System and method for controlling electrically-powered trash compactors and receptacles

• US 10,162,318 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BigBelly Solar LLC
• Original Assignee: Big Belly Solar, Inc.
• Inventors: Poss, James A., Satwicz, Jeffrey T., Feldman, Michael E., Skocypec, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US14/080,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20140172174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 100229
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 9/3007 Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1426 Housings, cabinets or enclosures for refuse receptacles B65F1/006, B65F1/1452 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/128 Data transmitting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/1443 Electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/162 Pressing means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/165 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/172 Solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/20 Temperature sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/10 Waste collection, transportation, transfer or storage, e.g. segregated refuse collecting, electric or hybrid propulsion

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for controlling electrically-powered trash compactors and receptacles. The system first receives data associated with a storage receptacle configured to communicate with the system via a network, wherein the data is received from a server storing information transmitted by the storage receptacle, the storage receptacle having an energy storage for powering operational functions performed by the storage receptacle. The system then identifies a parameter of the storage receptacle associated with an operational function of the storage receptacle, and transmits a signal to the storage receptacle for modifying the parameter based on the data associated with the storage receptacle to yield a modified operation of the storage receptacle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via a remote control device, data collected over a first time interval by one or more sensors associated with a storage receptacle, the data corresponding to the performance of an operational function by the storage receptacle over the first time interval, the storage receptacle configured to communicate with the remote control device via a network, wherein the performance of the operational function is related to at least one of;

compacting contents, sensing contents volume inside the storage receptacle, powering a status lamp, communicating with the remote control device, powering the storage receptacle, gathering weather data, gathering temperature information, running a sensor, measuring a current, detecting a movement of an item in the storage receptacle, testing a battery, and powering an advertisement display;

identifying, within the received data, a parameter associated with the performance of the operational function over the first time interval, wherein the parameter is related to at least one of a compaction timing, an energy usage, a timing of a sensor actuation, a desired capacity, a fullness threshold, a power mode, a fullness state, a command, a status update, an energy setting, an operating setting, a collection timing, a communication interval, a test setting, an operating current, and a compaction trigger;

modifying a value of the parameter identified within the received data to yield a modified parameter;

transmitting, from the remote control device, the modified parameter to cause a change, without user intervention at the storage receptacle, in a future performance of the operational function by the storage receptacle; and

displaying, via the remote control device, a location of the storage receptacle in a particular area on at least one of a map or a list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage receptacle comprises a solar-powered compactor, and wherein the operational function further comprises compacting contents.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational function that was changed comprises at least one from among a modified compaction schedule, a modified compaction threshold, a modified power mode, a modified capacity, and a modified sensing timing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is modified based on at least one from among the data, a user input, weather conditions, a collection schedule, an associated collection route, traffic conditions, a proximity of a collection vehicle, a time, a date, a location, a capacity, a fullness state, lapsed time between collections, lapsed time between compactions, usage conditions, energy usage, battery conditions, statistics, a detected movement of an object, industry benchmarks, historical data, forecasted data, collection trends, industry standards, real-time information, and user preferences.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises at least one from among sensed data, statistics, operating conditions, device characteristics, fullness state, a device status, data about an event, a measurement, data about an operation, a log, an alert, a value, real-time information, and a diagnosis.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the data to a device associated with a user for presentation to the user; and

receiving an instruction from the device associated with the user to modify the parameter of the storage receptacle.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon receiving user input for selecting a representation of the storage receptacle, displaying, via the remote control device, displaying additional information about the storage receptacle.

7. A method comprising:

transmitting, via a storage receptacle, data collected over a first time interval by one or more sensors associated with the storage receptacle to a remote control device, the data corresponding to the performance of an operational function by the storage receptacle over the first time interval;

receiving, at the storage receptacle and from the remote control device via a network, a modification of a value of a parameter identified within the received data, the parameter associated with the performance of the operational function over the first time interval;

modifying, without manual user intervention at the storage receptacle, a future performance of the operational function by the storage receptacle according to the modification of the value of the identified parameter; and

transmitting, by the storage receptacle, information associated with a location of the storage receptacle to the remote control device for being displayed, via the remote control device, in a particular area on at least one of a map or a list.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the data comprises at least one from among sensed data, statistics, operating conditions, device characteristics, fullness state, a device status, data about an event, a measurement, data about an operation, a log, an alert, a value, real-time information, and a diagnosis.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the storage receptacle comprises a solar-powered compactor, and wherein the operational function further comprises compacting contents.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the operational function further comprises at least one from among compacting contents, sensing contents volume inside the storage receptacle, powering a status lamp, communicating with the remote control device, powering the storage receptacle, gathering weather data, gathering temperature information, running a sensor, measuring a current, detecting a movement of an item in the storage receptacle, testing a battery, and powering an advertisement display.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the parameter comprises at least one from among a compaction timing, an energy usage, a timing of a sensor actuation, a desired capacity, a fullness threshold, a power mode, a fullness state, a command, a status update, an energy setting, an operating setting, a collection timing, a communication interval, a test setting, an operating current, and a compaction trigger.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the operational function that was modified comprises at least one from among a modified compaction schedule, a modified compaction threshold, a modified power mode, a modified capacity, and a modified sensing timing.

13. A receptacle comprising:

a processor;

a transmitter for transmitting information to another device via a network;

a receiver for receiving information transmitted to the receptacle via the network;

a storage receptacle for storing content items; and

a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

transmitting information associated with the storage receptacle to a remote control device, the information collected over a first time interval by one or more sensors, the information corresponding to the performance of an operational function by the storage receptacle over the first time interval;

receiving a modification of a value of a parameter identified within the information, the parameter associated with the performance of the operational function over the first time interval, and wherein the modification of the value of the parameter is received from the remote control device on the network;

modifying, without manual user intervention at the storage receptacle, a future performance of the operational function by the storage receptacle according to the modification of the value of the identified parameter; and

transmitting information associated with a location of the receptacle to the remote control device for being displayed, via the remote control device, in a particular area on at least one of a map or a list.

14. The receptacle of claim 13, further comprising a motor and at least one from among a proximity sensor, a sonar-based sensor, a photoeye sensor, an encoder sensor, a door sensor, a hall effect sensor, a camera, an infrared sensor, a display, a light-emitting diode, a battery, a printed circuit board, and an antenna, wherein the receptacle comprises a solar-powered compactor, and wherein the operational function further comprises compacting contents.

15. The receptacle of claim 13, wherein the operational function further comprises at least one from among compacting contents, sensing contents volume inside the storage receptacle, powering a status lamp, communicating with the remote control device, powering the storage receptacle, gathering weather data, gathering temperature information, running a sensor, measuring a current, detecting a movement of an item in the storage receptacle, testing a battery, and powering an advertisement display, and wherein the parameter further comprises at least one from among an energy usage, a timing of a sensor actuation, a desired capacity, a fullness threshold, a power mode, a fullness state, a command, a status update, an energy setting, an operating setting, a collection timing, a communication interval, a test setting, an operating current, and a compaction trigger.

16. A remote control device comprising:

a processor;

a transmitter for transmitting information to another device via a network;

a receiver for receiving information transmitted to the remote control device via the network; and

a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving data collected over a first time interval by one or more sensors associated with a storage receptacle, the data corresponding to the performance of an operational function by the storage receptacle over the first time interval, the storage receptacle configured to communicate with the remote control device via the network;

identifying, within the received data, a parameter of the storage receptacle associated with the performance of the operational function over the first time interval;

receiving a modification of a value of the parameter identified within the received data;

transmitting the modification of the value of the parameter to the storage receptacle to cause a change, without user intervention at the storage receptacle, in a future performance of the operational function by the storage receptacle; and

displaying a location of the storage receptacle in a particular area on at least one of a map or a list.

17. The remote control device of claim 16, wherein the operational function further comprises at least one from among compacting contents, sensing contents volume inside the storage receptacle, powering a status lamp, communicating with the remote control device powering the storage receptacle, gathering weather data, gathering temperature information, running a sensor, measuring a current, detecting a movement of an item in the storage receptacle, testing a battery, and powering an advertisement display, and wherein the parameter comprises at least one from among a compaction timing, an energy usage, a timing of a sensor actuation, a desired capacity, a fullness threshold, a power mode, a fullness state, a command, a status update, an energy setting, an operating setting, a collection timing, a communication interval, a test setting, an operating current, and a compaction trigger.

18. The remote control device of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores additional instructions which result in the operations further comprising:

receiving information from a first device associated with a collection vehicle, the information comprising at least one from among a location of the collection vehicle, an identification of the collection vehicle, a status of the collection vehicle, a proximity of the collection vehicle to the storage receptacle, a schedule of the collection vehicle, statistics associated with the collection vehicle, a route associated with the collection vehicle, a condition of the collection vehicle, traffic information, and a capacity of the collection vehicle;

transmitting the information and the data associated with the storage receptacle to a second device associated with a user for presentation to the user; and

receiving an instruction from the second device to modify the parameter of the storage receptacle.

20. The remote control device of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores additional instructions which result in the operations further comprising:

upon receiving user input for selecting a representation of the storage receptacle, displaying, via the remote control device, displaying additional information about the storage receptacle.