Patent ID: 7861630

Claim:
A method for cutting of items into portions of predetermined size, said method comprising the steps of: placing the items on a conveying means; transporting the items to a measuring means; transporting the items from the measuring means to a cutting means on the conveying means; measuring a plurality of successive data sets each comprising a plurality of at least one characteristic of each item measured with the measuring means, with said successive data sets being taken at intervals across a length of said items; sectioning the items by the cutting means; and controlling and regulating at least one cutting process parameter in order to achieve predetermined product portions from the items based on the measured at least one characteristic; wherein said items are placed consecutively and substantially abutting each other on said conveying means such that said items are in direct physical contact with each other, and wherein the controlling step includes an item boundary detection step, such that a point of transition between consecutive items on the conveyor means is determined based on the at least one measured item characteristic, and further wherein the item boundary detection step includes the steps of: comparing prior data sets with subsequent data sets to determine a difference between successive data sets, and analyzing said difference between successive data sets for comparison against a threshold for identifying the boundary between the consecutively abutting items, wherein said boundary is determined when said difference is greater than said threshold.