Weighing scale with low susceptibility to vibration

Claim 1

A method for determining a representative average weight reading based on a series of weight readings from a scale subject to vibrations comprising the steps of generating signals at regular intervals representative of the weight readings from said scale, and averaging the weight signals occurring during one complete vibrational cycle, or integral multiple thereof.

Claim 2

A method for determining a representative average weight reading based on a series of weight readings from a scale subject to vibrations comprising the steps of generating signals at regular intervals representative of the weight readings from said scale, and averaging the weight signals occurring during one complete vibrational cycle, or integral multiple thereof.

Claim 3

A method for determining a representative average weight reading based on a series of weight readings from a scale subject to vibrations comprising the steps of generating signals at regular intervals representative of the weight readings from said scale, comparing each new weight signal with the previous weight signal, assigning one of two alternative labels to each new weight signal according to whether it is greater or less than the previous weight signal, and assigning the opposite of the previous label if the signals are equal, and averaging the weight signals occurring in a weight averaging interval which extends from a label change in one direction to the next label change in the same direction.

Claim 4

A method for determining a representative average weight reading based on a series of weight readings from a scale subject to vibrations comprising the steps of generating signals at regular intervals representative of the weight readings from said scale, comparing each new weight signal with the previous weight signal, assigning one of two alternative labels to each new weight signal according to whether it is greater or less than the previous weight signal, and assigning the opposite of the previous label if the signals are equal, and averaging the weight signals occurring in a weight averaging interval which extends from a label change in one direction to the next label change in the same direction.

Claim 5

A method for determining a representative average weight reading based on a series of weight readings from a scale subject to vibrations comprising the steps of generating at regular intervals signals representative of the weight readings from said scale, comparing each new weight signal with the previous weight signal, assigning one of two alternative labels to each new weight signal according to whether it is greater or less than the previous weight signal, and assigning the opposite of the previous label if the signals are equal, and counting the number of weight signals occurring in a weight averaging interval which extends from a label change in one direction to the next label change in the same direction, and includes one intervening label change in the opposite direction, and accumulating a total of the magnitudes of the weight signals generated during said weight averaging interval, and dividing the accumulated total of the weight signals by the number of weight signals occurring during said weight averaging interval thereby to provide an average weight reading.

Claim 6

A method for determining a representative average weight reading based on a series of weight readings from a scale subject to vibrations comprising the steps of generating at regular intervals signals representative of the weight readings from said scale, comparing each new weight signal with the previous weight signal, assigning one of two alternative labels to each new weight signal according to whether it is greater or less than the previous weight signal, and assigning the opposite of the previous label if the signals are equal, and counting the number of weight signals occurring in a weight averaging interval which extends from a label change in one direction to the next label change in the same direction, and includes one intervening label change in the opposite direction, and accumulating a total of the magnitudes of the weight signals generated during said weight averaging interval, and dividing the accumulated total of the weight signals by the number of weight signals occurring during said weight averaging interval thereby to provide an average weight reading.

Claim 10

An apparatus for providing a representative digital average weight reading from a series of weight readings from a scale subject to vibrations comprising means for generating an analog voltage signal representative of the weight reading from said scale, and converter means for repeatedly generating digital weight signals in response to said analog voltage signal, means for comparing each new digital weight signal with the previous digital weight signal and for assigning one of two alternative labels to each new weight signal according to whether it is greater or less than the previous weight signals, and for assigning the opposite of the previous label if the signals are equal, and means for determining a digital average weight reading including counter means responsive to said comparing means for counting the number of digital weight signals occurring in a weight averaging interval extending from a label change in one direction to the next label change in the same direction, and including one intervening label change in the opposite direction, means responsive to the output of said counter means for accumulating a total of the magnitudes of the weight signals generated during the weight averaging interval, and means for dividing the accumulated total of the weight signals by the number of weight signals occurring during the weight averaging interval thereby to provide a digital average weight reading.

Claim 11

An apparatus for providing a representative digital average weight reading from a series of weight readings from a scale subject to vibrations comprising means for generating an analog voltage signal representative of the weight reading from said scale, and converter means for repeatedly generating digital weight signals in response to said analog voltage signal, means for comparing each new digital weight signal with the previous digital weight signal and for assigning one of two alternative labels to each new weight signal according to whether it is greater or less than the previous weight signals, and for assigning the opposite of the previous label if the signals are equal, and means for determining a digital average weight reading including counter means responsive to said comparing means for counting the number of digital weight signals occurring in a weight averaging interval extending from a label change in one direction to the next label change in the same direction, and including one intervening label change in the opposite direction, means responsive to the output of said counter means for accumulating a total of the magnitudes of the weight signals generated during the weight averaging interval, and means for dividing the accumulated total of the weight signals by the number of weight signals occurring during the weight averaging interval thereby to provide a digital average weight reading.

Claim 12

An apparatus for determining motion in a weighing scale comprising means for generating signals at regular intervals representative of weight readings from said scale, and means for comparing each new weight signal with the previous weight signal and for assigning one of two alternative labels to each new weight signal according to whether it is greater or less than the previous weight signal, and for assigning the opposite of the previous label if the signals are equal, means for averaging the weight signals occurring in a weight averaging interval extending from a label change in one direction to the next label change in the same direction, means for comparing the most recent average weight signal with a previous average weight signal, and means for indicating scale-in-motion when the difference in average weight signals exceeds a predetermined amount.

Claim 13

An apparatus for determining motion in a weighing scale comprising means for generating signals at regular intervals representative of weight readings from said scale, and means for comparing each new weight signal with the previous weight signal and for assigning one of two alternative labels to each new weight signal according to whether it is greater or less than the previous weight signal, and for assigning the opposite of the previous label if the signals are equal, means for averaging the weight signals occurring in a weight averaging interval extending from a label change in one direction to the next label change in the same direction, means for comparing the most recent average weight signal with a previous average weight signal, and means for indicating scale-in-motion when the difference in average weight signals exceeds a predetermined amount.