IP Library Granted Patent US 12,371,254
Granted Patent B2
US 12,371,254 · App. 18/655,553 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Systems and methods for detecting waste receptacles

Inventors: Justin Szoke-Sieswerda (London, CA); Kenneth Alexander McIsaac (St. Mary's, CA); Leo Van Kampen (Conestogo, CA)
Assignee: McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing, Inc.
B65F3/04B25J9/1697B25J19/023B65F3/041G06F18/241G06N3/04G06N3/08G06V10/764G06V10/82G06V20/56B65F2003/023B65F2210/138
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,371,254
App. No.
18/655,553
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system can include a camera, a single-stage object detector, and one or more processors. The camera can capture image data that includes a waste receptacle. The single-stage object detector can detect waste receptables. The one or more processors can communicate with a waste-collection vehicle, the camera, and the single-stage object detector. The one or more processors can receive, from the camera, the image data. The one or more processors can provide, as an input, the image data to the single-stage object detector. The one or more processors can identify, based on an output of the single-stage object detector, the waste receptacle.

Claims (56)

1. A system, comprising:

a camera configured to capture image data that includes a waste receptacle;

a single-stage object detector configured to detect waste receptables; and

one or more processors in communication with a waste-collection vehicle, the camera, and the single-stage object detector, the one or more processors configured to:

receive, from the camera, the image data;

provide, as an input, the image data to the single-stage object detector; and

identify, based on an output of the single-stage object detector, the waste receptacle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

select, responsive to identification of the waste receptacle, an action to implement with respect to the waste-collection vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single-stage object detector is configured to:

perform, using a convolution filter, bounding box regression on the image data; and

predict, based on one or more bounding boxes, an object classification for the waste receptacle.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the object classification comprises at least one of garbage, recycling, compost, or background.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single-stage object detector is configured to:

receive, from a feature extractor, a feature map associated with the image data; and

predict, responsive to application of a convolution filter to the feature map, at least one of a class label, a class confidence score, or a bounding box.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the class confidence score includes a first confidence score and a second confidence score, wherein the bounding box includes a first bounding box and a second bounding box, the first confidence score corresponding to the first bounding box, the second confidence score corresponding to the second bounding box, and wherein the single-stage object detector is configured to:

retain, based on the first confidence score, the first bounding box for subsequent evaluation; and

reject, based on the second confidence score, the second bounding box.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single-stage object detector is integrated with a convolutional neural network, and wherein the convolutional neural network comprises a MobileNet architecture.

8. A waste-collection vehicle, comprising:

a camera configured to capture image data that includes a waste receptacle; and

one or more processors in communication with the camera and a single-stage object detector, the one or more processors configured to:

receive, from the camera, the image data;

provide, as an input, the image data to the single-stage object detector; and

identify, based on an output of the single-stage object detector, the waste receptacle.

9. The waste-collection vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

select, responsive to identification of the waste receptacle, an action to implement with respect to the waste-collection vehicle.

10. The waste-collection vehicle of claim 8 , comprising the single-stage object detector, and wherein the single-stage object detector is configured to:

perform, using a convolution filter, bounding box regression on the image data; and

predict, based on one or more bounding boxes, an object classification for the waste receptacle.

11. The waste-collection vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the object classification comprises at least one of garbage, recycling, compost, or background.

12. The waste-collection vehicle of claim 8 , comprising the single-stage object detector, and wherein the single-stage object detector is configured to:

receive, from a feature extractor, a feature map associated with the image data; and

predict, responsive to application of a convolution filter to the feature map, at least one of a class label, a class confidence score, or a bounding box.

13. The waste-collection vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the class confidence score includes a first confidence score and a second confidence score, wherein the bounding box includes a first bounding box and a second bounding box, the first confidence score corresponding to the first bounding box, the second confidence score corresponding to the second bounding box, and wherein the single-stage object detector is configured to:

retain, based on the first confidence score, the first bounding box for subsequent evaluation; and

reject, based on the second confidence score, the second bounding box.

14. The waste-collection vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the single-stage object detector is integrated with a convolutional neural network, and wherein the convolutional neural network comprises a MobileNet architecture.

15. A system for a waste-collection vehicle, the system comprising:

one or more processors in communication with a camera of the waste-collection vehicle and a single-stage object detector, the one or more processors configured to:

receive data captured by the camera;

provide, as an input, the data to the single-stage object detector; and

identify, based on an output of the single-stage object detector, a waste receptacle.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

select, responsive to identification of the waste receptacle, an action to implement with respect to the waste-collection vehicle.

17. The system of claim 15 , comprising the single-stage object detector, and wherein the single-stage object detector is configured to:

perform, using a convolution filter, bounding box regression on the data; and

predict, based on one or more bounding boxes, an object classification for the waste receptacle.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the object classification comprises at least one of garbage, recycling, compost, or background.

19. The system of claim 15 , comprising the single-stage object detector, and wherein the single-stage object detector is configured to:

receive, from a feature extractor, a feature map associated with the data; and

predict, responsive to application of a convolution filter to the feature map, at least one of a class label, a class confidence score, or a bounding box.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the class confidence score includes a first confidence score and a second confidence score, wherein the bounding box includes a first bounding box and a second bounding box, the first confidence score corresponding to the first bounding box, the second confidence score corresponding to the second bounding box, and wherein the single-stage object detector is configured to:

retain, based on the first confidence score, the first bounding box for subsequent evaluation; and

reject, based on the second confidence score, the second bounding box.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2024
From: SZOKE-SIESWERDA, JUSTIN; MCISAAC, KENNETH ALEXANDER; VAN KAMPEN, LEO
To: WATERLOO CONTROLS INC.
Reel/Frame 067692/0593 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2024
From: WATERLOO CONTROLS INC.
To: MCNEILUS TRUCK AND MANUFACTURING, INC.
Reel/Frame 067692/0817 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17973411 · Oct 25, 2022
Continuation 16758834
Provisional Application 62576393 · Oct 24, 2017
Related Publication 20240286832A1 · Aug 29, 2024
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