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US 11,144,736 B2Granted
Method for deploying large numbers of waste containers in a waste collection system
AssigneeAdvanced Custom Engineered Systems & Equipment Co.
InventorChristopher Flood
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of redeploying waste containers in a waste collection system with an active or passive signal means requires a user to aim an optical character recognition reader at a waste container comprising a unique optical waste container identifier. The optical character recognition reader reads unique waste container optical identifier. The unique waste container optical identifier is converted to a unique electronically formatted waste container identifier. A unique radio frequency signal identifier is stored on a radio frequency emitting tag and associated with the unique electronically formatted waste container identifier. The radio frequency emitting tag is attached to the waste container.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- controlling, by a first computing device, a mechanism mounted on a waste hauling vehicle to engage a waste receptacle at a first position;
- in response to the mechanism engaging the waste receptacle at the first position, activating, by a trigger mechanism communicatively coupled to the first computing device, a first receiver mounted on the waste hauling vehicle at a first location, wherein the first receiver comprises a first reader configured to read a tag on the waste receptacle, wherein the tag contains a waste receptacle identifier;
- in response to the first receiver being activated, receiving, by the first computing device, from the first receiver on the waste hauling vehicle, a signal comprising the waste receptacle identifier for the waste receptacle being engaged at the first position by the mechanism mounted on the waste hauling vehicle;
- transmitting, by the first computing device, to a second computing device, the waste receptacle identifier to facilitate the second computing device checking the waste receptacle identifier against account information derived from a database accessed by the second computing device to determine whether the account information indicates that the waste receptacle having the waste receptacle identifier should be emptied into the waste hauling vehicle and generating, based on the determination, a condition signal indicating a pass condition signal or a fail condition signal;
- receiving, by the first computing device, from the second computing device, the condition signal;
- in response to the condition signal, controlling, by the first computing device, movement of the mechanism mounted on the waste hauling vehicle to move the waste receptacle along a path to a second position at which the waste receptacle is emptied into the waste hauling vehicle;
- and
- in response to the waste receptacle being moved to the second position, activating, by the trigger mechanism, a second receiver mounted on the waste hauling vehicle at a second location different from the first location, wherein the second receiver comprises a second reader configured to read the tag on the waste receptacle.
5 more elements
A waste collection system comprising:
- a waste hauling vehicle, wherein a mechanism is mounted on the waste hauling vehicle and configured to transfer a waste receptacle along a path from a first position to a second position, wherein the waste receptacle is emptied into the waste hauling vehicle at the second position;
- a first receiver mounted on the waste hauling vehicle at a first location and proximate to the mechanism, the first receiver including a first reader for reading a tag on the waste receptacle upon the mechanism engaging the waste receptacle at the first position, wherein the tag contains information including personal information corresponding to a user account;
- a second receiver mounted on the waste hauling vehicle at a second location, different from the first location and proximate to the second position, the second receiver including a second reader for reading the tag on the waste receptacle upon the mechanism having moved the waste receptacle to the second position;
- a controller on the waste hauling vehicle and configured to communicate with the receiver for receiving information from the tag, check the information against account information derived from a remote database accessed by the controller, and generate a pass condition signal or a fail condition signal depending upon whether the account information indicates that the user account is in good standing, wherein the mechanism is in electronic communication with the controller for transferring the waste receptacle along the path from the first position to the second position in response to receiving the pass condition signal and for preventing the mechanism from transferring the waste receptacle along the path from the first position to the second position in response to receiving the fail condition signal;
- and
- a trigger mechanism configured to activate the first receiver in response to a first trigger event and to activate the second receiver in response to a second trigger event, wherein activation of the first receiver configures the first receiver to receive a signal from the controller, and wherein activation of the second receiver configures the second receiver to receive a signal from the controller.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.