Abstract: A system and device are provided for detecting an article comprising a detecting portion adapted to receive a gate signal and generate values from optical characteristics of the gate signal, a trend determining portion adapted to identify a trend in the values, and an article passage identifying portion adapted to identify a passage of at least one article passing through at least a portion of the gate signal based on at least one change in trend of the trend determining portion.

Abstract: An arrangement for determining the position of a core within a coil improves a voltage across the coil upon generation of an initiating voltage pulse. The initiating voltage pulse can originate from a microprocessor or other electrical timing logic circuit. The charging current in the coil is developed from this initiated time until either a predetermined current level is reached in one embodiment or a predetermined time duration is reached in another embodiment. A microprocessor or other electrical measuring circuit measures either the time duration to reach the predetermined current level or the discharge time following current charging for the predetermined time duration. A microprocessor or other electrical logic circuit derives the core position from the measured time to reach the predetermined current level or the measured discharge time following current charging for the predetermined time duration.