DISTRIBUTED MONITORING SYSTEM AND WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A detector for a bin comprising:
- a first sensor positioned to sense the level of rubbish in a bin and for creating a first signal representing the sensed rubbish level in the bin;
a second sensor positioned to sense an aspect of the local environment surrounding the bin and for creating a second signal representing the local environment surrounding the bin;
a processor configured to receive the first signal and determine the level of rubbish in the bin based on the received first signal as at least two discrete representations of the level of rubbish in the bin or as a representation of no rubbish in the bin;
a processor configured to receive the second signal and determine a local environment factor based on the received second signal;
an output for indicating the level of rubbish in the bin and the determined local environmental factor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A monitoring system comprises a plurality of monitoring stations disposed in or associated with a respective rubbish bin housing or surround. Each monitoring station comprising an identifier, a sensor for monitoring the bin or a detectable quality of the environment in which the bin is located, a processor for receiving a signal from the sensor and a transmitter for transmitting the signal.
77 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A detector for a bin comprising:
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a first sensor positioned to sense the level of rubbish in a bin and for creating a first signal representing the sensed rubbish level in the bin; a second sensor positioned to sense an aspect of the local environment surrounding the bin and for creating a second signal representing the local environment surrounding the bin; a processor configured to receive the first signal and determine the level of rubbish in the bin based on the received first signal as at least two discrete representations of the level of rubbish in the bin or as a representation of no rubbish in the bin; a processor configured to receive the second signal and determine a local environment factor based on the received second signal; an output for indicating the level of rubbish in the bin and the determined local environmental factor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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23. A method of reading a rubbish level in a bin comprising
determining a distance of rubbish in a bin from a sensor; -
determining the level of rubbish in the bin based on the distance as at least two discrete representations of the level of rubbish in the bin or of no rubbish in the bin; outputting the level of rubbish in the bin and an identifier of the bin to a personal device of a waste collector such that the waste collector can be informed by the device whether the bin needs to be emptied when the waste collector is proximate to the bin.
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24. A method of scheduling waste collection from or maintenance of a plurality of bins comprising
receiving a signal representing a rubbish level, a signal representing a local environmental factor surrounding the bin and an identifier of the bin from each bin; -
determining which bins have reached a predetermined level of rubbish therein from the received level signals and bin identifiers; determining which bins have may require maintenance from the received local environmental factor signals and bin identifiers; scheduling waste collection for those bins that have reached the predetermined level and maintenance for those bins that have local environmental factors indicative of the need for maintenance. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method of creating a waste collection route comprising
receiving a signal representing a rubbish level and an identifier of the bin from each bin; -
determining which bins have reached a predetermined level of rubbish therein from the received level signals and bin identifiers; determining the location of those bins that have reached the predetermined level; determining a waste collection route to collect rubbish from those bins that have reached the predetermined level.
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29. A method of a waste collection comprising receiving a signal representing a rubbish level and an identifier of the bin from each bin;
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determining the position of a waste collector and whether a bin that is proximate to the waste collector has reached the predetermined level based on the received level signals and bin identifiers; indicating to the waste collector whether the proximate bin is to be emptied based on whether the proximate bin has reached the predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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39. A detector for a bin comprising:
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a plurality of sensors configured to sense local environmental conditions of the bin, at least one of which is a local environmental condition external to the bin, and for creating a signal representing the local environmental conditions; a transmitter configured to transmit a signal representative of the local environmental conditions and an identifier of the bin and/or a location of the bin. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification