Patent ID: 7591366

Claim:
An accumulation conveyor for moving packages, said accumulation conveyor comprising: a package measurement system comprising a plurality of sensors configured to detect a first package defining a first length and a second package defining a second length that is different than the first length; a conveying surface divided into a plurality of adjacent zones, wherein each of the zones comprises at least one of the sensors; a drive system configured to drive each of the zones of the conveying surface; and a drive controller connected in communication with the package measurement system and configured to determine a first number of zones needed to accommodate the first length of the first package, determine a second number of zones needed to accommodate the second length of the second package, wherein the first number of zones may be different than the second number of zones, and coordinate driving the first number of zones and the second number of zones in order to move the first package and the second package along the accumulation conveyor.