of the item identifier to provide data specific to the physical item. 
     
     
         7 . The item identifier of  claim 1  and a third catalog where the second catalog is augmented to relate the item description and physical item segments to specify the third catalog and the third catalog relates the item description and physical item segments with the data specific to a physical item where the item identifier is read and the second catalog is queried including the item description and physical item segment of the item identifier to specify the third catalog which is then queried including the item description and physical item segments of the item identifier to provide data specific to the physical item. 
     
     
         8 . The item identifier of  claim 1  with a check digit computed for the catalog identifier and item description identifier wherein the physical item identifier includes a digit with a value calculated so that the catalog identifier and item description identifier can be read and verified without reading the physical item identifier. 
     
     
         9 . The item identifier of  claim 1  wherein a single second catalog is provided and the catalog identifier segment is not requires and is null. 
     
     
         10 . The item identifier of  claim 1  where the item identifier is affixed to the physical item by the producer of the physical item. 
     
     
         11 . The item identifier of  claim 1  where two distinct physical items each with an affixed item identifier that share the same catalog identifier and item description identifier are distinguished by different physical item identifiers. 
     
     
         12 . An item identifier data structure embodied on a machine readable medium affixed to a physical item, a first catalog relating a catalog identifier to a second catalog, the second catalog relating an item description identifier to a description of the physical item, where the item identifier is affixed to the physical item by the provider of the physical item;
 comprises three segments read as a single unit, the segments including:
 a catalog identifier that is unique within the first catalog and specifies the second catalog, 
 an item description identifier that is unique within the second catalog, and 
 a physical item identifier that is not null and uniquely distinguishes the item identifier from other item identifiers that share the same catalog identifier and item description identifier; and 
   by this construction, identifies and distinguishes the physical item from other physical items with item identifiers.   
     
     
         13 . The item identifier of  claim 12  and a point of sale system relating a catalog identifier and an item description identifier to an item price where the item identifier is read and the point of sale system is provided the catalog identifier and item description identifier and responds with the price of the physical item. 
     
     
         14 . An item identifier data structure embodied on a machine readable medium affixed to a physical item, a company prefix specifying a company that assigns an item reference number for an item, and the item reference number specifying for the company a description of the physical item;
 where the item identifier comprises three segments read as a single unit, the segments including:
 a company prefix that is unique within the set of company prefixes, 
 an item reference number that is unique within the set of item reference numbers that share the company prefix, and 
 a physical item number that is not null and uniquely distinguishes the item identifier from other item identifiers that share the same company prefix and item reference number, and 
   by this construction, identifies and distinguishes the physical item from other physical items with item identifiers.   
     
     
         15 . The item identifier of  claim 14  where two distinct physical items each with an affixed item identifier that share the same company prefix and item reference number are distinguished by different physical item numbers. 
     
     
         16 . The item identifier of  claim 14  where the physical item number is generated by a counter associated with item identifiers that share the same company prefix and item reference number, where the counter is incremented when an item identifier that shares the same company prefix and item reference number is created so that each physical item number is not null and uniquely distinguishes the item identifier from other item identifiers that share the same company prefix and item reference number. 
     
     
         17 . The item identifier of  claim 14  where a first catalog relates a company prefix to identify a company and the first catalog is queried with the company prefix and identifies the company. 
     
     
         18 . The item identifier of  claim 14  where the company provides a second catalog relating an item reference number to the item description and the second catalog is queried with the item reference number and returns the description of the physical item. 
     
     
         19 . The item identifier of  claim 14  and a point of sale system relating a company prefix and item reference number to an item price where the item identifier is read and the point of sale system is queried including the company prefix and item reference number and returns the price of the physical item. 
     
     
         20 . The item identifier of  claim 14  and a physical identification system relating an item identifier to data specific to a physical item where the item identifier is read and the physical identification system is queried with the item identifier and returns data specific to the physical item.