METHOD OF IMPLEMENTING AN INCENTIVE-BASED RECYCLING SYSTEM

• US 20080172298A1
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTS Recyclebank LLC
• Original Assignee: RTS Recyclebank LLC
• Inventors: GONEN, RON
• Granted Patent: US 10,410,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/00 Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a recycling system and method thereof. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of implementing an incentive-based recycling system which rewards clients for recycling recyclable goods via financial or other incentives. In one embodiment, a method of implementing a system of incentive-based recycling comprises dispatching a vehicle on a collection route, collecting recyclable material from a series of collection points, obtaining unique identification data from each collection point, dropping off recyclable material at a drop-off facility, uploading the unique identification data to a central database, and allocating rewards to a customer corresponding to a measurement of the unique identifying data.

Claims

1. A method of implementing a system of incentive-based recycling comprising:

dispatching a vehicle on a collection route;

collecting recyclable material from a series of collection points;

obtaining unique identification data from each collection point;

dropping off recyclable material at a drop-off facility;

uploading the unique identification data to a central database; and

allocating rewards to a customer corresponding to a measurement of the unique identifying data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining unique identification data comprises:

obtaining and recording at least one of location identifier, a temporal identifier, a qualitative or quantitative measurement from the recyclable materials, or a system-specific identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of obtaining unique identification data comprises:

measuring and recording a first weight of a container having recyclable material contained therein;

emptying the recyclable material from the container into a storage compartment of the vehicle;

measuring and recording the second weight of the container after the recyclable materials have been removed; and

subtracting the second weight from the first weight to obtain a weight of recyclable materials.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising validating unique identification data from each collection point.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein rewards are allocated to a customer in an amount equal to at least one of a proportionate value to the amount of recyclable material collected from a collection point associated with that customer, a fixed amount, or based on the total amount of recyclable material collected from a series of collection points.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating at least one report comprising at least the unique identification data obtained on a particular collection route.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of validating unique identification data from each collection point comprises:

converting data collected to a form readable by the central database; and

eliminating duplicate and incomplete data points.

5-1. The method of claim Error! Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found., wherein rewards are allocated to a customer in an amount equal to at least one of a proportionate value to the amount of recyclable material collected from a collection point associated with that customer, a fixed amount, or based on the total amount of recyclable material collected from a series of collection points.

8. A method of implementing a system of incentive-based recycling comprising:

dispatching a vehicle on a collection route;

acquiring and recording a unique set of identifying data from at least a collection point;

weighing an amount of recyclable materials at each collection point;

recording the weight of the recyclable materials;

collecting the recyclable materials from the collection point;

dropping off the recyclable material collected at a drop-off facility;

validating the weight and identifying data collected from the collection point;

uploading the data to a central database;

generating at least one report; and

allocating rewards to a customer corresponding to a unique set of identifying data.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of acquiring and recording a unique set of identifying data comprises:

obtaining and recording at least one of location identifier, a temporal identifier, a qualitative or quantitative measurement from the recyclable materials, or a system-specific identifier.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wherein the step of acquiring and recording a unique set of identifying data comprises obtaining and recording an alphanumeric indicator of a customer'"'"'s street address.

9. The method of claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein rewards are allocated to a customer in an amount equal to at least one of a proportionate value to the amount of recyclable material collected from a collection point associated with that customer, a fixed amount, or based on the total amount of recyclable material collected from a series of collection points.

12. A method of implementing a system of incentive-based recycling comprising the steps of:

receiving a quantity of recyclable material;

ascertaining a quantitative measurement of the recyclable material;

downloading a series of data points from a local database;

verifying the series of data points;

uploading the series of data points to a central database;

generating at least one report from the data uploaded to the central database; and

allocating rewards to a customer corresponding to a unique set of identifying data.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of validating the series of data points comprises:

converting data collected to a form readable by the central database; and

eliminating duplicate and incomplete data points.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the data points comprise at least a plurality of location identifiers, temporal identifiers, qualitative or quantitative measurements, or system-specific identifiers.