Method and system for storing and retrieving packaging and re-packaging relations

A method for storing (7) and retrieving (23) packaging and re-packaging hierarchical code relations (304) of traceable physical items (350), comprising the steps of:

• in a first computer system (101) in a track and trace system (100),
• generating (1) a set of unique codes (200),
• each unique code (200) comprising a first identifier (201) and a second identifier (202), and encrypting said unique codes (200);
• transferring (2) said unique codes (200) from said first computer system (101) to a packaging computer system (301) at an item marking location (300);
• at said item marking location (300),
• marking (3) two or more physical items (350) while establishing a physical packaging hierarchy (305), each physical item (350) with a said unique code (200);
• registering (4) packaging relations (303) in an aggregate data file (302) in said packaging computer system (301) during packaging of said marked physical items (350), said packaging relations (303) being relations between said code (200) of each containing marked physical item (350) and said code (200) of each contained marked physical items (350), and registering an initial item parameter (120) comprising time and place for the marking (3);
• transferring (5) said aggregate data file (302) with said packaging relations (303) between said codes (200) of said marked physical items (350) and said initial item parameters (120) from said packaging computer system (301), to said first computer system (101);
• in said first computer system (101),
• decrypting said codes (200) to identify said first and second identifiers (201, 202);
• identifying and generating (6) for each said code (200) in said packaging relations (303) in said aggregate data file (302), an initial hierarchical code relation (304) expressed as a sequence of codes including a current code (200),
• a parent code (200, P) relative to said current code (200), and
• one or more child codes (200, C) relative to said current code (200), based on said packaging relations (303);
• and
• identifying said initial item parameter (120) for said current code (200), and
• storing (7), for each said code (200), said parent code (200, P) and said one or more child codes (200, C) of said initial hierarchical code relations (304), and said initial item parameter (120), in a section (111) of a data storage location (110) of said first computer system (101), wherein a start position (112) of said section (111) is determined by a combination of said first and second identifiers (201, 202) of said code (200) of said marked physical item (350);
• in a re-packaging location (400),
• re-packaging (10) two or more of said physical items (350) into updated packaging relations (403) and registering updated item parameters (120);
• transferring (12) said updated packaging relations (403) with said updated item parameters (120) to said first computer system (101) of said track and trace system (100);
• in said track and trace system (100),
• decrypting said codes (200) to identify said first and second identifiers (201, 202);
• identifying and generating (13), for each said code (200) in said updated packaging relations (403), an updated hierarchical code relation (304) expressed as a sequence of codes including a current code (200), a parent code (200, P) relative to said current code (200) and/or one more child codes (200, C) relative to said current code (200) based on the updated packaging relations (403), and identifying said updated item parameter (120) for said current code (200);
• and
• adding (14), for each said code (200), said parent code (200, P) and/or said one more child codes (200, C) of said updated hierarchical code relations (304), and said updated item parameter (120) to said section (111) of said data storage location (110) as an appendix to the previously stored sequence of codes (200, P, 200, C) representing said initial hierarchical code relation (304) and said initial item parameter (120),
• such that after re-packaging, for each code (200) of said two or more of said physical items (350), said section (111) of said data storage location (110) stores an updated sequence of codes (200) including both said initial hierarchical code relation (304), said initial item parameter (120), said updated hierarchical code relation (304), and said updated item parameter (120).