Method and apparatus for monitoring waste removal and administration

• US 10,501,264 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2017
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Custom Engineered Systems & Equipment Co.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Custom Engineered Systems & Equipment Co.
• Inventors: Flood, Christopher M., Fisher, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tuyen K
• Application Number:
  US15/406,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20170121107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 235375, 235451, 235492, 340 101, 340 102, 3405721, 3405722, 3405727
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1473 Receptacles having wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1484 relating to the adaptation of receptacles to carry identification means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0279 the discharging means mounted at the front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/128 Data transmitting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/164 Printers
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/041 Pivoted arms or pivoted carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40
• 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 for a municipality to control, track, and monitor waste or refuse receptacles requires a permit for use of a waste receptacle. An issuing organization issues a permit associated with a discreet receptacle identifier. An RFID tag is provided with the permit and attached to a discreet receptacle. The RFID tag transmits a signal carrying data associated with the discreet receptacle identifier. The signal may be read by a portable reader carried by municipal personnel to record violations of municipal code associated with the use of the discreet receptacle.

Claims

1. A system for tracking the condition, pick-up and general use of refuse containers among its users for service fulfillment by waste hauling vehicles, the system comprising:

a) a plurality of tags in the form of a passive radio frequency identification tag, each of the plurality of tags having a unique identifier associated with the tag;

b) a plurality of waste receptacles each having a serial number associated with the waste receptacle, wherein one of the plurality of tags is affixed to each of the plurality of waste receptacles;

c) an electronically accessible database external to the plurality of tags comprising a plurality of unique identifiers and biographical information associated with a plurality of users;

d) a scanner for communicating information regarding the unique identifier associated with the tag and the serial number associated with the waste receptacle;

the scanner comprising a reader for reading the unique identifier from the radio frequency identification tag, a transmitter for communicating selectively with a database wherein the scanner receives information from and transmits information to the electronically accessible database, and a display for displaying information to a user;

e) an antenna for sending the unique identifier associated with the tag and the serial number associated with the waste receptacle read by the scanner to the electronically accessible database;

f) an internet connection to the electronic database, wherein the electronic database correlates the unique identifier associated with each tag from the plurality of tags and the serial number associated with each waste receptacle with biographical information associated with users to create identification information to be published via the internet connection; and

wherein the internet connection provides service status information, including service payment status for each of the plurality of waste receptacles based upon identification information provided from the electronic database, wherein the status information automatically precludes pick up of a refuse container if the status information does not reflect that the service payment status is current, the automatic preclusion of pick up of a refuse container occurring with change of the capability of pick up equipment on vehicles to accomplish the pick up of a refuse container, the change precluding pick up if the status information does not reflect that the service payment status is current, unless the change is overridden.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the biographical information associated with the client comprises address, GPS coordinates or location information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification information correlates to a permit purpose.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification information is one or more of the comprising address, type of container, permit type, validity dates, term or refuse type.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the change of the capability of the pick up equipment on vehicles to accomplish the pick up is a change of activation and de-activation of the pick up equipment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises means for transferring receptacles, wherein the change of the capability of pick up equipment is change in the capability of the means for transferring receptacles to be able to transfer receptacles.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for transferring receptacles is mounted on a vehicle.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the system further comprises multiple means for transferring receptacles, one each on multiple vehicles.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the means for transferring receptacles comprises one of arms, booms, and hooks, adapted to transfer receptacles.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the system further comprises a controller capable of receiving a signal related to account status and capable of transmitting a signal to the means for transferring receptacles, the controller signaling the means for transferring receptacles to energize the means for transferring receptacles if the service payment status is current.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the biographical information associated with the client comprises address, GPS coordinates or location information, wherein the identification information correlates to a permit purpose, wherein the identification information is one or more of the comprising address, type of container, permit type, validity dates, term or refuse type, wherein the change of the capability of the pick up equipment on vehicles to accomplish the pick up is a change of activation and de-activation of the pick up equipment, wherein the system further comprises means for transferring receptacles, wherein the change of the capability of pick up equipment is change in the capability of the means for transferring receptacles to be able to transfer receptacles, wherein the means for transferring receptacles is mounted on a vehicle, wherein the system further comprises multiple means for transferring receptacles, one each on multiple vehicles, wherein the means for transferring receptacles comprises one of arms, booms, and hooks, adapted to transfer receptacles, wherein the system further comprises a controller capable of receiving a signal related to account status and capable of transmitting a signal to the means for transferring receptacles, the controller signaling one of the means for transferring receptacles to energize the one of the means for transferring receptacles if the service payment status is current.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the system further comprises multiple controllers each capable of receiving a respective signal related to account status and capable of transmitting a respective signal to a respective one of the means for transferring receptacles, each controller signaling the respective one of the means for transferring receptacles to energize the respective one of the means for transferring receptacles for each receptacle for which a respective one of the controllers receives a respective signal related to account status that service account payment is current.