Patent ID: 7687727

Claim:
A method for weighing a moving article comprising the steps of: receiving the article while it is moving at an initial non-zero speed; selecting a predetermined constant final speed of the article that is higher or lower than the initial speed; applying an impulse to the article by means of a precision servo motor sufficient to accelerate the article from the initial speed to the final speed without stopping the article or changing its direction; wherein the precision servo motor is controlled by a close-loop control system responsive to changes in the speed of the article; capturing motor current or torque data indicative of the applied impulse; converting the captured motor data to determine a weight of the moving article; and providing the determined weight of the article in a tangible, useful form by displaying it, storing it in a digital file, or communicating it electronically to be used as an input to a subsequent system or process that takes an action associated with the article responsive to its determined weight.