Land Parcel Identifier Encoding for Legible, Secure Assignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems lack an efficient method to assign unique, easily recognizable, and secure identifiers to land parcels for agricultural operations, which are resistant to human error and unauthorized access, while ensuring efficient resource utilization and communication.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method generates a unique identifier by replacing digits of a number with characters from a character set, incorporating a timestamp, sequence number, and server ID, using a look-up table to ensure uniqueness and legibility, and optionally applying a check digit algorithm for error detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a unique identifier is generated for each land parcel, then identification accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the identifier generation system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveidentification accuracyVSAvoididentifier generation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The identifier is segmented into multiple components: a unique number portion (containing timestamp, sequence number, and server ID) and an optional checksum character. This segmentation allows each component to serve a specific function while maintaining overall system simplicity and uniqueness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes parameters dynamically by using timestamps and sequence numbers that change over time, ensuring uniqueness. The checksum character is calculated based on the unique number using modular arithmetic, transforming the identifier into a format that is both unique and verifiable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the identifier is made easily recognizable by humans, then error rate during manual transfer is reduced, but the security against third-party analysis is weakened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manual transferVSAvoidvisibility of sensitive information
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system transforms the identifier into a alphanumeric format using a character set with 31-34 characters instead of standard decimal digits. This parameter change makes the identifier more recognizable to humans while preventing easy guesswork by third parties, as the character set and encoding are not publicly known.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If multiple identifiers are generated quickly, then productivity is improved, but the risk of duplication increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveidentifier generation speedVSAvoiduniqueness of identifier
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by incorporating timestamps and sequence numbers into the identifier generation process. These components are prepared in advance and automatically incremented, ensuring that even multiple identifiers generated quickly will be unique without requiring additional verification steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback mechanisms where the sequence number is incremented for each new identifier, and the timestamp captures the current time. This feedback ensures uniqueness is maintained automatically during high-speed generation, as each identifier is based on the previous state plus an increment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Ease of operation

If the identifier format is simplified, then ease of communication is improved, but the ability to detect errors increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of communicationVSAvoiderror detection capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates a checksum character that provides feedback about the validity of the identifier. This checksum is calculated using modular arithmetic on the unique number and appended to the identifier, allowing error detection without complicating the overall format or communication process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4597390A1Computer-implemented method for assigning a unique identifier to a land parcel
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 VARDA AG
  • EP4597390A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4597390A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4597390A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Computer-implemented method for assigning a unique identifier to a land parcel, the computer-implemented method comprising, by a remote server, receiving a request from a local computing device to generate a unique identifier for the land parcel, generating a unique number, replacing the digits of the unique number by characters chosen from a character set, thereby generating the unique identifier, and assigning the unique identifier to the land parcel.