Active truck tracking and alerts for residential refuse can collection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12335807-B2
Application number	US-202117232855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2021
Priority date	Apr 17, 2020
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A system for tracking refuse collection vehicles includes one or more memory devices having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including receiving, from a user device, a first user input indicating one or more parameters of a geofence, the geofence defining a virtual perimeter around a geographical location, determining whether the refuse collection vehicle is within the virtual perimeter of the geofence based on a current location of the refuse collection vehicle, and transmitting, to the user device, a first notification based on a determination that the refuse collection vehicle is within the geofence, the first notification indicating to a user of the user device that the refuse collection vehicle is within the geofence.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for tracking refuse collection vehicles, the system comprising:
one or more memory devices having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a user device operated by a customer of a refuse collection company, a first user input indicating one or more parameters of a geofence, the geofence defining a virtual perimeter around a geographical location of a stop along a collection route for refuse pickup in which the customer allows initiation of access, by a refuse collection vehicle of the refuse collection company, to an area in which a waste receptacle is positioned;
determining whether the refuse collection vehicle is within the virtual perimeter of the geofence based on cellular communications obtained via a cellular network from the refuse collection vehicle, the cellular communications including a current location of the refuse collection vehicle;
transmitting, to the user device, a first notification based on a determination that the refuse collection vehicle is within the geofence, the first notification indicating to a user of the user device that the refuse collection vehicle is within the geofence and is approaching the stop along the collection route; and
in response to the refuse collection vehicle being within the geofence, transmitting a command to an access control system that is at the stop along the collection route, the command initiating operation of an actuator of the access control system to open a door or gate to allow access to the area in which the waste receptacle is positioned while the refuse collection vehicle is en route to the area such that the door or gate is open when the refuse collection vehicle arrives at the door or gate;
wherein the one or more processors are remote from the stop along the collection route and wherein the refuse collection vehicle does not communicate directly with the access control system at the stop along the collection route.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first notification is transmitted to the user device by at least one of a text message, a push notification, an automated phone call, or an email.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first notification further indicates a distance of the refuse collection vehicle from a central point of the geofence.

4. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising transmitting, to the user device, a second notification based on a determination that the refuse collection vehicle has left the geofence.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters of the geofence comprise a central location for the geofence and a radius of the geofence.

6. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
presenting, via a user interface, a map of an area based on a second user input of an address; and
receiving, via the user interface, a third user input defining one or more boundaries of the geofence within the map.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the refuse collection vehicle comprises a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, wherein the current location of the refuse collection vehicle is determined based on GPS data received by the one or more processors from the refuse collection vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the refuse collection vehicle comprises a cellular network transceiver, wherein the current location of the refuse collection vehicle is triangulated based on signals from one or more cellular towers.

9. A method for tracking a refuse collection vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, by a server and from a user device operated by a customer of a refuse collection company, a first user input indicating one or more parameters of a geofence, the geofence defining a virtual perimeter around a geographical location of a stop along a collection route for refuse pickup in which the customer allows initiation of access, by the refuse collection vehicle of the refuse collection company, to an area in which a waste receptacle is positioned;
determining, by the server, whether the refuse collection vehicle is within the virtual perimeter of the geofence based on cellular communications obtained via a cellular network from the refuse collection vehicle, the cellular communications including a current location of the refuse collection vehicle;
transmitting, by the server to the user device, a first notification based on a determination that the refuse collection vehicle is within the geofence, the first notification indicating to a user of the user device that the refuse collection vehicle is within the geofence and is approaching the stop along the collection route; and
in response to the refuse collection vehicle being within the geofence, transmitting, by the server to an access control system that is at the stop along the collection route, a command initiating operation of an actuator of the access control system to open a door or gate to allow access to the area in which the waste receptacle is positioned while the refuse collection vehicle is en route to the area such that the door or gate is open when the refuse collection vehicle arrives at the door or gate;
wherein the server is remote from the stop along the collection route and wherein the refuse collection vehicle does not communicate directly with the access control system at the stop along the collection route.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first notification is transmitted to the user device by at least one of a text message, a push notification, an automated phone call, or an email.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first notification further indicates a distance of the refuse collection vehicle from a central point of the geofence.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising transmitting, by the server to the user device, a second notification based on a determination that the refuse collection vehicle has left the geofence.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more parameters of the geofence comprise a central location for the geofence and a radius of the geofence.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
presenting, via a user interface, a map of an area based on a second user input of an address; and
receiving, via the user interface, a third user input defining one or more boundaries of the geofence within the map.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the refuse collection vehicle comprises a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, wherein the current location of the refuse collection vehicle is determined based on GPS data received by the server from the refuse collection vehicle.

16. A device comprising:
a user interface;
one or more processors; and
one or more memory devices having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive, via the user interface operated by a customer of a refuse collection company, a first user input indicating one or more boundaries of a geofence, the geofence defining a virtual perimeter around a geographical location of a stop along a collection route of a refuse collection vehicle in which the customer allows initiation of access, by the refuse collection vehicle of the refuse collection company, to an area in which a waste receptacle is positioned, the geofence configured to trigger a server to transmit, in response to the refuse collection vehicle being within the geofence, a command to an access control system, the command initiating operation of an actuator of the access contro

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Koga Jeffrey
• Davis Emily
• Kappers Jerrod
• Schad Vince
• Messina Robert S
• Yakes Christopher K
• Rocholl Joshua D
• Hoover Vincent
• Weckwerth Clinton T
• Klein Zachary L
• Beck John
• Chan Brendan
• Wachter Skylar A
• Matsumoto Dale
• Datema Bryan S
• Clifton Cody D
• Wei Zhenyi
• Dunn Kevin

Classifications

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04W4/12

  Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements · CPC title

• G06Q50/26 Primary

  Government or public services (business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40) · CPC title

• B28C5/422

  Controlling or measuring devices (B28C5/4227 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B28C5/4248

  using chutes (combined with transporting belts B28C5/4255, combined with pumps or screws B28C5/4258) · CPC title