Patent Document ID: 20130163847
Application ID: 13623387
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for locating a plurality of objects, comprising: using a conveyor having motion relative to a fixed mark point to transport each object of the plurality of objects so that the object passes the fixed mark point; inputting an encoding signal responsive to the motion of the conveyor, from which can be obtained at desired times a corresponding encoder count indicating a relative location of the conveyor; determining, for each object of the plurality of objects, a corresponding mark count indicating the encoder count corresponding to a time when the object passes the fixed mark point, wherein determining the corresponding mark count occurs at a corresponding decision point that differs from the time when the object passes the fixed mark point by a corresponding decision delay; and the decision delays corresponding to the plurality of objects are variable; producing, for each object of the plurality of objects, a corresponding signal at a corresponding report time that occurs when the corresponding encoder count differs from the mark count by a delay count; and using, for each object of the plurality of objects, the corresponding report time of the corresponding signal to indicate a location of the object.