Acoustic tags for E-waste tracking

• US 9,111,154 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2012
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Field, Christopher David
• Primary Examiner(s): Mikels, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/811,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20140291387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 235/435, 235/439, 235/487
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 2501/0054 Sorting of waste or refuse
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/344 according to electric or electromagnetic properties sorting according to size measured electrically or electronically B07C5/08; material testing by magnetic means G01N24/00, G01N27/00, by electrical means G01N27/00; electrical measuring devices in general G01R; coin testing G07D5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/00 Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns methods or arrangements for marking the record carrier in digital fashion G06K1/00; pattern recognition G06F18/00; arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding G06V10/00; character recognition, recognising digital ink or document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/02 by pneumatic or hydraulic means, e.g. sensing punched holes with compressed air; by sonic means ; by ultrasonic means

Abstract

Methods, systems and acoustic tags for tracking, locating and identifying an object are disclosed. An acoustic tag may include a power source and a transmitter in electrical communication with the power source. The transmitter may be configured to transmit an acoustic signal. The power source and the transmitter may be configured to be affixed to and/or embedded in an electronic component. The acoustic signal may include a unique acoustic code that is configured to provide information pertaining to one or more of the electronic component and the recyclability of the electronic component.

Claims

1. A system to track an electronic component, the system comprising:

an acoustic tag affixed to or embedded in the electronic component, wherein the acoustic tag is configured to transmit an acoustic signal through a liquid at a time-continuous spectrum having one or more amplitude peaks at corresponding frequencies, wherein the acoustic signal comprises a unique acoustic code that is configured to provide information regarding the electronic component and a recyclability of the electronic component;

one or more hydrophones, wherein each hydrophone is configured to detect the acoustic signal and transmit the detected acoustic signal over a wireless data network, wherein at least one of the one or more hydrophones is located in or on a floatation device; and

a digital receiver configured to receive the acoustic signal from the wireless data network, decode the acoustic signal, and compare the decoded signal with one or more entries in a database in order to determine a source of the acoustic signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic tag is configured to produce an acoustic pressure wave in response to a voltage applied across the acoustic tag.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic tag comprises a digital signal processor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic tag is configured to transmit the acoustic signal in response to the acoustic tag being activated by one or more of light, movement, and an acoustic signal.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic tag is configured to transmit the acoustic signal in a frequency range.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic tag is configured to transmit a pulse comprising one or more waveforms.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital receiver is further configured to transmit information pertaining to the source of the acoustic signal to an electronic device.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the information comprises global positioning coordinates corresponding to a location of the electronic component.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the information comprises one or more of a size of the electronic component, a color of the electronic component, a temperature of the electronic component, a material composition of the electronic component, a date of manufacture of the electronic component, and a place of manufacture of the electronic component.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic signal is configured to be modifiable based on a current state of the acoustic tag.

8. A system to track an electronic component comprising disposed electronic waste, the system comprising:

an acoustic tag affixed to or embedded in the electronic component comprising the disposed electronic waste, wherein the acoustic tag is configured to transmit an acoustic signal through a liquid, wherein the acoustic signal comprises a unique acoustic code that is configured to provide information regarding the electronic component and a recyclability of the electronic component;

one or more hydrophones, wherein each hydrophone is configured to detect the acoustic signal and transmit the detected acoustic signal over a wireless data network, wherein at least one of the one or more hydrophones is located in or on a floatation device; and

a digital receiver configured to receive the acoustic signal from the wireless data network, decode the acoustic signal, and compare the decoded signal with one or more entries in a database in order to determine a source of the acoustic signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the acoustic tag is configured to produce an acoustic pressure wave in response to a voltage applied across the acoustic tag.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the acoustic tag comprises a digital signal processor.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the acoustic tag is configured to transmit the acoustic signal in response to the acoustic tag being activated by one or more of light, movement, and an acoustic signal.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the acoustic tag is configured to transmit the acoustic signal in a frequency range.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the acoustic tag is configured to transmit a pulse comprising one or more waveforms.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the digital receiver is further configured to transmit information pertaining to the source of the acoustic signal to an electronic device.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the information comprises global positioning coordinates corresponding to a location of the electronic component.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the information comprises one or more of a size of the electronic component, a color of the electronic component, a temperature of the electronic component, a material composition of the electronic component, a date of manufacture of the electronic component, and a place of manufacture of the electronic component.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the acoustic signal is configured to be modifiable based on a current state of the acoustic tag.