Patent ID: 8238643

Claim:
A method for determining a weight of a product having a shape characterized by a variable first dimension and a variable second dimension and a non-variable third dimension, the shape defined in the first and second dimensions by a set of outlines, the method comprising: obtaining a weight of a product blank; creating an image having an aspect ratio that matches a corresponding aspect ratio of a product blank in the first and second dimensions, the image scaled to a predetermined scale, the image having pixels corresponding to locations of at least the cutlines defining the variable shape of the product scaled to the predetermined scale, the cutlines delineating pixels corresponding to points on the final product and pixels corresponding to areas of the blank to be trimmed from the product blank; determining a ratio of a number of pixels corresponding to product surface area to total number of pixels in the image; and multiplying the determined ratio by the weight of the product blank to determine the weight of the product.