Patent ID: 7650289

Claim:
A billing system for determining transportation charges, said billing system comprising: a reader to read a package identifier associated with said package, said reader generating a package identification signal and transmitting the signal to a microprocessor; a package sizer having a first plurality of spaced non-contact optical sensors spaced along an x-axis, a second plurality of spaced non-contact optical sensors spaced along a y-axis, and a third plurality of spaced non-contact optical sensors spaced along a z-axis, each optical sensor being located at a known position and oriented relative to each other so that packages positioned at said sizer are detected by a reduction in an amount of ambient light reaching at least a portion of said optical sensors being covered by said packages, said sizer producing a package size signal correlated to a size of said package; and a microprocessor to receive and correlate said package identification signal and said package size signal for billing purposes, said microprocessor including a data table for billing charges, whereby said measured package size can be compared to said data table to determine a transportation charge for said measured package.