SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRICALLY-POWERED TRASH COMPACTORS AND RECEPTACLES

• US 20140172174A1
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BigBelly Solar LLC
• Original Assignee: Big Belly Solar, Inc.
• Inventors: Skocypec, David J., Poss, James A., Satwicz, Jeffrey T., Feldman, Michael E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,162,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 9/3007 Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1426 Housings, cabinets or enclosures for refuse receptacles B65F1/006, B65F1/1452 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/128 Data transmitting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/1443 Electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/162 Pressing means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/165 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/172 Solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/20 Temperature sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/10 Waste collection, transportation, transfer or storage, e.g. segregated refuse collecting, electric or hybrid propulsion

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for controlling electrically-powered trash compactors and receptacles. The system first receives data associated with a storage receptacle configured to communicate with the system via a network, wherein the data is received from a server storing information transmitted by the storage receptacle, the storage receptacle having an energy storage for powering operational functions performed by the storage receptacle. The system then identifies a parameter of the storage receptacle associated with an operational function of the storage receptacle, and transmits a signal to the storage receptacle for modifying the parameter based on the data associated with the storage receptacle to yield a modified operation of the storage receptacle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via a remote control device, data associated with a storage receptacle configured to communicate with the remote control device via a network, wherein the data is received from a server storing information transmitted by the storage receptacle, the storage receptacle having an energy storage for powering operational functions performed by the storage receptacle;

identifying a parameter of the storage receptacle associated with an operational function of the storage receptacle; and

transmitting a signal from the remote control device to the storage receptacle for modifying the parameter based on the data associated with the storage receptacle to yield a modified operation of the storage receptacle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage receptacle comprises a solar-powered compactor, and wherein the operational function comprises compacting contents.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational function comprises at least one from among compacting contents, sensing contents volume inside the storage receptacle, powering a status lamp, communicating with the remote control device, communicating with the server, powering the storage receptacle, gathering weather data, gathering temperature information, running a sensor, measuring a current, detecting a movement of an item in the storage receptacle, testing a battery, and powering an advertisement display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter comprises at least one from among a compaction timing, an energy usage, a timing of a sensor actuation, a desired capacity, a fullness threshold, a power mode, a fullness state, a command, a status update, an energy setting, an operating setting, a collection timing, a communication interval, a test setting, an operating current, and a compaction trigger.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified operation comprises at least one from among a modified compaction schedule, a modified compaction threshold, a modified power mode, a modified capacity, and a modified sensing timing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is modified based on at least one from among the data, a user input, weather conditions, a collection schedule, an associated collection route, traffic conditions, a proximity of a collection vehicle, a time, a date, a location, a capacity, a fullness state, lapsed time between collections, lapsed time between compactions, usage conditions, energy usage, battery conditions, statistics, a detected movement of an object, industry benchmarks, historical data, forecasted data, collection trends, industry standards, real-time information, and user preferences.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises at least one from among sensed data, statistics, operating conditions, device characteristics, fullness state, a device status, data about an event, a measurement, data about an operation, a log, an alert, a value, real-time information, and a diagnosis.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the data to a device associated with a user for presentation to the user; and

receiving an instruction from the device associated with the user to modify the parameter of the storage receptacle.

9. A method comprising:

transmitting, via a storage receptacle, data associated with the storage receptacle to a server, the storage receptacle having an energy storage for powering operational functions performed by the storage receptacle;

receiving, at the storage receptacle, a signal for modifying a parameter of the storage receptacle based on the data associated with the storage receptacle, wherein the parameter is associated with an operational function of the storage receptacle, and wherein the signal is received from a remote control device via a network; and

modifying the parameter of the storage receptacle according to the signal to yield a modified operation of the storage receptacle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data comprises at least one from among sensed data, statistics, operating conditions, device characteristics, fullness state, a device status, data about an event, a measurement, data about an operation, a log, an alert, a value, real-time information, and a diagnosis.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the storage receptacle comprises a solar-powered compactor, and wherein the operational function comprises compacting contents.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the operational function comprises at least one from among compacting contents, sensing contents volume inside the storage receptacle, powering a status lamp, communicating with the remote control device, communicating with the server, powering the storage receptacle, gathering weather data, gathering temperature information, running a sensor, measuring a current, detecting a movement of an item in the storage receptacle, testing a battery, and powering an advertisement display.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the parameter comprises at least one from among a compaction timing, an energy usage, a timing of a sensor actuation, a desired capacity, a fullness threshold, a power mode, a fullness state, a command, a status update, an energy setting, an operating setting, a collection timing, a communication interval, a test setting, an operating current, and a compaction trigger.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the modified operation comprises at least one from among a modified compaction schedule, a modified compaction threshold, a modified power mode, a modified capacity, and a modified sensing timing.

15. A receptacle comprising:

a processor;

an energy storage for powering operational functions performed by the receptacle;

a transmitter for transmitting information to another device via a network;

a receiver for receiving information transmitted to the receptacle via the network;

a sensor for detecting a condition associated with the receptacle;

a storage for storing content items; and

a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising;

transmitting information associated with the receptacle to a server;

receiving a signal for modifying a parameter of the receptacle based on the information associated with the receptacle, wherein the parameter is associated with an operational function of the receptacle, and wherein the signal is received from a remote control device on the network; and

modifying the parameter of the receptacle according to the signal to yield a modified operation of the receptacle.

16. The receptacle of claim 15, further comprising a motor and at least one from among a proximity sensor, a sonar-based sensor, a photoeye sensor, an encoder sensor, a door sensor, a hall effect sensor, a camera, an infrared sensor, a display, a light-emitting diode, a battery, a printed circuit board, and an antenna, wherein the receptacle comprises a solar-powered compactor, and wherein the operational function comprises compacting contents.

17. The receptacle of claim 15, wherein the operational function comprises at least one from among compacting contents, sensing contents volume inside the storage receptacle, powering a status lamp, communicating with the remote control device, communicating with the server, powering the storage receptacle, gathering weather data, gathering temperature information, running a sensor, measuring a current, detecting a movement of an item in the storage receptacle, testing a battery, and powering an advertisement display, and wherein the parameter comprises at least one from among a compaction timing, an energy usage, a timing of a sensor actuation, a desired capacity, a fullness threshold, a power mode, a fullness state, a command, a status update, an energy setting, an operating setting, a collection timing, a communication interval, a test setting, an operating current, and a compaction trigger.

18. A remote control device comprising:

a processor;

a transmitter for transmitting information to another device via a network;

a receiver for receiving information transmitted to the remote control device via the network; and

a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising;

receiving data associated with a storage receptacle configured to communicate with the remote control device via a network, wherein the data is received from a server storing information transmitted by the storage receptacle, the storage receptacle having an energy storage for powering operational functions performed by the storage receptacle;

identifying a parameter of the storage receptacle associated with an operational function of the storage receptacle; and

transmitting a signal to the storage receptacle for modifying the parameter based on the data associated with the storage receptacle to yield a modified operation of the storage receptacle.

19. The remote control device of claim 18, wherein the operational function comprises at least one from among compacting contents, sensing contents volume inside the storage receptacle, powering a status lamp, communicating with the remote control device, communicating with the server, powering the storage receptacle, gathering weather data, gathering temperature information, running a sensor, measuring a current, detecting a movement of an item in the storage receptacle, testing a battery, and powering an advertisement display, and wherein the parameter comprises at least one from among a compaction timing, an energy usage, a timing of a sensor actuation, a desired capacity, a fullness threshold, a power mode, a fullness state, a command, a status update, an energy setting, an operating setting, a collection timing, a communication interval, a test setting, an operating current, and a compaction trigger.

20. The remote control device of claim 18, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores additional instructions which result in the method further comprising:

receiving information from a first device associated with a collection vehicle, the information comprising at least one from among a location of the collection vehicle, an identification of the collection vehicle, a status of the collection vehicle, a proximity of the collection vehicle to the storage receptacle, a schedule of the collection vehicle, statistics associated with the collection vehicle, a route associated with the collection vehicle, a condition of the collection vehicle, traffic information, and a capacity of the collection vehicle;

transmitting the information and the data associated with the storage receptacle to a second device associated with a user for presentation to the user; and

receiving an instruction from the second device to modify the parameter of the storage receptacle.