Label generation apparatus

A method for automatically producing a set of labels, said set consisting of a plurality of labels, all of which uniquely identify a single entity, each label in said set of labels containing a combination of indicia and template fields that is individual to said label, comprising the steps of:

• defining a set of label templates, said set of label templates consisting of a plurality of label templates, each label template having at least one writable indicia field;
• automatically generating a single set of indicia, said single set of indicia including at least one indicia that uniquely identifies said single entity;
• automatically aggregating a subset of indicia from said generated single set of indicia for each of said label templates, each said subset of indicia including at least one indicia that uniquely identifies said single entity;
• automatically generating data representative each of said label templates and a corresponding subset of indicia, said data defining said set of labels;
• automatically producing, in response to said data generated, said set of labels;
• color coding at least one of said excepted indicia according to a predetermined color to indicia correspondence;
• and
• wherein said step of automatically generating data generates data including said color coding of said at least one excerpted indicia.

Apparatus for automatically producing a series of labels, said series consisting of a plurality of labels, all of which uniquely identify a single entity, each label containing indicia individual to said label, comprising:

• means for defining a sheet template consisting of a matrix of n*m label templates, said matrix of label templates consisting of a plurality of label templates with each of said templates containing at least one writable indicia field and at least one variable template field, wherein n is a positive integer greater than 0 and m is a positive integer greater than 1;
• means for automatically generating indicia for each of said indicia fields on each of said labels in said matrix of label templates according to a user defined label identification ordering to individually identify each label;
• means for automatically generating a set of data representative of said at least one variable template field for each label in said series of labels according to a predetermined label ordering;
• means for combining said sheet template and said generated indicia and data to produce a definition of a series of individually identified labels;
• means for color coding at least one of said excepted indicia according to predetermined color to indicia correspondence;
• wherein said means for automatically generating data generates data including said color coding of said at least one excerpted indicia;
• and
• means for printing said defined series of labels on label media.

A method for automatically producing a series of labels, said series consisting of a plurality of labels, all of which uniquely identify a single entity, each label containing indicia individual to said label, comprising the steps of:

• defining a sheet template consisting of a matrix of n*m label templates, said matrix of label templates consisting of a plurality of label templates with each of said templates each containing at least one writable indicia field and at least one variable template field, wherein n is a positive integer greater than 0 and m is a positive integer greater than 1;
• automatically generating indicia for each of said indicia fields on each of said labels in said matrix according to a user defined label identification ordering to individually identify each label;
• automatically generating a set of data representative of said at least one variable template field for each label in said series of labels according to a predetermined label ordering;
• combining said sheet template and said generated indicia and data to produce a definition of a series of individually identified labels;
• color coding at least one of said excerpted indicia according to a predetermined color to indicia correspondence;
• and
• wherein said step of automatically generating data generates data including said color coding of said at least one excerpted indicia;
• and
• printing said defined series of labels on label media.

Apparatus for automatically producing a sequence of individually identified labels, said set consisting of a plurality of labels, all of which uniquely identify a single entity, each label in said set of labels containing a combination of indicia and template fields that is individual to said label, comprising:

• means for defining a label set template comprising an n*m pattern of individual label templates, each of which includes k writable information fields and at least one variable template field;
• means for generating an ordered sequence of n*m indicia, each of said n*m indicia consisting of k characters, where n and k are positive integers greater than 0 and m is a positive integer greater than 1;
• means for inserting data representative of said variable template field into said defined label template for each label in said series of labels according to a predetermined label ordering;
• and
• means for inserting the k characters of each successive one of said n*m indicia in the corresponding writable information fields of successive individual label templates.

A method for automatically producing a sequence of individually identified labels comprising the steps of:

• defining a label set template comprising an n*m pattern of individual label templates, each of which includes k writable information fields and at least one variable template field, where n and k are positive integers greater than 0 and m is a positive integer greater than 1;
• generating an ordered sequence of n*m indicia, each of said n*m indicia consisting of k characters;
• inserting data representative of said variable template field into said defined label template for each label in said series of labels according to a predetermined label ordering;
• and
• inserting the k characters of each successive one of said n*m indicia in the corresponding writable information fields of successive individual label templates.

Apparatus for automatically producing a series of labels, said set consisting of a plurality of labels, all of which uniquely identify a single entity, each label containing indicia individual to said label comprising:

• one or more processor means, each of which includes:
• means for defining a set of label templates, said set of label templates consisting of a plurality of label templates, each label template having at least one writable indicia field;
• means for automatically generating a single set of indicia, said single set of indicia including at least one indicia that uniquely identifies said single entity;
• means for inserting data representative of a one of said at least one indicia into each said defined label template for each label in said series of labels according to a predetermined label ordering;
• means for combining said label template and said generated indicia;
• means for printing said combined template and indicia, including:
• printer apparatus for printing labels on a label medium;
• means for converting said combined template and indicia into printer control signals;
• means for transmitting said printer control signals to said printer apparatus.

A method for automatically producing a series of labels in an apparatus that includes one or more processor, said set consisting of a plurality of labels, all of which uniquely identify a single entity, each label containing indicia individual to said label comprising the steps of:

• defining a set of label templates, said set of label templates consisting of a plurality of label templates, each label template having at least having at least one writable indicia field;
• automatically generating a single set of indicia, said single set of indicia including at least one indicia that uniquely identifies said single entity;
• inserting data representative of a one of said at least one indicia into each said defined label template for each label in said series of labels according to a predetermined label ordering;
• combining said label template and said generated indicia;
• printing said combined template and indicia, on print media using a printer apparatus;
• converting said combined template and indicia into printer control signals;
• transmitting said printer control signals to said printer apparatus.