System For Monitoring Items in a Container

• US 20080198021A1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Custom Engineered Systems & Equipment Co.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Custom Engineered Systems & Equipment Co.
• Inventors: Flood, Christopher M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,056,817 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.7
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 9/3007 Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 9/3042 Containers provided with, or connectable to, compactor means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10415 the interrogation device being fixed in its position, such as an access control device for reading wireless access cards, or a wireless ATM banking machines in general G07F19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/84 Greenhouse gas [GHG] management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/00 Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation

Abstract

A container having a compactor and bin for waste is disclosed permitting on-premises and remote monitoring of the system and collection is disclosed. The system can also detect non-complaint materials placed therein and act thereon. Methods are further disclosed for inventorying identification tags for tracking packages, merchandise and tags disposed of.

Claims

1. A container for holding waste wherein at least one of the items of waste includes a tag having identification information thereon, comprising:

a plurality of walls to contain the items;

an antenna positioned relative to the container for obtaining the identification information on the tags within the container;

means for reading the identification information on the tags; and

,

means for either recording the read identification information or communicating the read identification information associated with the tags.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the tags are passive RFID tags and the antenna further activates the tags.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein the tags are EAS tags.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein the tags are different types of tags, such as RFID tags and EAS tags.

5. The container of claim 1 wherein the antenna is mounted on a wall and an opening is provided in the wall between the antenna and the items in the container to enhance signal communications between the antenna and items in the container and wherein the antenna is shielded by encasing it in a metal, except for the opening.

6. The container of claim 5 wherein the antenna is connected to a reader is also connected to a control panel for reading the data transmitted by the antenna and either storing the data or transmitting it to another system.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein the reader further includes software and/or hardware for detecting non-compliant items and a system for alerting a worker an item in the container is non-compliant.

8. The container of claim 7 wherein the non-compliant item is a hazardous material.

9. The container of claim 1 wherein a wall of the container includes a door and the antenna is mounted to the door, the opening being provided in the door between the antenna and the items in the container to enhance signal communications between the antenna and items in the container.

10. The container of claim 9 wherein the door is movable between an open position and a closed position and a sensor is in communications with a switch to detect the door in either the open position or the closed position and to turn the antenna on when the door is in the closed position and turn the antenna off when the door is in the open position.

11. A method of reading identification information on tags with each tag being attached to an item in a waste container, comprising the steps of:

securing an antenna to a wall or door of the container for obtaining the identification information on the tags within the container;

reading the obtained identification information;

recording the identification information and/or communicating the identification information associated with the tags.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the tags are passive RFID tags and the antenna further activating the tags.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of securing the antenna further includes providing an opening in the wall between the antenna and the items in the container to enhance signal communications between the antenna and items in the container and further including the step of shielding the antenna from external noise by encasing it in a metal, except for the opening.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the container wall includes a door in the wall and the antenna is secured to the door in the wall, the door being movable between an open position and a closed position and a sensor being in communications with a switch to detect the door in either the open position or the closed position and to turn the antenna on when the door is in the closed position and turn the antenna off when the door is in the open position.