Waste processing system and method

• US 8,010,455 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2001
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heritage Interactive Services LLC
• Original Assignee: Heritage Interactive Services LLC
• Inventors: Price, Kenneth S., Swift, Maria R., Walker, Brian L., Buckner, David S., Pettit, Steven E., McDaniel, William J., Phillips, Henry L., Bowser, Roger D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer; Andrew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZELASKIEWICZ, CHRYSTINA E
• Application Number:
  US09/900,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,704 Days
• Field of Search: 705/80, 705/50, 705/7, 705/8, 588/300, 700/266
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/00 Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation

Abstract

A waste processing system (10) evaluates the waste processing requirements of a waste producing entity (20, 30) and evaluates the waste processing capabilities of vendors (40, 60, 80), and manages the waste processing of waste components produced by a waste producing entity (20, 30) by selecting vendors (40, 60, 80) to service the waste producing entity (20, 30).

Claims

1. A waste management system, comprising:

a computer storage medium storing waste management data associated with a plurality of vendors having waste management capabilities and providing waste management services and entity profile data associated with a plurality of waste producing entities having waste processing requirements and producing waste components;

a first computer system configured to access the computer storage medium and stored waste management data and entity profile data, and further configured to associate a set of vendors from the plurality of vendors to provide waste management service for the waste producing entity;

a second computer system configured to transmit to and receive information from the first computer system, the second computer system configured to provide an interface wherein the waste producing entity inputs and receives data associated with the waste processing of waste components produced by the waste producing entity; and

a plurality of third computer systems, each of the third computer systems configured to transmit to and receive information from the first computer system, each of the third computer systems corresponding to each of the vendors, and configured to provide an interface wherein each of the vendors inputs and receives data associated with the waste processing of waste components produced by the waste producing entity;

wherein a waste service network includes the plurality of vendors, and wherein the waste producing entity inputs a waste processing service order into the second computer system, and wherein the first computer system is further configured to receive the waste processing service order from the second computer system and provide the waste processing service order to one of the third computer systems corresponding to one of the vendors associated with the set of vendors.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer system is further configured to store waste component processing data associated with the waste components of the waste producing entity processed by the vendors.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second computer system is further configured to generate reports relating to the waste processing of the waste components produced by the waste producing entity.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first computer system is further configured to store regulatory data relating to waste processing and waste components, and wherein the second computer system is further configured to generate regulatory reports relating to the waste processing of the waste components produced by the waste producing entity.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the waste management services include at least one of processing hazardous waste, processing industrial waste, disposing of refuse, recycling plastics, and recycling cardboard.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the waste components include at least one of hazardous waste, industrial waste, refuse, recyclable plastics, and recyclable cardboard.

2. A waste management system, comprising:

a computer storage medium storing waste management data associated with a plurality of vendors having waste management capabilities and providing waste management services and entity profile data associated with a plurality of waste producing entities having waste processing requirements and producing waste components; and

a first computer system configured to access the computer storage medium and stored waste management data and entity profile data, and further configured to associate a set of vendors from the plurality of vendors to provide waste management service for the waste producing entity;

wherein the set of vendors from the plurality of vendors to provide waste management service for the waste producing entity is determined by comparing the waste management data to the entity profile data and selecting a set of vendors from the plurality of vendors to provide waste management service for the waste producing entity based on the comparison.

22. The system of claim 2, further comprising a second computer system configured to transmit to and receive information from the first computer system, the second computer system configured to provide an interface wherein the waste producing entity inputs and receives data associated with the waste processing of waste components produced by the waste producing entity;

and a plurality of third computer systems, each of the third computer systems configured to transmit to and receive information from the first computer system, each of the third computer systems corresponding to each of the vendors, and configured to provide an interface wherein each of the vendors inputs and receives data associated with the waste processing of waste components produced by the waste producing entity;

wherein the first computer system is further configured to store waste component processing data associated with the waste components of the waste producing entity processed by the vendors.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the second computer system is further configured to generate reports relating to the waste processing of the waste components produced by the waste producing entity.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the first computer system is further configured to store regulatory data relating to waste processing and waste components, and wherein the second computer system is further configured to generate regulatory reports relating to the waste processing of the waste components produced by the waste producing entity.

25. The system of claim 2, wherein the waste management services include at least one of processing hazardous waste, processing industrial waste, disposing of refuse, recycling plastics, and recycling cardboard.

26. The system of claim 2, wherein the waste components include at least one of hazardous waste, industrial waste, refuse, recyclable plastics, and recyclable cardboard.

6. A waste management system, comprising:

a computer storage medium storing waste management data associated with a plurality of vendors having waste management capabilities and providing waste management services and entity profile data associated with a plurality of waste producing entities having waste processing requirements and producing waste components;

a first computer system configured to access the computer storage medium and stored waste management data and entity profile data, and further configured to associate a set of vendors from the plurality of vendors to provide waste management service for the waste producing entity;

a second computer system configured to transmit to and receive information from the first computer system, the second computer system configured to provide an interface wherein the waste producing entity inputs and receives data associated with the waste processing of waste components produced by the waste producing entity; and

a plurality of third computer systems, each of the third computer systems configured to transmit to and receive information from the first computer system, each of the third computer systems corresponding to each of the vendors, and configured to provide an interface wherein each of the vendors inputs and receives data associated with the waste processing of waste components produced by the waste producing entity;

further comprising;

a sensor located at the waste producing entity, the sensor monitoring a waste component and generating monitoring data indicating when the waste producing entity requires waste management service;

wherein the first computer system is configured to receive the monitoring data and place a service request to a first vendor from the set of vendors to provide waste management service for the waste producing entity when the monitoring data indicates the waste producing entity requires waste management service.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first computer system is further configured to withdrawing the request from the first vendor if the first vendor does not respond within a period of time and further configured to place a service request to a second vendor from the set of vendors to provide waste management service for the waste producing entity when the monitoring data indicates the waste producing entity requires waste management service.

8. A waste management system, comprising:

a computer storage medium storing waste management data associated with a plurality of vendors having waste management capabilities and providing waste management services and entity profile data associated with a plurality of waste producing entities having waste processing requirements and producing waste components;

a first computer system configured to access the computer storage medium and stored waste management data and entity profile data, and further configured to associate a set of vendors from the plurality of vendors to provide waste management service for the waste producing entity;

a second computer system configured to transmit to and receive information from the first computer system, the second computer system configured to provide an interface wherein the waste producing entity inputs and receives data associated with the waste processing of waste components produced by the waste producing entity; and

a plurality of third computer systems, each of the third computer systems configured to transmit to and receive information from the first computer system, each of the third computer systems corresponding to each of the vendors, and configured to provide an interface wherein each of the vendors inputs and receives data associated with the waste processing of waste components produced by the waste producing entity;

wherein the entity profile data includes a plurality of items, each item corresponding to a waste processing requirement of the waste producing entity; and

wherein the first computer system is configured to associate a set of vendors from the plurality of vendors to provide waste management service for the waste producing entity for each item.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first computer system is configured to receive a service request for an item from the waste producing entity, and place a service request to a first vendor from the set of vendors to provide waste management service for the item.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first computer system is further configured to withdrawing the request from the first vendor if the first vendor does not respond within a period of time and place a service request to a second vendor from the set of vendors to provide waste management service for the item.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first computer system is further configured to store waste component processing data associated with the waste components of the waste producing entity processed by the vendors.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first computer system is further configured generate a consolidated financial statement relating to the waste management services provided by the vendors to the waste producing entity.

13. A waste management system, comprising:

a computer storage medium storing waste management data associated with a plurality of vendors having waste management capabilities and providing waste management services and entity profile data associated with a plurality of waste producing entities having waste processing requirements and producing waste components;

a first computer system configured to access the computer storage medium and stored waste management data and entity profile data, and further configured to associate a set of vendors from the plurality of vendors to provide waste management service for the waste producing entity;

a second computer system configured to transmit to and receive information from the first computer system, the second computer system configured to provide an interface wherein the waste producing entity inputs and receives data associated with the waste processing of waste components produced by the waste producing entity; and

a plurality of third computer systems, each of the third computer systems configured to transmit to and receive information from the first computer system, each of the third computer systems corresponding to each of the vendors, and configured to provide an interface wherein each of the vendors inputs and receives data associated with the waste processing of waste components produced by the waste producing entity;

wherein the first computer system is further configured to store waste component processing data associated with the waste components of the waste producing entity processed by the vendors; and

wherein the first computer system is further configured generate a consolidated financial statement relating to the waste management services provided by the vendors to the waste producing entity.

14. A waste management method, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a service network, implemented on a server computer, the service network including a plurality of waste processing vendors;

evaluating the waste processing capabilities of each of the waste processing vendors in the service network;

receiving a waste processing service request from a waste producing entity;

comparing the waste processing service request to the capabilities of the waste processing vendors in the service network; and

selecting a vendor from the service network to fulfill the waste processing service request.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

evaluating the performance of each of the waste processing vendors in the service network; and

reevaluating the waste processing capabilities of a vendor in the service network based on the performance of the vendor.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

evaluating waste processing requirements of a waste producing entity;

minimizing the waste processing requirements of the waste producing entity; and

selecting a preferred set of vendors from the service network to provide service to the waste producing entity based on the minimized waste processing requirements of the waste producing entity.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

evaluating waste processing requirements of a waste producing entity;

minimizing the waste processing costs of the waste producing entity; and

selecting a preferred set of vendors from the service network to provide service to the waste producing entity based on the minimized waste processing costs of the waste producing entity.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the waste processing capabilities include at least one of processing hazardous waste, processing industrial waste, disposing of refuse, recycling plastics, and recycling cardboard.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the waste producing entity produces at least one of hazardous waste, industrial waste, refuse, recyclable plastics, and recyclable cardboard.