WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IMPLEMENTING REMOTE AUDITING

• US 20170345169A1
• Filed: 08/11/2017
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rubicon Technologies Holdings LLC (Founder SPAC)
• Original Assignee: Rubicon Global Holdings, LLC (Founder SPAC)
• Inventors: Rodoni, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 10,210,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/128 Data transmitting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/138 Identification means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/001 for segregated refuse collecting, e.g. vehicles with several compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/041 Pivoted arms or pivoted carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/40 Analysis of texture depth or shape recovery from texture G06T7/529
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/00 Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation

Abstract

A system is disclosed for auditing waste retrieved by a service vehicle. The system may have an optical sensor mountable onboard the service vehicle and configured to capture image data associated with the waste as the waste falls into the service vehicle during completion of a waste service activity. The system may also have at least one controller in communication with the optical sensor and being configured to generate at least one of an alert and a recommendation regarding a mix of the waste based on the image data.

Claims

1. A system for auditing waste retrieved by a service vehicle, comprising:

an optical sensor configured to capture image data associated with the waste as the waste falls into the service vehicle during completion of a waste service activity;

at least one sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a start of the waste service activity; and

at least one controller in communication with the sensor and configured to selectively activate the optical sensor based on the signal indicative of the start of the waste service activity, and the at least one controller being in further communication with the optical sensor and configured to generate at least one of an alert and a recommendation regarding a mix of the waste based on the image data, wherein the mix of waste includes recyclable and non-recyclable waste.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the recommendation includes a recommendation to recycle or amass a portion of the waste based on the mix of the waste.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is at least one of a location sensor, a lift sensor, an accelerometer, a pressure sensor, and an acoustic sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is associated with a power source or a drivetrain of the service vehicle, and wherein the signal is indicative of power used to perform a waste service activity.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a locating device configured to generate a location signal indicative of a location of the service vehicle, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to provide the at least one of the alert and the recommendation to a particular customer based on the location signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the image data is video of the waste falling into the service vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine the mix of the waste in real time as the waste falls into the service vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor is mountable onboard the service vehicle.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the optical sensor is modular and configured to be connected to the service vehicle periodically.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

at least some of the waste in a receptacle is contained within one or more containers having an identifiable characteristic; and

the at least one controller is configured to determine the mix of the waste based on detection of the characteristic.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

at least some of the waste in the receptacle is contained in containers having different identifiable characteristics; and

the at least one controller is configured to determine the mix of the waste based on detection of the different identifiable characteristics.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the identifiable characteristic is color.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the system further includes a display and an input device; and

the at least one controller is further configured to;

show the image data on the display;

receive input from a user via the input device indicative of visual observations of the waste made by the user when viewing the image data; and

selectively determine the mix of the waste based further on the input.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one controller includes;

an audit controller located remotely from the service vehicle; and

an onboard controller in communication with the audit controller; and

the optical sensor communicates with the onboard controller wirelessly.

15. The system of claim 13, further including a communication device configured to transmit the image data live from the onboard controller to the audit controller.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the image data is stored within a memory of optical sensor or the onboard controller for later download to the audit controller.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to selectively adjust a schedule of the service vehicle after retrieving the waste based on the mix of the waste.

18. A method for performing an audit of waste retrieved by a service vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing a start of the waste service activity;

capturing image data of the waste as the waste falls into the service vehicle during completion of the waste service activity after the start of the waste service activity has been sensed; and

generating at least one of an alert and a recommendation regarding a mix of the waste based on the image data, wherein the mix of waste includes recyclable and non-recyclable waste.

19. The method of claim 18, further including:

showing the image data to a user;

receiving input from the user indicative of visual observations of the waste made by the user when viewing the image data; and

selectively determining the mix of the waste based further on the input.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer-executable programming instructions for performing an audit of waste retrieved by a service vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing a start of the waste service activity;

capturing image data of the waste as the waste falls into the service vehicle during completion of a waste service activity after the start of the waste service activity has been sensed;

showing the image data to a user;

receiving input from the user indicative of visual observations of the waste made by the user when viewing the image data; and

generating at least one of an alert and a recommendation regarding a mix of the waste based on the input, wherein the mix of waste includes recyclable and non-recyclable waste.