Containers with multiple sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12351390-B2
Application number	US-202117339767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2021
Priority date	Sep 16, 2015
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

A trashcan assembly can include a body portion, a lid portion pivotably coupled with the body portion, and a sensor assembly configured to generate a signal when an object is detected within a sensing region. The sensor assembly can include a plurality of transmitters having a first subset of transmitters and a second subset of transmitters. A transmission axis of at least one transmitter in the first subset of transmitters can be different from a transmission axis of at least one of the transmitters in the second subset of transmitters. An electronic processor can generate an electronic signal to a power-operated drive mechanism for moving the lid portion from a closed position to an open position, such as in response to the sensor assembly detecting the object.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a trashcan body;
a power-operated driver that comprises a drive motor;
a trashcan lid pivotably coupled with the trashcan body, wherein the trashcan lid comprises a lid driving portion separate from the power-operated driver, wherein the lid driving portion is positioned at an underside of the trashcan lid and is coupled to the power-operated driver;
a microphone configured to produce an audio signal in response to a sound; and
a controller, wherein the controller comprises one or more hardware processors and memory and is configured to:
perform speech recognition on the audio signal to generate speech recognition results;
retrieve data representing a keyword from the memory;
compare the data representing the keyword with the speech recognition results;
in response to a determination that the comparison of the data representing the keyword with the speech recognition results indicates a match, transmit a second signal to the power-operated driver that causes the drive motor of the power-operated driver to produce rotational force that causes the lid driving portion to move the trashcan lid from a closed position to an open position; and
in response to a determination that the comparison of the data representing the keyword with the speech recognition results does not indicate the match, transmit the second signal to the power-operated driver that causes the drive motor of the power-operated driver to produce the rotational force that causes the lid driving portion to move the trashcan lid from the closed position to the open position in response to detection of a reflected signal subsequent to emission of a third signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first transmitter, a second transmitter, and a receiver, and wherein a transmission axis of the first transmitter is generally perpendicular to a transmission axis of the second transmitter.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
instruct the first transmitter to emit a first signal;
receive, from the receiver, a first indication that an object is not detected in a first region; and
transmit a fourth signal to the power-operated driver in response to receiving the first indication that causes the power-operated driver to move the trashcan lid from the open position to the closed position.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
instruct the first transmitter to emit a first signal;
receive, from the receiver, a first indication that an object is detected in a first region; and
generate a fourth signal that causes the power-operated driver to move the trashcan lid from the closed position to the open position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
retrieve second data representing a second keyword from the memory;
compare the second data representing the second keyword with the speech recognition results; and
transmit a fifth signal to the power-operated driver instead of the fourth signal in response to a determination that a comparison of the second data representing the second keyword with the speech recognition results indicates a match, wherein the fifth signal causes the power-operated driver to move the trashcan lid from the open position to the closed position.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a light sensor coupled to the trashcan body, wherein the light sensor detects a first lux level of ambient light at a first time before the first indication is received and a second lux level of ambient light at a second time after the first indication is received, wherein the second lux level is greater than the first lux level.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to not transmit the fourth signal to the power-operated driver in response to a determination that the second lux level is greater than the first lux level by a threshold value.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive the data representing the keyword from a user device over a wireless network.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data representing the keyword is stored in the memory during assembly or manufacture of the apparatus.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a receptacle body;
a power-operated driver that comprises a drive motor;
a receptacle lid pivotably coupled with the receptacle body, wherein the receptacle lid comprises a lid driving portion separate from the power-operated driver, wherein the lid driving portion is positioned at an underside of the receptacle lid and is coupled to the power-operated driver; and
a controller, wherein the controller comprises one or more hardware processors and memory and is configured to:
obtain an audio signal generated in response to a first sound being detected by the apparatus;
transmit a second signal to the power-operated driver in response to a determination that the first sound corresponds to a first type of sound, wherein reception of the second signal causes the drive motor of the power-operated driver to produce rotational force that causes the lid driving portion to move the receptacle lid from a first position to a second position; and
in response to a determination that the first sound does not correspond to the first type of sound, transmit the second signal to the power-operated driver that causes the drive motor of the power-operated driver to produce the rotational force that causes the lid driving portion to move the receptacle lid from the first position to the second position in response to detection of a reflected signal subsequent to emission of a third signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a first transmitter, a second transmitter, and a receiver, and wherein an angle is formed between the first transmitter and the second transmitter.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
instruct the first transmitter to emit a first signal;
determine that no object is detected in a first region based on an indication received from the receiver; and
if the first position is a closed position, transmit a third signal to the power-operated driver to move the receptacle lid from the second position to the first position.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first position is a closed position and the second position is an open position, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
instruct the first transmitter to emit a first signal;
determine that no object is detected in a first region based on an indication received from the receiver;
determine that a threshold period of time has not expired; and
not cause the power-operated driver to move the receptacle lid to the first position in response to the determination that the threshold period of time has not expired.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
instruct the first transmitter to emit a first signal;
determine that an object is detected in a first region based on an indication received from the receiver; and
if the first position is an open position, transmit a fourth signal to the power-operated driver to move the receptacle lid from the second position to the first position.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first position is an open position and the second position is a closed position, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
instruct the first transmitter to emit a first signal;
determine that an object is detected i

Assignees

• Simplehuman Llc

Inventors

• Yang Frank
• Wolbert David
• Cohen Guy
• Wilkins Bryce

Classifications

• E05Y2999/00

  Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass · CPC title

• B65F2210/181

  Ventilating means, e.g. holes · CPC title

• B65F1/04

  with removable inserts · CPC title

• B65F2250/11

  Metal · CPC title

• B65F2250/114

  Plastics · CPC title