The present technology relates to a container monitoring system for monitoring the content of containers, such as beverage bottles. The monitoring system is automated to record the content of the containers according to a metric such, as the container's weight and capture variances in the container's content for reconciliation with data such as sales data to expose irregularities in the consumption of the container's contents to provide inferences as to the cause of those irregularities. Various embodiments of the monitoring system may comprise a scale assembly for producing scale data, a processor module communicatively linked to the scale assembly, and a front end server application for processing and comparing the scale data to point of sale data and pushing notifications, reports, and other data to a user.

A weight determining system is for use with non-singulated and non-spaced arrangements of items on a conveyor system. The system includes an array of load cells, a scanning apparatus, and processors. Each of the items bears upon one or more of the load cells. Each of the load cells bears one or more of the items, and generates load data associated with them. The scanning apparatus generates scan data for the arrangements of the items on the conveyor. Based on the scan data, the processors: apportion the load data from each load cell to the items bearing on it; allocate to each item the load data apportioned from the various load cells; and determine a weight for each item. Also disclosed are a corresponding weight determining method, as well as a computer readable medium containing executable instructions to encode the processors to perform as aforesaid.

Example aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for determining a fee for sending a mailing, comprising the steps of: a) determining the weight and/or the volume of the mailing, b) selecting a three-dimensional body corresponding to the weight and/or the volume of the mailing, c) projecting the three-dimensional body onto the mailing, d) checking whether the three-dimensional body can enclose the mailing, e) if the three-dimensional body cannot enclose the mailing, selecting a larger three-dimensional body and repeating steps c) and d), f) if the three-dimensional body can enclose the mailing, determining the fee for sending the mailing in dependence on the determined weight and/or the volume and the selected three-dimensional body.

A terminal for measuring at least one dimension of an object includes a range camera, a visible camera, and a display that are fixed in position and orientation relative to each other. The range camera is configured to produce a range image of an area in which the object is located. The visible camera is configured to produce a visible image of an area in which the object is located. The display is configured to present information associated with the range camera's field of view and the visible camera's field of view.

A measuring apparatus for measuring parameters of an object is provided. The measuring apparatus, according to one implementation, includes a right-handed glove configured to be worn on the right hand of a user and a left-handed glove configured to be worn on the left hand of the user. A first wireless communication device is attached to the right-handed glove and a second wireless communication device is attached to the left-handed glove. The measuring apparatus also includes a calculating device. The first and second wireless communication devices are configured to wirelessly communicate time-based signals with each other. The calculating device utilizes the time-based signals to determine a first dimension of an object.

An automated system for preparing an item for shipping by a common carrier. The system can have several subsystems to interface with a customer, determine the dimensions and weight of the item, access various databases to prepare the item for storage and later pickup by common carrier. The system can be implemented in a self-service kiosk.