Provided are an apparatus and method for measuring a mail size and acquiring mail information. The apparatus and method measure a mail size, recognize or read out specific information extracted from image information of a photographed mail, and acquire information necessary for receiving and delivering the mail. Accordingly, a height and length of a mail can be efficiently measured a narrow space, and an accuracy of the measurement can be enhanced. When specific information is extracted from photographed mail image information, information necessary for receipt and delivery of a mail can be more easily acquired by using a method of reading out or recognizing the extracted specific information.

Among other things, a computer-based method is described. The method comprises receiving, by one or more computers, a plurality of measured spectra reflected from a substrate at a plurality of different positions on the substrate. The substrate comprises at least two regions having different structural features. The method also comprises performing, by the one or more computers, a clustering algorithm on the plurality of measured spectra to separate the plurality of measured spectra into a number of groups based on the spectral characteristics of the plurality of measured spectra; selecting one of the number of groups to provide a selected group having a subset of spectra from the plurality of measured spectra; and determining, in the one or more computers, at least one characterizing value for the substrate based on the subset of spectra of the selected group.

An apparatus and method for extracting a feature point to recognize an obstacle using a laser scanner are provided. The apparatus includes a laser scanner that is installed at a front of a traveling vehicle and is configured to obtain laser scanner data having a plurality of layers in real time. In addition, a controller is configured to separate the laser scanner data obtained by the laser scanner into a plurality of layers to extract measurement data present in each layer and determine feature points of the measurement data to classify a type of obstacle based on a plurality of stored feature points.

Non-contacting caliper measurements of free standing sheets such as porous polymer and paper detect mid-IR interferometric fringes created by the reflection of light from the top and bottom surfaces of the sheet. The technique includes directing a laser beam at a selected angle of incidence onto a single spot on the exposed outer surface wherein the laser beam comprises radiation having a wavelength in the 3-50 micron range and scanning the laser beam through a selected angle range as the laser beam is directed onto the exposed outer surface and measuring the intensity of an interference pattern that forms from the superposition of radiation that is reflected From the exposed outer surface and from the inner surface. Thickness can be extracted from the fringe separation in the interference pattern. Rotating and focusing elements ensure that the spot position on the sheet remains the same while varying the incident angle.

Described is a control system for stabilizing complex systems through self-adjustment. The complex system consists of agents or machines interacting with an environment and controlled by a controller. The control system includes a sensor configured to measure a state of the complex system and output the measured state of the complex system. A filter receives the measured state of the complex system, computes a variance in the measured state of the complex system over time, and outputs the computed variance. A regulator, which is connected with at least one controller, adjusts a control parameter in response to the computed variance received from the filter. The regulator is configured to regulate each controller's action on each agent or machine based on the control parameter in order to maintain stability of the complex system. In a desired aspect, the at least one control parameter comprises a set of additional input delays.

An HVAC line set analyzer system is provided. The system includes a base unit and a remote unit, wherein the base unit is in communication with the remote unit. The base unit is configured to couple to an end of tubing of an HVAC line set and the remote unit is configured to couple to an opposing end of the tubing the HVAC line set. The base unit and the remote unit operate together in order to purge the tubing of all contaminates, remaining gases and so forth, equalize the temperature and then measure the length of the tubing of the HVAC line set, which length is an unknown length. This is done with two measurements. The first is the length of the tubing, and the second determines a number of sharp bends in that tubing and calculates an equivalent tubing length associated with the number of sharp bends.

An HVAC line set analyzer system is provided. The system includes a base unit and a remote unit, wherein the base unit is in communication with the remote unit. The base unit is configured to couple to an end of tubing of an HVAC line set and the remote unit is configured to couple to an opposing end of the tubing the HVAC line set. The base unit and the remote unit operate together in order to purge the tubing of all contaminates, remaining gases and so forth, equalize the temperature and then measure the length of the tubing of the HVAC line set, which length is an unknown length. This is done with two measurements. The first is the length of the tubing, and the second determines a number of sharp bends in that tubing and calculates an equivalent tubing length associated with the number of sharp bends.

An HVAC line set analyzer system is provided. The system includes a base unit and a remote unit, wherein the base unit is in communication with the remote unit. The base unit is configured to couple to an end of tubing of an HVAC line set and the remote unit is configured to couple to an opposing end of the tubing the HVAC line set. The base unit and the remote unit operate together in order to purge the tubing of all contaminates, remaining gases and so forth, equalize the temperature and then measure the length of the tubing of the HVAC line set, which length is an unknown length. This is done with two measurements. The first is the length of the tubing, and the second determines a number of sharp bends in that tubing and calculates an equivalent tubing length associated with the number of sharp bends.

An HVAC line set analyzer system is provided. The system includes a base unit and a remote unit, wherein the base unit is in communication with the remote unit. The base unit is configured to couple to an end of tubing of an HVAC line set and the remote unit is configured to couple to an opposing end of the tubing the HVAC line set. The base unit and the remote unit operate together in order to purge the tubing of all contaminates, remaining gases and so forth, equalize the temperature and then measure the length of the tubing of the HVAC line set, which length is an unknown length. This is done with two measurements. The first is the length of the tubing, and the second determines a number of sharp bends in that tubing and calculates an equivalent tubing length associated with the number of sharp bends.

A method for estimating a wetted length of a solid surface includes sensing intensity of light reflected from a gas-liquid interface on the solid surface. A waveguide faces the gas-liquid interface and a diffused light is propagated to the gas-liquid interface through the waveguide. At least one optical receiver is positioned on a side of the waveguide to receive light reflected from the gas-liquid interface.