System and method for fraud-free scrap removal and accounting

• US 10,072,966 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Linus Analytics LLC
• Original Assignee: Advanced Steel Recovery LLC (Commercial Metals Company)
• Inventors: Frankel, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy
• Application Number:
  US15/791,171
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/00 Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups electric measuring arrangements involving comparison with a reference value G01R17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/021 having electrical weight-sensitive devices G01G19/04 - G01G19/07 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/415 combined with recording means
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/42 electrically operated
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10475 arrangements to facilitate interaction with further interrogation devices, e.g. such that at least two interrogation devices may function and cooperate in a network of such devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/00 Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation

Abstract

A method and system for removing and accounting for scrap removed from a facility by providing a plurality of collection bins for one or more customers to collect scraps, providing a weigh station having a scale to weigh the scrap collected, providing a computer to record and keep track of the total scrap collected by each customer, providing a plurality of waste bins to discard the scrap collected in the collection bin, and accounting for the total scrap collected for each customer on-site before the waste bins are removed for permanent disposal. The collection bins of each customer can be monitored using a tracking system, such as a tag and reader, GPS device, camera, and the like.

Claims

1. A method of removing scrap and accounting for the scrap removed from a facility to prevent fraud, the method comprising:

a. providing a weigh station on-site to weigh the scrap;

b. providing a computer operatively connected to the weigh station to record a weight of the scrap;

c. providing at least one collection bin for collecting the scrap, the collection bin being transportable to the weigh station for weighing at the weigh station;

d. providing at least one waste bin for receiving scrap after weighing at the weigh station;

e. recording cumulated weights of all weighed scrap within a designated period of time for at least one customer;

f. correlating the cumulated weights to the at least one customer for accounting purposes; and

g. generating a receipt to account for the scrap received, whereby all of the scrap collected by the at least one customer is accounted.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning the at least one waste bin to at least one customer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a plurality of weigh stations.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least one tag operatively connected to a respective collection bin, and providing at least one reader operatively connected to a respective waste bin.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a tracking system to keep track of each collection bin.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the tracking system comprises a plurality of tags and a reader, wherein each collection bin is labeled with one of the plurality of tags, and wherein the reader is placed at the weigh station.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising reading the tag of one of the collection bins when the collection bin is being weighed, and tracking the cumulated weight of scrap weighed at the weigh station for each collection bin.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the tracking system comprises a camera that monitors movement of the collection bins.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the facility comprises a plurality of origin points where the scrap is collected, wherein each origin point comprises a unique identifying label corresponding to one customer, wherein the camera detects the identifying label and the collection bin to keep track of the cumulated weight of scrap for the customer.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the tracking system comprises a plurality of geo-locating devices, one geo-locating device for monitoring movement of each collection bin.

11. A system for weighing and accounting for scrap to prevent fraud, comprising:

a. a weigh station for weighing the scrap;

b. a computer for keeping track of cumulated weight of scrap;

c. at least one collection bin for receiving scrap the at least one collection bin being separate and apart from the weigh station, and transportable to the weigh station; and

d. at least one waste bin separate and apart from the weigh station for accumulating the scrap.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the weigh station comprises a scale and the computer is operatively connected to the scale.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a tracking system to monitor movement of the at least one collection bin.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the tracking system comprises a plurality of tags, one tag operatively connected to one collection bin, and wherein the weigh station comprises a reader to read the tags.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of waste bins and a plurality of readers, wherein each waste bin comprises one of the plurality of readers.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the tracking system comprises a camera system positioned at the weigh station and operatively connected to the computer to monitor movement of the collection bins.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the tracking system comprises a geo-locating device to monitor movement of the collection bins.

18. A system for accounting for scrap removal and prevent fraud, the system comprising:

a. at least one tag containing identifying information;

b. a reader for reading the at least one tag;

c. a computer operatively connected to the reader, the computer configured to;

i. process the identifying information from the reader;

ii. process weight information of the scrap collected; and

iii. correlate the weight information with a customer to keep track of cumulated weight collected by the customer;

d. a scale operatively connected to the computer to weigh the scrap and obtain the weight information of the scrap;

e. at least one collection bin separate and apart from the scale and transportable to the scale; and

f. at least one waste bin separate and apart from the scale for accumulating scrap after being weighed.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one collection bin is operatively connected to the at least one tag.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of waste bins.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of weigh stations.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of readers, one reader operatively connected to each waste bin.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of geo-locating devices, one geo-locating device associated with one collection bin of the plurality of collection bins to monitor movement of the collection bins.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a plurality of waste bins, wherein the geo-locating devices are configured to designate a geofenced region for each waste bin to determine when each collection bin has entered one of the geofenced regions.

25. The system of claim 19, further comprising a camera that monitors movement of the collection bins.

26. A system for weighing and accounting for scrap and prevent fraud, comprising:

a. a plurality of collection bins for collecting the scrap;

b. a weigh station comprising a scale to weigh the scrap and obtain weight information of the scrap, the weigh station separate and apart from the plurality of collection bins;

c. a plurality of waste bins for accumulating the scrap, the plurality of waste bins separate and apart from the weigh station;

d. a tracking system for monitoring movement of the plurality of collection bins, wherein the tracking system comprises;

i. a plurality of tags, each tag containing identifying information of a different customer, one tag operatively connected to each collection bin,

ii. a reader mounted at the weigh station to read the tags as the tags are being weighed,

iii. a camera system positioned at the weigh station and operatively connected to the computer to monitor movement of the collection bins, and

iv. a geo-locating device to monitor movement of the collection bins;

e. a first computer for keeping track of cumulated weight of the scrap, wherein the first computer is operatively connected to the scale, wherein the first computer comprises a communication module to the transmit identifying information from the tags and weight information of the scrap to a second computer, the first computer programmed to;

i. process the identifying information from the reader;

ii. process weight information of the scrap collected; and

iii. correlate the weight information with one of a plurality of customers to keep track of cumulated weight collected by each customer.