Marking a deposit item

• US 20040195306A1
• Filed: 01/02/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sven-Erik Carlson
• Original Assignee: Sven-Erik Carlson
• Inventors: Carlson, Sven-Erik
• Granted Patent: US 7,316,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0609 by fluid containers, e.g. bottles, cups, gas containers

Abstract

In order to identify an item (1), on which a return deposit can be imposed, an element (11), which can at least be read in the radio frequency range and/or optionally one which can be switched or activated, are/is provided on the item (1). This element is activated optionally before or upon handing over the item and/or payment of a deposit for the item. The element is activated in such a manner that enables the item to be identified as one on which a deposit has been imposed. Before or upon returning the item (1), the element is read and, optionally when reimbursing the deposit the element (11) is activated and or deactivated in such a manner that enables the item to be identified as one on which a deposit is not imposed.

Claims

1. Method for the identification of an object (1), on which a redemption deposit can be imposed, characterized in that an element (11, 13, 15, 46) switchable or activatable on the object (1, 38) is activated before or at the time of the release of the object and/or when paying a deposit for the object, such that the object is identifiable as having a deposit imposed on it, and that, when accepting the object back and refunding the deposit, the element (11, 13, 15, 46) is activated or deactivated, such that the object is identifiable as an object which has not a deposit imposed on it.

2. Method, in particular as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an identification chip (11, 13, 15, 46) or magnetic strip disposed on the object when releasing the object and paying a deposit for the object, is provided with the information that the object has a deposit imposed on it, and that when redeeming the object and returning the deposit, the information on the chip (11, 13, 15) or magnetic strip is again deleted or overwritten or is reset to “

no deposit imposed”

.

3. Method, in particular as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, apart from the deposit information, additional information can be transferred onto the element (11, 13, 15, 46) or the chip or magnetic strip when releasing the object (1, 38), such as release site, release date, identification of the content, identification number, deposit system, etc., which additional information, depending on the redemption site of the object, is deleted or changed entirely or only partially upon the return of the object.

4. Method, in particular as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the activation or data transfer takes place at the release of the object or when paying a deposit, and the reading, deactivation and/or overwriting or deleting of the data is carried out by means of infrared, magnetic recording technique or by means of radio frequency identification technology (RFID).

5. Method, in particular as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that on the object an identification chip is written by data transfer in the radio frequency range by a so-called interrogator (Read/Write apparatus), or the data are read from the chip by an interrogator (Read/Write apparatus) (17, 31, 30, 51) and, if necessary, changed and/or deleted.

13. Application of the method as claimed in claim 1, for marking a disposable or multiuse object, such as a receptacle, bottle, barrel, canister or the like, which, filled with a material, is released against a deposit, and accepted back against return of the deposit.

14. Application of the method as claimed in claim 1, for identifying shopping carts when released for the use of a consumer against a deposit and acceptance-back of the shopping cart against the simultaneous return of the deposit.

15. Application of the method as claimed in claim 1, for identifying receptacles on which a deposit has been imposed, such as for example bowls for the sale of food items, such as for example meat and cheese, which receptacles are returned for an optionally repeated use.

16. Application of the method as claimed in claim 1, for identifying disposable articles, such as PET bottles, batteries, cooling apparatus, television sets, etc., which objects are to be disposed of “

appropriate to the species” and

/or given back to a redemption site specifically provided or suitable for this purpose.

17. Use of the method as claimed in claim 1, for marking/identifying a disposable or multiuse object for its identification, such as association with a deposit system, on which a deposit is imposed or which is free of a deposit, association with a distributor organization, such as a store chain, information about content, filling date, hazard class, etc.

18. Arrangement for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1, characterized by a device for the redemption of objects (1, 2, 4, 38) on which a deposit can be imposed, comprising:

a region (47) for the input or return of the objects (1, 2, 4, 38) to be supplied back,

a transport device (49) for conveying the objects (1, 2, 4, 38),

at least a detection means (31, 50, 51) such as a Read/Write device for reading the elements (11, 46) disposed on the object and optionally for deleting or changing the data, such as deposit payment entitlement, stored on the element,

a circuit for evaluating the data read by the detection means such as association with a specific deposit system and/or entitlement for deposit payment, and

at least one display (62), which displays the deposit amount and/or the deposit entitlement.

19. Arrangement as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that a further detection device (50) is provided, such as preferably a reading apparatus, disposed between input (47) and the one detection means (31, 51), provided for detecting the association with a deposit system and/or the deposit payment entitlement, and the further detection device is optionally coupled with the drive of the transport device and interrupts the drive or stops the transport system if the association to the deposit system and/or the deposit payment entitlement are not met.

20. Arrangement as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the detection means or the further detection device is a so-called RFID interrogator, suitable for reading or reading/writing of RFID labels.

21. Arrangement as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that succeeding the output region (48) a sorting site and/or collection site is provided for receiving objects (1, 2, 4, 38) released by the transport system (49) if the detection means (31, 50, 51) or the further detection device have positively detected on the object the association with the deposit system as well as also entitlement to the deposit payment.

22. Arrangement as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that a signal sender or alarm sender (64) is provided for the acoustic and/or visual display of an object acquired by the further detection device and/or the detection means, which has been detected either as not belonging to the deposit system or as not entitled to a deposit payment.

23. Arrangement as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that a servicing member (63) is provided so that a user, after successfully concluding the deposit return, can trigger the deposit payment, can display the deposit payment or can trigger the printing of a receipt.

24. Arrangement as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that succeeding the detection means is a displaceable wall (26, 60), such as a door, a slide or the like, which is coupled with the detection means and/or the further detection device, such that upon positive identification of the element with respect to association to the deposit system and deposit payment entitlement, the wall is opened and, after passage of the appropriately detected object(s) (1, 2, 4, 38), the door is closed again.

6. Disposable or multiuse object, which must be identifiable, characterized by an activatable or writable element (11, 13, 15, 46), which is disposed on the object (1, 38) and which can be written with information or on or at which can be disposed information, which can be at least partially deactivatable again, deletable or overwritable again.

7. Disposable or multiuse object, in particular as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the activatable or writable element (11, 13, 15, 46) is fixedly connected with the object (1, 38), such as is preferably disposed integrally on or in it.

8. Disposable or multiuse object as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the activatable or writable element (11, 13, 15, 46) is an element to be disposed on or at the object (1, 38) such as a label, for example a so-called “

smart label”

, a flexible data medium or a rigid data medium, which, for example, is adhered to or glued on or disposed on or at the object.

9. Disposable or multiuse object, in particular as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the activatable or writable element is an integrated circuit or a magnetic strip, which can be activated, written, switched on/off, readable, at least partially overwritable and/or at least partially deletable again.

10. Disposable or multiuse object, in particular as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the activatable or writable element is a so-called RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology chip.

11. Disposable or multiuse object, as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the activatable or writable element, selected from a frequency range of approximately 50 KHz to 1 GHz, preferably 125 KHz to 800 MHz, is readable or writable.

12. Disposable or multiuse object, which must be uniquely identifiable, characterized by an at least readable identification chip, which is a so-called RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology chip, which is at least readable in the radio frequency range.