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US 11,767,164 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for monitoring waste removal and administration
AssigneeAdvanced Custom Engineered Systems & Equipment Co.
InventorsChristopher M. Flood, Michael S. Fisher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for a municipality to control, track, and monitor waste or refuse receptacles requires a permit for use of a waste receptacle. An issuing organization issues a permit associated with a discreet receptacle identifier. An RFID tag is provided with the permit and attached to a discreet receptacle. The RFID tag transmits a signal carrying data associated with the discreet receptacle identifier. The signal may be read by a portable reader carried by municipal personnel to record violations of municipal code associated with the use of the discreet receptacle.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a transceiver for receiving a unique identifier associated with a tag configured to be affixed to a receptacle and transmitting the unique identifier;
- a computing system comprising a processor and a database, wherein the database comprises a plurality of unique identifiers and biographical information associated with a plurality of users, and wherein the processor is configured to:
- receive the unique identifier from the transceiver,
- correlate the unique identifier with the biographical information associated with at least one user of the plurality of users to determine identification information and service status information, wherein the service status information comprises an account status for the receptacle based at least in part on the identification information, and
- transmit the service status information;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- receive the service status information,
- in response to the service status information indicating that the account status is not current, automatically preclude pickup of the receptacle by changing a capability of pickup equipment on a vehicle to prevent transfer of the receptacle from a first position at which the pickup equipment is temporarily retaining the receptacle to a second position at which the pickup equipment empties the receptacle, and
- in response to the service status information indicating that the account status is current, automatically allow pickup of the receptacle by changing the capability of the pickup equipment on the vehicle to cause the pickup equipment to transfer the receptacle from the first position to the second position.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a processor of a computing system, from a transceiver, a unique identifier associated with a tag configured to be affixed to a receptacle;
- correlating, by the processor, the unique identifier with biographical information associated with at least one user of a plurality of users to determine identification information and service status information, wherein the service status information comprises an account status for the receptacle based at least in part on the identification information;
- transmitting, by the processor, the service status information to a controller;
- receiving, by the controller, the service status information;
- determining, by the controller, an account status indicated by the service status information;
- and
- in response to determining the account status, controlling, by the controller, operation of pickup equipment on a vehicle relative to a first position at which the pickup equipment is configured to temporarily retain the receptacle and a second position at which the pickup equipment empties the receptacle.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a controller, from a processor of a computing system separate from the controller, service status information, wherein the processor is configured to receive a unique identifier associated with a tag configured to be affixed to a receptacle and correlate the unique identifier with biographical information associated with at least one user of a plurality of users to determine identification information and the service status information, wherein the service status information comprises an account status for the receptacle based at least in part on the identification information;
- determining, by the controller, that the service status information indicates that the account status is current;
- and
- in response to determining that the service status information indicates that the account status is current, controlling, by the controller, operation of pickup equipment on a vehicle to automatically allow pickup of the receptacle by changing a capability of the pickup equipment on the vehicle to cause the pickup equipment to transfer the receptacle from a first position at which the pickup equipment is temporarily retaining the receptacle to a second position at which the pickup equipment empties the receptacle.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.