Patent attributes
The present invention relates to the field of measuring apparatuses in distribution systems allowing for measuring presence, position and/or shape of an object placed on a carrier and a method for such measuring. The measuring apparatus comprises at least one light source arranged to illuminate said object and said carrier with incident light; at least one sensor placed on a predetermined distance from said at least one light source and arranged to repeatedly measure said object and said carrier by detecting reflected light from said object and said carrier when said carrier is moved in said direction of movement and to convert the detected light into electrical signals; an image-processing unit arranged to use the electrical signals and obtain a three-dimensional sub-image of each of the measurements of said object and said carrier and to obtain a three-dimensional image of said object and said carrier from one or more of said obtained sub-images; and, a calculating unit arranged to determine the presence, position and/or shape of said object on said carrier from said three-dimensional image.
