| abstract |
A method for producing universal object tracking implementations. This invention provides a functional implementation, from which any object-producing device can construct automatically generated archival enumerations. This implementation uses an encoding schemata based on location numbers, object numbers, and parent numbers. Location numbers encode information about logical sequence in the archive, object numbers encode information about the physical attributes of an object, and parent numbers record the conception date and time of a given object's parent. Parent-child relations are algorithmically derivable from location and parent number relationships, thus providing fully recoverable, cumulative object lineage information. Encoding schemata are optimized for use with all current 1, 2, and 3 dimensional barcode symbologies to facilitate data transportation across disparate technologies (e.g., imaging devices, card readers/producers, printers, medical devices). The implemented encoding schemata of this invention supports all manner of object forming devices such as image forming devices, medical devices and computer generated objects. |