US 2011/0209923 A1Published application

Method and Device for Weighing Objects of Different Weight Classes

AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft

InventorsHolger Schererz, Frank Voss

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Abstract

A method and device for weighing at least one object, particularly a mail item, includes a scale for weighing an object with a first tolerance in a first operating mode if the object has a first property and for weighing the object with a second tolerance in a second operating mode if the object has a second property. Before weighing an object in the first operating mode, it is checked for the first property. If it is not ruled out that the object has the first property, the scale weighs the object when the scale is operated in the first operating mode, and the measurement result is used as the weight of the object. Otherwise, the scale is switched to the second operating mode. The scale weighs the fed-in object again. If the object has the second property, the measured value is used as the weight of the object.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method for weighing at least one object, the method comprising the following steps:

providing a scale to be operated in a first operating mode and in a second operating mode;
operating the scale in the first operating mode for weighing, with a predefined first tolerance, any object having a first predefined physical property;
operating the scale in the second operating mode for weighing, with a predefined second tolerance, any object having a second predefined physical property;
carrying out at least one of the two following steps for each object to be weighed:
automatically checking whether or not the object has the first property, or
weighing the object with the scale upon operating the scale in the first operating mode;
weighing an object to be weighed in the first operating mode whenever:
deciding or predicting before the weighing in the first operating mode that the object has the first property, or
the step of checking whether or not the object has the first property was not carried out before the weighing in the first operating mode;
and
when, for at least one object to be weighed:
the step of weighing the object with the scale in the first operating mode was not carried out, or
after the weighing of the object in the first operating mode it was decided that the object does not have the first property;
switching over the scale to the second operating mode;
for each object to be weighed which was not weighed in the first operating mode or does not have the first property, carrying out the step of weighing the object with the scale upon operating the scale in the second operating mode;
and
using a value as the weight of each object to be weighed being:
a measured value measured in the first operating mode upon deciding that the object has the first property, and
a measured value measured in the second operating mode upon deciding that the object has the second property.

16 more elements

A device for weighing at least one object, the device comprising:

a scale having at least one weighing cell;
said scale being operable in a first operating mode for weighing, with a predefined first tolerance, each object having a first predefined physical property;
said scale being operable in a second operating mode for weighing, with a predefined second tolerance, each object having a second predefined physical property;
and
a decision unit for automatically deciding whether or not a weight of an object is in a first weight class;
said decision unit being configured to automatically check whether or not an object to be weighed has the first property and to automatically check whether or not an object to be weighed has the second property;
each object to be weighed being at least automatically checked as to whether or not the object has the first property or weighed with said scale operated in the first operating mode;
said scale weighing an object to be weighed with said scale being operated in the first operating mode whenever said decision unit has decided or predicted before weighing in the first operating mode that the object has the first property, or checking as to whether or not the object has the first property was not carried out before weighing in the first operating mode;
and
said scale being switched over to the second operating mode when said scale has not weighed the object in the first operating mode, or said decision unit has decided, after weighing of the object in the first operating mode, that the object does not have the first property;
said scale operating in the second operating mode for weighing each object to be weighed having not been weighed in the first operating mode or not having the first property;
said decision unit being configured to decide that the object has the first property, for causing a value to be used as the weight of each object to be weighed, being a measured value measured in the first operating mode;
and
said decision unit being configured to decide that the object has the second property, for causing a value to be used as the weight of each object to be weighed, being a measured value measured in the second operating mode.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.