Patent ID: 8714440
Filing Date: 2014-05-06
Classification: B65F,G06K,G06Q,Y02W

Abstract:
1. A method for a municipality to track the condition, pick-up, and general use of a large number of refuse containers among its citizens and businesses, the method comprising the steps of: permitting use of a multi-use waste receptacle among a plurality of residents of a municipality wherein the multi-use waste receptacle is of a type filled and emptied on multiple occasions; establishing a plurality of multi-use receptacle use types; associating a passive radio frequency identification tag having a unique identifier associated therewith with each multi-use waste receptacle; associating a use type with each passive radio frequency identification tag; establishing an electronically accessible database external to the passive radio frequency identification tag comprising an association of the plurality of unique identifiers with biographical information associated with a corresponding member of the plurality of residents; requiring attachment of the passive radio frequency identification tag to a receptacle associated with a resident wherein the passive radio frequency identification tag remains attached to the receptacle subsequent to several loadings and empties of refuse within the receptacle; making a determination whether use of a multi-use receptacle is in compliance or non-compliance based on the use type associated with the passive radio frequency identification tag attached thereto; and operating a handheld device for communicating information regarding the determination, the handheld device comprising a reader for reading the unique identifier from the passive radio frequency identification tag, a means for wireless communication with the database wherein the handheld device receives information from and transmits information to the electronically accessible database, and a display for displaying information to a user.