# US 10,118,199 B2 · Waste recovery systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,199 B2 - Document ID: US10118199B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/651,258 - Filed: 2017-07-17 - Published: 2018-03-08 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-16 - Assignees: Waste Repurposing International, Inc. - Applicants: Waste Repurposing International, Inc. - Inventors: Christopher B. Ripley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118199B2 ## CPC - B07C 5/3412: {according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication (sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00)} - B07C 5/342: according to optical properties, e.g. colour {(according to radiation transmittivity B07C5/3416)} - B65G 43/08: Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} - G05B 15/02: electric - G06V 20/52: Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) - G06V 30/424: Postal images, e.g. labels or addresses on parcels or postal envelopes - B07C 2501/0054: Sorting of waste or refuse - B65G 47/766: {Adjustable ploughs or transverse scrapers} - G06V 2201/06: Recognition of objects for industrial automation - Y02W 90/00: Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation - B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract In certain embodiments, a system may include at least one optical sensor configured to capture optical data associated with a waste product and a processor coupled to the at least one optical sensor. The processor may be configured to determine information about the waste product based on the optical data and to selectively direct the waste product to a selected destination in response to determining the information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: at least one optical sensor configured to capture optical data associated with a container that was discarded, the optical data including at least one of a shape of the container and an image of a label on the container; one or more light sources; a processor coupled to the at least one optical sensor and to the one or more light sources, the processor configured to: automatically determine contents of the container based on the optical data; determine a bin configured to store material similar to the contents of the container from a plurality of bins; selectively direct placement of the container into the determined bin; and when the contents of the container are not automatically identified, selectively illuminate at least one of the one or more light sources to indicate that a manual inspection is needed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a scale coupled to the processor and configured to determine a weight of the container including the contents. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to: determine a manufacturer associated with the contents of the container based on the optical data; automatically generate a report based on the optical data; and send the report to the manufacturer to request information about the contents. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control the one or more light sources to illuminate the container with a symbol indicating the manual inspection is needed when the contents of the container are not automatically identified. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine when a bin of the plurality of bins is full based on a number of containers placed in the bin; and in response to determining the bin is full, automatically generate a shipping manifest the bin for sending the bin to a sorting system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the sorting system includes a recycling sorting system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the sorting system includes a household hazardous waste sorting system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to determine the bin is full when a weight of the bin determined from weights of each of a plurality of containers exceeds a threshold weight. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to determine the bin is full when a number of containers in the bin is greater than or equal to a threshold number of containers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to determine the bin is full when available space within the bin is less than a pre-determined threshold. ### Claim 11 A device comprising: one or more optical sensors configured to capture optical data associated with a container; a plurality of light sources; and a processor coupled to the one or more optical sensors and to the plurality of light sources, the processor configured to: process the optical data; search one or more data sources to identify contents of the container based on the optical data; when the contents are identified, selectively direct placement of the container into a bin of a plurality of bins, the bin including a plurality of containers having similar composition to the contents of the container; and when the contents of the container are not automatically identified, selectively illuminate at least one of the plurality of light sources to indicate that a manual inspection is needed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a bin configured to store material similar to the contents of the container from a plurality of bins. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to: determine a manufacturer associated with the contents of the container based on the optical data; automatically generate a report based on the optical data; and send the report to the manufacturer to request information about the contents. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, further comprising: one or more light sources coupled to the processor; and wherein the processor is configured to control the one or more light sources to illuminate the container with a symbol indicating a manual inspection is needed when the contents of the container are not automatically identified. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, further comprising a scale coupled to the processor and configured to determine a weight of the container including the contents. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to determine the bin is full when a weight of the bin determined from weights of each of a plurality of containers exceeds a threshold weight. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine when a bin of the plurality of bins is full based on a number of containers placed in the bin; and in response to determining the bin is full, automatically generate a shipping manifest the bin for sending the bin to a sorting system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, wherein the sorting system includes one of a recycling sorting system and a household hazardous waste sorting system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The device of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to determine the bin is full when a number of containers in the bin is greater than or equal to a threshold number of containers. ### Claim 20 A device comprising: a plurality of optical sensors; a plurality of light sources; an interface configured to communicate with a printer; a processor coupled to the plurality of optical sensors and to the plurality of light sources, the processor configured to: receive optical data associated with a container from the plurality of optical sensors; automatically determine, from the optical data, contents of the container by searching one or more databases based on at least one of a shape of the container and information derived from a label on the container; when the contents of the container are not automatically identified, selectively illuminate at least one of the plurality of light sources to indicate that a manual inspection is needed; when the contents are automatically identified, automatically direct the container to a bin of a plurality of bins configured to store containers storing compositions similar to the contents; determine the bin is full based on at least one of a number of containers in the bin and a weight of the bin; and automatically send data to the printer to generate a shipping manifest for shipping the bin to a sorting facility.