Data communications network and method for managing product-related waste

Abstract

The present invention relates to a network and a method of operating same for managing product-related waste, including receiving a request that includes one or more images of a product for which information is sought regarding reducing waste with respect to the product, and applying one or more visual recognition techniques to the image(s) such that attributes may be allocated to the product extracted from the image(s). A database of known products is interrogated to determine a match between the allocated attributes as compared with the database of known products which includes information sufficient to enable determination or confirmation of a nature and composition of materials of which each matching product is composed. Based on the determination or confirmation of the nature and composition of materials, information may be provided in response to the request, including one or more recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to the product.

Description

DATA COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK AND METHOD FOR MANAGING PRODUCT-RELATED WASTEFIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a data communications network and a method of operating same for managing product-related waste. In particular, the present invention provides an online platform that may be utilized by users and / or hardware systems such as sorting equipment to obtain information and recommendations I instructions regarding best practice with respect to reducing product-related waste, including to refuse, re-use, repurpose, repair, recycle (eg. compost) and / or dispose of particular products and product packaging upon digital recognition of the product.BACKGROUND

[0002] Various different arrangements for managing the collection and disposal of household and similar waste have been utilized over the past several hundred years. For example, in the early 1900’s, incinerators were used (and continue to be used today in some instances) to burn certain forms of waste. By the 1940’s, sanitary landfill started to be used and continues to be used to this day since it is generally considered the cheapest and most satisfactory means of waste disposal.

[0003] However, Governments, industry and the general public are constantly seeking new and improved arrangements for waste disposal management in view of the problems associated with traditional methods, including their adverse impact upon the environment. In more recent years, other forms of waste disposal have been developed. Recycling and composting have become more prevalent as an efficient and more environmentally friendly method of waste management. However, recycling and composting also have significant limitations and may be complex thereby presenting a barrier to their implementation, resulting in recyclable items being diverted to landfill. Government curbside recycling programs are limited and hence, landfill remains by far the most common method of disposing of waste.

[0004] Many plastics cannot be recycled, and the plastics that are often marked as “recyclable” can only be recycled once or twice before becoming too degraded. Inaddition, contaminants (such as non-recyclable plastics and new bioplastics) may enter the recycling stream rendering the rest of the recyclable material useless and, as a result, the recyclable material is sent to landfill. Whilst the recycling of waste represents a positive step forward for addressing the environmental effects associated with waste disposal, the process of recycling itself requires energy and has its own carbon footprint. Regarding these plastics, there is general consensus that in order to reduce the impact of waste upon the environment, recycling should not be the only disposal option.

[0005] Accordingly, even though the public may perceive that, by recycling, they are reducing the adverse environmental impacts associated with their waste, it may have less impact than understood. Managed correctly, waste may be significantly reduced with the ultimate achievable objective being to reduce landfill waste to zero.

[0006] There are various methods available to consumers to manage and reduce waste, other than recycling, including, for example, refusing, reusing, repairing and repurposing waste products. For example, refusing involves refusing to purchase or accept products that can harm the environment when disposed. Reusing involves using a product repeatedly (ie. reusing something instead of buying something new). Repairing is similar to reusing since rather than disposing of a product that is damaged or not functioning correctly, the damage, malfunction, etc is fixed. Repurposing involves taking an existing product that was intended for one use, and using it in an alternative application (eg. repurposing wood crates into benches or shelves).

[0007] A problem often encountered by the general public is a lack of knowledge required to dispose of a product / packaging for recycling, and / or lack of awareness regarding one or more of the alternative options available for managing and reducing waste.

[0008] A technical problem also arises since consumers can often spend hours online, typically using a portable data communications device such as a smartphone, attempting to locate answers to such queries, and searching for environmentally friendly products / packaging, and arrangements by which to dispose of such items. This has the effect of consuming substantial data communications bandwidth and resulting in significant and inefficient computer and network resource usage. Inefficient use of available bandwidth of data communications networks is clearly undesirable since slowand / or unreliable data communications are frustrating (and expensive) for users. This problem is exacerbated during times of high network traffic which consume available bandwidth, thereby causing latency issues wherein communications are significantly delayed for all users of the data communicators network. This particular problem is becoming greater as a result of devices increasingly including data communications operability. In any event, efficient use of available data communications network bandwidth, which is a finite resource, is now a relevant consideration for any system that utilises a data communications network to receive and transmit data as an element in its operation.

[0009] The present invention seeks to ameliorate the technical problems discussed herein, or at least provide an alternative solution to existing networks, systems and methods for managing and reducing waste that require access to relevant, timely and up to date information regarding the materials used to manufacture products and their packaging and available options regarding product related waste and in various embodiments of the present invention, the difficulties associated with interfacing with waste sorting hardware .

[0010] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any suggestion, that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.SUMMARY

[0011] In one aspect, the present invention provides a data communications network including connected data communications devices and a method of operating same to manage product related waste, the method including, receiving, by one or more processors, a request from a data communications device, the request including one or more images including an image of one or more products for which information is sought regarding reducing waste with respect to the product(s), applying, by one or more processors, one or more visual recognition techniques to the received image(s), based on applying the one or more visual recognition techniques, allocating, by one or more processors, attributes to the product(s) extracted from the received image(s), including one or more of, a product type, a material, or materials, of which each product is composed, a colour of each product, a size of each product, and any identifying information obtained from the image(s) of each product, interrogating, by one or more processors, a database of known products to determine a match between the allocated attributes of each product as compared with the database of known products, the database of known products including information sufficient to enable determination or confirmation of a nature and composition of materials of which each matching product is composed, and providing, by one or more processors, based on the determination or confirmation of the nature and composition of materials of which each product is composed, information in response to the request including one or more recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to each product.

[0012] In an embodiment, the one or more recommendations or instructions for reducing waste are based upon a preferred practice for reducing waste in respect of the particular product, including one or more of refusing, reusing, repurposing, repairing, and recycling (including compositing) of the product. For example, based upon uploading images associated with a particular product, a user may be presented with recommendations to refuse the product (eg. if there is an alternative product available to acquire that is more environmentally friendly or an alternative is already available to the prospective acquirer at their home), to recycle or compost the product (if such options are available for the product in question), or otherwise re-use, repurpose, and / or repair the product. It will be appreciated that the selection of recommendations for presentation to the user will be based upon the determined nature and composition of materials of which the product(and / or its packaging) is composed. In this embodiment, information regarding each of the available options for the product, namely, re-use, repurpose, repair and recycle (including composting) or better alternative products (ie. refusal regarding acquiring the product under consideration) is provided to the consumer for each prospective acquisition for which the network and method described herein is engaged.

[0013] As will be appreciated by skilled readers, the method of operating devices operably connected to a data communications network to achieve the outcomes described herein represent an efficient use of computing resources as conferred with a user or device conducting many individual searching operations to locate the information sought regarding product related waste options.

[0014] In an embodiment, when the data communications device is associated with a user, recommendations for reducing waste with respect to each product are transmitted to the data communications device, the recommendations including one or more of, refusing the product, reusing the product, repurposing the product, repairing the product, recycling the product, composting the product, disposing of the product, or taking additional action(s) with respect to one or more of the above.

[0015] In an embodiment, when the recommendation is to refuse a product, the recommended additional action includes one or more of, correspond with the retailer of the product, write an online review with respect to the retailer of the product, choose an alternative retailer, or commence a petition with a relevant authority regarding products sold by the retailer. In one example, where the product is a food related product such as a take-away food container, the recommendation may be for the user to correspond with a restaurant or write a review (eg. “love the food, don’t love the packaging”), to use their own reusable food containers to the restaurant, to buy from another restaurant that uses environmentally friendly packaging (eg. sugarcane or paper pulp containers), and / or petition their local MP regarding single-use or ‘few-use’ plastics.

[0016] In an embodiment, when the one or more received images relate to product(s) proposed to be purchased by the user, the method further includes, conducting, by one or more processors, investigations regarding disposal of waste associated with the product once used, and providing, by one or more processors, one or more additional recommendations to the user with respect to whether the user should refuse to purchasethe product and select a more environmentally friendly alternative for which one or more of the preferred practices for reducing waste applies.

[0017] In an embodiment, when the recommendation is to re-use a product, the recommended additional action includes one or more of, return to the retailer so that the product can be re-used at the retailer, or take the product so that the product can be reused in other settings. In one example, the product is a take-away food container and the recommendation may be to take the food container back to a restaurant and ask for a refill, and / or re-use the food container at home on the basis that they are standard sizes, stack well, and have interchangeable lids etc.

[0018] In an embodiment, when the recommendation is to re-purpose a product, the recommended additional action includes repurposing the product in a manner that assists the user with respect to home organisation. In one example, a food container could be recommended to be repurposed for use in organising drawers, holding pens and small stationery items, organising craft items, kids toy storage (eg. Lego storage), and holding a first aid kit for a vehicle.

[0019] In an embodiment, when the recommendation is to repair a product such as a broken microwave or television, the recommended additional actions include one or more of, determine whether any replacement parts are available, or determine whether there is an organisation nearby who assists in providing replacement parts or repair services.

[0020] In an embodiment, when the recommendation is to recycle or compost a product, the recommended additional actions include one or more of, sort components that are made of polypropylene or similar recyclable material and place such components in a dedicated recycling bin, use a specialty recycling facility, seek information regarding the carbon footprint associated with different recycling methods, seek advice regarding biodegradability of the product (e.g. this bioplastic product is biodegradable but not compostable, or this product is compostable under industrial condition but not in home compost, etc), seek confirmation that the product is not recyclable and is destined for landfill, seek a method of returning the product to an organisation and / or manufacturer to enable the organisation and / or manufacturer to dispose of the product according to one or more of the preferred practices for reducing.

[0021] In an embodiment, where a user seeks a method of returning the product to an organization and / or manufacturer, the method further includes, prompting the user or the data communications device of the user to provide current location details, and providing, by one or more processors, details to the user regarding the method of returning the product to an organisation and / or manufacturer to enable the user to dispose of the product according to one or more of the preferred practices for reducing waste, including providing a destination address and / or collection point located within close proximity of the current user location.

[0022] In an embodiment, the method further includes providing, by one or more processors, a search facility to the user which enables the user to conduct text (i.e. a search for words stored in the database) and / or image (i.e. a search for images stored in the database) searches of products for which details are stored in the database of known products to determine the extent to which particular products are contributing to reducing user waste, including advice and / or recommendations for reducing waste (particularly in respect of products intended for single use packaging).

[0023] In an embodiment, the search facility may not only search products and product descriptions and images, but also recommendations for reducing waste associated with particular products, such a reverse search facility is also provided. In one example, the database may store information relating to a fitted bed sheet which is packaged and sold in a clear plastic zipped pocket, and may have an associated recommendation to repurpose the clear plastic zipped pocket for the purpose of car organisation (e.g. to hold bungee straps that are used to secure items to roof racks). In this way, if a user conducts a search for products that may be utilised for “car organisation”, the fitted bed sheet may appear in the list of relevant search results. Should the user happen to also need a fitted bed sheet (in addition to a product that may be used for car organisation purposes), the user may select a single product for purchase (i.e. the fitted bed sheet) rather than two products since the packaging associated with the fitted bed sheet may be repurposed accordingly.

[0024] In an embodiment, products may be stored in the database based upon product category.

[0025] In an embodiment, when the data communications device is associated with a hardware system for sorting and / or disposing of waste products, instructions for reducing waste with respect to each product are transmitted to the data communications device associated with the hardware, the instructions including one or more of, recycle the product, compost the product, dispose of the product, or sort the product according to one or more of the above.

[0026] In an embodiment, the hardware system is a home sorting system having the ability to sort waste products into different categories according to a determined best practice to address waste associated with the product, or industrial sorting equipment having the ability to sort waste products into different categories according to a determined best practice to address waste associated with the product.

[0027] In an embodiment, the home sorting system is a smart trash can or rubbish bin.

[0028] In an embodiment, the industrial sorting equipment is associated with a recycling facility.

[0029] In an embodiment, recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to each product are generated using one or more machine learning models, and in addition to receiving image(s) of a product for which information is sought regarding reducing waste with respect to the product, the method further includes, receiving, by one or more processors, one or more further images of the product after the product has undergone sorting and / or disposal according to the generated recommendation or instruction for reducing waste with respect to the product, applying, by one or more processors, one or more visual recognition techniques to the further image(s) to identify whether the product was sorted or disposed of correctly, and based on determining that the product was not sorted or disposed of correctly, generating data confirming same and feeding said data into the one or more machine learning models to improve future recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to products.

[0030] In an embodiment, the method further includes establishing, by one or more processors, a communication link with one or more additional product databases when applying the one or more visual recognition techniques fails to allocate sufficient attributes to each product to determine a match with a product stored in the database of knownproducts, or when a match cannot be established with a product stored in the database of known products.

[0031] In an embodiment, the recommendations or instructions for reducing waste are based upon a preferred practice for reducing waste in respect of the particular product.

[0032] In an embodiment, the method further includes, establishing, by one or more processors, a rating system for products in relation to their ability to be disposed of according to one or more of the preferred practices for reducing waste, and applying, by one or more processors, a rating to individual products thereby enabling the data communications device to promptly receive a rating for the product in relation to the product’s suitability for reducing waste. For example, the rating system may be in the form of a “star” rating.

[0033] In an embodiment, the method further includes prompting users to share their experiences regarding efforts to reduce waste associated with the disposal of products purchased.

[0034] According to another aspect, the present invention provides a computer- implemented system for managing product related waste, the system including, one or more processors operable to, receive a request from a data communications device, the request including one or more images including an image of one or more products for which information is sought regarding reducing waste with respect to the product(s), apply one or more visual recognition techniques to the received image(s), based on applying the one or more visual recognition techniques, allocate attributes to the product(s) extracted from the received image(s), including one or more of, a product type, a material, or materials, of which each product is composed, a colour of each product, a size of each product, and any identifying information obtained from the image(s) of each product, interrogate a database of known products to determine a match between the allocated attributes of each product as compared with the database of known products, the database of known products including information sufficient to enable determination or confirmation of a nature and composition of materials of which each matching product is composed, and provide, based on the determination or confirmation of the nature and composition of materials of which each product is composed, information in response tothe request including one or more recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to each product.

[0035] According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a computer- readable medium including a plurality of computer instruction codes stored therein that, when executed on one or more processors of a data communications network, cause the network to perform the steps of, receiving a request from a data communications device, the request including one or more images including an image of one or more products for which information is sought regarding reducing waste with respect to the product(s), applying one or more visual recognition techniques to the received image(s), based up applying the one or more visual recognition techniques, allocating attributes to the product(s) extracted from the received image(s), including one or more of, a product type, a material, or materials, of which each product is composed, a colour of each product, a size of each product, and any identifying information obtained from the image(s) of each product, interrogating a database of known products to determine a match between the allocated attributes of each product as compared with the database of known products, the database of known products including information sufficient to enable determination or confirmation of a nature and composition of materials of which each matching product is composed, and providing, based on the determination or confirmation of the nature and composition of materials of which each product is composed, information in response to the request including one or more recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to each product.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Embodiments of the invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying Figures in which:

[0037] Figure 1 provides an overview of data communications network according to an embodiment of the present invention showing, in particular, the interaction of various network components;

[0038] Figure 2 illustrates a diagram associated with an exemplary server component of the network illustrated in Figure 1 ;

[0039] Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary flow diagram of a process that enables a user to download and install a software application, and subsequently access, or register to use, the software application for interaction with the network illustrated in Figure 1 , including providing the user with the ability to capture or upload an image of one or more products for which the user seeks information regarding reducing waste with respect to the product(s);

[0040] Figure 4 illustrates exemplary user interfaces providing information in response to the captured image(s) including recommendations or instructions for reducing waste based upon a determined nature and / or composition of the product(s);

[0041] Figure 5 illustrates an example product purchase interface providing the user with the ability to purchase another product that is more environmentally friendly than a product the user is considering for purchase;

[0042] Figure 6 illustrates further exemplary interfaces providing recommendations or instructions with respect to recycling options available with respect to the product(s) captured in the image(s); and

[0043] Figure 7 illustrates a further exemplary interface enabling users to search for products for which details are stored or accessible, including the ability to also search for recommendations or instructions regarding reducing waste with respect to products.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)

[0044] For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the present disclosure is described by referring to embodiment(s) thereof. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a better understanding of the present disclosure. It will be readily apparent, however, that that the current disclosure may be practiced without limitation to all the specific details. In other instances, some features have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure.

[0045] According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a computer- implemented data communications network and method of operating the network which includes data communications devices (50) connected with one or more servers (20) within the network to enable users (30) to manage product related waste. The network and method provide a platform that hosts a computer-executable software application (40), wherein the application (40) is accessible by a plurality of users (30) who prefer to seek information regarding reducing waste in respect of particular products (60). In particular, the network utilises at least one central server (20) in communication with data communication devices (50) associated with each user (30).

[0046] It will become apparent to the skilled addressee that the data communications device (50) may be a handheld device (50) of a user (30) (eg. where the recommendations provided are recommendations to users (30) regarding how to dispose of one or more particular products and / or packaging (60)). However, in another example, the device (50) may be a fixed hardware device associated with sorting equipment (eg. where the recommendations provided are in the form of operational instructions that are transmitted to such devices to cause the devices to sort through and handle the disposal of particular products and / or packaging (60) in a predefined manner).

[0047] Reference herein to “product (60)” is intended to not only include within its scope products perse, but also any packaging in which such products are stored including, but not limited to, plastic and / or cardboard boxes, sleeves, containers, bags, etc.

[0048] The central server (20) maintains one or more processors and / or databases for performing functions, including receiving a request from a data communications device (50), the request including one or more images (55) of one or more products (60) for which information and recommendations / instructions are sought regarding reducingwaste with respect to the product(s) is sought. In one example, the request may be in the form of a user query such as “How can I recycle this plastic bottle?”. The central server (20) applies one or more visual recognition techniques to the uploaded image(s) (55) to identify the product(s) (60) and enable the allocation of attributes to the product(s) (60). The allocated attributes may include, but are not limited to, a product type, a material, or materials in respect of which each product (60) is composed, a colour of each product, a size of each product, and any identifying information obtained from the image(s) (55).

[0049] By allocating attributes to a product (60) identified in the uploaded image(s) (55), a database (65) of known products and / or packaging may be interrogated to determine a match between the determined attributes of each product (60) as compared with the database (65) of known products and / or packaging. Since the database (65) of known products and / or packaging includes information sufficient to enable determination of a nature and / or composition of materials of which each matching product (60) is composed, one or more recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to each product (60) may be generated and provided to the device (50) in response to the request. The recommendations may include, but are not limited to, one or more of refusing a product that is being considered for purchase, reusing a product, repurposing a product, repairing a product, recycling (including composting) a product, and disposing of a product.

[0050] The skilled person will appreciate that the platform provides devices (50) with useful information and particular recommendations I instructions regarding best practice with respect to reducing waste in relation to products (60) which the user (30) is considering purchasing, or products (60) which the user (30) has already purchased and used and is considering discarding. In this way, there is no longer a requirement to research or have particular knowledge regarding which products to purchase or how best to dispose of a product in a most environmentally friendly manner, and devices (50) are not required to utilise significant computer processing and memory resources in order to ascertain and apply such information.

[0051] The platform enables a data communications device (50) to capture or upload an image of a particular product (60), and substantially in real-time, the device (50) is promptly provided with a recommendation I instruction regarding best practice to reduce waste associated with the product (60) (eg. a recommendation to the user (30) to refuseto purchase the product (where the product is an item which the user (30) is considering for purchase), a recommendation to reuse the product instead of buying new, a recommendation to repair the product rather than dispose of it, a recommendation to repurpose a product by using it in an alternative application, a recommendation or instruction to recycle or compost a product (60), or where no other options are available a recommendation or instruction to dispose of the product to landfill). Each recommendation may include sub-categories of recommendations where for example there are multiple different types of waste reduction methods associated with a particular category (eg. multiple different recycling methods).

[0052] Figure 1 is divided into Segments which are further expanded in subsequent Figures 2 to 7. In particular, Segment 200 of Figure 1 shows the server component (20) with which the software application (40) operating on each data communications device (50) is configured to communicate. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the relevant field of technology that the software application (40) may be a mobile application or a web application and that, similarly, the data communication devices (50) utilised by users (30) or which form part of a larger hardware system (eg. a commercial sorting system) may be mobile devices or fixed location computing devices. Examples of mobile devices include mobile phones, wearables and computer tablets, and examples of fixed location computing devices include work stations and personal computers. The server component (20) is additionally detailed in Figure 2.

[0053] The skilled person will further appreciate that the steps described herein may be executed by the devices (50), wherein such operations are facilitated by the software application (40) operating on each device (50). According to another implementation, the server (20) may be programmed to provide all or most of the processing functions described herein, where they cannot be provided locally on the data communications devices (50) or where it may be commercially or technically impractical to implement such arrangements. In other words, the steps described herein as performed by the device (50) or components thereof, may be associated with hardware that is located externally of the device (50) such as the remote central server (20) for example (ie. in a distributed architecture). Different arrangements are possible in this regard, and alternate variations will be apparent to the person skilled in the relevant field of technology.

[0054] Segment 300 of Figure 1 shows a user (30) downloading and installing the application (40) and subsequently accessing an interface (160) of the application (40) to establish an account, interface (170) to capture and / or upload an image (55) of one or more products (60) (in the example shown a teddy bear product), and an interface (180) that enables one or more visual recognition techniques to be applied to identify the product(s) (60), with attributes subsequently allocated to the product (60) to enable determination of a nature and / or composition of materials of which the product (60) is composed, as further detailed in Figure 3. Segment 400 of Figure 1 illustrates interfaces (190) to (240) providing examples of recommendations or instructions that may be presented to the data communications device (50) depending upon the product (60) and the nature and / or composition thereof, as further detailed in Figure 4.

[0055] Segment 500 of Figure 1 illustrates how a user (30) and / or equipment (80) may be prompted or instructed via interface (250) in accordance with the generated recommendations (eg. a prompt to a user (30) to purchase another product as compared with a product (60) being considered for purchase by the user (30)), as further detailed in Figure 5. Segment 600 of Figure 1 illustrates additional example interfaces (240) associated with different recycling recommendations I instructions that may be transmitted to the data communications device (50), as further detailed in Figure 6. Finally, Segment 700 of Figure 1 illustrates an example search interface enabling users (30) to search for information relating to particular products and / or recommendations for reducing user waste with respect to products (60), as further detailed in Figure 7.

[0056] As mentioned above, Figure 2 shows in greater detail Segment 200 of Figure 1 and, in particular, Figure 2 shows the server component (20) which includes infrastructure upon which the platform of the present invention operates. The infrastructure may be local or cloud-based.

[0057] The central server (20) may operate one or more computer processors and maintain one or more databases to enable the following functionality and / or storage:• User account register (100) storing user details such as name, age, address, location (90), contact details, identifiers such as driver’s license or passport details of the user (30), and any additional data which may be relevant for the purpose of identifying each user (30). Where possible, such details may be verified usingidentification verification services. This database may also store information pertaining to the user device(s) (50) including whether the device (50) is a mobile device such as a handheld phone of the user (30) or a fixed location computing device such as device associated with fixed sorting hardware (80);• Data processing functionality (105) for processing user input commands and additional data that may be received via the software application (40), or from elsewhere, and to generate relevant outputs for display. For example, the data processing functionality (105) may, based upon receipt of an image (55) from a data communications device (50), apply analysis tools (1 10) (eg. artificial intelligence techniques including visual recognition tools) to identify and allocate attributes to one or more products (60), and interrogate a database (65) of known products to determine the nature and / or composition of the product(s) (60). The data processing functionality (105) also generates recommendations or instructions based upon the particular nature and / or composition of the product (60) queried by a data communications device (50) regarding the best practice for reducing waste with respect to the product (60). The functionality (105) may also leverage one or more artificial intelligence techniques to develop a more interactive and user-friendly application interface that adapts to user preferences and learning styles, eg. using natural language processing to understand and respond to user queries regarding how to dispose of specific items or offering video tutorials for repurposing products, etc;• Analysis tools (1 10) including, for example, the above mentioned one or more visual recognition techniques utilised by the data processing functionality (105) to interpret image(s) received from the data communications devices (50);• Product attribute database (1 15) storing attributes that are allocated to the particular product(s) (60) based upon applying the one or more visual recognition techniques, which attributes may subsequently be compared with the database (65) of known products to determine a match between the allocated attributes of the product(s) (60) as compared with known products in database (65) and, in particular, to determine the nature and / or composition of materials of which each product (60) is composed;• Payment gateway (120) to manage financial transactions through the software application (40), including payment of subscription fees (if applicable), and processing payments with respect to product purchases through interface (250) according to recommendations generated by the platform;• Search functionality (130) enabling users (30) to search the platform in relation to products (60) whose attributes are already stored in the product attribute database (1 15) (eg. for the purpose of determining how the purchase of such a product or the particular disposal of such a product may contribute to user waste), with the ability to also search (eg. by keyword searching) the stored recommendations relating to reducing waste with respect to particular products (60).

[0058] Figure 2 also depicts server (20) configured to enable communication (140) with the data communications devices (50) and, in particular, the software application (40) operating on each device (50). Such communications may occur via the internet or similar data communications network.

[0059] Figure 3 shows in greater detail Segment 300 of Figure 1 and in particular, the steps associated with a data communications device (30) downloading and installing the application (40) which may be achieved by downloading the application (40) from an application store. Each user (30) may create an account using the application (40) and the account information may be stored in the account register (100), including information pertaining to the device(s) (50) proposed to receive generated recommendations and / or instructions. As described above, the user account register (100) may capture information sufficient to enable each user (30) to be correctly identified.

[0060] The process of installing the application (40) is indicated by arrow (150) and interface (160), which allows the data communications device (50) to be used to download and install the application (40) to access the functionality thereof, including the creation and maintenance of which a user profile is also depicted in Figure 3. It will be appreciated that once the application (40) has been accessed by a user (30), the user (30) may be presented with an interface identical or similar to interface (160) which enables the user (30) to create and maintain their account and profile, including providing the user (30) with the ability to add / edit details relating to themselves and / or device(s) (50). Upon uploading sufficient information, each user (30) will be successfully registered such thatthe user (30), who may be acting on behalf of an organization, becomes a registered user who is then entitled to utilise the functionality of the application (40), which may be in accordance with a subscription level of the user (30) or their organisation.

[0061] Figure 3 also shows an image capture I upload interface (170) that enables the data communications device (50) to capture an image of a product (60) (eg. a product (60) already owned by the user (30)) which the user (30) seeks to dispose of a product (60) which the user (30) is considering purchasing, or a product (60) that is being processed by sorting equipment (80)). Once one or more images (55) of the product (60) are captured or uploaded, the one or more visual recognition techniques are applied (180) to identify the product (60) (which is a teddy bear in the example shown in Figure 3), including allocating attributes to the product (60) and interrogating a database (65) of known products to determine a match between the allocated attributes with attributes associated with a product stored in the database (65). This process enables the determination of a nature and / or composition of materials of which the product (60) is composed. In this regard, the database (65) of known products provides an index of products and their associated nature and / or composition, hence by matching a product (60) with a product stored in the database (65), the nature and / or composition of the product (60) may be ascertained.

[0062] One or more artificial intelligence techniques (eg. the use of deep learning models such as those utilised by next generation artificial intelligence systems such as Google DeepMind) may be implemented to improve the accuracy of product and / or attribute identification. For example, a machine learning model may learn to distinguish between different product attributes when labels are not visible or are partially damaged. Furthermore, artificial intelligence techniques may be used to dynamically categorise the database (65), improving matching / searching functionality and personalizing recommendations. In one example, if a user (30) frequently uses the application (40) to seek disposal options for tech-related products, the recommendations and / or search results subsequently presented to the user (30) may prioritise products within a tech- related category or, for example, new recycling technologies for electronic products. In another example, a device (50) associated with sorting hardware (80) (eg. a smart waste bin or a device used in a recycling facility) may be configured to receive instructions regarding how to sort and / or dispose of products being processed by the bin or facility.Embodiments that include the above-described techniques further increase the efficiency with which computing resources are employed and particularly, the available bandwidth of data communications networks across which data is transmitted and received.

[0063] In the event the application of one or more visual recognition techniques fails to allocate sufficient attributes to the product (60) to determine a match with a product stored in the database (65), or when a match cannot be located in the database (65), a communication link may be established with one or more additional external databases (not shown in the Figures) in order to assist with identifying the product and the nature and / or composition thereof. The analysis tools (1 10) may also include additional techniques that may be applied in order to more accurately identify attributes of the product(s) (60).

[0064] During the capturing of images, or any other step including identification of the product (60) reflected in the one or more images (55), or allocation of attributes to the product (60), it may be determined that the product (60) is an item that is not owned by the user (30) but is a product being considered for purchase by the user (30) (ie. not a product that the user (30) has previously used and is seeking to discard). For example, when the image is captured, it may be determined that the product includes a sale tag and associated bar code and on that basis a determination may be made that the product (60) is not yet purchased. Based on such a determination, the subsequent generation of recommendations to the user (30) may relate solely to those recommendations that are relevant for newly purchased products (eg. “refuse the product”, “buy the product”, and / or “consider this other product for purchase”).

[0065] Similarly, where a product (60) is clearly determined as a product for which instructions are sought by a device (50) associated with sorting or similar hardware (80) in relation to disposal of the product (60), the instructions may be limited solely to those that are likely or known to be interpreted and capable of being actioned by such hardware (80). For example, recommendations to refuse a product, buy a product and / or consider another product for purchase, would not be suitable instructions to be sent to such hardware (80), whereas recycling the product according to a recommended recycling method, or sorting the product so that the product can undergo recycling according to a recommended method, would constitute suitable instructions.

[0066] Figure 4 shows in greater detail Segment 400 of Figure 1 and, in particular, the display of recommendations or instructions which have been specifically generated depending upon the identified nature and / or composition of a product (60) that is the subject of a query received from a data communications device (50). The recommendations or instructions are for reducing waste according to a preferred practice for reducing waste in respect of the particular product (60). For example, a particular product (60) queried by a handheld device (50) of a user (30) may give rise to a refusing recommendation interface (190), a reusing recommendation interface (210), a repurposing recommendation interface (220), a repairing recommendation interface (230), and / or a recycling (or composting) recommendation interface (240). A particular product (60) queried by a device (50) associated with sorting hardware (80) may give rise to a particular recycling instruction interface (240) which would cause corresponding instructions to be sent to the device (50), as described earlier. It is to be understood that additional interfaces relating to one or more additional methods of reducing waste may be generated.

[0067] The automatic selection of a particular recommendation or instruction for reducing waste will be based upon the determined nature and / or composition of materials of which the product (60) is composed. Such recommendations may be provided to the data communications device (50) in response to a query presented by the device (50) using the software application (40). The network may also be used to integrate with external environmental and product databases in order to ensure that the most up-to-date recommendations and instructions are generated and provided to users (30) that reflect the latest recycling technologies or waste management policies. For example, if a new biodegradable packaging material becomes widely accepted, the platform may immediately commence recommending the use of the packaging material as an option for users (30).

[0068] As will become apparent, in addition to being based on the nature and / or composition of materials of which the product (60) is composed, the selection or generation of a recommendation or instruction may take into account other factors such as the location (90) of the device (50). Other factors may include, but are not limited to, information relating to available recycling technologies, local recycling guidelines, the capacity of recycling facilities, etc. This approach ensures that the recommendations andinstructions generated by the platform remain current and accurately reflect evolving waste management practices.

[0069] It will be appreciated that there are various forms in which a recommendation transmitted to a data communications device (50) associated with a user (30) or instruction transmitted to hardware (80) may be provided. In one example, a recommendation is provided through interface (190) along the lines that the user (30) should refuse to purchase the teddy bear on the basis that the nature and / or composition of the teddy bear involves materials that are not environmentally friendly. In this example, the recommendation may further propose an alternative product for purchase, including a direct link to an online retail outlet at which the alternative product is available for purchase (as described in greater detail below with reference to Figure 5).

[0070] In another example, the recommendation may be for the user (30) to re-use a particular product (60) such that interface (210) is presented to the user (30). The re-used recommendation interface (210) may not necessarily be applicable to a teddy bear since the user (30) is likely to be seeking to dispose of the teddy bear, but may be applicable to other products (60) such as takeaway food containers where such containers may be re-used at home.

[0071] A further example of a recommendation that may be provided to a user (30) via interface (220) relates to repurposing of products, wherein a recommendation to repurpose the teddy bear into a child’s handbag may be provided to the user (30).

[0072] In the event that the recommendation is to repair the teddy bear, the interface (230) may present to the user (30) a recommendation to repair the teddy bear (eg. by cleaning or mending the teddy bear, and may also provide links to external sources of information (instructions, etc) which may facilitate the repair of the product (60)).

[0073] If the recommendation to the user (30) (or instruction to a device (50) associated with sorting or similar hardware (80)) relates to recycling (or composting) the teddy bear, or sorting the product (80) in a manner that enables recycling, then an appropriate recommendation or instruction along these lines may be generated through interface (240). For example, based on the nature and / or composition of the teddy bear, the recommendation may be to recycle the product utilising a specialty recycling facility (as also described in greater detail below). Where the hardware (80) is sorting hardware,there may be several sorting options available to the hardware (80) of which one selection may cause the product to be sorted in a manner that causes the teddy bear to be subsequently sent to a specialty recycling facility.

[0074] Users (30) may also be provided with a means of communicating with external third parties including entities that provide local environmental initiatives. For example, if a user (30) has garden waste, the platform may direct them to community composting programs or local gardens that accept waste for composting.

[0075] As mentioned above, where the product (60) is identified as a product that is proposed for purchase by the user (30), the user (30) may be advised to refuse the product and to consider purchasing an alternative product that may be considered more environmentally friendly. Figure 5 shows Segment 500 in greater detail and in particular, a product purchase interface (250) which enables users (30) to navigate to an alternative product page for the purpose of purchasing (via the software application (40)) the alternative product. In other words, in circumstances where a particular product (60) is being considered for purchase by the user (30), the recommendation presented to the user via their device (50) may not necessarily involve waste reduction recommendations such as composting (70) or general disposal (75) (shown by way of example in Figure 5), but may recommend an alternative product for purchase. In this regard, recommendations may be provided to the user (30) regarding whether the user (30) should refuse to purchase a product, including to select a more environmentally friendly alternative for which one or more of the preferred practices for reducing waste applies.

[0076] Accordingly, investigations may be conducted regarding a product (60) proposed for purchase, and depending upon the outcome of those investigations the recommendation presented to the device (50) may be either to purchase the product or to refuse to purchase the product. In this regard, after the platform has been used by several users (30) over time, a database of products and preferred waste reduction techniques may be developed as well as, for example, a rating system for products (60) in relation to their capacity to be disposed of according to one or more of the preferred practices for reducing waste. By applying a rating to individual products (60), users (30) may capture / upload an image of a product, and promptly receive a rating for the product (60) in relation to the product’s suitability for reducing waste. For example, the rating system may be in the form of a star rating.

[0077] In circumstances where alternative products are presented to the user (30) for purchase through interface (250), such products may be presented in the form of links to online retail outlets where the product (60) may be purchased, or the software application (40) may interface with such outlets using an application programming interface (API) that enables such purchases to occur through the services of the software application (40). The payment gateway functionality (120) is configured to facilitate such purchases through appropriate communications with financial institutions associated with the user (30) and the retailer of such products (60).

[0078] Also shown in Figure 5 is an example of hardware (80) that includes a data communications device configured to receive instructions from server (20) regarding recycling a product (60) or sorting the product (60) for recycling according to a recommended method. In the example shown, the hardware is an industrial sorting system (80) in which products (60) processed through the system (80) are sorted according to a determined best practice to address waste associated with the product (60). Images of products may be captured as they are processed through system (80), and the server (20) may communicate with a device (50) (eg. a central controller associated with the sorting system (80)) to appropriately sort the products according to the determined best practice to address waste associated with each product (60).

[0079] In other words, not only is the present computer-implemented network and method useful for individual users (30) who may access the software application (40) via their device (50) to assess individual products, but the platform may also be integrated into an industrial or home sorting system such that multiple products (60) may be automatically sorted based upon determinations made with respect to best practice to address waste associated with each of those products (60). Another example of such a device (50) is a smart rubbish bin (or trash can) located in a residential home which may be configured to capture an image of waste placed in the bin with instructions generated substantially in real-time to divert particular waste products (60) into one of multiple bin compartments (not shown) (eg. a general waste compartment, a compostable waste compartment, etc). Similar sorting may occur at a recycling or similar facility used to process waste products where a conveyor belt or robotic arm in an industrial facility could automatically divert items into the appropriate bin or storage area. One or more artificial intelligence techniques may be utilized to operate with such hardware to automaticallysort waste based on its nature and composition and other relevant factors such as local recycling guidelines.

[0080] Accordingly, the skilled addressee will appreciate that a digital waste platform is provided which is not only operable to provide recommendations to individuals regarding how to dispose of products and product packaging, but which is also operable to provide instructions to hardware systems responsible for sorting and disposing of waste products. In this way, the platform not only generates waste reduction recommendations according to user-uploaded images, but may also interact directly with industrial or home-based sorting equipment to ensure that waste removal recommendations are implemented in respect of the products.

[0081] The interface between the digital platform and a device (50) associated with physical hardware such as sorting equipment (80) may incorporate communication protocols that enable the server (20) to engage in such interaction. For example, the platform may use widely accepted protocols such as RESTful APIs, WebSocket, or specialized industrial automation protocols to ensure smooth transmission of product identification data and recommended disposal methods.

[0082] Additional data such as user interaction data and regional recycling guidelines may influence the recommendations presented to user devices (50) and / or the operational instructions transmitted to hardware devices (50). For example, by using one or more artificial intelligence techniques, the platform may provide devices (50) with more personalized recommendations for waste reduction. For example, if a user (30) frequently disposes electronic items, the recommendation generated may include suggestions regarding local e-waste recycling programs or DIY projects for repurposing old electronics.

[0083] By utilising historical data on product purchases and disposals, future waste generation trends may be predicted which would enable the generation of proactive recommendations or instructions for waste reduction. For example, such recommendations may include a suggestion to switch to products with longer lifespans or offering bulk purchasing options to reduce packaging waste. Personalized waste management and reduction plans may be generated for users (30) based on, for example, their consumption patterns and local disposal options. For example, a user frequentlydiscarding food waste could give rise to a recommendation to start a composting practice at home, including providing guides and local composting resources.

[0084] Figure 6 shows Segment 600 of Figure 1 in greater detail and in particular, an example of different recycling recommendation I instruction interfaces (240) that may be presented to a device (50) depending upon which particular recycling method represents best practice to address waste associated with a particular product (60). For example, depending on the particular nature and / or composition of a particular product (60), the recommendation or instruction may be to place such components in a household plastic recycling bin. Alternatively, where the nature and / or composition is such that the product (60) may not be compostable in home compost but may be compostable under industrial conditions, the recommendation or instruction may be to send the product to landfill or sort the product in a manner that ensures it is sent to landfill. In a further alternative embodiment, the nature and / or composition of the product (60) may be such that the most appropriate means of reducing waste with respect to disposal of the product (60) is through a specialty recycling facility. In this regard, the user (30) may be provided with selectable links to organisations seeking to receive products from users (30) for the purpose of reducing waste with respect to the disposal of the products (60) including by utilising one or more of the preferred practices for reducing waste.

[0085] A blockchain may be implemented to allow the creation of a transparent and secure record of the recycling process. This would enable users (30) to view how their disposed items are recycled or reused, or sorted for such purposes, enhancing trust in recycling programs and encouraging greater participation amongst users (30). A blockchain ledger could be used to record each step in the waste reduction process, from the moment a product image is uploaded to the final disposal or recycling stage, and each transaction may be appended to the ledger as an immutable record.

[0086] It will be understood that other devices and interfaces may be utilized by users (30) to access information relating to recycling method recommendations and / or instructions, including through the use of artificial intelligence (Al) techniques. For example, a user (30) may be prompted by their smartphone (50) to direct their smartphone camera to a product (60), and information and recommendations may be overlaid on the user display, including how to recycle, repurpose, etc, the item, providing an interactive and engaging user experience. The platform may also include accessibilityand inclusivity features to make the platform more accessible to people with disabilities, including the provision of voice commands for users (30) with visual impairments or simplified interfaces for users with cognitive disabilities.

[0087] The current location (90) of the device (50) may also be utilised, including for the purpose of providing details to the user (30) regarding a method of returning a product to an organisation and / or manufacturer prepared to dispose of the product (60) according to preferred practices. A destination address and / or collection point may be provided as part of the recommendation to the user (30), wherein such locations are located within close proximity to the current user location (90).

[0088] Furthermore, using advanced machine learning algorithms (eg. Google DeepMind, etc), users (30) may be provided with the most convenient locations for recycling or disposing of items based on substantially real-time data. For example, if a user (30) prefers to recycle electronics, the network could direct the user (30) to the nearest facility with the shortest queue times, based on their current location (90), facility operating hours, etc.

[0089] A machine learning model or similar may also be utilized for analyzing product materials, lifecycle, and disposal options with a view to assigning sustainability ratings to the products. In this regard, users (30) may scan a product to display a “sustainability score” that takes into account the product’s environmental impact, thereby assisting users (30) to make more eco-conscious purchasing decisions. Further, users (30) may be prompted to share their experiences regarding their efforts to reduce waste associated with the disposal of products (60), as well as the selection of their particular products for purchase. In this regard, the software application may integrate with one or more social media accounts associated with the user (30). For example, a user (30) who repurposes an old tyre (not shown) into a garden planter could share such an innovative idea through the software application (40), thereby inspiring others in the community.

[0090] Users (30) may also be incentivized by being rewarded for sustainable practices, satisfying a sharing goal, etc. For example, a points system may be utilised whereby a user (30) will earn points for correctly disposing of, reusing, recycling items, etc, or for participating in events such as community clean-up events, which could be redeemed for discounts on sustainable products.

[0091] Figure 7 shows Segment 700 of Figure 1 in greater detail and,= in particular, an example of a search interface (260) which represents a search facility for users (30), enabling users (30) to conduct searches of products (60) for which details are stored in one or more databases associated with the device (50) and / or central server (20), including the database (65) of known products, to determine the extent to which particular products are contributing to reducing user waste. This may also result in the provision of advice and / or recommendations regarding possible uses of the product (60) and associated packaging (particularly products intended for single use packaging). Such searches may be conducted using keywords, image searches, etc.

[0092] The search facility may provide users with the ability to search through stored recommendations or instructions for reducing waste associated with particular products (60), thereby providing a reverse search facility. According to an example, the database may store information relating to a fitted bed sheet which is packaged and sold in a clear plastic zipped pocket, and may have an associated recommendation to repurpose the clear plastic zipped pocket for the purpose of car organisation (eg. to hold bungee straps that are used to secure items to roof racks). In this way, if a user (30) conducts a search through interface (260) for products that may be utilised for “car organisation”, the fitted bedsheet may appear in the list of relevant search results. In the event that the user (30) also happens to require a fitted bedsheet (in addition to a product that may be used for car organisation purposes), the user (30) may select a single product for purchase (i.e. the fitted bedsheet), rather than two products, since the packaging associated with the fitted bedsheet may be repurposed accordingly. In this way, it will be appreciated that the use of the present platform may also result in more efficient and cost-effective purchasing practices by consumers, which also has positive impacts upon the environment and the preservation of computing resources.

[0093] Users (30) may also be provided with insights into the impact of their waste reduction efforts, both personally and at a community level. For example, the platform may be used to track the amount of waste (30) that has been diverted from landfill over time and present tangible environmental benefits to the user (30), including reduced carbon emissions. One or more artificial intelligence techniques may also be utilized to aggregate and analyse data generated by the platform to identify key areas where waste management policies could be improved. In one example, recommendations may begenerated and presented to users (30) that enable users (30) to reduce packaging waste in certain product categories or suggestions for enhancing local recycling facilities.

[0094] Data may be fed back to the server (20) in order to improve the accuracy of recommendations provided to users (30) and instructions provided to hardware systems (80). For example, physical sorting devices (such as those associated with home smart bins, industrial sorting equipment (80), etc) can be configured to transmit feedback data to the server (20) confirming whether products (60) have been correctly sorted according to the generated recommendations or instructions. Such feedback data may be automatically generated in some instances, and in other instances, the data may be uploaded by users (eg. operators) of the devices (50) and equipment (80).

[0095] In one example, in addition to using an image capture device to capture an image of a product in order to initially identify the product, a further image capture device may be subsequently utilised to capture images of sorted products. Where it is recognized (eg. through the use of one or more image recognition techniques) that a product has been sorted incorrectly, such data may be automatically transmitted in substantially real-time to the server (20) for processing. A smart bin may include similarly configured image capture devices. It will be appreciated that receiving and processing such data enables a determination to be made regarding why the product was incorrectly sorted. For example, this could be based upon an inaccurate capturing and / or interpretation of images of the product prior to sorting. Through the use of machine learning, the platform can use the data to ensure that similar sorting errors do not occur in future.

[0096] In another example, processing feedback data may result in a determination that a sorting error occurred due to an initial image of a product captured at an angle that gave rise to an incorrect identification of the product. By processing feedback data reflecting the incorrect sorting of a product, the initial image capture of products to determine the identity of the product may be adjusted to ensure that the products are correctly identified in future. For example, a recommendation provided to a user device (50) or an instruction provided to a device (50) associated with sorting equipment (80) may suggest that an image is captured from a different angle, or that multiple images from multiple different angles are captured. In this way, the platform learns from any sorting discrepancies or errors and incorporates insights to continuously refine the accuracy of future recommendations and instructions.

[0097] The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in whole through a machine that executes computer software, program codes, and / or instructions on a processor. The processor may be part of a server, cloud server, client, network infrastructure, mobile computing platform, stationary computing platform, or other computing platform. A processor may be any kind of computational or processing device capable of executing program instructions, codes, binary instructions and the like. The processor may be or include a signal processor, digital processor, embedded processor, microprocessor or any variant such as a co-processor (math co-processor, graphic coprocessor, communication co-processor and the like) and the like that may directly or indirectly facilitate execution of program code or program instructions stored thereon. In addition, the processor may enable execution of multiple programs, threads, and codes. The threads may be executed simultaneously to enhance the performance of the processor and to facilitate simultaneous operations of the application. By way of implementation, methods, program codes, program instructions and the like described herein may be implemented in one or more threads. The thread may spawn other threads that may have assigned priorities associated with them; the processor may execute these threads based on priority or any other order based on instructions provided in the program code. The processor may include memory that stores methods, codes, instructions and programs as described herein and elsewhere. The processor may access a storage medium through an interface that may store methods, codes, and instructions as described herein and elsewhere. The storage medium associated with the processor for storing methods, programs, codes, program instructions or other type of instructions capable of being executed by the computing or processing device may include but may not be limited to one or more of a CD-ROM, DVD, memory, hard disk, flash drive, RAM, ROM, cache and the like.

[0098] A processor may include one or more cores that may enhance speed and performance of a multiprocessor. In some embodiments, the process may be a dual core processor, quad core processors, other chip-level multiprocessor and the like that combine two or more independent cores (called a die).

[0099] The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in whole through a machine that executes computer software on a server, cloud server, client, firewall, gateway, hub, router, or other such computer and / or networking hardware. Thesoftware program may be associated with a server that may include a file server, print server, domain server, internet server, intranet server and other variants such as secondary server, host server, distributed server and the like. The server may include one or more of memories, processors, computer readable media, storage media, ports (physical and virtual), communication devices, and interfaces capable of accessing other servers, clients, machines, and devices through a wired or a wireless medium, and the like. The methods, programs or codes as described herein and elsewhere may be executed by the server. In addition, other devices required for execution of methods as described in this application may be considered as a part of the infrastructure associated with the server.

[0100] The server may provide an interface to other devices including, without limitation, clients, other servers, printers, database servers, print servers, file servers, communication servers, distributed servers and the like. Additionally, this coupling and / or connection may facilitate remote execution of programs across the network. The networking of some or all of these devices may facilitate parallel processing of a program or method at one or more locations without deviating from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, any of the devices attached to the server through an interface may include at least one storage medium capable of storing methods, programs, code and / or instructions. A central repository may provide program instructions to be executed on different devices. In this implementation, the remote repository may act as a storage medium for program code, instructions, and programs.

[0101] The software program may be associated with a client that may include a file client, print client, domain client, internet client, intranet client and other variants such as secondary client, host client, distributed client and the like. The client may include one or more of memories, processors, computer readable media, storage media, ports (physical and virtual), communication devices, and interfaces capable of accessing other clients, servers, machines, and devices through a wired or a wireless medium, and the like. The methods, programs or codes as described herein and elsewhere may be executed by the client. In addition, other devices required for execution of methods as described in this application may be considered as a part of the infrastructure associated with the client.

[0102] The client may provide an interface to other devices including, without limitation, servers, other clients, printers, database servers, print servers, file servers,communication servers, distributed servers and the like. Additionally, this coupling and / or connection may facilitate remote execution of programs across the network. The networking of some or all of these devices may facilitate parallel processing of a program or method at one or more locations without deviating from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, any of the devices attached to the client through an interface may include at least one storage medium capable of storing methods, programs, applications, code and / or instructions. A central repository may provide program instructions to be executed on different devices. In this implementation, the remote repository may act as a storage medium for program code, instructions, and programs.

[0103] The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in whole through network infrastructures. The network infrastructure may include elements such as computing devices, servers, routers, hubs, firewalls, clients, personal computers, communication devices, routing devices and other active and passive devices, modules and / or components as known in the art. The computing and / or non-computing device(s) associated with the network infrastructure may include, apart from other components, a storage medium such as flash memory, buffer, stack, RAM, ROM and the like. The processes, methods, program codes, instructions described herein and elsewhere may be executed by one or more of the network infrastructural elements.

[0104] The methods, program codes, and instructions described herein and elsewhere may be implemented in different devices which may operate in wired or wireless networks. Examples of wireless networks include 4th Generation (4G) networks (e.g., Long-Term Evolution (LTE)) or 5th Generation (5G) networks, as well as non-cellular networks such as Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). However, the principles described therein may equally apply to other types of networks.

[0105] The operations, methods, programs codes, and instructions described herein and elsewhere may be implemented on or through mobile devices. The mobile devices may include navigation devices, cell phones, mobile phones, mobile personal digital assistants, laptops, palmtops, netbooks, pagers, electronic books readers, music players and the like. These devices may include, apart from other components, a storage medium such as a flash memory, buffer, RAM, ROM and one or more computing devices. The computing devices associated with mobile devices may be enabled to execute program codes, methods, and instructions stored thereon. Alternatively, the mobile devices maybe configured to execute instructions in collaboration with other devices. The mobile devices may communicate with base stations interfaced with servers and configured to execute program codes. The mobile devices may communicate on a peer-to-peer network, mesh network, or other communications network. The program code may be stored on the storage medium associated with the server and executed by a computing device embedded within the server. The base station may include a computing device and a storage medium. The storage device may store program codes and instructions executed by the computing devices associated with the base station.

[0106] The computer software, program codes, and / or instructions may be stored and / or accessed on machine readable media that may include: computer components, devices, and recording media that retain digital data used for computing for some interval of time; semiconductor storage known as random access memory (RAM); mass storage typically for more permanent storage, such as optical discs, forms of magnetic storage like hard disks, tapes, drums, cards and other types; processor registers, cache memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory; optical storage such as CD, DVD; removable media such as flash memory (eg. USB sticks or keys), floppy disks, magnetic tape, paper tape, punch cards, standalone RAM disks, Zip drives, removable mass storage, off-line, and the like; other computer memory such as dynamic memory, static memory, read / write storage, mutable storage, read only, random access, sequential access, location addressable, file addressable, content addressable, network attached storage, storage area network, bar codes, magnetic ink, and the like.

[0107] The methods and systems described herein may transform physical and / or intangible items from one state to another. The methods and systems described herein may also transform data representing physical and / or intangible items from one state to another, such as from usage data to a normalized usage dataset.

[0108] The elements described and depicted herein, including in flow charts and block diagrams throughout the figures, imply logical boundaries between the elements. However, according to software or hardware engineering practices, the depicted elements and the functions thereof may be implemented on machines through computer executable media having a processor capable of executing program instructions stored thereon as a monolithic software structure, as standalone software modules, or as modules that employ external routines, code, services, and so forth, or any combinationof these, and all such implementations may be within the scope of the present disclosure. Examples of such machines may include, but may not be limited to, personal digital assistants, laptops, personal computers, mobile phones, other handheld computing devices, medical equipment, wired or wireless communication devices, transducers, chips, calculators, satellites, tablet PCs, electronic books, gadgets, electronic devices, devices having artificial intelligence, computing devices, networking equipment, servers, routers and the like. Furthermore, the elements depicted in the flow chart and block diagrams or any other logical component may be implemented on a machine capable of executing program instructions. Thus, while the foregoing drawings and descriptions set forth functional aspects of the disclosed systems, no particular arrangement of software for implementing these functional aspects should be inferred from these descriptions unless explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context. Similarly, it will be appreciated that the various steps identified and described above may be varied, and that the order of steps may be adapted to particular applications of the techniques disclosed herein. All such variations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. As such, the depiction and / or description of an order for various steps should not be understood to require a particular order of execution for those steps, unless required by a particular application, or explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context.

[0109] The methods and / or processes described above, and steps thereof, may be realized in hardware, software or any combination of hardware and software suitable for a particular application. The hardware may include a general-purpose computer and / or dedicated computing device or specific computing device or particular aspect or component of a specific computing device. The processes may be realized in one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors or other programmable devices, along with internal and / or external memory. The processes may also, or instead, be embodied in an application specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array, programmable array logic, or any other device or combination of devices that may be configured to process electronic signals. It will further be appreciated that one or more of the processes may be realized as a computer executable code capable of being executed on a machine-readable medium.

[0110] The computer executable code may be created using a structured programming language such as C, an object oriented programming language such as C++, or any otherhigh-level or low-level programming language (including assembly languages, hardware description languages, and database programming languages and technologies) that may be stored, compiled or interpreted to run on one of the above devices, as well as heterogeneous combinations of processors, processor architectures, or combinations of different hardware and software, or any other machine capable of executing program instructions.

[0111] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the relevant field of technology that numerous variations and / or modifications may be made to the invention as detailed in the embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive.

[0112] Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” and “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated feature or step, or group of features or steps, but not the exclusion of any other feature or step or group of features or steps.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A data communications network including connected data communications devices and a method of operating same to manage product related waste, the method including: receiving, by one or more processors, a request from a data communications device, the request including one or more images including an image of one or more products for which information is sought regarding reducing waste with respect to the product(s); applying, by one or more processors, one or more visual recognition techniques to the received image(s); based on applying the one or more visual recognition techniques, allocating, by one or more processors, attributes to the product(s) extracted from the received image(s), including one or more of: a product type, a material, or materials, of which each product is composed, a colour of each product, a size of each product, and any identifying information obtained from the image(s) of each product; interrogating, by one or more processors, a database of known products to determine a match between the allocated attributes of each product as compared with the database of known products, the database of known products including information sufficient to enable determination or confirmation of a nature and composition of materials of which each matching product is composed; and providing, by one or more processors, based on the determination or confirmation of the nature and composition of materials of which each product is composed, information in response to the request including one or more recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to each product.

2. A data communications network according to claim 1 , wherein the data communications device is associated with a user, recommendations for reducing waste with respect to each product are transmitted to the data communications device, the recommendations including one or more of: refusing the product, reusing the product, repurposing the product, repairing the product, recycling the product, composting the product, disposing of the product, or taking additional action(s) with respect to one or more of the above.

3. A data communications network according to claim 2, wherein the recommendation is to refuse a product, the recommended additional action includes one or more of: correspond with the retailer of the product, write an online review with respect to the retailer of the product, choose an alternative retailer, commence a petition with a relevant authority regarding products sold by the retailer.

4. A data communications network according to claim 3, wherein the one or more received images relate to product(s) proposed to be purchased by the user, the method further includes: conducting, by one or more processors, investigations regarding disposal of waste associated with the product once used, andproviding, by one or more processors, one or more additional recommendations to the user with respect to whether the user should refuse to purchase the product and select a more environmentally friendly alternative for which one or more of the preferred practices for reducing waste applies.

5. A data communications network according to either claim 2 or claim 4, wherein the recommendation is to re-use a product, the recommended additional action includes one or more of: return to the retailer so that the product can be re-used at the retailer; take the product so that the product can be re-used in other settings.

6. A data communications network according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the recommendation is to re-purpose a product, the recommended additional action includes repurposing the product in a manner that assists the user with respect to home organisation.

7. A data communications network according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the recommendation is to repair a product, the recommended additional actions include one or more of: determine whether any replacement parts are available, or determine whether there is an organisation nearby who assists in providing replacement parts or repair services.

8. A data communications network according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the recommendation is to recycle or compost a product, the recommended additional actions include one or more of: sort components that are made of polypropylene and place such components in a dedicated recycling bin, use a specialty recycling facility, seek information regarding the carbon footprint associated with different recycling methods,seek advice regarding biodegradability of the product, seek confirmation that the product is not recyclable and is destined for landfill, seek a method of returning the product to an organisation and / or manufacturer to enable the organisation and / or manufacturer to dispose of the product according to one or more of the preferred practices for reducing.

9. A data communications network according to claim 8, wherein a user seeks a method of returning the product to an organization and / or manufacturer, the method further includes: prompting the user or the data communications device of the user to provide current location details; and providing, by one or more processors, details to the user regarding the method of returning the product to an organisation and / or manufacturer to enable the user to dispose of the product according to one or more of the preferred practices for reducing waste, including providing a destination address and / or collection point located within close proximity of the current user location.

10. A data communications network according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the method further includes: providing, by one or more processors, a search facility to the user which enables the user to conduct text and / or image searches of products for which details are stored in the database of known products to determine the extent to which particular products are contributing to reducing user waste, including advice and / or recommendations for reducing waste.1 1. A data communications network according to claim 1 , wherein the data communications device is associated with a hardware system for sorting and / or disposing of waste products, instructions for reducing waste with respect to each product are transmitted to the data communications device associated with the hardware, the instructions including one or more of: recycle the product,compost the product, dispose of the product, or sort the product according to one or more of the above.

12. A data communications network according to claim 1 1 , wherein the hardware system is: a home sorting system operable to sort waste products into different categories according to a determined best practice to address waste associated with the product, or industrial sorting equipment operable to sort waste products into different categories according to a determined best practice to address waste associated with the product.

13. A data communications network according to claim 12, wherein the home sorting system is a smart trash can or rubbish bin.

14. A data communications network according to claim 13, wherein the industrial sorting equipment is associated with a recycling facility.

15. A data communications network according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to each product are generated using one or more machine learning models, and in addition to receiving image(s) of a product for which information is sought regarding reducing waste with respect to the product, the method further includes: receiving, by one or more processors, one or more further images of the product after the product has undergone sorting and / or disposal according to the generated recommendation or instruction for reducing waste with respect to the product; and applying, by one or more processors, one or more visual recognition techniques to the further image(s) to identify whether the product was sorted or disposed of correctly; and based on determining that the product was not sorted or disposed of correctly, generating data confirming same and feeding said data into the one or more machinelearning models to improve future recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to products.

16. A data communications network according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further includes: establishing, by one or more processors, a communication link with one or more additional product databases when applying the one or more visual recognition techniques fails to allocate sufficient attributes to each product to determine a match with a product stored in the database of known products, or when a match cannot be established with a product stored in the database of known products.

17. A data communications network according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recommendations or instructions for reducing waste are based upon a preferred practice for reducing waste in respect of the particular product.

18. A data communications network according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further includes: establishing, by one or more processors, a rating system for products in relation to their ability to be disposed of according to one or more of the preferred practices for reducing waste, and applying, by one or more processors, a rating to individual products thereby enabling the data communications device to promptly receive a rating for the product in relation to the product’s suitability for reducing waste.

19. A computer-implemented system for managing product related waste, the system including: one or more processors operable to: receive a request from a data communications device, the request including one or more images including an image of one or more products for which information is sought regarding reducing waste with respect to the product(s); apply one or more visual recognition techniques to the received image(s);based on applying the one or more visual recognition techniques, allocate attributes to the product(s) extracted from the received image(s), including one or more of: a product type, a material, or materials, of which each product is composed, a colour of each product, a size of each product, and any identifying information obtained from the image(s) of each product; interrogate a database of known products to determine a match between the allocated attributes of each product as compared with the database of known products, the database of known products including information sufficient to enable determination or confirmation of a nature and composition of materials of which each matching product is composed; and provide, based on the determination or confirmation of the nature and composition of materials of which each product is composed, information in response to the request including one or more recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to each product.

20. A computer-readable medium including a plurality of computer instruction codes stored therein that, when executed on one or more processors of a data communications network, cause the network to perform the steps of: receiving a request from a data communications device, the request including one or more images including an image of one or more products for which information is sought regarding reducing waste with respect to the product(s); applying one or more visual recognition techniques to the received image(s); based up applying the one or more visual recognition techniques, allocating attributes to the product(s) extracted from the received image(s), including one or more of: a product type, a material, or materials, of which each product is composed, a colour of each product, a size of each product, and any identifying information obtained from the image(s) of each product;interrogating a database of known products to determine a match between the allocated attributes of each product as compared with the database of known products, the database of known products including information sufficient to enable determination or confirmation of a nature and composition of materials of which each matching product is composed; and providing, based on the determination or confirmation of the nature and composition of materials of which each product is composed, information in response to the request including one or more recommendations or instructions for reducing waste with respect to each product.

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