Abstract: Food service workers prepare a number of items throughout the day at a food counter, so the workers may need to track process steps for entirely different processes that are running concurrently. For example, the worker may need to remove a pizza from an oven one moment, and remove breadstick dough from a refrigerator one minute later. A programmable weighing scale guides users through process steps of a process, and tracks completion time of process steps for multiple processes, and alerts a food service worker when a next step in one of multiple, concurrently running processes needs to be completed. Because data stored for each process can be selected throughout, for example, an entire working day, the controller of the weighing scale can track timing requirements for each step of each process. The weighing apparatus is independent of other apparatuses used in completing the process steps (e.g., refrigerators, ovens, mixers, etc.

Abstract: A system for alerting an operator of a weighing apparatus is described. The weighing apparatus may be capable of displaying a message in a message area to an operator. The message may be displayed in response to a command sent from a remote device.

Abstract: A weighing apparatus adapted to facilitate process management and methods associated therewith are described. The weighing apparatus may include a process control interface for including process data onto a label for managing a process.

Abstract: A system for alerting an operator of a weighing apparatus is described. The weighing apparatus may be capable of displaying a message in a message area to an operator. The message may be displayed in response to a command sent from a remote device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for scanning a document image in an m.times.n matrix. The device includes a sensing array for sequentially sensing along a scan line, elements along one dimension of the matrix, registers for sequentially storing sensed elements for a selected number of scan lines, and a circuit for effecting a scan line delay between sequential scan lines. Registers are also provided for effecting an element delay in all of the stored scanned lines along the other dimension of the matrix wherein the element delay is responsive to a sequential sensing of a matrix element. Selected matrix elements are combined with selected weighting factors for enhancing the document image being scanned.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus operates upon binary signals corresponding to a scanned image. The binary images are stored in a matrix as concentric windows of interconnected rows and columns. The binary signals contained in the rows and columns are summed and logically compared against the sums of binary signals in adjacent windows and if the sums and logical combinations do not exceed preselected amounts it is assumed that the binary signals within a particular window are spurious, and means are provided for cleaning these signals from the window. Incrementing the binary images that are stored in the matrix permit the total scanned image to be analyzed.