Method and apparatus for monitoring the processing of articles

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for monitoring the processing of a group of articles having different properties, for example differing weights and/or quality grades. The method includes the steps of obtaining information about the differing properties of the group, using this information to provide a main visual model of the property distribution within the group, and providing a first subsidiary visual model relating to the processing of a first sub-group of articles from within the group, the provision of the first subsidiary model causing a modified form of the main visual model to appear, related to the remaining articles of the group after removal of the articles forming the first sub-group. The method is particularly effective for use in monitoring the processing of poultry carcasses being conveyed in succession along a path, for sorting by weight and grade of carcass. The method may be used in advance of processing, to run a test as to what might happen during processing according to different parameters, and it can also be used during actual processing, to monitor what is actually happening, against a target time, numbers and maximum processing capacities.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.