Refuse Vehicle Event Imaging for Missed Container Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Refuse vehicles often face inefficiencies and additional costs due to customers forgetting to position waste containers correctly, leading to missed pickups and manual labor requirements for non-compliant or missing containers, which are not accounted for in standard waste removal services.
Innovation Solution
A refuse vehicle equipped with a sensor and imaging system that captures images of its surroundings, documenting the presence or absence of waste containers and their location, allowing for automated recording and notification of missed pickups, and enabling additional service offerings for non-compliant containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If refuse vehicles operate on scheduled waste removal days without automated detection, then operational simplicity is maintained, but productivity decreases due to missed pickups and manual record-keeping
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system automatically detects the presence or absence of waste containers without human intervention. The imaging device captures images when indicators are detected, and the processing unit automatically generates reports, enabling the vehicle to self-document pickup events without manual record-keeping by operators
Solution Approach 2:
Manual visual inspection and paper-based record-keeping are replaced with an automated electronic detection system using sensors, imaging devices, and processing units that automatically identify waste containers, capture evidence, and generate digital records
2Measurement precision
If manual inspection of waste containers is performed, then measurement precision of container presence is achieved, but loss of time increases due to manual record-keeping and follow-up trips
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor and imaging system proactively detect and document the presence or absence of waste containers before the vehicle completes its route. This preliminary detection allows immediate identification of missed pickups, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual inspections and follow-up trips to verify container status
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback to the vehicle operator and potentially to a central management system about the status of waste container pickups. The processing unit generates immediate notifications when containers are detected or not detected, enabling prompt corrective action without waiting for manual verification
3Productivity
If automated sensor and imaging systems are installed on refuse vehicles, then productivity and compliance tracking are improved, but device complexity and initial costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system serves multiple functions: detecting waste container presence, capturing images for documentation, generating compliance reports, and providing real-time feedback. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single integrated solution, reducing overall complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The processing unit acts as an intermediary that receives data from sensors, processes imaging data, determines whether pickups occurred, and generates reports. This intermediary layer simplifies the system architecture by centralizing intelligence and reducing the complexity of direct connections between multiple sensors and the vehicle control system
Data Source
AI summary
A refuse vehicle includes a chassis supporting a plurality of wheels and a vehicle body. The vehicle body defines a receptacle for storing refuse. A lifting system is movable between a first position and a second position offset from the first position. A processing unit is in communication with a first sensor having a first field of view and a second sensor having a second field of view. The processing unit activates the second sensor upon receiving an indication, from the first sensor, that an indicator is present within the first field of view. In some embodiments, the indicator is the presence of a positive object, like a waste container. In other embodiments, the indicator is the omission of an object (e.g., no container is detected) within the field of view.