Apparatus and method for dimensional weighing utilizing a laser scanner or sensor

Claim 1

A method of utilizing an emitter/scanner device for measuring the dimensions of a parcel for use in a parcel processing application of a data processing device, and comprising the steps of: (a) placing a parcel on a flat surface in a field of measurement; wherein said laser scanner/emitter is positioned either above or below said parcel; and said laser scanner/emitter is further positioned behind said parcel; (b) rotating said laser scanner/emitter so as to locate the lead and trail edges of said parcel; (c) calculating a length of said parcel by calculating the distance from said lead edge to said trail edge; (d) rotating said laser scanner/emitter so as to locate a left side and a right side of said parcel; (e) calculating a width of said parcel by calculating the distance from said left side to said right side; (f) rotating said laser scanner/emitter so as to locate a top edge and a bottom edge of said parcel; and (g) calculating a height of said parcel by measuring the distance from said top edge to said bottom edge; and (h) applying said length, said width, and said height of said parcel to a predetermined list of values in a data table so as to determine a shipment value for said parcel based upon said application.

Claim 2

A method of utilizing an emitter/scanner device for measuring the dimensions of a parcel for use in a parcel processing application of a data processing device, and comprising the steps of: (a) placing a parcel on a flat surface in a field of measurement; wherein said laser scanner/emitter is positioned either above or below said parcel; and said laser scanner/emitter is further positioned behind said parcel; (b) rotating said laser scanner/emitter so as to locate the lead and trail edges of said parcel; (c) calculating a length of said parcel by calculating the distance from said lead edge to said trail edge; (d) rotating said laser scanner/emitter so as to locate a left side and a right side of said parcel; (e) calculating a width of said parcel by calculating the distance from said left side to said right side; (f) rotating said laser scanner/emitter so as to locate a top edge and a bottom edge of said parcel; and (g) calculating a height of said parcel by measuring the distance from said top edge to said bottom edge; and (h) applying said length, said width, and said height of said parcel to a predetermined list of values in a data table so as to determine a shipment value for said parcel based upon said application.

Claim 9

An apparatus for measuring the dimensions of a parcel comprising: (a) a supporting means for supporting a parcel placed thereupon for measurement; (b) a laser scanner/emitter means for rotatably scanning a predetermined field for measurement data wherein said measurement data is representative of said parcel's length, said parcel's height, and/or said parcel's width; and, wherein: (i) said laser scanner emitter means is located in a measured position from a predetermined point of said supporting means: (ii) said laser scanner emitter emits a beam toward said supporting means along a baseline; and (iii) said laser scanner/emitter means receives a reflection of said emitted beam and said received beam is used to determine said measurement data; (c) calculator means for calculating said parcel's length, said parcel's height, and said parcel's width from said measurement data; (d) data processing means for: (i) controlling rotational movement of said laser scanner means; (ii) receiving and essentially simultaneously processing measurement data from said laser scanner/emitter means; (iii) transmitting said measurement data to said calculator means to determine said actual measurements based on a pre-selected measurement scale; (iv) receiving said actual measurements from said calculator means; and (v) transmitting said actual measurements to a display means and/or to a parcel processing system; and (e) determination means for determining a shipment cost for transporting said parcel to a destination as a function of said actual measurements as applied to a rate table.

Claim 10

An apparatus for measuring the dimensions of a parcel comprising: (a) a supporting means for supporting a parcel placed thereupon for measurement; (b) a laser scanner/emitter means for rotatably scanning a predetermined field for measurement data wherein said measurement data is representative of said parcel's length, said parcel's height, and/or said parcel's width; and, wherein: (i) said laser scanner emitter means is located in a measured position from a predetermined point of said supporting means: (ii) said laser scanner emitter emits a beam toward said supporting means along a baseline; and (iii) said laser scanner/emitter means receives a reflection of said emitted beam and said received beam is used to determine said measurement data; (c) calculator means for calculating said parcel's length, said parcel's height, and said parcel's width from said measurement data; (d) data processing means for: (i) controlling rotational movement of said laser scanner means; (ii) receiving and essentially simultaneously processing measurement data from said laser scanner/emitter means; (iii) transmitting said measurement data to said calculator means to determine said actual measurements based on a pre-selected measurement scale; (iv) receiving said actual measurements from said calculator means; and (v) transmitting said actual measurements to a display means and/or to a parcel processing system; and (e) determination means for determining a shipment cost for transporting said parcel to a destination as a function of said actual measurements as applied to a rate table.

Claim 19

A method for measuring the dimensions of a parcel, comprising the steps of: (a) placing a parcel onto a conveyor belt; (b) moving said conveyor belt so that said parcel is transported into a field of measurement; (c) transmitting a laser beam from a transmitter located directly above and along an axis of said conveyor belt movement toward a mirror wherein the positioning of said transmitter is predetermined; said mirror located along said axis so that said parcel must pass said mirror while said parcel is placed on said conveyor belt; said mirror further positioned at approximately a 45° angle relative to said laser beam so that said laser beam is deflected downward at an angle of approximately 45° onto said axis of said conveyor belt and toward an encoder bar located on the surface of said conveyor belt; (d) reflecting said laser beam from said encoder bar to said mirror and from said mirror to a receiver co-located with said transmitter; (e) establishing a count during said transmission of said laser beam wherein said count corresponds to at least one predetermined measurement scale; (f) continuing said count until said transmission of said laser beam to said encoder bar is broken by passage of said parcel across said laser beam as said parcel passes said mirror; (g) restarting said count when said parcel has passed said mirror and said transmission of said laser beam is no longer broken; (h) determining a length and a height of said parcel by calculating a period of time that said laser beam transmission was broken relative to said count and when said laser beam transmission was not broken; and (i) calculating an angle between said laser beam and said parcel at which said laser beam transmission was broken.

Claim 20

A method for measuring the dimensions of a parcel, comprising the steps of: (a) placing a parcel onto a conveyor belt; (b) moving said conveyor belt so that said parcel is transported into a field of measurement; (c) transmitting a laser beam from a transmitter located directly above and along an axis of said conveyor belt movement toward a mirror wherein the positioning of said transmitter is predetermined; said mirror located along said axis so that said parcel must pass said mirror while said parcel is placed on said conveyor belt; said mirror further positioned at approximately a 45° angle relative to said laser beam so that said laser beam is deflected downward at an angle of approximately 45° onto said axis of said conveyor belt and toward an encoder bar located on the surface of said conveyor belt; (d) reflecting said laser beam from said encoder bar to said mirror and from said mirror to a receiver co-located with said transmitter; (e) establishing a count during said transmission of said laser beam wherein said count corresponds to at least one predetermined measurement scale; (f) continuing said count until said transmission of said laser beam to said encoder bar is broken by passage of said parcel across said laser beam as said parcel passes said mirror; (g) restarting said count when said parcel has passed said mirror and said transmission of said laser beam is no longer broken; (h) determining a length and a height of said parcel by calculating a period of time that said laser beam transmission was broken relative to said count and when said laser beam transmission was not broken; and (i) calculating an angle between said laser beam and said parcel at which said laser beam transmission was broken.