Recyclable material sorting apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

A recyclable material sorting apparatus and a control method thereof are disclosed. The present disclosure includes acquiring an image obtained by capturing a tray into which a recyclable material is put, analyzing the acquired image, and outputting an alarm requesting a user to remove mixed heterogeneous recyclable materials when a ratio by which heterogeneous recyclable materials are mixed in a plurality of put recyclable materials is equal to or greater than a preset ratio. Through this, it is possible to induce correct waste separation and discharge, thereby enabling user cooperation-based waste separation and discharge, reducing reprocessing costs of recyclable materials, and improving an actual recycling rate.

Description

Recyclable material sorting device and control method thereof

[0001] This specification relates to a device for classifying recyclables and a method for controlling the same.

[0002] According to the "2022 Survey on Waste Generation, Treatment, and Circular Use" under the "National Waste Generation and Treatment Status," waste is classified into household waste and industrial waste (general industrial waste, construction waste, and designated (medical) waste). Among these, household waste accounts for the largest share of emissions at 43.5%, and the recycling rate for household waste reaches 59.8%. This is the result of the manual labor and effort involved in the procedures of collecting, transporting, and reprocessing (sorting) recyclable waste. Accordingly, various products are being launched and research and development is underway to facilitate the sorting and collection of waste or recyclables. To increase the actual recycling rate, it is crucial to separate and dispose of only recyclable waste and to improve the efficiency of collection, transportation, and sorting.

[0003] In particular, in addition to the current method of manually sorting recyclables, various products (devices) designed to maximize collection efficiency are being provided in conjunction with public facilities.

[0004] Currently, devices for sorting and / or collecting recyclables are designed to input recyclables one type at a time.

[0005] The present specification aims to solve the aforementioned problem by providing a recycling sorting device and a control method thereof that can simultaneously input and sort multiple recyclables and induce active participation and cooperation from users by providing feedback on whether the separation and disposal have been carried out correctly.

[0006] The technical problems that this specification aims to solve are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned technical problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which this specification belongs from the detailed description of the invention below.

[0007] A recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification comprises: a housing containing a collection bin and a tray for recycling; an image acquisition unit for acquiring an image of a recycling item fed into the tray; a user interface unit provided on the front of the housing and capable of interacting with a user; and a processor that acquires analysis information by analyzing the image, and, when it is determined based on the analysis information that the mixed state of heterogeneous recycling items exceeds a preset ratio, controls the output of an alarm including guide information to induce the removal of the heterogeneous recycling items through the user interface unit, and switches the tray to a loading preparation state so that the recycling items can be loaded into the collection bin according to the mixed state of the heterogeneous recycling items.

[0008] A recycling sorting device according to another embodiment of the present specification comprises: a housing containing a collection bin and a tray for recycling; an image acquisition unit for acquiring an image of a recycling item fed into the tray; a user interface unit provided on the front of the housing and capable of interacting with a user; and a processor that acquires analysis information by analyzing the image, and, when it is determined based on the analysis information that a heterogeneous recycling item has been fed in, controls the output of an alarm including guide information that induces the removal of the heterogeneous recycling item by visually changing the location information of the heterogeneous recycling item to be removed through the user interface unit, and switches the tray to a loading preparation state so that the recycling item can be loaded into the collection bin according to the mixing state of the heterogeneous recycling item.

[0009] A control method for a recycling sorting device according to another embodiment of the present specification comprises, in a method for sorting recyclables through a recycling sorting device: receiving a request to input recyclables; acquiring an image of a tray into which at least one recyclable is input; outputting an alarm containing guide information to induce the removal of said recyclables through a user interface unit when, based on analysis information obtained by analyzing the acquired image, the mixing state of said recyclables exceeds a preset ratio; and switching the tray to a loading preparation state so that said recyclables can be loaded into a collection container according to the mixing state of said recyclables.

[0010]

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present specification, by increasing the rate of proper separation and disposal to stably and continuously collect high-quality recyclables, the cost of reprocessing recyclables can be reduced and the actual recycling rate can be improved.

[0012] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present specification, education on the separation and disposal of recyclables may be provided by improving the user's awareness of proper separation and disposal while using the recyclable sorting device.

[0013] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present specification, more accurate statistical processing and data analysis regarding the generation and processing volume of recyclables (waste) are possible through a recyclable sorting device and an operating device that operates and manages the same. This can serve as a basis for the implementation of active policies and projects to establish and revitalize a resource circulation system.

[0014] The effects obtainable in this specification are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which this specification belongs from the description below.

[0015] The accompanying drawings, included as part of the detailed description to aid in understanding the present specification, provide embodiments of the present specification and explain the technical features of the present specification together with the detailed description.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a drawing for illustrating a recycling sorting system according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0017] FIGS. 2a and 2b are drawings for explaining the appearance of a recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a waiting state for recycling input in response to a recycling input request according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an image of a recyclable material placed in a tray and an image analysis result according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0021] FIGS. 6 to 8 are examples of drawings for explaining the process of loading recyclables classified inside a recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification into a collection container.

[0022] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a recycling classification method according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0023] FIG. 10 is a drawing for explaining a method of classifying recyclables when different types of recyclables are input according to one embodiment of the specification.

[0024] FIG. 11 is an example of user input history information using a recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0025] FIG. 12 is an example of user input history information managed by an external server managing a recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0026] The accompanying drawings, included as part of the detailed description to aid in understanding the present specification, provide embodiments of the present specification and explain the technical features of the present specification together with the detailed description.

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Identical or similar components regardless of drawing symbols are assigned the same reference number, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. The suffixes "module" and "part" used for components in the following description are assigned or used interchangeably solely for the ease of drafting the specification and do not inherently possess distinct meanings or roles. Furthermore, in describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, if it is determined that a detailed description of related prior art could obscure the essence of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, such detailed description will be omitted. Additionally, the attached drawings are intended only to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification; the technical concept disclosed in this specification is not limited by the attached drawings, and it should be understood that they include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and technical scope of the invention.

[0028] Terms including ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but said components are not limited by said terms. These terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0029] When it is stated that one component is "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that while it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, there may also be other components in between. On the other hand, when it is stated that one component is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0030] Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0031] In this specification, terms such as “comprising” or “having” are intended to indicate the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not excluding in advance the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0032] For the convenience of explanation, this specification defines and uses terms as follows.

[0033] In this specification, the tray forms a space for a user to hold recyclables for using the device, and the analysis information provided as a result of image analysis may include at least one of the type, number, weight information, location information, size information, mixing ratio of heterogeneous recyclables, and information on non-allowed objects of recyclables placed in the tray.

[0034] In this specification, non-allowed objects may refer to objects (recyclables) that have been classified in advance for collection in a recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of this specification. The types of non-allowed objects may be changed according to the settings of the recycling sorting device.

[0035] In this specification, "input" means that a user puts recyclables into or adds them to a tray while in a waiting state for input.

[0036] In addition, "loading" refers to the process in which a tray is moved to a specific collection bin with at least one recyclable item placed in it, and the recyclable item is collected in the specific collection bin. Here, the tray is placed on the upper part of the collection bin and moves horizontally to be loaded into a collection bin corresponding to the type of recyclable item, and the positional relationship between the tray and the collection bin inside the housing of the recyclable sorting device will be described in more detail later with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8.

[0037] In addition, for the convenience of explanation, the process of separating and disposing of recyclables in this specification may be described by broadly dividing it into 1) a waiting state for input and 2) a loading preparation state.

[0038] 1) The term "putting waiting state" may refer to a state in which, when a tray is provided in response to a user's input request, a user inserts a recyclable item into the tray, and it is determined through video analysis whether the item is in a collectible state. Therefore, as a result of video analysis in response to a user's input request, the insertion may be rejected while in the putting waiting state.

[0039] 2) The term "loading preparation state" may mean a state in which input is permitted as a result of image analysis in the above-mentioned input waiting state, and the transfer of the tray by the transfer unit begins.

[0040] A recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification performs image analysis on recyclables contained in a tray while in an input waiting state, and determines whether it can proceed to a loading preparation state based on the image analysis results. If, based on the image analysis results, a certain amount of heterogeneous recyclables is mixed in, the device outputs an alarm instructing the user to remove the heterogeneous recyclables, thereby guiding proper separation and disposal of recyclables.

[0041] FIG. 1 is a drawing for illustrating a recycling sorting system according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 1, a recycling sorting system according to one embodiment of the present specification may include a recycling sorting device (100: 100a, 100n), an external operating device (200), a shooting device (10), and a user terminal (20).

[0043] The recycling sorting device (100) is a device capable of sorting and collecting different types of recyclables through image analysis. However, the recycling sorting device (100) includes a tray into which a user can input recyclables, and can be operated to enable normal collection only when the recyclables input into the tray are of the same type. Here, the term "recyclables of the same type" may include not only recyclables of the same type among the input recyclables, but also a pre-set range of mixed recyclables of different types.

[0044] Multiple recycling sorting devices (100a, 100n) may be installed and operated at least one in at least one site and may be connected to an operating device (200) via a communication network.

[0045] The operating device (200) can receive the collection history of recyclables in real time from the plurality of recyclable sorting devices (100a, 100n). The operating device (200) can manage the recyclable input history information of a user using a specific recyclable sorting device (100), including user identification information and analysis information obtained by analyzing images of recyclables from the recyclable sorting device (100). Meanwhile, the operating device (200) can manage mileage, penalty information, etc., for a user using the recyclable sorting device (100).

[0046] The above operating device (200) can learn an object recognition model (recyclable item recognition model) applied to image analysis performed in the recycling sorting device (100), and provide the learned object recognition model to the recycling sorting device (100). The operating device (200) can acquire data necessary for learning (image data of recyclable items allowed for input or image data of all recyclable items regardless of whether input is allowed) or collect new data in real time to collect a learning data set of the system. The operating device (200) can use the collected data to train the recyclable item recognition model.

[0047] Meanwhile, although it is assumed that the above-mentioned recycling recognition model is learned in the operating device (200) and transmitted to the recycling sorting device (100), as described above, the present specification may also have a data learning unit for learning the recycling recognition model manufactured in the form of at least one hardware chip and mounted on the recycling sorting device.

[0048] A shooting device (10) is installed near the recycling sorting device (100) and can capture video of the overall situation in which the recycling sorting device (100) is used. The shooting device (10) may be an electronic device for shooting that is placed at a fixed position in a specific location, or it may include an electronic device for shooting that can move automatically or manually along a certain path. The shooting device (10) may be an IP camera that is connected to a wired or wireless internet. The shooting device (10) may be a PTZ camera that has pan, tilt, and zoom functions. The shooting device (10) may monitor the input situation, collection situation, and response behavior of the user when a warning alarm is output while using the recycling sorting device (100), and transmit this information to the operating device (200).

[0049] A user terminal (20) is a terminal possessed by a user who intends to separate and collect recyclables using a recyclable sorting device (100) according to one embodiment of the present specification, and is a device that allows the user to check usage history, such as login or mileage, for use. Additionally, the user terminal (20) can connect to an operating device (200) and / or a management server managed by the operating device (200) through a communication network to perform user registration procedures, authentication procedures, etc. According to one embodiment, a specific application for using the recyclable sorting device (100) may be installed on the user terminal (20). By running the application installed on the user terminal (20), the user can check statistical data, mileage information, penalty information, etc., related to the usage status of a specific recyclable sorting device (100). The user terminal (20) may be a known computing device such as any type of handheld-based mobile terminal device, such as a smartphone, smartpad, or tablet PC.

[0050] FIGS. 2a and 2b are drawings for explaining the appearance of a recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 2a, a recycling sorting device (100) according to one embodiment of the present specification includes a housing (H), a user interface part (I) provided on the front of the housing (H) and capable of interacting with a user, and a door (D) provided on at least a part of the front of the housing (H). The housing (H) contains a plurality of collection bins (e.g., CAN, GLASS, PET, PLASTIC) into which recyclables inserted by a user can be loaded according to type. Information (text and / or graphic objects) capable of recognizing the type of recyclable to be collected may be displayed together on the outer surface of the housing (H) corresponding to each collection bin.

[0052] The user interface unit (I) may include an input unit (e.g., touch screen, touch pad, microphone, etc.) into which information can be input by a user who wishes to use the recycling sorting device (100), an output unit (e.g., display, speaker) that provides guidance information for inputting recyclables, guidance information for removing mixed recyclables, etc., and an authentication means for user authentication (e.g., face recognition means, biometric authentication means, code recognition means).

[0053] The door (D) may be provided in at least a portion of the front surface of the housing (H) (e.g., the central area based on the horizontal direction of the housing) and may be structured to expose the tray to the user. Referring to FIG. 2a, according to one embodiment, the top surface of the door (D) may be opened at an angle of 90° relative to the bottom surface to expose the tray provided inside the housing (H). The angle at which the door (D) opens is not limited to the aforementioned 90°. Meanwhile, FIG. 2a shows that even when the door (D) is opened, the tray remains embedded in the housing (H), and an image acquisition unit for photographing the embedded tray may also be provided in the upper part of the housing (H) to photograph the tray.

[0054] Meanwhile, referring to (a) and (b) of FIG. 2b, when a request for input is recognized through the user interface unit (I), the sliding door provided on the front of the housing (H) can be slid in at least one of the up, down, left, and right directions, and the tray (T) built into the housing (H) can be protruded forward. The image acquisition unit (140) is also provided in an area protruding from the top front of the housing (H) to photograph the recyclable material being input into the tray.

[0055] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present specification, the tray (T) may form part of the front portion of the housing (H), and the structure may be modified so that a drawer-shaped tray (T) protrudes to the front.

[0056] Meanwhile, the recycling sorting device (100) determines that there is less than a predetermined ratio of different types of recyclables inside the tray while in a waiting state for input, and if no body part of the user inputting the recyclables is detected for a predetermined time, it determines that the tray is in a ready state for loading and can turn off the door (D).

[0057] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 3, a recycling sorting device (100) according to one embodiment of the present specification is a computer device capable of classifying recyclables by analyzing recyclables introduced through image analysis and performing an object classification operation through an object recognition algorithm, as shown in FIG. 2a and 2b, and is equipped with a housing (H), a user interface unit (I), a door (D), an image acquisition unit (140, camera), etc.

[0059] The computer device may include at least one processor (110), a memory (120), a user interface unit (130) including an input unit (131) and an output unit (135), an image acquisition unit (140, camera), a communication unit (150) connected to a network to perform communication, and a transfer unit (160). Each component included in the computer device (100) may be connected by a bus (190) to communicate with each other.

[0060] The computing device may be a device in a cloud environment that provides AI processing results to other devices. The computing device (100) is a computing device capable of training a neural network and can be implemented as various electronic devices such as a server, desktop PC, laptop PC, tablet PC, etc. Additionally, the computing device may be a device in an edge environment that performs data communication with a server in a cloud environment.

[0061] The processor (110) can execute a program command stored in memory (120). The program command includes: a command to acquire an image of a tray into which at least one recyclable is fed through an image acquisition unit upon receiving a request for the input of a recyclable through a user interface unit; a command to analyze the acquired image to determine whether there is a different type of recyclable among the at least one recyclable fed; a command to output an alarm through the user interface unit if the different type of recyclable is present; and a command to switch the tray to a loading preparation state so that the recyclable can be loaded into a collection container according to the mixing state of the different type of recyclable.

[0062] The above alarm may include guide information that induces the removal of the heterogeneous recyclable among the recyclables placed in the tray. The alarm may be output via a message, voice, etc., or may be displayed as a visual alarm by displaying a bounding box indicating the recognition result of the heterogeneous recyclable differently from the main recyclable. The guide information that induces the removal of the heterogeneous recyclable may be provided in a way that visually displays the recyclable to be removed differently. For example, the processor (110) may visually highlight the heterogeneous recyclable to be removed to the user by highlighting the edge line or displaying the color characteristics of the bounding box differently based on the image analysis results.

[0063] The processor (110) can learn a neural network using a program stored in memory (120) and / or a database (not shown). In particular, the processor (110) can learn a neural network to acquire an image of a recyclable material fed into the recyclable sorting device (100) and to perform image analysis.

[0064] The processor (110) acquires an image of the inside of the tray through an image acquisition unit (140, camera) and generates analysis information by analyzing the acquired image. The analysis information may include at least one of the type, number, weight information, location information, size information, mixing ratio of different types of recyclables, and information on unallowed objects of recyclables contained in the tray.

[0065] The processor (110) may recognize objects through a predetermined object recognition algorithm and use a pre-trained object recognition model to classify the recognized objects. The processor (110) can determine whether the recyclables placed in the tray consist only of objects of the same type or include objects of different types as a result of object recognition. The processor (110) may provide different visual characteristics of bounding boxes for each type of recyclable recognized as a result of image analysis. Meanwhile, if objects of different types are included, the processor (110) may determine whether the mixed state of the objects of different types exceeds a pre-set threshold standard. The processor (110) may calculate weight information based on the type and size information of the recyclables recognized as a result of image analysis. For example, the weight according to the type and size information of the recyclables may be set in advance and weight information may be calculated according to the number of recyclables recognized.

[0066] The above recycling recognition model (object recognition model) can perform the function of analyzing the presence of parts of the user's body (hands, gloves) or bags or containers brought containing the recycling, in addition to the recycling. Through this, the processor (110) can terminate the input waiting state.

[0067] Additionally, the processor (110) may receive an image from the capturing device (10) and analyze the received image to detect the user's approach status, distance status, etc., to the recycling sorting device (100). Accordingly, the processor (110) can analyze the image of the capturing device (10) located around the recycling sorting device (100) to switch the recycling sorting device (100) to an input waiting state when a user approaches, and can terminate the input waiting state when the user moves away from the recycling sorting device (100). The memory (120) may be composed of at least one of a volatile storage medium and a non-volatile storage medium. For example, the memory (120) may be composed of at least one of a read-only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM). Additionally, the memory (120) may store a neural network model (e.g., a deep learning model) generated through a learning algorithm for learning an object recognition model for recognizing a specific recycling item according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0068] Although the user interface unit (130) is exemplified by an input unit (131) and an output unit (135), it may include various configurations necessary for user interaction to use the recycling sorting device (100), including a user authentication means, a barcode or QR code recognition means, etc., in addition to the input unit (131) and the output unit (135). In particular, the user interface unit (130) performs a user authentication operation for the user to input recyclables, and the authentication means can be performed through a keypad, RF, NFC, an application installed on a user terminal, etc.

[0069] The input unit (131) may include a microphone or audio input unit for inputting audio signals, and a user input unit (e.g., a touch key, a push key, etc.) for receiving information from a user. Input data or voice data received from the input unit (131) may be analyzed and processed into a user's control command. Here, the user's control command may include a control command corresponding to a request to input recyclable materials.

[0070] The output unit (135) is intended to generate visual and auditory outputs and may include at least one of a display, an audio output unit, and an optical output unit. According to one embodiment, the output unit (135) may provide guide information for additional user actions to use the recycling sorting device (100) in response to a user's request to input recyclables. Accordingly, the user can smoothly separate and discharge recyclables according to the guide information provided to the output unit (135).

[0071] The image acquisition unit (140, camera) captures the tray to acquire an image. When the image acquisition unit (140) detects that the tray has entered a waiting state for input, it acquires an image of the recyclable material being inserted into the tray in real time. The processor (110) can analyze the acquired image to determine whether different types of recyclable materials are mixed.

[0072] The communication unit (150) can transmit and receive user identification information, user authentication information, analysis information obtained from the analysis results of the tray image, statistical processing data related to the input history input by the user, and other data related to the overall operation of the recycling sorting device (100) to and from an external operating device (200). The communication unit (150) can perform at least one communication function among wired / wireless LAN (Local Area Network), Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Bluetooth, and Near Field Communication.

[0073] The transfer unit (160) moves the tray containing the recyclable material that was inserted while in the insertion waiting state to a collection bin corresponding to the type of recyclable material.

[0074] A conveying unit according to one embodiment of the present specification may include a sliding rail structure. The sliding rail structure may include a structure in which a tray into which recyclable materials are fed moves horizontally and / or vertically through a sliding rail, and the tray moved to a corresponding collection bin drops the recyclable materials into a lower collection bin, thereby loading them into the collection bin (described in detail below in FIGS. 4 to 8).

[0075] Additionally, according to one embodiment, the conveying unit (160) may be configured in a combined form of a conveyor belt structure consisting of a conveyor belt, an air blower, and an actuator. The conveying unit (160) may further include a conveyor belt that moves the recyclable material transferred from the tray in the loading preparation state in a horizontal direction, and an air blower that loads the recyclable material placed on the conveyor belt into the collection bin through air pressure.

[0076] Additionally, according to one embodiment, the transfer unit (160) may additionally include a picking robot and be used in the process of transferring the tray to a collection container to load the recyclables into the collection container. When input is permitted in a state where heterogeneous recyclables are mixed among a plurality of recyclables fed into the tray (for example, a state where heterogeneous recyclables are mixed at a ratio lower than or equal to a preset mixing ratio (corresponding to the second state in this specification)), the recyclable sorting device (100) activates the picking robot connected to the tray. Fine transfer adjustment is possible so that the heterogeneous recyclables are picked by the picking robot and loaded into a collection container corresponding to the type of the heterogeneous recyclables.

[0077] Additionally, according to one embodiment, the processor (110) may transmit status information of the collection bin to a recycling sorting device (100) and / or an external operating device (200). The status information of the collection bin may include the remaining space available for loading in the collection bin. The collection bin may include a sensor that detects the height of the loaded recyclables. The sensor may transmit the detected result, obtained through an ultrasonic sensor, a height detection sensor, etc., to the recycling sorting device (100) and / or the operating device (200) to inform the operating company whether collection is necessary, or provide information to the user that recyclables of the type corresponding to the collection bin cannot be inserted when the user inserts recyclables.

[0078] In the conveying method of the above conveyor belt structure, the picking robot may be provided on the outer side of the rotating conveyor belt member.

[0079] Hereinafter, FIGS. 4 to 8 describe in more detail the process of a recyclable material being fed into a collection bin and loaded into a recyclable material sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification. FIGS. 4 to 8 are described on the premise that the conveying section of the recyclable material sorting device is configured with a sliding rail structure, but the present specification is not limited thereto and the structure of the conveying section can be implemented with various modifications as described above.

[0080] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a waiting state for recycling input in response to a recycling input request according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0081] Referring together with FIG. 4 (and FIG. 6), the recycling sorting device (100) switches to a waiting state for input in response to a user's input request, and the tray (T) built into the housing (H) protrudes forward of the housing (H) to allow the input of recycling.

[0082] The tray (T) is fixedly supported by a gripper (TG), and the gripper (TG) is formed by extending from a vertical movement unit (VMU).

[0083] The vertical movement unit (VMU) is positioned in at least one area at the top of the horizontal movement unit (HMU). The vertical movement unit (VMU) moves along the length of the horizontal movement unit (HMU) and protrudes the tray (T) from inside the housing (H) to the outside.

[0084] The sliding guide support member (FS) is a member that supports the entire sliding rail structure and can be placed on the top of the recycling bin (S1). Here, the term "top of the recycling bin (S1)" may be an expression used to describe a positional relationship in which the sliding guide support member (FS) is mounted on the top of the bin (S1), or the sliding guide support member (FS) is supported in at least a part of the inside of the housing (H) and is located on the top of the bin (S1).

[0085] As at least one recyclable item is inserted into the tray (T) by a user in the above insertion waiting state, the image acquisition unit (140) acquires a tray image, and the processor (110) analyzes the acquired image.

[0086] The above input waiting state may be automatically terminated when it is determined that there is no additional input from the user. For example, the processor (110) may terminate the input waiting state and switch the tray to a loading ready state if, as a result of analyzing the image of the tray, a part of the user's body (e.g., at least part of the user's arm) is not detected for more than a predetermined period of time.

[0087] The above input waiting state can be maintained even if the motion pattern of a user inputting recyclables is not detected. When the processor (110) analyzes the image of the tray and determines that the mixing ratio of different types of recyclables is greater than or equal to a preset threshold ratio, it outputs an alarm requesting the removal of different types of recyclables to the user interface unit (130), and when it is determined through image analysis that the removal is complete, it can automatically terminate the input waiting state.

[0088] The above input waiting state can be maintained even if the user's input to end input is detected through the input section of the user interface section (130). The recycling sorting device (100) can maintain the input waiting state even if the user's forced termination button is input through the user interface section when the mixing ratio of the heterogeneous recyclables is greater than or equal to a preset threshold ratio.

[0089] FIG. 5(a) is an example of the tray image obtained above, and FIG. 5(b) is an example illustrating analysis information, which is the result of image analysis through the processor (110). The image analysis result is transmitted to an external operating device (200) as shown in FIG. 1, and the operating device (200) receives the image and can use it as basic information to maintain the reliability of the recycling sorting device, such as for developing algorithms or learning data on new recycling forms due to the launch of new products. As a result of the image analysis, the recycling sorting device (100) identifies that there are 5 PET bottles and 1 can, and can display the visual characteristics (e.g., color, etc.) of the bounding box for each PET bottle and can differently.

[0090] Although the image analysis result exemplified in FIG. 5(b) discloses only the type of recyclable material and the number of recyclable materials by type, the analysis information provided in the image analysis result according to one embodiment of the present specification may include location information (including coordinate information) of the recyclable material object within the tray, the mixing ratio of heterogeneous recyclable materials (for example, in FIG. 5(b), the mixing ratio can be defined as 16% as one of six is ​​mixed), and weight information of the total recyclable materials fed into the tray.

[0091] Here, the mixing ratio of the heterogeneous recyclables can be calculated by identifying what the main recyclable is among the input recyclables, and then determining the ratio of the number of heterogeneous recyclables excluding the main recyclable to the total number of recyclables. The method for calculating the mixing ratio of the heterogeneous recyclables can be set in various modified ways. Here, the term "main recyclable" refers to a type of recyclable with a large number of items when multiple recyclables of different types are mixed and input. Additionally, based on the settings of the recyclable sorting device (100), a recyclable with a high recycling rate may be designated as the main recyclable in advance, and a recyclable with a high recycling rate may be selected as the main recyclable regardless of the number of inputs. For example, if the total number of input recyclables is greater than or equal to a critical number, the ratio may be calculated by adding a weight to the ratio of the number of heterogeneous recyclables to the total number of recyclables. That is, compared to the case where 1 out of 6 items is a heterogeneous recyclable, if 2 out of 12 items are heterogeneous recyclables, a weight is added, and the mixing ratio may be further increased. Accordingly, preferably, the allowable mixing ratio of heterogeneous recyclables can be adaptively changed and set during the setting process of the entire system of the recyclable sorting device (100) based on at least one of the size (including volume) of the tray, the total number of recyclables fed into the tray, and the number of types of recyclables fed into it.

[0092] Additionally, for example, the above-mentioned acceptable mixing ratio of heterogeneous recyclables may vary depending on the input history of the user utilizing the device. For users who have a history of receiving multiple warning alarms or removal requests due to the input of heterogeneous recyclables, the acceptable mixing ratio may be set very low. Conversely, for first-time users or users with high accumulated mileage, the acceptable mixing ratio may be set relatively high.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the recycling sorting device (100) may output a guidance message through a user interface unit to remove heterogeneous recyclables (cans) based on the mixing ratio of heterogeneous recyclables shown in FIG. 5 (b) while in the input waiting state. Additionally, according to one embodiment, the recycling sorting device (100) may determine the mixing ratio of heterogeneous recyclables shown in FIG. 5 (b) as an acceptable mixing ratio while in the input waiting state and switch to a loading preparation state.

[0094] FIGS. 6 to 8 are drawings for explaining the process of loading recyclables classified inside a recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification into a collection container.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 6, as the recycling sorting device (100) in FIG. 4 switches from an input standby state to a loading readiness state, the tray (T) is moved into the interior of the housing (H). Referring to FIG. 6, the sliding rail structure, which is an exemplary structure of the conveying unit, will be described in more detail.

[0096] The conveying unit can be positioned at the top of the collection container inside the housing using a 2-axis (X,Y) sliding rail structure.

[0097] A rail guide that guides the horizontal sliding movement of the tray includes a first rail guide (R1) and a second rail guide (R2) arranged parallel to each other in the horizontal direction inside the housing (H).

[0098] The sliding guide support member (FS) supports the first and second rail guides (R1, R2) by connecting the first rail guide (R1) and the second rail guide (R2) in a vertical direction.

[0099] The horizontal moving member (HMU) is mounted vertically on the first and second rail guides (R1, R2) and moves horizontally along the first and second rail guides (R1, R2) to move the gripper (TG) horizontally.

[0100] And, the vertical moving member (VMU) is provided at the upper end of the horizontal moving member (HMU) and moves vertically in the longitudinal direction from the upper end of the horizontal moving member (HMU) to move the gripper (TG) vertically.

[0101] The gripper (TG) is a member that supports the tray (T), and one end is connected to the vertical moving member (VMU). The gripper (TG) may be configured in the form of a frame that fixes and supports the first surface of the tray (T), which is configured in a box shape, and the second surface adjacent to the first surface.

[0102] Meanwhile, the above rail guide may be composed of a single rail guide as a structure that supports the load of the tray. According to one embodiment, the transfer unit (160) may include a rail guide (R1), a horizontal moving member (HMU) mounted vertically on the rail guide (R1) and moving horizontally along the rail guide (R1) to move the gripper (TG) horizontally, and a vertical moving member (VMU) that moves vertically in the longitudinal direction from the top of the horizontal moving member (HMU) to move the gripper (TG) vertically.

[0103] The recyclables fed into the tray (T) shown in FIG. 6 consist of four PET bottles (P1, P2, P3, P4) and three cans (C1, C2, C3). The processor (110) determines that the mixing ratio of heterogeneous recyclables is 42.8% and can output an alarm through the user interface unit to induce the removal of one of the two types of recyclables. The processor (110) determines that the PET bottles, which are more numerous than the cans, are the main recyclables and recognizes the cans as targets for removal. When the cans are removed in response to the user, the image analysis unit determines that the recyclables remaining in the tray (T) consist of four PET bottles, and that the mixing ratio of heterogeneous recyclables is 0%. The processor (110) switches the tray (T) to a loading readiness state and moves the tray (T) into the housing (H) via a vertical movement member (VMU).

[0104] Referring to FIG. 7, the recycling sorting device (100) moves the horizontal moving member (HMU) to the position of the collection bin (S3) corresponding to PET so that the tray (T) is positioned in the PET collection bin (S3).

[0105] Referring to FIG. 8, the tray (T) may have a structure in which at least a portion of its lower surface is opened and closed. For example, the lower surfaces (T11, T21) of the tray (T) may be opened and closed while being spaced apart to the left and right with respect to the center line. Accordingly, the recyclables stored in the tray (T) fall into the collection bin (S3) and are loaded.

[0106] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present specification, the structure of the tray (T) is not limited to the structure disclosed in FIG. 8 and can be implemented with various modifications. For example, the tray (T) may be designed so that different types of recyclables can be fed into it, with spaces separated by a predetermined partition structure within the tray (T), and the lower surface of the separated spaces may be designed to open and close independently. In this case, the user can feed two types of recyclables into the separated spaces within the tray (T). Additionally, the processor (110) can control the tray (T) to operate in a loading-ready state without considering the mixing ratio of the aforementioned heterogeneous recyclables by identifying the separated spaces within the tray (T) or by identifying the recyclable objects fed into the separated spaces within a single space as grouped objects. According to one embodiment, when the recycling sorting device (100) recognizes that a first recycling item is introduced into a first space separated inside a tray (T) and a second recycling item is introduced into a second space, the tray (T) can be controlled to first move the tray (T) to a first recycling collection bin so that the first recycling item is loaded into the collection bin, and second move the tray (T) to a second recycling collection bin so that the second recycling item is loaded into the collection bin.

[0107] The process of sorting and stacking recyclables inside the recyclable sorting device (100) has been described in detail above. Below, the operation of the recyclable sorting device will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12.

[0108] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a recycling sorting method according to one embodiment of the present specification. The recycling sorting method can be implemented through the processor (110) of FIG. 3 and the recycling sorting device described through FIG. 4 to 8.

[0109] The processor (110) can receive a request to input recyclables through the user interface unit (130) (S900). When user authentication is completed through the user authentication means provided in the user interface unit (130), the processor (110) can respond to the request to input recyclables by switching the recyclable sorting device (100) to an input waiting state and providing a tray to be inputted to the user. The provision of the tray is as described in FIGS. 2a and 2b.

[0110] The processor (110) can acquire an image of a tray into which at least one recyclable material is fed through an image acquisition unit (S910). The processor (110) can analyze the acquired image and acquire analysis information as an image analysis result (S920).

[0111] The processor (110) can determine, based on the image analysis results, whether there is a different type of recyclable among at least one recyclable introduced. Based on the image analysis results, the processor (110) can provide guide information to the user regarding the removal of the different type of recyclable according to the mixing state of the different type of recyclable, and can switch the tray to a loading ready state so that the recyclable can be loaded into the collection container (S930).

[0112] Here, the mixed state of the above-mentioned heterogeneous recyclables may include a first state in which the input recyclables are all of the same type, a second state in which the heterogeneous recyclables are less than or equal to a predetermined ratio, and a third state in which the heterogeneous recyclables exceed the predetermined ratio.

[0113] According to one embodiment of the present specification, the first and second states are defined as states where input is permitted, and the third state may be defined as a state where input is possible when the mixing ratio of heterogeneous recyclables is converted to a ratio below a preset ratio during the process of removing heterogeneous recyclables according to the heterogeneous recyclable removal guide provided to the user. If the heterogeneous recyclables are not removed according to the conditions set by the recyclable sorting device (100) in the third state, the tray may be deferred from being converted to a loading preparation state.

[0114] Meanwhile, the processor (110), based on the image of the imaging device (10) shown in FIG. 1, can control the loading of the heterogeneous recyclables into a separate collection bin provided inside the housing (H) when it determines that the user has left the recycling sorting device (100) in the third state without the heterogeneous recyclables being removed. Depending on the case, the method of processing the heterogeneous recyclables introduced into the tray in the third state may be modified and implemented in various ways. Meanwhile, the processor (110) transmits the collection status of heterogeneous recyclables that are not normally sorted and collected in the third state to the operating device (200) in real time, thereby enabling the manager to monitor the collection status of heterogeneous recyclables in real time. Below, the processing method in a state where heterogeneous recyclables are mixed will be explained in more detail.

[0115] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a method for classifying recyclables when different types of recyclables are introduced according to an embodiment of the specification. Referring to FIG. 10, a processor (110) performs an operation of recognizing and classifying objects through an object recognition algorithm on a tray image (S1000).

[0116] The processor (110) can determine whether there are different types of recyclables among multiple recyclables as a result of object recognition and classification (S1010). If the processor (110) determines that all recognized objects are of the same type of recyclable (S1010:N), it transfers the tray to the collection bin corresponding to the recyclables classified as a result of object classification (S1020).

[0117] The processor (110) can determine whether the mixing state of the heterogeneous recyclables exceeds a preset ratio when there is at least one heterogeneous recyclable among the multiple recyclables (S1010:Y).

[0118] If the mixing ratio of different types of recyclables does not exceed a preset ratio (S1030:N), the processor (110) may allow input and transfer the tray to a collection bin corresponding to the sorted recyclables (S1020). However, if input is allowed while different types of recyclables are mixed, the recyclable sorting device (100) may activate a picking robot linked to the tray to first pick and separate the mixed different types of recyclables through the picking robot, and then control the remaining recyclables to be loaded into a corresponding collection bin.

[0119] When the mixing ratio of heterogeneous recyclables exceeds the preset ratio (S1030:Y), the processor (110) provides an alarm containing guide information to induce the removal of heterogeneous recyclables (S1040). If, according to the guide information, the heterogeneous recyclables are converted to a mixing ratio below that set by the recycling sorting device (100), input is allowed and the tray can be converted to a loading ready state.

[0120] An alarm indicating that input is possible after removal from the different type of recyclable material can be output to the user interface unit (130).

[0121] FIG. 11 is an example of user input history information using a recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0122] Referring to FIG. 11, the user's input history information may be stored and managed in the memory or database of the recycling sorting device (100). The user's input history information may also be stored and managed in the operating device (200). The user's input history information may include user identification information (user ID), number of inputs, time of input, number of inputs, type of recyclable material input, mixing ratio of different types of recyclable materials, number of mixed types, mileage or penalty information provided to the user, etc.

[0123] The processor (110) can acquire the process of a user sequentially inserting recyclables in real time through an image acquisition unit while the tray is in a waiting state for insertion. The processor (110) can determine in real time whether insertion is permissible by analyzing the types of recyclables sequentially inserted as a result of image analysis and calculating the mixing ratio of different types of recyclables according to the cumulative number of insertions.

[0124] When the user (Ash1234) first inputs a recyclable, the processor (110) determines through video analysis that the recyclable is one PET and determines that the mixing ratio of different types of recyclables is 0%, thus determining that the input is allowed. For the second input, the processor (110) determines that there is one PET, the cumulative number of inputs is 2, and the mixing ratio for the cumulative input recyclables is 0%. Up to the fifth input, which is sequentially accumulated, the mixing ratio is determined to be 0% because all 5 recyclables input are PET. When the processor (110) determines that a can other than PET is input at the time of the sixth input, it determines that one of the 6 cumulative inputs is of a different type and can calculate the mixing ratio as 16%.

[0125] The processor (110) can determine that the main recyclable is PET and that the can is a recyclable to be removed due to six cumulative inputs. The processor (110) can provide an alarm to induce the removal of the can through the user interface. The alarm may be output via a message, voice, etc., or may be displayed as a visual alarm by displaying a bounding box that indicates the recognition result of the heterogeneous recyclable to be removed differently from the main recyclable. That is, the alarm to induce removal can more efficiently induce the user's removal action by providing guide information in a way that visually displays the location information of the heterogeneous recyclable to be removed differently. As an example of a method to visually emphasize the location of the heterogeneous recyclable to be removed, the visual characteristics of the bounding box of the heterogeneous recyclable to be removed may be displayed to distinguish it from the bounding box of the recyclable to be collected normally. The visual characteristics may be configured to be distinguished through the thickness, color, line pattern, etc. of the edge line of the bounding box as described above, but are not limited thereto.

[0126] The above example describes outputting the alarm by determining the mixing ratio for each individual input when cumulative input is performed, but the processor (110) may also provide an alarm along with the mixing ratio when it determines that sequential cumulative input has ended.

[0127] The above example illustrates a case where a user inputs one recyclable item at a time, but the present specification is not limited thereto. For example, a user may input multiple recyclable items into the tray at once. In this case, the processor (110) classifies the types of recyclable items through image analysis and may provide the above-mentioned alarm if the mixing ratio of different types of recyclable items exceeds a preset ratio.

[0128] In FIG. 11, the mileage provided to the user may vary depending on the number of times the recyclables are input, the number of recyclables input, and the mixing ratio of different types of recyclables. The processor (110) may set the mileage higher as the mixing ratio of different types of recyclables decreases, and may provide mileage or penalties by reflecting the user's feedback results regarding the request to remove different types of recyclables according to the alarm provided to the user.

[0129] As described above, the recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification allows a user to input multiple recyclables simultaneously, and by guiding the user to input recyclables of the same type preferentially into the recycling sorting device, it induces proper separation and disposal.

[0130] FIG. 12 is an example of user input history information managed by an external server managing a recycling sorting device according to one embodiment of the present specification.

[0131] Referring to FIG. 12, an external operating device (200 in FIG. 1) can process statistical data on the usage status of a recycling sorting device installed at a specific site.

[0132] User ash1234 input 5 PET bottles and 1 can during one operation of the tray, and the data is that the recycling sorting device (100) monitored that the two types of recyclables were mixed and the mixing ratio was 13% when the input was completed.

[0133] User sst1323 inserted 8 PET bottles in the first insertion and 3 cans in the second insertion during the tray's two operations, and by inserting only the same type of recyclables in each insertion, the mixing ratio can be processed as 0% in each. Meanwhile, the mileage provided to the user may be allocated differently considering the number of recyclables inserted and the mixing ratio, and may be set by the manager of the recyclable sorting device or an external operating device.

[0134] User soso2424 inputs three PET bottles, two cans, and three glass bottles during one operation of the tray, and the recycling sorting device (100) determines that the allowable threshold has been exceeded regardless of the number of mixed recyclables input when there are three or more mixed types of recyclables, and can process the mixing ratio as 100%. In this case, the recycling sorting device (100) may provide an alarm recommending that the user remove at least two types of recyclables, and may adjust the range of mileage or penalty assigned to the user according to the user's action in response to the alarm. The range of penalty may include a reduction in mileage, a ban on using the recycling sorting device for a set period, etc.

[0135] The above operating device (200) can store the site IDs of the recycling sorting device (100) respectively and manage the statistical data shown in FIG. 12 for each site ID.

[0136] As described above, the operating device that monitors the recycling sorting device can reflect various policy elements regarding the operation of the recycling sorting device, such as awarding or deducting mileage based on the user's input history information, measures to suspend user use, and methods for analyzing false detections in object classification results.

[0137] The foregoing specification may be implemented as computer-readable code on a medium on which a program is recorded. A computer-readable medium includes all types of recording devices in which data readable by a computer system is stored. Examples of computer-readable media include HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Disk), SSD (Silicon Disk Drive), ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage device, etc. Accordingly, the above detailed description should not be interpreted restrictively in all respects and should be considered exemplary. The scope of this specification should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the invention are included within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Housing housing a collection bin and tray for recyclables; An image acquisition unit for acquiring an image of a recyclable material fed into the tray above; A user interface portion provided on the front of the above housing and capable of interacting with a user; and A processor that acquires analysis information obtained from analyzing the above video, and if it is determined based on the analysis information that the mixing state of heterogeneous recyclables exceeds a preset ratio, controls the output of an alarm including guide information to induce the removal of the heterogeneous recyclables through the user interface unit, and switches the tray to a loading preparation state so that the recyclables can be loaded into the collection bin according to the mixing state of the heterogeneous recyclables; A recycling sorting device including 2. In Paragraph 1, The above processor is, A recycling sorting device characterized by switching the tray to a loading preparation state and terminating the input of the recyclables when, based on the above image analysis, the mixed state of the heterogeneous recyclables is either a first state in which all the input recyclables are of the same type or a second state in which the heterogeneous recyclables are below a preset ratio.

3. In Paragraph 1, The above processor is, A recycling sorting device characterized by visually or audibly distinguishing the above-mentioned heterogeneous recyclables or unallowed objects and outputting them to the user interface.

4. In Paragraph 1, A recycling sorting device characterized by guide information for inducing the removal of the above-mentioned heterogeneous recyclables, which emphasizes the visual characteristics of a bounding box displaying the recognition result of the above-mentioned heterogeneous recyclables to be removed.

5. Housing housing containing a recycling bin and tray; An image acquisition unit for acquiring an image of a recyclable material fed into the tray above; A user interface portion provided on the front of the above housing and capable of interacting with a user; and A processor that acquires analysis information obtained from analyzing the above video, and when it is determined that heterogeneous recyclables have been introduced based on the analysis information, controls the output of an alarm including guide information that induces the removal of heterogeneous recyclables by visually changing the location information of the heterogeneous recyclables to be removed through the user interface unit, and switches the tray to a loading preparation state so that the recyclables can be loaded into the collection bin according to the mixing state of the heterogeneous recyclables; A recycling sorting device including 6. In Paragraph 5, The above analysis information is, A recycling sorting device characterized by including at least one of the following: type, number, weight information, location information, size information, mixing ratio of heterogeneous recyclables, and information on non-allowed objects.

7. In Paragraph 5, It further includes a transfer unit that moves the above tray in a horizontal direction, and A recycling sorting device characterized by having a plurality of collection bins, each corresponding to a type of recycling item, arranged in alignment at the bottom of the conveying unit.

8. In Paragraph 7, The above tray is secured by a gripper (TG), and The above transfer unit is, Rail guide (R1); A horizontal moving member (HMU) mounted vertically on the rail guide and moving horizontally along the rail guide to move the gripper (TG) horizontally; and A vertical moving member (VMU) provided at the upper end of the horizontal moving member (HMU) and vertically moving in the longitudinal direction from the upper end of the horizontal moving member (HMU) to vertically move the gripper (TG); A recycling sorting device characterized in that the gripper (TG) is formed by extending from the vertical moving member (VMU).

9. In Paragraph 7, The above processor is, A recycling sorting device characterized by classifying the types of recyclables based on the above-mentioned image analysis and moving the tray to the location of a corresponding collection bin through the above-mentioned conveyor.

10. In Paragraph 7, The above tray is, A recycling sorting device characterized by at least a portion of the lower surface being opened or closed when moved to a position corresponding to any one of the plurality of collection bins through the above-mentioned conveying unit.

11. In Paragraph 5, It further includes a conveying unit that moves the above-mentioned recyclables and loads them into the above-mentioned collection bin, and The above transfer unit is, A conveyor belt for moving the recyclable material transferred from the tray in the loading preparation state in a horizontal direction; and An air blower that loads the recyclables placed on the conveyor belt into the collection bin using air pressure; A recycling sorting device characterized by further including 12. In Paragraph 5, The above user interface unit is, A recycling sorting device characterized by including a user authentication unit, an input unit for receiving the recycling input request, and an output unit for outputting the alarm.

13. In Paragraph 5, The above image acquisition unit is, A recycling sorting device characterized by being provided at the upper front part of the housing or provided inside the housing to photograph the recycling material fed into the tray.

14. In Paragraph 5, A recycling sorting device characterized by the tray embedded in the housing protruding forward in the above input waiting state.

15. In Paragraph 5, The above processor is, A recycling sorting device characterized by outputting the alarm and withholding the switching of the tray to the loading preparation state when an unallowed object that is not allowed to be input is detected based on the above analysis information.

16. In Paragraph 5, The above processor is, The input history information of the above recyclables for each user is stored in a database, and A recycling sorting device characterized by controlling that at least one of mileage or penalty is assigned to the user based on the input history information, according to the number of inputs and the mixing ratio.

17. In Paragraph 5, The above processor is, A recycling sorting device characterized by determining the loading preparation state and turning off the door when, based on the above analysis information, the above heterogeneous recyclables exist inside the tray at a ratio below a predetermined level and the body part of the user inserting the recyclables is not detected for a predetermined time.

18. In Paragraph 5, The above processor is, A recycling sorting device characterized by transmitting user information using the recycling sorting device and status information of the collection bin to the operating device through a communication unit that communicates with the operating device for managing the operation of the recycling sorting device.

19. In a method of sorting recyclables using a recyclable sorting device, Step of receiving a request to input recyclables; A step of acquiring an image of a tray into which at least one recyclable item is fed; A step of outputting an alarm including guide information to induce the removal of heterogeneous recyclables through a user interface unit when the mixing state of heterogeneous recyclables exceeds a preset ratio based on analysis information obtained by analyzing the acquired image; and A control method for a recycling sorting device comprising the step of converting the tray to a loading preparation state so that the recycling material can be loaded into a collection container according to the mixed state of the above heterogeneous recycling material.

20. In Paragraph 19, The step of switching the above tray to a loading-ready state is: A control method for a recycling sorting device characterized by including the step of switching the tray to a loading preparation state and terminating the input of the recyclings when, based on the analysis information above, the mixing state of the heterogeneous recyclables is either a first state in which all the recyclables input into the tray are of the same type or a second state in which the heterogeneous recyclables are below a preset ratio.

Images