Cigarette package coding system and associated method

A package coding system implemented in a cigarette manufacturing process, said system comprising:

• an imprinting device configured to imprint an alphanumeric code on each of a series of discrete cigarette packages;
• a conveyor device configured to convey the discrete cigarette packages, adjacent to and unspaced with respect to each other to form a continuous series and in a feed direction;
• a removal device operably engaged with the conveyor device, the removal device being further configured to remove a defective cigarette package from the continuous series of discrete cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device in response to identification thereof;
• and
• an inspection device operably engaged with the conveyor device and the removal device, and configured to inspect the alphanumeric code imprinted on each cigarette package in the continuous series of discrete cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device to determine whether any of the cigarette packages includes a defect in the imprinted alphanumeric code, any one of the cigarette packages including the defect being the defective cigarette package, the inspection device being further configured to compare the alphanumeric code imprinted on each cigarette package with a model alphanumeric code to determine whether any of the cigarette packages includes the defect in the imprinted alphanumeric code.