Abstract: A method for encoding, on an imprintable medium, identification information for identifying the imprintable medium in a manner detectable by a print-monitoring system includes the steps of defining an identification pattern. The identification pattern is imprinted on a print control region so as to be relatively inconspicuous to an unaided human reviewer of the printed matter while remaining detectable to a print monitoring system. The method includes the step of imprinting, at a plurality of locations in the print control region, a plurality of bit characters detectable by the print control system. The spatial distribution of the bit characters encodes information about the identity of the document.

Abstract: Printed matter has printed informational content. This refers to the content of a given document which is relevant to the intended reviewer, e.g., the printed text of the letter or pictures. According to the invention, the printed matter also, however, comprises a print control symbol. This symbol is located at a predetermined position on the printed matter, which is separated from the printed informational content. The print control symbol is hidden such that it is not apparent to a reviewer of the printed matter and encodes information concerning the printed matter such as sequencing information, which is relevant to the printing system during printing and mailing, for example.