INVERTED CODES ON TRANSPARENT PACKAGING EXTERIOR

1 . A system for use with a continuous, in-line moving web from which successive product packages are formed and filled with products, said system comprising:

a memory device storing a plurality of codes;

a frame for receiving and supporting the web of packages including guides for guiding the web through the frame as the web moves through the frame;

a first printer supported by the frame for printing a code on an exterior surface of each package on-the-fly as the web moves through the frame;

a second printer supported by the frame for printing a background layer over each printed code on the exterior surface on each package on-the-fly as the web moves through the frame;

a sensor for sensing a position of the web relative to the printers; and

a system controller linked to the sensor, linked to the memory device, and linked the printers, said controller for controlling the operation of the printers in response to the sensor to print a selected code and background layer at positions along the web to provide individual, successive product packages on the web wherein each package includes a code overlaid by a background layer on the exterior surface of the package.

2 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a third printer supported by the frame for printing a layer of text on the background layer of packages on-the-fly as the web moves through the frame.

3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the web has a transparent or translucent portion, wherein the sensor senses the position of the portion relative to the first printer, and wherein the controller controls the first printer in response to the sensor to print the code on the portion.

4 . The system of claim 3 wherein the code comprises at least one of:

an inverted image of a standard code;

an inverted negative image of a standard code; and

a negative inverted image of a standard code.

5 . The system of claim 3 wherein at least one of:

the code is an inverted code and the background layer is an opaque, lighter color than the inverted code;

the code is an inverted code and the background layer is an opaque, darker color than the inverted code;

the code is a negative, inverted code and the background layer is an opaque, lighter color than the inverted code; and

the code is a negative, inverted code and the background layer is an opaque, darker color than the inverted code.

6 . The system of claim 3 wherein at least one of:

the code is an inverted code in black ink and the background layer is an opaque, lighter color than black;

the code is an inverted code in color other than black and the background layer is an opaque layer of black ink;

the code is a negative, inverted code in black ink and the background layer is an opaque, lighter color than black; and

the code is a negative, inverted code other than black and the background layer is an opaque layer of black ink.

7 . The system of claim 3 wherein at least one of:

the code is an inverted code of a particular ink and the background layer is an opaque, contrasting color to the particular ink; and

the code is a negative, inverted code of a particular ink and the background layer is an opaque, contrasting color to the particular ink.

8 . The system of claim 3 wherein the code comprises at least one of a QR code, a bar code, alphanumeric characters, an inverted QR code, an inverted bar code, and inverted alphanumeric characters.

9 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a database storing the plurality of codes printed on the web, at least some of the codes having a corresponding promotion stored in the database;

a third printer supported by the frame for printing a layer of text relating to the promotion on the background layer of packages on-the-fly as the web moves through the frame; and

a portal connected to the database through which access to the database is provided to identify a particular code and any promotion corresponding thereto.

10 . The system of claim 9 wherein the web has a transparent or translucent portion, wherein the sensor senses the position of the portion relative to the first printer, and wherein the controller controls the first printer in response to the sensor to print the code on the portion.

11 . A method for use with a continuous, in-line moving web from which successive product packages are formed and filled with products, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a memory device storing a plurality of codes;

first printing a code on an exterior surface of each package on-the-fly as the web moves;

second printing a background layer over each printed code on the exterior surface on each package on-the-fly as the web moves;

sensing a position of the web; and

controlling the first printing and the second printing in response to the sensing to print a selected code and background layer at positions along the web to provide individual, successive product packages on the web wherein each package includes a code overlaid by a background layer on the exterior surface of the package.

12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of third printing a layer of text on the background layer of packages on-the-fly as the web moves through the frame.

13 . The method of claim 11 wherein the web has a transparent or translucent portion, wherein the sensing senses the position of the portion, and wherein the controlling controls the first printing in response to the sensing to print the code on the portion.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the code comprises at least one of:

an inverted image of a standard code;

an inverted negative image of a standard code; and

a negative inverted image of a standard code.

15 . The method of claim 13 wherein at least one of:

the code is an inverted code and the background layer is an opaque, lighter color than the inverted code;

the code is an inverted code and the background layer is an opaque, darker color than the inverted code;

the code is a negative, inverted code and the background layer is an opaque, lighter color than the inverted code; and

the code is a negative, inverted code and the background layer is an opaque, darker color than the inverted code.

16 . The method of claim 13 wherein at least one of:

the code is an inverted code in black ink and the background layer is an opaque, lighter color than black;

the code is an inverted code in color other than black and the background layer is an opaque layer of black ink;

the code is a negative, inverted code in black ink and the background layer is an opaque, lighter color than black; and

the code is a negative, inverted code other than black and the background layer is an opaque layer of black ink.

17 . The method of claim 13 wherein at least one of:

the code is an inverted code of a particular ink and the background layer is an opaque, contrasting color to the particular ink; and

the code is a negative, inverted code of a particular ink and the background layer is an opaque, contrasting color to the particular ink.

18 . The method of claim 13 wherein the code comprises at least one of a QR code, a bar code, alphanumeric characters, an inverted QR code, an inverted bar code, and inverted alphanumeric characters.

19 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:

storing the plurality of codes printed on the web in a database, at least some of the codes having a corresponding promotion stored in the database;

printing a layer of text relating to the promotion on the background layer of packages on-the-fly as the web moves through the frame; and

providing a portal connected to the database through which access to the database is provided to identify a particular code and any promotion corresponding thereto.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the web has a transparent or translucent portion, wherein the sensing senses the position of the portion, and wherein the controlling controls the first printing in response to the sensor to print the code on the portion.