Patent ID: 6980110

Claim:
An apparatus for providing notices to a user interface concerning status of at least an item in a container, comprising: a. a container having a loading opening and a collection opening; b. a first sensor connected to the loading opening for generating a first signal when an item is inserted in the container; c. a second sensor connected to the collection opening for generating a second signal when the item is removed from the container; d. an intelligent device connected to the first sensor and the second sensor for receiving the first signal from the first sensor and the second signal from the second sensor, wherein the intelligent device generates a first intelligent device signal and a second intelligent device signal, respectively; e. a communication system that transfers the first intelligent device signal and the second intelligent device signal from the intelligent device to a software interface, wherein the communication system is selected from the group: a radio system, a cellular phone, a satellite communication system, and wired communication systems Internet, intranet, LAN, and peer-to-peer network; f. the software interface adapted to receive the first intelligent device signal and the second intelligent device signal from the communication system, wherein the software interface processes the first intelligent device signal and the second intelligent device signal from the intelligent device; and g. a user interface in communication with the software interface that receives the first intelligent device signal and the second intelligent device signal processed from the software interface.