Patent Document ID: 20110235854
Application ID: 13074381
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for transporting an article to a destination, the article having at least one predefined optically detectable feature and at least one predefinable transport attribute, which comprises the steps of: performing a transporting operation having a first decision-making process and at least one second, subsequent decision-making process concerning a respective continuation of the transporting operation, the first decision-making process comprises the following steps being carried out automatically: generating at least one first computer-accessible image of the article; carrying out, for each predefined optically detectable feature, a first measurement to determine a value assumed by the predefined optically detectable feature of the article, for which purpose the at least one first computer-accessible image is evaluated and resulting in measured feature values; carrying out, for each predefined transport attribute, a measurement to determine a value assumed by the predefined transport attribute for the article resulting in at least one measured transport attribute value; generating a data record for the article and storing the data record in a data memory, the data record containing a first feature value vector having the measured feature values and the at least one measured transport attribute value; carrying out the first decision-making process on a basis of the at least one measured transport attribute value; and transporting the article onward on a basis of a result of the first decision-making process; performing the second decision-making process which comprises the following steps being carried out automatically: generating a second computer-accessible image of the article; carrying out, for the predefined optically detectable feature, a renewed measurement to determine a value assumed by the predefined optically detectable feature for the article, for which purpose the second computer-accessible article image is evaluated; generating a further data record for the article and storing the further data record the data memory, for which purpose a second feature value vector measured during the renewed measurement is used to search for the further data record in the data memory; determining at least one further transport attribute value included in the further data record determined; carrying out the second decision-making process on a basis of the at least one further transport attribute value determined; transporting the article onward on a basis of a result of the second decision-making process; providing a surface of the article with at least one optically detectable element after the first measurement and before the renewed measurement, a predefined computer-accessible stipulation of a position of the optically detectable element on the surface of the article and a predefined computer-accessible element pattern of the optically detectable element being used for providing the surface with the optically detectable element; and generating the first feature value vector during the first decision-making process and stored as part of the data record in such a manner that the first feature value vector contains, for each predefined optically detectable feature, that value which would have been assumed by the predefined optically detectable feature for the article if the surface of the article had already been provided with the optically detectable element during the first measurement, the stipulation of the position and the element pattern are used for the step of generating the first feature value vector, and the at least one second computer-accessible article image which is evaluated for the renewed measurement is generated from the article provided with the optically detectable element.