Waste segregation compliance system

• US 20040250004A1
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Wildman, Timothy D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,119,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/105 Cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/10 Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/13 Trolleys, e.g. carts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/18 Cupboards; Drawers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/36 for collecting or disposing of used articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/0033 specially adapted for segregated refuse collecting, e.g. receptacles with several compartments; Combination of receptacles B65F1/0093 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1484 relating to the adaptation of receptacles to carry identification means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/108 Authorization means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/144 Level detecting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/184 Weighing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/10 Waste collection, transportation, transfer or storage, e.g. segregated refuse collecting, electric or hybrid propulsion

Abstract

A waste segregation compliance system and method including a processor, a waste receptacle configured to detect a deposit of an item therein and to provide a deposit signal to the processor, and a detector configured to detect a person and to provide a location signal to the processor in response to detection of the person.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium for use with a processor associated with a waste receptacle, the waste receptacle having a first detector configured to receive an identification signal from a transmitter associated with a person proximate to the waste receptacle and at least a first compartment with an associated first waste detector and a second compartment with an associated second waste detector, the computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

process information received by the first detector to determine the identity of the person;

process information received from the first waste detector and the second waste detector to determine if waste has been deposited in the respective first compartment and second compartment;

in response to a determination that waste has been deposited in the waste receptacle, associating the identified person with the deposited waste; and

providing information representative of the identity of the person and into which of first compartment and second compartment waste was deposited to a remote computer.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first compartment is associated with infectious medical waste and has a first associated disposal cost and the second compartment is associated with general waste and has a second associated disposal cost.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to calculate a composite disposal cost associated with the waste deposited in the waste receptacle based on which compartments of the first compartment and the second compartment waste was deposited in and the first associated disposal cost and the second associated disposal cost.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the waste provides identification information to the first detector and the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to determine the type of asset deposited in the waste receptacle.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to provide the composite disposal cost to the remote computer.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to calculate a composite cost associated with the waste deposited in the waste receptacle.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to associate the deposited waste with the identified person if the relative time period between the waste being deposited and the person being identified is less than a threshold value.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to continuously monitor the first detector for information to process.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to monitor the first detector in response to processing information from one of the first waste detector and the second waste detector.

10. A computer readable medium for use with a processor associated with a waste segregation compliance system including at least a first waste receptacle positioned within a facility and having at least a first compartment and a second compartment and a locating and tracking system, the locating and tracking system including a plurality of transmitters associated with respective assets each transmitter configured to transmit an identification signal and a plurality of detectors positioned within the facility each detector configured to receive the identification signal from transmitters proximate to the detector, the computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

process information received by the plurality of detectors representative of the location of at least a first transmitter of the plurality of the transmitters;

track the location of the asset associated with the first transmitter as the asset moves throughout the facility based on the received information representative of the location of the first transmitter;

process information received from the first waste receptacle representative of the placement of waste in at least one of the first compartment and the second compartment;

associate the placement of waste in the waste receptacle with the first transmitter based on the proximity of the first transmitter to the waste receptacle at or near the time of the placement of waste in the waste receptacle; and

provide information representative of the first transmitter associated with the placement of the waste in the waste receptacle and information representative of the amount of waste placed in each compartment of the waste receptacle.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the first compartment is associated with infectious medical waste and has a first associated disposal cost and the second compartment is associated with general waste and has a second associated disposal cost.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to calculate a composite disposal cost associated with the waste deposited in the waste receptacle based on which compartments of the first compartment and the second compartment waste was deposited in and the first associated disposal cost and the second associated disposal cost.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the placement of waste in the waste receptacle is associated with the first transmitter if the relative time period between the waste being deposited and the detection of the first transmitter is less than a threshold value.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the first transmitter is associated with a person.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the first transmitter is associated with a disposable item.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein a second transmitter is associated with a disposable item and a first detector is positioned at an entrance to the facility and wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to add the disposable item to an inventory when the disposable item enters the facility through the entrance.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein when the disposable item associated with the second transmitter is placed in the waste receptacle the plurality of instructions cause the processor to remove the disposable item from the inventory.

18. A computer readable medium for use with a processor associated with a waste receptacle having at least a first compartment and a second compartment and a locating and tracking system, the locating and tracking system including a master station and plurality of detectors positioned throughout a facility, including a first detector associated with the waste receptacle, each of the detectors being configured to receive a respective identification signal from each of a plurality of transmitters, the computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

monitor at least the first detector to determine if a first transmitter of the plurality of transmitters is proximate to the associated waste receptacle;

monitor the first compartment of the waste receptacle and the second compartment of the waste receptacle to determine if waste has been deposited within one of the first compartment and the second compartment, a first determination being associated with the depositing of waste within one of the first compartment and the second compartment and a second determination being associated with the absence of the depositing of waste within one of the first compartment and the second compartment;

in response to a first determination that waste has been deposited within one of the first compartment and the second compartment, associating the first transmitter with the deposited waste;

providing to the master station, in response to the first determination, information representative of the location of the first transmitter and the associated deposited waste; and

providing to the master station, in response to the second determination, information representative of the location of the first transmitter.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first compartment is associated with infectious medical waste and has a first associated disposal cost and the second compartment is associated with general waste and has a second associated disposal cost.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to calculate a composite disposal cost associated with the waste deposited in the waste receptacle based on which compartments of the first compartment and the second compartment waste was deposited in and the first associated disposal cost and the second associated disposal cost.