Patent ID: 7936482

Claim:
A data output system comprising: a data generator which generates position data indicating a position on a surface of an object and which generates addition data associated with the generated position data; a mark addition unit which adds a mark pattern to the surface of the object which uniquely identifies the object and specifies positions on the surface of the object, the mark pattern comprising a lattice pattern and a plurality of marks disposed offset to intersections of the lattice pattern; a data storage memory which stores an index that associates the mark pattern added to the surface of the object, the generated position data and the generated addition data with each other; a specifying unit which determines a selected position on the surface of the object based on the mark pattern at a selected portion of the surface of the object, the selected position on the surface of the object being determined based on a positional relationship between the plurality of marks offset from the intersections at the selected portion of the surface of the object; a data output unit which outputs addition data associated with the position on the surface of the object corresponding to the selected position on the surface of the object based on the index; and a controller which controls, in response to the object on which the mark pattern is added being discarded or the mark pattern being erased from the object, the mark addition unit to reuse the first mark pattern and add the mark pattern to another object.