Load monitoring system for waste receptacle based on a speed of powertrain

• US 10,405,071 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wastech Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rubicon Global Holdings, LLC (Founder SPAC)
• Inventors: Dunbar, Hunter Dane
• Primary Examiner(s): Rushing, Mark S
• Application Number:
  US16/030,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20190058930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 34087016
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/022 the discharging means comprising a device for determining the weight of the content of refuse receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/00 Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse vehicles in general B60; driving vehicle equipment or auxiliaries B60K; discharging contents by tilting entire vehicles B65G; wheeled apparatus for emptying sewers or cesspools E03F7/10
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/02 with means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto conveyor construction B65G; loaders separate from vehicles B66F; fluid power control systems in general F15B
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A system is disclosed for monitoring waste collected by a service vehicle. The system may include a lift actuator configured to cause lifting of the waste, a power takeoff driven by a powertrain of the service vehicle to power the lift actuator, and a sensor configured to generate a speed signal indicative of a speed of the powertrain. The system may also include an output device, and a controller in communication with the sensor and the output device. The controller may be configured to receive the speed signal from the sensor, determine an amount of waste lifted by the lift actuator based on the speed signal, and relay the amount of waste to the output device.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring waste collected by a service vehicle, comprising:

a non-transitory memory;

one or more processors coupled to the non-transitory memory and configured to execute instructions to perform operations comprising;

monitoring, by a sensor, a speed of a powertrain coupled to a service vehicle, the powertrain configured to power a lift actuator of the service vehicle;

determining when the service vehicle is at a service stop; and

determining a weight of waste inside a receptacle when the service vehicle is at the service stop based on signals from the sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the speed of the powertrain is remotely detected.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the speed of the powertrain is remotely detected using an acoustic or vibrational type sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a deviation in the speed of the powertrain from a normal speed during lifting of the waste is detected;

and

the operations further comprise determining the weight of the waste lifted as a function of the deviation.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise determining the weight of the waste lifted as a function of a duration of the deviation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein determining when the service vehicle is at a service stop is based on vibrational or acoustic frequency responses.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein determining when the service vehicle is at a service stop is based on fluctuations in tire pressure.

8. A method of monitoring waste collected by a service vehicle, comprising:

monitoring, by a sensor, a speed of a powertrain coupled to a service vehicle, the powertrain configured to power a lift actuator of the service vehicle;

determining when the service vehicle is at a service stop; and

determining a weight of waste inside a receptacle when the service vehicle is at the service stop based on signals from the sensor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the speed of the powertrain is remotely detected.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the speed of the powertrain is remotely detected using an acoustic or vibrational type sensor.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a deviation in the speed of the powertrain from a normal speed during lifting of the waste is detected;

and

the method further comprises determining the weight of the waste lifted as a function of the deviation.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the weight of the waste lifted by the lift actuator as a function of a duration of the deviation.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein determining when the service vehicle is at a service stop is based on vibrational or acoustic frequency responses.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein determining when the service vehicle is at a service stop is based on fluctuations in tire pressure.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising causing the weight of the waste to be shown on a display, along with at least one of an identification and coordinates of the service stop.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer-executable programming instructions for performing a method for monitoring waste collected by a service vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring, via a sensor, a speed of a powertrain coupled to a service vehicle, the powertrain configured to power a lift actuator of the service vehicle;

determining when the service vehicle is at a service stop; and

determining a weight of waste inside a receptacle when the service vehicle is at the service stop based on signals from the sensor.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the speed of the powertrain is remotely detected.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising causing the weight of the waste to be shown on a display, along with at least one of an identification and coordinates of the service stop.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein determining when the service vehicle is at a service stop is based on vibrational or acoustic frequency responses.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein determining when the service vehicle is at a service stop is based on fluctuations in tire pressure.