Systems for and methods of asset management in a waste management service environment

• US 20070268759A1
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fleetmind Seon Solutions Inc.
• Original Assignee: Casella Waste Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Petrow, William, Hewitt, Jessica, Sabino, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,511,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/192
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1484 relating to the adaptation of receptacles to carry identification means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/128 Data transmitting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention includes an identification mechanism, such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or barcode, associated with a waste container. The identification mechanism contains an identifier that can be used to identify the waste container, and that can be read by a vehicle with an identification reader. In addition, the location of the waste container can be determined using a GPS receiver. The waste container identifier and its corresponding location can then be stored in a computer for later transmission to a second computer, for example, by using a wireless communication link. The second can be used to associate the waste container identifier and the waste container'"'"'s position with a customer.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring assets in a waste collection environment, comprising:

an identification mechanism, associated with a waste container, the identification mechanism comprising a waste container identifier;

a vehicle comprising;

a reader for reading the identification mechanism and determining the waste container identifier;

a computer receiving, via wireless transmission, and storing the waste container identifier transmitted by the reader, and further receiving and storing position data associated with the waste container; and

a second computer receiving from the computer, via wireless transmission, and storing the waste container identifier and the position data, and associating the waste container identifier with a customer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification mechanism comprises at least one of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and a barcode.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the second computer further receives, stores and associates with the waste container identifier at least one of a waste container purchase date, a street address at which the waste container is deployed, a name of the customer, an asset manufacturer, an asset model number, and an asset value.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the computer records a time at which the waste container is emptied.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the computer transmits to the second computer the time at which the waste container is emptied.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second computer further receives, stores and associates with the waste container identifier at least one of a waste container purchase date, a street address at which the waste container is deployed, a customer name, an asset manufacturer, an asset model number, and an asset value.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to receive global positioning system (GPS) data, and the GPS data is stored as the position data.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the second computer further receives, stores and associates with the waste container identifier at least one of a waste container purchase date, a street address at which the waste container is deployed, a customer name, an asset manufacturer, an asset model number, and an asset value.

9. A computer-implemented and user assisted method for monitoring assets in a waste collection environment, comprising:

providing an identification mechanism, associated with a waste container, comprising a waste container identifier; and

providing a vehicle comprising;

a reader for reading the identification mechanism and determining the waste container identifier;

a first computer receiving and storing the waste container identifier from the reader, and further receiving and storing position data associated with the waste container; and

receiving via wireless transmission and storing at a second computer, the waste container identifier and the position data transmitted to the second computer by the first computer.