IP Library Granted Patent US 7,994,909
Granted Patent B2
US 7,994,909 · App. 12/401,468 · Granted Aug 9, 2011

Systems and methods for identifying and collecting banned waste

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,994,909
App. No.
12/401,468
Granted
Aug 9, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for authorizing a waste item to be removed from a site. In one embodiment, a waste collection vehicle includes a reader configured to obtain identification information from an identification tag associated with the waste item. A transceiver associated with the vehicle is configured to: receive the identification information from the reader, wirelessly transmit the identification information to a remote computer for processing, and wirelessly receive an indication of whether the waste item should be collected and removed by the waste collection. The received indication is based on at least one hazardous characteristic associated with the identified waste item, a determination that the waste collection vehicle is authorized to collect the waste item having the at least one hazardous characteristic, and a determination that a driver of the waste collection vehicle is authorized to collect the waste item having the at least one hazardous characteristic.

Claims (38)

1. A system for authorizing a waste item to be removed from a site, comprising:

a waste collection vehicle comprising a reader configured to obtain identification information from an identification tag associated with the waste item; and

a transceiver associated with the waste collection vehicle, configured to:

receive the identification information from the reader;

wirelessly transmit the identification information to a remote computer for processing;

wirelessly receive an indication of whether the waste item should be collected and removed by the waste collection vehicle based on at least one hazardous characteristic associated with the identified waste item;

wirelessly receive position coordinates of the waste collection vehicle; and

wirelessly receive an indication of whether the position coordinates are associated with a customer in good standing, who has authorized removal of the identified waste item.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the identification tag is a radio frequency identification tag.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver transmits the position coordinates to the remote computer, and receives an indication of whether the position coordinates are associated with a customer in good standing.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the remote computer utilizes at least one data repository to determine i) the at least one hazardous characteristic associated with the identified waste item, ii) that the waste collection vehicle is authorized to collect the waste item having the at least one hazardous characteristic, and iii) that driver of the collection vehicle is authorized to collect the waste item having the at least one hazardous characteristic.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the collection vehicle further comprises a camera to record an image of the waste item.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hazardous characteristic is a digital identification number.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the digital identification number is indicative of at least one of ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the digital identification number is set according to at least one of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act or the Environmental Protection Agency standards.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the basis of whether the waste item should be collected and removed by the waste collection vehicle further comprises a determination that the waste collection vehicle is authorized to collect the waste item having the at least one hazardous characteristic, and a determination that a driver of the waste collection vehicle is authorized to collect the waste item having the at least one hazardous characteristic.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver wirelessly receives an indication of all items that customer has authorized to be removed from the site.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit an alert when the waste collection vehicle removes a material that customer has not authorized to be removed from the site.

12. A method for authorizing a collection vehicle to remove waste item from a site, comprising:

reading identification information from an identification tag associated with the waste item;

wirelessly transmitting the identification information from the collection vehicle to a remote computer for processing;

receiving wirelessly at the collection vehicle an indication of whether the waste item should be collected and removed by the collection vehicle based on at least one hazardous characteristic associated with the identified waste item;

receiving wirelessly at the collection vehicle an indication of position coordinates of the waste collection vehicle; and

receiving wirelessly at the collection vehicle an indication of whether the position coordinates are associated with a customer in good standing who has authorized removal of the waste item.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the identification tag is a radio frequency identification tag.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the received indication is further based on a location at which the collection vehicle will deposit the waste item.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein a data repository is utilized to determine the at least one hazardous characteristic associated with the identified waste item.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the basis of whether the waste item should be collected and removed by the waste collection vehicle further comprises a determination that the waste collection vehicle is authorized to collect the waste item having the at least one hazardous characteristic, and a determination that a driver of the waste collection vehicle is authorized to collect the waste item having the at least one hazardous characteristic.

17. A waste collection vehicle, comprising:

a reader configured to obtain identification information from an identification tag associated with a waste item;

at least one data repository that utilizes the identification information to determine whether the waste item should be collected and removed by the waste collection vehicle based on: at least one hazardous characteristic associated with the identified waste item;

a transceiver that receives position coordinates of the waste collection vehicle; and

wherein the transceiver receives and indication of whether the position coordinates are associated with a customer in good standing who has authorized removal of the waste item.

18. The waste collection vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the identification tag is a radio frequency identification tag.

19. The waste collection vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the determination is further based on utilizing the at least one data repository to determine a location at which the waste collection vehicle will deposit the waste item.

20. The waste collection vehicle according to claim 19 , wherein the data repository utilizes the position coordinates to indicate whether a customer associated with the position coordinates is in good standing.

21. The waste collection vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the collection vehicle further comprises a camera to record an image of the waste item.

22. The waste collection vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the basis of whether the waste item should be collected and removed by the waste collection vehicle further comprises a determination that the waste collection vehicle is authorized to collect the waste item having the at least one hazardous characteristic, and a determination that a driver of the waste collection vehicle is authorized to collect the waste item having the at least one hazardous characteristic.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2018
From: CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 045798/0749 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2018
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 045798/0993 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 15, 2017
From: CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 042827/0065 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2015
From: CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 035078/0505 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2012
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 029266/0824 →
2ND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 27, 2009
From: CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 023003/0383 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 15, 2009
From: CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 022951/0908 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 24, 2009
From: MARUCA, DOMINIC; LEONE, JERRY; CRONIN, NANCY E.; KINTZER, JOHN A.
To: CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 022871/0253 →