Abstract: An identifier token has an electronic circuit with a bidirectional electronic interface for accessing the circuit. The circuit comprises an identifier code. The code is realized by bonding the circuit to a conductor external to the circuit as part of a non-volatile coding mechanism. The code may be stored in an on-board EEPROM that is fixated by bonding its write enable pin to an appropriate voltage. A second realization is by means of selective coding interconnections between a series of bond pads and a conductor for forming a string of code elements.

Abstract: A method of counting, in real time, articles supplied on a conveyor track in a random pattern is disclosed. The method comprises forming an image of the articles present in a counting zone by means of an image pick-up device, which counting zone corresponds to a periodic, elongated image of the image pick-up device, which image extends essentially transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyor track. The elongated image is converted into a binary image composed of a row of image elements, each with its own grey value, which binary image is obtained by assigning a first logic state to image elements having a grey value above a pre-determined threshold value and a second logic state to image elements below this threshold value.