IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0684328
(2003-10-13)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Wagner,Frederico
- Yoshizawa,Geraldo Luiz
- Zsigmond,Fabio
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Knobbe, Martens, Olson &
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
35 인용 특허 :
17 |
초록
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An electronic trash disposal unit comprises a control unit which scans and identifies disposed items to store them in an appropriate recycling bin. The unit is connectable to a communication network which updates a central database with the contents of each unit. The unit initiates a reorder instruc
An electronic trash disposal unit comprises a control unit which scans and identifies disposed items to store them in an appropriate recycling bin. The unit is connectable to a communication network which updates a central database with the contents of each unit. The unit initiates a reorder instruction to suppliers.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. An electronic discard system comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); at least one user input device coupled to the CPU; a scanning device; and program software which, when executed by the CPU, performs functions including: reading a user bypass instruction via the user i
What is claimed is: 1. An electronic discard system comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); at least one user input device coupled to the CPU; a scanning device; and program software which, when executed by the CPU, performs functions including: reading a user bypass instruction via the user input device, and at least partly in response, accepting a first discarded item without scanning the first discarded item; reading a user specified order period from an account database; reading information scanned from a second discarded item by the scanning device; and generating a re-order instruction for replacing the second discarded item at least partly in response to the user specified order period and the information scanned from the second discarded item. 2. The electronic discard system as defined in claim 1, further comprising an identification database, wherein information corresponding to items is accessed over a network from the identification database using information scanned by the scanning device as a locator. 3. The electronic discard system as defined in claim 1, further comprising an information display coupled to the CPU, wherein the information display is used to display identification information retrieved from a remote identification database. 4. The electronic discard system as defined in claim 1, wherein the CPU executes programmatic software to accept a manually entered code for at least one discarded item instead using information scanned from the at least one discarded item. 5. The electronic discard system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a display device that displays a user notification to empty at least a first container. 6. The electronic discard system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a user specified supplier preference stored in the account database. 7. A discard processing system, comprising: a holding container; a computer; a content database accessible by the computer, the content database including information on items discarded into the holding container; and a second database that stores user specified preferences, the second database accessible by the computer; the computer being operable to execute programmatic software instructions to perform the functions of: receiving input from the at least one user operable input device, the received input including an instruction to reorder a discarded item; reading a user specified order period from the second database; reading a user specified supplier preference from the second database; generating a re-order instruction corresponding to the discarded item in the holding container and providing the re-order instruction to a first supplier at least partly in response to the user specified order period and the user specified supplier preference. 8. The discard processing system as defined in claim 7, further comprising a scanning device coupled to the computer, the scanning device configured to scan codes from discarded items. 9. The discard processing system as defined in claim 7, further comprising an identification database, wherein information corresponding to discarded items is located in the database based on codes associated with the discarded items. 10. The discard processing system as defined in claim 7, further comprising: a scanning apparatus coupled to the computer; and a bypass input coupled to the computer, wherein activation of the bypass input by a user will enable items to be discarded into the holding container without being successfully scanned by the scanning apparatus. 11. A trash receiving system comprising: a holding apparatus; a computer coupled to the holding apparatus; a content database accessible by the computer; a second database that stores user specified preferences accessible by the computer; an identification database accessible by the computer; and a display accessible by the computer; the computer being operable to execute programmatic software instructions to perform the functions of: offering a user the option to bypass scanning of a first discard item; scanning the first discard item; searching for a code on the first discard item; in response to failing to find the code, receiving a manually input code; in response to finding the code, locating corresponding first discard item information, including at least title and price, from the identification database; displaying the title and price on the display. 12. The trash receiving system as defined in claim 11, wherein the identification database is accessed over a network. 13. The trash receiving system as defined in claim 11, wherein the identification database is stored locally. 14. The trash receiving system as defined in claim 11, further comprising a barcode scanner coupled to the computer, wherein the barcode scanner scans items being discarded. 15. An electronic disposal unit, comprising: a storage container; an input device operatively configured to identify an item being discarded; a computer coupled to the input device; a display device; and a computer program executable by the computer, the computer program performing the functions of: receiving a code corresponding to the discarded item from the input device; retrieving information from a database that identifies the discarded item based at least in part on the code; displaying the information retrieved from the database on the display device; reading user specified preference information, including information on when a re-order is to be placed; generating a re-order instruction for the discarded item at least partly in response to the user specified preference information. 16. The electronic disposal unit as defined in claim 15, further comprising a color coded trash bag corresponding to a type of recyclable. 17. The electronic disposal unit as defined in claim 15, wherein the input device is configured to read a magnetically encoded label. 18. The electronic disposal unit as defined in claim 15, wherein the input device is a barcode scanner. 19. The electronic disposal unit as defined in claim 15, further comprising an interface that can be coupled to a personal digital assistant, wherein the electronic disposal unit is configured to transfer via the interface information with respect to the electronic disposal unit content to a personal digital assistant. 20. The electronic disposal unit as defined in claim 15, further comprising a wireless communication link coupled to an antenna and used to communicate with a communications network. 21. The electronic disposal unit as defined in claim 15, further comprising a networked database that stores information on the electronic disposal unit content. 22. The electronic disposal unit as defined in claim 15, wherein the display device displays a user notification to empty the electronic disposal unit. 23. The electronic disposal unit as defined in claim 15, wherein a recycling entity is instructed of the need to empty the disposal unit. 24. The electronic disposal unit as defined in claim 15, wherein the user specified preference information specifies that a reorder is to be placed when the value of the reorder reaches at least a first amount. 25. The electronic disposal unit as defined in claim 15, wherein the user specified preference information specifies that a reorder is to be placed at specified time intervals. 26. The electronic disposal unit as defined in claim 15, wherein the user specified preference information specifies a supplier preference. 27. An electronic discard unit comprising: a processing unit; an identification database accessible by the processing unit; a content database accessible by the processing unit; at least one input device coupled to the processing unit; the processing unit executing programmatic software to perform functions including: using the at least one input device to obtain a code corresponding to a discarded item; identifying the discarded item by referring to the identification database, and if a match is not found within the identification database, by searching over a computer network for a match; updating the content database to include an entry corresponding to the identified discarded item; generating a re-order instruction for replacing the discarded item; and a sensor that, at least partly in response to detecting the discarded item, causes the identification of the discarded item. 28. The electronic discard unit according to claim 27, further comprising: a storage chamber for storing a discarded item therein; and a controller, the controller coupled to the processing unit and controlling access to the storage chamber. 29. The electronic discard unit according to claim 27, further comprising a network adaptor electrically coupling the processing unit to a communication network. 30. The electronic discard unit according to claim 27, wherein the processing unit executes programmatic software to further perform the function of transmitting the re-order instruction to a supplier over a communication network. 31. The electronic discard unit according to claim 27, wherein the processing unit executes programmatic software to further perform the function of confirming to a user of the electronic discard unit that a re-order instruction was processed. 32. The electronic discard unit as defined in claim 27 further comprising: a user operated bypass control which causes at least one discarded item to be deposited in storage bin without reference to the at least one discarded item identification code; a stored user preference readable by the processing unit that includes a preference related to shopping delivery timing and identifying a preferred supplier; a closure mechanism that supports the discarded item while the at least one input device obtains the code corresponding to the discarded item and that opens after the at least one input device obtains the code; and a display, wherein the processing unit executes programmatic software to perform the function of displaying a price of the discarded item on the display. 33. The electronic discard unit as defined in claim 27 as defined in claim 27, further comprising a user operated bypass control which causes at least one discarded item to be deposited in a first storage bin receptacle without reference to the at least one discarded item identification code. 34. The electronic discard unit as defined in claim 27, further comprising a stored user preference readable by the processing unit which includes a value related to shopping delivery timing. 35. The electronic discard unit as defined in claim 27, further comprising a stored user preference readable by the processing unit which includes data identifying a preferred supplier. 36. The electronic discard unit as defined in claim 27, further comprising a closure mechanism that supports the discarded item while the at least one input device obtains the code corresponding to the discarded item and that opens after the at least one input device obtains the code. 37. The electronic discard unit as defined in claim 27, further comprising: a display; and software that performs the function of displaying a price of the discarded item. 38. A method of processing a disposed of item using an electronic trash unit having a storage bin comprising: sensing the presence of an item being disposed of; initiating the scanning of the item at least partly in response to the sensed presence; scanning the item for a machine readable code; storing the machine readable code in an electronic storage medium; reading user preference data, including selection criteria for determining to which entity a re-order is to be placed; selecting the entity to whom the order is to be placed based at least in part on the selection criteria; generating a re-order instruction for the item based on the machine readable code and on user preference data; storing the item in the storage bin; and updating a content database with information regarding the item. 39. The method as defined in claim 38, further comprising: determining a price for the item; and displaying the price on a display mounted on the electronic trash unit. 40. The method as defined in claim 38, further comprising: scanning a second item for a second machine readable code; determining that the second machine readable code is unavailable; informing a user of the unavailability of the second machine readable code; and receiving a code corresponding to the second item from the user. 41. The method as defined in claim 38, further comprising attempting to identify the first item by referring to a local database, and if the attempted identification fails, attempting to identify the first item by searching over a computer network. 42. The method as defined in claim 38, wherein the selection criteria includes price.
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