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Method and apparatus for monitoring waste removal and administration

DC
  • US 8,714,440 B2
  • Filed: 01/19/2012
  • Issued: 05/06/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for a municipality to track the condition, pick-up, and general use of a large number of refuse containers among its citizens and businesses, the method comprising the steps of:

  • permitting use of a multi-use waste receptacle among a plurality of residents of a municipality wherein the multi-use waste receptacle is of a type filled and emptied on multiple occasions;

    establishing a plurality of multi-use receptacle use types;

    associating a passive radio frequency identification tag having a unique identifier associated therewith with each multi-use waste receptacle;

    associating a use type with each passive radio frequency identification tag;

    establishing an electronically accessible database external to the passive radio frequency identification tag comprising an association of the plurality of unique identifiers with biographical information associated with a corresponding member of the plurality of residents;

    requiring attachment of the passive radio frequency identification tag to a receptacle associated with a resident wherein the passive radio frequency identification tag remains attached to the receptacle subsequent to several loadings and empties of refuse within the receptacle;

    making a determination whether use of a multi-use receptacle is in compliance or non-compliance based on the use type associated with the passive radio frequency identification tag attached thereto; and

    operating a handheld device for communicating information regarding the determination, the handheld device comprising a reader for reading the unique identifier from the passive radio frequency identification tag, a means for wireless communication with the database wherein the handheld device receives information from and transmits information to the electronically accessible database, and a display for displaying information to a user.

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