Patent Application
20100119341
N/A
N/A
The invention relates to refuse and waste removing and hauling. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling, tracking, and monitoring movement of waste or refuse receptacles.
The collection and transportation of trash and recyclables from residential, commercial, industrial and large residential facilities is a major industry in the United States and throughout the civilized world. Typically, trash and recyclables are accumulated and temporarily stored in waste material receptacles such as trash cans and dumpsters. When filled, or at regularly scheduled intervals, trash and recyclables from the containers are transported for the eventual recycling, incineration and/or disposal into landfills.
Customers typically pay for trash and recyclables removal services based on the amount of trash and recyclables removed and the number of trash and recyclables pickups over a period of time. The compacting of trash and recyclables at a customer's location typically reduces the number of pickups. A successful trash and recyclables compactor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,406, titled Trash Compactor and owned by Advanced Custom Engineered Systems & Equipment, Inc., Carol Stream, Ill.
These industrial, commercial and large residential bins and compactors are collected from different locations and hauled to a central location. Normally, those hauling the trash and recyclables are sent from a central location and dispatched to the different locations. In practice, paper logs or schedules document the hauler's runs (e.g., trash and recyclables to pick-up, trash and recyclables being picked-up, and trash and recyclables picked-up). The haulers are given their routes in person or over the phone. The haulers, in turn, keep in touch with the central location generally by cell phone or radio.
For large organizations this can be a very complicated task as there are many haulers and many customers needing their trash and recyclables collected, picked-up and hauled away. In addition, commercial, industrial and large residential (e.g., condos and apartment buildings) trash and recyclables compactors and balers must be monitored for maintenance and repair. This too requires time and energy for the haulers and/or representatives (of the service provider) to monitor and inspect.
It should also be recognized that these industrial, commercial and large residential bins, balers and compactors require both period maintenance and emergency demand repair services. Normally, those repairing the equipment are sent from a central location and dispatched to the different locations. In practice, paper logs or work orders document the repairperson's time (e.g., drive time, time spent performing the repairs, parts and materials used, etc.). The repair companies use a variety of management tools. For example, some are given their routes in person or over the phone. The service providers, in turn, keep in touch with the central location generally by cell phone or radio.
For large organizations this can be a very complicated to coordinate and to verify that the charges for these services are fair and accurate as there are many service providers and many customers needing their compactors, bins and balers repaired. In addition, commercial, industrial and large residential (e.g., condos and apartment buildings).
In addition, it must be recognized that trash and recyclables compactors, balers and bins must further be monitored for maintenance and repair.
Methods of improving the refuse collection are disclosed in commonly assigned and copending U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008-0197194 A1, published on Aug. 21, 2008; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008-0198021 A1, published on Aug. 21, 2008; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008-0202357 A1, published on Aug. 28, 2008. These publications are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, and generally disclose systems for communicating with receptacles, etc.
One opportunity that exists with refuse removal is to improve communication between the vehicles making refuse pick-ups (emptying receptacles) and the central station or dispatcher. Currently, the dispatcher may be in contact with the vehicle via radio or telephone transmission. However, it is not cost-effective of feasible for the dispatcher to be in constant contact with every vehicle out in the field. Thus, it is impossible for the dispatcher to relay account information associated with each receptacle to a vehicle. In would be advantageous to provide such information to the vehicle to prevent pick-up and emptying of receptacles owned or managed by entities delinquent in their payment of invoices. Also, a given account may have special instructions, such as an additional oversized pick-up, for a discreet single day or event. The dispatcher currently has no way of assuring that the special instructions are provided to the vehicle in a timely manner.
Furthermore, there is on-going and growing concern in major municipalities with controlling several aspects refuse collection. For instance, citizens or users will often engage in activity with respect to refuse receptacles that violates municipal codes. Some of this is caused by simply overloading receptacles. Other times, a user may fall behind in payment of bills for removing refuse and waste, and the receptacles and surrounding areas will become over loaded with refuse. This provides a haven for vermin such as rats. It may also cause damage to the lane on which the receptacles are located.
Absent constant patrol of back lanes, municipalities often have no idea that these conditions exist until it is too late. Even when patrolling the back lanes, it is difficult to impossible to determine which receptacles belong to which owners/addresses. Finally, when a positive identification of the offending receptacle is able to be determined the process consumes so much time that the municipal employee is only able to investigate but a handful of the many violations that occur at any one time. Thus, city officials need a method that will facilitate receptacle identification while at the same time providing a simplified method of issuing citations to the proper entity responsible for the code violation.
The present invention is provided to solve the problems discussed above and other problems, and to provide advantages and aspects not provided by prior waste and refuse collection systems and apparatuses of this type. A full discussion of the features and advantages of the present invention is deferred to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A first aspect of the present invention is directed to an apparatus for removing and hauling waste. The apparatus comprises a waste receptacle, a vehicle, and an external site. The waste receptacle has a signal generating means for generating a data carrying signal associated with an identity of the waste receptacle. The vehicle has a first receiver, a waste bin located above a baseline, and a data link. The first receiver is alignable with the signal generating means for receiving the data carrying signal from the waste receptacle. The waste bin has a chamber and an emptying site. The data link receives the data signal from the first receiver and transmits a first signal from the vehicle to an external location. The external site is located at the external location and is in communication with the data link for receiving the first signal from the vehicle. The external site transmits a second signal back to the vehicle regarding an account status associated with the waste receptacle.
A second aspect of the invention is also directed to an apparatus for removing and hauling waste. This apparatus comprises a first receiver, a data link, a graphic interface, and a second receiver. The first receiver transmits a first signal carrying an identifier associated with a waste receptacle at a first instant in time to the data link. The data link receives the first signal and transmits a signal to an external location. The graphic interface displays information received pertaining to the waste receptacle from the external location. The second receiver is spaced apart from the first receiver and transmits a second signal carrying an identifier associated with a waste receptacle at a second instant in time after some duration from the first instant time. The data link receives the second signal carrying the identifier associated with the waste receptacle and transmits a second signal associated with the identifier to an external location indicating a physical transport of the waste receptacle from proximate the first sensor to proximate the second sensor.
A third aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for removing and hauling waste. The method comprises the steps of: (1) providing a first receiver at a mobile first location; (2) receiving a signal carrying an identifier associated with a waste receptacle using the first receiver; (3) providing a data link at the mobile first location to transmit a first data signal carrying waste receptacle identifying information from the mobile first location to a discreet second location and for receiving signals from the discreet second location; and (4) providing a graphic interface at the mobile first location to convey account information associated with waste receptacle from the discreet second location.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for removing and hauling waste. The method comprises the steps of: (1) receiving a signal carrying identifying information from a waste receptacle outfitted with a signal generating means at a first location; (2) transmitting the signal carrying identifying information from the first location to a data link; (3) transmitting a first data signal carrying information regarding the identity of the waste receptacle to an external site; (4) comparing the first data signal against an account information associated with the waste receptacle; (5) transmitting a return data signal having a value designating an account status associated with the waste receptacle from the external site; (6) automatically triggering physical movement of the waste receptacle based on the value received from the external site; (7) receiving the signal carrying identifying information from a waste receptacle outfitted with a signal generating means at a second location; (8) transmitting the signal carrying identifying information from the second location to the data link; (9) transmitting a second data signal carrying information regarding the identity of the waste receptacle to the external site; and (10) storing data gleaned from the second data signal in the account information associated with the waste receptacle.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for a municipality to control, track, and monitor waste or refuse receptacles. This method comprises the steps of: (1) requiring a permit for use of a waste receptacle; (2) issuing the permit associated with a discreet receptacle identifier; (3) providing a transmitter means attached to a discreet receptacle; and (4) transmitting a signal carrying data associated with the discreet receptacle identifier from the transmitter means. This aspect of the invention may further include the steps of: (1) providing a handheld receiver for receiving the signal from the transmitter means; (2) identifying a municipal code violation associated with a use of the waste receptacle; and/or (3) using the handheld receiver to automatically generate citations based on the municipal code violation.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
Referring to
Each receptacle 100 is outfitted with a means of communicating or transmitting a signal carrying an identifier associated with the receptacle 102, such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. RFID tags are well-known in the retail industry for identifying products. In particular, an RFID tag or transponder is an object applied to or incorporated into a product for the purpose of identification using radio waves. Most RFID tags contain at least two parts, namely an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a (RF) signal and an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal. RFID tags come in three general varieties: passive, active, or semi-passive (also known as battery-assisted). Passive tags require no internal power source, thus being pure passive devices (they are only activated when a reader is nearby to power them), whereas semi-passive and active tags require a power source, usually a small battery. While the present discussion focuses on passive RFID tags, it is recognized that a similar system can be used for active and semi-active RFID tags.
The RFID tags may transmit high frequency (HF) signals, low frequency signals (LF), or ultra high frequency (UHF) signals. The characteristics of these signals differ, and one particular frequency may be more advantageous than another based on the particular application of the system. For instance, low frequency signals have a short read range (distance) which would prevent errors or false reads. UHF signals can have a read range that is very short to very wide (any yards or meter).
While RFID, and in particular passive RFID tags are discussed herein, it is recognized that other identifying or alerting tags can be used. Many are known and perhaps others in the future. For example, electrical article surveillance (EAS) tags can be used. EAS tags are commonly used to prevent shoplifting from retail stores. The EAS tags are attached to merchandise and are removed or deactivated by the clerks when the item is properly bought or checked out. At the exits of stores, a detection system sounds an alarm or otherwise alerts the staff when it senses active tags. These tags are typically made of a strip of amorphous metal (metglas) having a low magnetic saturation value. This strip is also lined with a strip of ferromagnetic material with a coercive field (magnetic “hardness”). Detection is achieved by sensing harmonics and sum or difference signals generated by the non-linear magnetic response of the material under a mixture of low-frequency (in the 10 Hz to 1000 Hz range) magnetic fields.
When the ferromagnetic material is magnetized, it biases the amorphous metal strip into saturation, where it no longer produces harmonics. The tags are activated by demagnetization and deactivated with magnetization.
The identifier associated with the receptacle is preferably a discreet identifier which is assigned to the receptacle 100. The identifier information is stored on a database typically located at the external site 300, and electronically joined with an account to which the receptacle 100 belongs. In other words, account information is housed on a database located at the external site 300. Each account has one or more receptacle identifiers associated with it, and the database carries with it information typical to the management of any business account, for example, special instructions, accounts receivable, last receipt, last invoice, amount in arrears, days since last payment, historical account information, contact information, owner, etc.
As illustrated in
As set forth above, this aspect of the invention directly results in cleaner streets and alleys. The invention will eliminate or reduce trash overages, under size containers, poor container maintenance condition, e.g. no lid. Permits and citations will force compliance. Users can specify correct container size, schedule additional pick-ups. Service may be halted due to lack of payment or by schedule.
Information regarding each permit/receptacle identifier, the account associated therewith, and the entity responsible for the account/permit/receptacle is stored on a managed database. The database may include other information such as hauler name, permit number and container asset number (human readable sticker and RFID tag). Use and access of the database is explained in more detail below.
The RFID tags can be read by inspectors having mobile and/or handheld computers 400. Citations may be issued immediately via printer on the handheld 400 and/or mailed with back-up violation data. Inspectors and other municipal employees use mobile handheld RFID readers with cameras to read tags and report violations. Citations can be issued and wireless transmission of data achieved through the handhelds 400.
This aspect of the invention requires haulers or receptacle owners to purchase annual container permits. The issued permit includes a means for transmitting, such as an RFID container tag. Revenue to the municipality is generated by an enforcement program.
Further, a container registration fee includes RFID tagging. The RFID tag information is linked to customer and hauler information in the database.
Referring to
Each of the vehicles 200a-d includes a waste bin 202 located above a baseline upon which the vehicle 200a-d is supported, generally the ground. The waste bin 202 includes a chamber 204 and an emptying site 206. The refuse within the receptacles 100 is loaded into the chamber 204 via the emptying site 206. One of ordinary skill in the art of waste hauling would readily understand this method of refuse handling without further description as it is the standard procedure employed in the art.
The vehicles 200a-d are further outfitted with at least one receiver 208a, in most cases a plurality of receivers 208a,b and preferably two. The receivers 208a,b may be sensors, transducers, or antennae, or any combination thereof. As illustrated in
The locations chosen for the receivers 208a,b are extremely important because the receivers 208a,b are used for several different purposes, including for possible tracking of the receptacle 100 as it is transferred from position-to-position relative to the vehicle 200a-d by a means for transferring the receptacle 212, which may be automated systems known in the art, as shown in
The preferred location of the first receiver 208a on a front loading vehicle 200a, illustrated in
The preferred location for the first receiver 208a on a side loading vehicle 200b, illustrated in
The preferred location of the first receiver 208a on a rear loading vehicle 200c, illustrated in
The preferred location of the first receiver 208a on a roll-off vehicle 200d, illustrate in
The vehicles 200a-d also include a second receiver 208b located at a position where reception of the signal from the transmitter means 102 can be promoted either at the instant of receptacle unloading or just prior or just subsequent to receptacle unloading. Accordingly, this second location is typically adjacent the emptying site 206 to the chamber 204 and in alignment with the first receiver. The phrases “in alignment with the first receiver 208a,” “aligned with the first receiver 208a,” and the like are intended to include a position wherein a path of the receptacle and the means for transmitting 102 taken from the first position at the first receiver 208a to a second position at the second receiver 208b, as determined by the means for transferring the receptacle 212 included on the vehicles 200a-c, naturally brings the means for transmitting 102 to a location where the second receiver 208b can receive the signal from the means for transmitting 102, i.e. into a range of the second receiver 208b where reception is achieved.
The preferred location of the second receiver 208b on a front loading vehicle 200a, illustrated in
The preferred location for the second receiver 208b on a side loading vehicle 200b, illustrated in
The preferred location of the second receiver 208b on a rear loading vehicle 200c, illustrated in
The preferred location of the second receiver 208b on a roll-off vehicle 200d, illustrate in
As shown in the block diagram of
The external site 300 may include a server 302 in communication with computer 304 and a database 306, typically on the computer 304. Of course, the server 300 is not required to be at the same physical site as the computer 304, nor is it required for the database 306 to be stored on a computer separate from the server 302. The block diagram is merely an example of a possible layout. The only requirement for the external site 300 is the database 306 and a means for communication between the vehicles and database 306.
Now, as illustrated in flowcharts of
Referring to
Next, the communication link sends a signal, either pass though or new, to the external site which receives the signal. The identity of the receptacle 100 is checked against an account database 306 to verify that the receptacle 100 should be emptied into the vehicle 200. A signal is generated indicating the account status associated with the receptacle identifier.
If the account is in good standing (pass condition), the controller 214 for the means for transferring the receptacle 212 is automatically activated either by a module or routine on the on-board computer or on the external computer 304. The means for transferring the receptacle 212 transports the receptacle 100 to the emptying site 20 where the transmitter means 102 is within reception range of the second receiver 208b. The transmitter means 102 sends a signal carrying discreet receptacle identifier information to the receiver 208b. The receiver 208b either passes the signal directly to the on-board communication link, preferably a module of the on-board computer 216, or generates a new signal based on the signal received from the means for transmitting, but still including some type of receptacle identifier. The triggered or pass through signal from the second receiver 208b represents an event. The event is preferably the emptying of the receptacle 100 into the vehicle bin 202. This event is recorded on the database 306 at the external site 300 and associated with the receptacle account.
If the account is not in good standing (fail condition), the controller 214 is not activated, a signal carrying an alarm or warning is transmitted to the vehicle 200. The account status can also be displayed on the on-board graphic interface 218. As a result, the transfer means 212 is not activated, and the receptacle 100 is not emptied into the vehicle bin 202. However, if for some reason, such as immediate, on-the-spot payment of an invoice by a customer, the vehicle personnel are inclined to empty the receptacle 100, vehicle personnel may override the alert and manually engage/energize the transfer means 212. In this case, as illustrated on the right hand side of
Referring specifically to
Referring specifically to
Referring to
For example, the external site 300 receives a first signal carrying a receptacle identifier from the vehicle 200. This first signal is associated with the receptacle 100 being located at the first position. The first signal originates with, though is not necessarily identical to, the signal received from the transmitter means 102 at the first receiver 208a. A module at the external site 300, preferably on the computer 304, compares the data carried by the signal against account information on the database 306 to determine an account status associated with the receptacle identifier. The result of the comparison, i.e. the account status, is transmitted from the external site 300 back to the vehicle.
Further, the external site 300 receives a second signal from the vehicle 200. This second signal is associated with the receptacle 100 being located at the second position. The second signal originates with, though is not necessarily identical to, the signal received from the transmitter means 102 at second receiver 208b. A module at the external site 300, preferably on the computer 304, compares the data carried by the signal against account information on the database 306 and records an event, the emptying of the receptacle 100, in connection with the receptacle 100.
While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention, and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.
