Patent ID: 7905408

Claim:
A system for the automated processing of items, each of which incorporates information encoded in a three-dimensional data matrix formed on the surface of the item, the system comprising: a movable pallet having a surface configured to support at least one of the items; a printing mechanism operable to apply an ink medium to the three-dimensional data matrix of each item on the pallet to render the three-dimensional data matrix into an optically-readable code on the surface of each item on the pallet when the pallet is moved to the printing mechanism; a liquid agent application mechanism operable to apply a liquid agent to each item on the pallet after the printing mechanism has applied the ink medium; a code-reading mechanism operable to read the optically-readable code on each item on the pallet and to transmit a signal indicative of the optically-readable code to a database when the pallet is moved to the code-reading mechanism; and a transport mechanism operable to move the pallet from the printing mechanism to the liquid agent application mechanism, and from the liquid agent application mechanism to the code-reading mechanism.