Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Translation
PCT/DE 91/00487
AUTOllA~IC DAI!rA ACQ~I~ITIOa~ 8Y8TE~
The present invention relates to an automatic
data acquisition system, in particular a system for
acquiriny the data of refuse, comprising a receptacle
and a collection container serving to empty the
receptacle.
Since decades, data acquisition systems of
the kind under discussion have been known from practice
in the most different versions. Such systems are used
all over where any kind of solids or liquids are first
collected in receptacles and subsequently removed in
larger receptacles, such as collection containers. It
should be emphasized already at this point that the
contents collected in the receptacles or collection
containers may include any kind of liguids, solids,
i.e., objects or the like which can be discharged on
the one hand, and be collected in any form on the other
hand.
Thus, for example, it is conceivable that
with the above-described data acquisition system,
grapes or the like are first collected by individuals
into receptacles and subsequently, when the receptacle
iS filled, discharged into a collection container for
removal. The range of application of such systems is
by no means limited to special uses.
In the following, the known data acquisition
system under discussion will be described in more
detail with reference to the collection of refuse only
by way of example.
The removal of refuse is currently one of our
most serious environmental problems in general. Almost
everything that is in these days purchased or consumed,
is expensively packaged, so that already within the
scope of daily consumption a considerable quantity of
discarded packing material accumulates. Overflowing
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refuse containers and overfilled landfills are the
consequence.
It is now intended to encourage private
households more and more to separate the daily
accumulating refuse by materials, so as to enable an
environment protecting recycling of the raw materials.
However, apart from the environment-conscious mental
attitude which underlies such a behavior, there are
currently no incentives for the population to reduce
substantially the quantity of the refuse to be
collected from households and businesses. While the
utilization of a compost pile or a separate delivery of
glass, metal, or paper reduce already the amount of
refuse accumulating altogether in particularly
environment-conscious households, it will however be
necessary to strive for a drastic reduction of refuse
by the entire population, i.e., in all households, as a
result of continuously increasing costs for removal and
storage.
A possibility of fighting the increasing
buildup of refuse would be the enactment of laws and/or
ordinances. This, however, would take time and would
certainly meet with considerable political resistance.
Nuch more suitable in this instance appear to
be primarily monetary incentives to reduce the amount
of refuse which is separated by raw materials or can be
separated, and need to be removed as a whole. However,
the existing fee system of communities is not very
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suitable to this end. The customer, i.e., the
household, pays presently a lump sum per refuse
container, or large receptacle, no matter whether the
refuse container or the large receptacle is empty, half
full or even overfilled. No incentive exists to the
end of not totally filling a refuse container which is
emptied for example every week.
The less refuse needs to be picked up, for
example, every week, the less the customer would have
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to pay for the removal. Such a regulation would give
rise to motivate the population in any event as regards
money to reduce the quantity which cannot be turned
over to recycling, which would certainly be effective
up to and including a "package-conscious" buying
behavior of the consumers.
It is therefore one object of the present
invention to configure and further develop a data
acquisition system of the initially described kind, in
particular a data acquisition system within the ~cope
of removing refuse, such that it is possible to pick up
the collected material of any kind while registering
the weight of the collected material, which can be
associated to the collector. Another object of the
invention is to describe a method of automatically
acquiring data of refuse, which utilizes the automatic
data acquisition system in accordance with the
invention.
The automatic data acquisition system of the
present invention, which solves the aforesaid problem,
is described by the characteristic features of clai~ 1.
Accordingly, an automatic data acquisition system
comprising a receptacle and a collection container
serving to empty the receptacle, in particular a system
for acquiring data of refuse, is designed and
constructed such that an identification feature is
associated to the receptacle, and that the collection
container is provided with a reader to recognize or
read the identification feature, a weighing device for
weighing the receptacle before and after emptying, and
a computer with a memory unit for storing the weight
difference of the receptacle before and after its
emptying wtih association of the identification
feature.
The present invention has first recognized
the necessity to gather data of collected material of
any kind while considering the weight of the collected
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material, and to remove same. It has further been
recognized that it is necessary to this end to
associate the determined weight to each collector, so
as to obtain, for example in the case of household
refuse a bill concerning the collection of the refuse,
or in the case of picking and harvesting grapes, a
performance-dependent basis for computing the wages of
the harvesters. In accordance with the invention, this
association is possible in that on the one hand an
identification feature is associated to the receptacle
of the collector, for example, the refuse container.
On the other hand, a reader is associated to the
collection container for recognizing or reading the
identification feature. This enables already the
identification and association. Finally, a weighing
device for weighing the receptacle before and after
emptying, as well as a computer with a memory unit for
storing the weight difference of the receptacle before
and after its emptying are needed, so that the weight
can be stored or further processed with association of
the identification feature.
In a simple embodiment of the data
acguisition system in accordance with the invention,
the identification feature is a readable identification
number. The reader associated to the collection
container operates by light optics. The identification
feature or the readable identification number could be
glued, or painted or sprayed onto the receptacle.
Likewise however, the identification feature
could be applied to or glued on the receptacle in the
form of a bar code. This bar code would then have to
be read by the operating personnel with a reader in the
form of a bar code pin reader associated with the
collection container or computer respectively. Aside
from the known bar codes, it would be possible to use
any coding which is readable or unreadable by a human
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being, and suitable for a light-optical, automatic
reading by means of a corresponding reader.
As regards an acquisition of data suitable
for electronic data processing, it will be especially
advantageous to provide the identification feature
encoded in a code carrier. The latter could be
releasably attached to the receptacle. To avoid that
the code carrier associated to the respective
receptacle is easily manipulatable by the collector, is
t advantageous that the code carrier can be removed from
the receptacle only by means of a special tool. As a
- further protection against unlawful manipulations, the
code carrier could be lead-sealed to the receptacle.
To reduce the cost incurred with securing the
code carrier against manipulations or even its removal
or exchange, the code carrier could be attached to the
receptacle stationarily, i.e. not removably. In an
advantageous manner, this could be accomplished in that
the code carrier is made integral with the receptacle.
In such an instance, the code carrier with an
unchangeable identification feature would be associated
to or "incorporated" in the receptacle, for example,
already during its manu~acture.
Likewise, the code carrier could be
integrated in or attached to a handle of the
receptacle. An advantage of this arrangement of the
code carrier can be seen, among other things, in that
the handle of the receptacle is always easily
i accessible, and thus likewise the code carrier which is
attached thereto or provided thereon for the reader.
In particular in the case of a subsequent,
i.e. not integrated arrangement of the code carrier, it
is advisable to protect same against a harmful
atmosphere or dirt as well as excessive mechanical
stress. To this end, it will be advantageous to seal
the code carrier in a plastic housing, which would
naturally have to be transparent, when an
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identification feature to be read by light optics is
used.
In particular with regard to an unobstructed
data transmission and continuing data processing, the
code carrier itself could be made in an especially
advantageous manner as a wireless operating, electronic
code carrier. In this instance, the code carrier would
contain the identification feature in an encoded,
unchangeable form, which is read by the reader in
noncontacting manner.
As regards the supply of energy to such a
code carrier, it would be of advantage, in particular
with respect to the space necessary for installation,
if the code carrier operated without its own, i.e.
internal supply of energy. To realize this, the code
carrier could receive the necessary energy during the
reading by induction via the reader, for example, by -
means of high-frequency waves. However, it should also
be ensured that the identification feature remains -~
permanently stored in the code carrier also over a `
longer period of time without an inductive supply of
energy via the reader.
In a particularly advantageous manner, the
code carrier is provided with a miniaturized sender,
and the collection container or the reader has a
miniaturized receiver. In this instance, the
identification feature will be transmitted, when the
reader supplies energy by induction, to the reader, and
received by the receiver provided therein. Such a
combination of sender and receiver would make it
difficult to access or manipulate the code carrier
without authorization.
To cope with any winter and summer
temperatures, the code carrier should consist of such ~-
materials that it operates without problems at
temperatures ranging from -30C to +75C.
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In order to enable the operating personnel of
the automatic data acquisition system in accordance
with the invention to recognize the identification
feature without technical aids, in particular for a
proper return of the receptacle, it will be of great
advantage, when for example the identification feature
is arranged in addition on the code carrier or on the
receptacle in a visible, i.e. readable form.
This arrangement will also be of great
`r, importance, especially when the code carrier on the
receptacle serving as a wireless data storage operates
improperly or not at all. In such an event, it should
be possible to manually input the number or the
identification feature of the receptacle to be emptied.
The operator can read a glued on identification
` feature, for example a number, and communicate same by
means of an intercom system to an operator of the
memory unit. If the system of the present invention is
used on a refuse collection truck, a worker would read
at a failure of the code carrier the respective number
and communicate same via an intercom system to the
driver in the cab. The driver would then input this
number via a key pad for further processing.
A further characteristic resides in that the
intercom system could be automatically connected at a
failure of the code carrier. Since the refuse
collector wears thick working gloves in particular in
winter, the operation of the key pad by the driver is
especially advantageous inasmuch as the latter is
anyway idle while the refuse container is emptied.
Within the scope of one aforesaid, especially
preferred application of the data acquisition system of
the present invention, the concern is the removal of
refuse. The receptacle in this instance is a refuse
container. The collection container would then be
associated with in known manner with a refuse
collection truck. The operating personnel of the
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refuse collection truck would empty the refuse
container or the like in known manner into the refuse
collection truck. This procedure remains also
unchanged in accordance with the teaching of the
present invention.
To raise the refuse container, the collection
truck is provided in known manner with a lifting
mechanism. To determine the weight of the full and the
emptied refuse container, the lifting mechanism itself
is provided with power sensors, so that the weight of
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the full refuse container and the emptied container can
be determined in a simple manner respectively when the
refuse container is lifted and set down.
To ~e able to dynamically weigh in a
particularly advantageous manner, it is necessary to
consider the acceleration of the earth or respectively
the mass inertia when lifting the refuse container, so
as to avoid a false determination of the weight.
Otherwise, it would be necessary to weigh in an
operating phase, in which neither an increase nor a
decrease of speed occurs, i.e. in which neither
positive nor negative accelerations occur. To realize
such a dynamic determination of weight, while
eliminating the mass inertia or respectively the
acceleration of the earth, at least one acceleration
sensor is provided in a particularly advantageous
manner, which is preferably associated with the lifting ;
mechanism. The acceleration sensor picks up the speed
of the refuse container and corrects accordingly the
result of the weighing while considering the negative
or positive acceleration. In this instance, for
example a commercially available acceleration pickup or
a standard force gauge is used as a sensor. Besides
the acceleration sensor, it is advantageous to provide
likewise an inclination sensor. While the weight is
determined, the following occurs:
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A known weight (dead load) undergoes the same
acceleration as the receptacle to be emptied with the
refuse contained therein. When now an acceleration
occurs as the refuse container is lifted, the weight of
the weighing container with the refuse therein
increases percentagewise at the same ratio as the
weight of the dead load at the reference sensor. This
allows to compensate for the change in weight of the
refuse in the receptacle with unknown weight, which is
prodl~ced by negative or positive acceleration.
Likewise, the method under discussion allows to
advantageously compensate for any factors which
influence the weight determination, for example, also
vibrations of the vehicle. Naturally, the application
of the above-described compensation of the dynamic when
determining the weight is not limited to the case of
refuse collection.
As the weight is determined during th~
lifting operation, however, the problem arises that any
ballast adhering to the refuse container, such as for
example snow in winter, is likewise weighed. When the
refuse container is emptied, this ballast drops, i.e.,
it is added to the weight of the material to be
discharged. Accordingly, the customer would pay for
the snow which dropped during the emptying.
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It is possible to eliminate the foregoing
problem in that an intermediate container is provided.
i In this instance, the contents of the refuse containar
~1) are first emptied into the intermediate container,
i.e., they are not weighed during the actual lifting
operation. The intermediate container with the
discharged material to be carried away is subsequently
weighed with any ballast removed. Moreover, this
further development of the teaching in accordance with
the invention has the great advantage that in the case
of multichamber refuse containers, it i5 possible to
weigh sorted bulk material separately. -
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In a particularly advantageous manner, a
refuse discharge computer is associated with the
collection container or respectively the refuse
collection truck. The signal of the power sensor,
which represents the weight of the full and the emptied
refuse container, is input, preferably via a measuring
amplifier, in this discharge computer which again
controls the lifting mechanism.
With respect to a further processing of the
data, the measuring amplifier is provided with a
programmable intelligence in the meaning of a computer
or microprocessor. The microprocessor of the measuring
amplifier linearizes the measuring signals, and
performs, if need be, a temperature compensation and an
error correction.
To ensure a csrtain operational ease, it is
of advantage, when the discharge computer is provided
with an LCD and a key pad. The LCD could, for example,
indicate the momentary operating mode of the discharge :
computer, but liXewise the identification feature of
the refuse container which is just being emptied. The ;
key pad would allow to manually input data or commands.
Such an input would be necessary, for example when, for
any reasons whatsoever, it would no longer be possible
to electronically read the identification feature. In
this instance, the operating personnel would have to
read the identification feature or the identification
number and input same manually via the key pad. Absent ~ -
a recognition of the identification feature, it would
also be conceivable to input the name of the customer,
to which the computer would automatically associate the
correctly stored identification feature.
The discharge computer transmits in an
advantageous manner the measured signals to an onboard
computer in the cab of the refuse collection truck.
The onboard computer is provided with a microprocessor
and, preferably, with an internal c~ock. Furthermore,
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the onboard computer may be integrated in the data
acquisition system such that it coordinates the
discharge of the refuse and the discharge computer.
If need be, a record printer is connected to
the onboard computer. This record printer serves on
the one hand to immediately prepare a trip report of
the refuse collection truck. On the other hand, it can
; secure the determined data in written form for the
event that all electronically stored data are lost as a
result of a system error.
; As regards the data to be acquired as a
whole, it will be of advantage, when besides the weight
and the identification feature of the refuse container,
the vehicle number of the refuse collection truck and
.
the time of the emptying are recorded and stored in the
onboard computer. This serves in particular to
document the service rendered as a result of emptying
the refuse containers. Moreover, any desired
information to be predetermined by the operating
personnel may be input, and associated with the
identification feature.
With respect to securing and transmitting the
data, it is particularly advantageous when the onboard
computer is provided with mobile storage cards as an
output medium. These storage cards will then serve at
the same time as input medium for a preferably
stationary central computer.
For a simpler handling, the mobile storage
cards could be of the size of check cards. Likewise,
it would be conceivable that the storage cards have
~heir own energy supply in the form of a miniature
battery. Likewise, as regards the securing of data,
the storage card could be protected in a particularly
advantageous manner by a shielding against overvoltage
and voltage discharge.
While foregoing a further data transmission
by means of storage cards, the data gathered by means
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of the data acquisition system of the present invention
and, if need be, stored in the on board computer could
in a particularly elegant manner be radioed directly to
a preferably stationary processing center with a
central computer. Likewise, it is possible to
communicate these data by means of infrared light
directly to the preferably stationary processing
center, it being necessary in this instance that the
latter be in direct vicinity.
In the event of transmitting the data by
means of storage cards, the central computer would have
to be provided with a card reader for reading the
mobile storage cards. To prepare invoices or
statistics, graphics or the like, it would also be
possible to provide in addition a printer for printing
out the data prepared by the central computer. ,
It is also possible to design and construct
the lifting mechanism for emptying two receptacles or
refuse containers, i.e. for a double discharge. In
this instance, it is of particular advantage with -
regard to an always required weighing accuracy, when
the control for the lifting mechanism, preferably
designed as a hydraulic control, is linked with the -
onboard computer. As a result, a synchronization of
the weighing and the control of the hydraulic is
realized, so that the weighing device operates only in
the measuring phase and not during the lifting
operation-
Within the scope of a further, advantageous
embodiment, the receptacle or refuse container may have
at least two chambers separated from one another, which
is to be preferred especially from ecological
viewpoints. In the chambers, the refuse is separated
by kinds, and the collection container receives the
sorted refuse accordingly separated.
To be able to check reliably the contents of
a receptacle or the receptacles, in a particularly
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advantageous manner, the contents of a receptacle or
the receptacles to be emptied are detected via a camera
system which is preferably associated with the lifting
mechanism. In its place, or in addition, the contents
of the receptacle may also be detected, as regards
metal, via a metal sensor which is preferably
associated with the lifting mechanism. Likewise, it is
possible to arrange chemical or spectroanalytical
sensors for the detection of paints, varnish and other
chemicals.
To avoid that hazardous contents of the
receptacle are not mixed with the so-called residual
refuse in the collection container, a special device is
provided for sorting out or separating special refuse
that is detected.
Furthermore, it would also be possible to
detect the contents of the receptacle with respect to
its volume, preferably by means of level sensors. The
latter could operate by induction, capacitance, or by
the eddy-current principle. Level sensors operating by
capacitance could advantageously be constructed as a
capacitance strip. However, the level sensors could
operate liXewise by light optics.
In the case of a receptacle having at least
two chambers, the respective chambers should be
detected each individually.
Furthermore, it will be of special advantage,
when the components of the data acquisition system are
interconnected, galvanically decoupled, via a
preferably serial field bus system.
Finally, the code carrier could be provided,
besides the identification eature, with a read-write
memory. Accordingly, the reader would be constructed
as a read-write device. When the receptacle is
emptied, all detected data could then be written via
the read-write device into the memory, so that always
cumulated data are associated to the receptacle, which
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may be requested by the owner of the receptacle for a
check, if need be.
The portion of the problem underlying the
teaching of the present invention, which relates to a
method, is solved in that a method of automatically
acquiring data of refuse comprises the following steps:
before the start of the work or trip, a mobile storage
card is inserted into the onboard computer of the
refuse collection truck. As usual, the refuse
containers are emptied, with the following occurring:
before or during the lifting of the refuse container, a
noncontacting reader reads the identification feature.
The latter is transmitted via a discharge computer to
the onboard computer where it is stored. Subsequently
the weight of the full refuse container is determined
via power sensors provided in the lifting mechanism,
and likewise transmitted, via the discharge computer to
the onboard computer. The emptied refuse container is
lowered in the usual manner, with the weight of the
emptied refuse container being determined via the power
sensors provided in the lifting mechanism, and likewise
transmitted via the discharge computer to the onboard
computer. The weight difference, i.e., the weight of
the emptied refuse, is stored in the onboard computer
or on the mobile storage card and associated to the
pertinent, previously read identification feature, it
being likewise possible to associate to the
identification feature, if need be, further data, such
as for example, time, vehicle number, or the like. If
desired, a record printer will print out the determined
and associated data. At the end of the trip, the
mobile storage card is removed from the onboard
computer and delivered to the processing center. The
storage card or the data stored on the storage card are
read via a card reader of the central computer and
evaluated by the latter. The evaluation serves~ for
example, to prepare invoices, statistics, and other
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evaluations by means of printers, plotters, or the
like.
There are two different possibilities of
advantageously configuring and further developing the
subject matter of the present invention. To this end,
reference is made on the one hand to dependent claims
2-49 or respectively 51, and on the other hand to the
description of an embodiment of the subject matter with
reference to the drawing. In combination with the
description of the preferred embodiment of the
invention with reference to the drawing, also generally
preferred embodiments of the teaching will be
explained. In the drawing:
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the
operation of an automatic data acquisition system in
accordance with the invention with reference to the
example of refuse collection;
Figure 2 is a schematic view of a refuse
collection truc~ with a discharge computer and onboard
compu~er;
Figure 3 is a diagram of a representation
similar ~o Figure 1 with emphasis on the cooperation
between refuse container, discharge computer, and
onboard computer;
Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the
control of the refuse discharge or discharge computer
via the onboard computer;
Figure 5 is a schematic view of the data
associated to the identification feature and
transmitted to the processing center or central
computer:
Figure 6 is a schematic view of the central
computer with periphery;
Figure 7 is a refuse collection bill in
simplified form, which can be generated by the
automatic data acquisition system of the present
invention; and
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Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of other
possibilities of further processing of the data stored
or prepared in the central computer.
The Figures illustrate by way of the example
of refuse collection the mode of operation of the
automatic data acquisition system of the present
invention.
Figure 1 illustrates in a schematic view the
cooperation of the individual components of the data
acquisition system of the present invention. Refuse is
emptied from a receptacle constructed as a refuse
container 1 into a collection container 3 associated
with a refuse collection truck 2. According to the
illustration in Figure 2, the collection container 3 is
an integral part of the refuse collection truck 2.
In accordance with the invention, an
identification feature ~ is associated to the
receptacle or refuse container 1. Accordingly
associated to the collection container 3 is a reader 5
for r~cognizing or reading the identification feature
~. A weighing device 6 serves to weigh the refuse
container 1 before and after it is emptied. A computer
7 with a memory unit serves to store the weight
difference of the refuse container before and after its
emptying, while associating thereto the identification
feature 4.
In the preferred embodiment of the Figures,
the identification feature is contained encoded in a
code carrier not shown. The code carrier is
stationarily arranged on the refuse container 1 or is
an integral part thereof.
The code carrier is a wireless operating,
electronic code carrier and contains the identification
feature ~ in an encoded, unchangeable form. The reader
5 reads the identification feature ~ in a noncontacting
manner.
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Figures 1 and 3 show clearly that the
identification feature ~ is furthermore visibly
arranged on refuse container 1 in the form of an
identification number 8.
The receptacle of the embodiment shown in the
Figures is, as aforesaid, a refuse container 1. The
collection container 3 is associated with the refuse
collection truck 2 which is schematically illustrated
in Figure 2. In detail, the following additional
characteristics are realized which represent in the
light of the teaching in accordance with the invention
advantageous embodiments and further developments.
The refuse collection truck 2 is equipped
with a lifting mechanism for elevating refuse container
1, which is again provided with power sensors 9 for
determining the weight of the full and the emptied
refuse container 1.
In accordance with the illustrations of
Figures 1 and 3, a discharge computer lo is associated
with the refuse collection truck 2. The signal of the
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power sensors 10 representing the weight of the full -
and the emptied trash can 1 reaches, preferably via a
measuring amplifier 11, the discharge computer lo which
controls again the lifting mechanism. The measuring
amplifier 11 may be an integral part of the discharge
computer 10. The measuring amplifier 11 is provided ~-
with a programmable intelligence in the meaning of a
computer or a microprocessor. The microprocessor of
~-measuring amplifier 11 linearizes the measuring
signals, and, if need be, performs a temperature
compensation as well as an error correction.
~'J The discharge computer 10 is equipped with an
LCD 12 and a key pad 13. The LCD 12 indicates the
momentary operating mode of the discharge computer 10.
~The key pad 13 allows to manually input further data or
dcommands.
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As further shown in Figures 1 and 3, the
discharge computer 10 transmits the measuring signals
to an onboard compu~er 15 preferably arranged in the
cab 14 of the refuse collection truck 2.
As shown in Figure 4, the onboard computer lS
comprises a microprocessor lC and preferably an
internal clock. The onboard computer 15 coordinates
the discharge of the refuse and the discharge computer
o.
A record printer not shown in the Figures can
be connected to the onboard computer 15.
As shown in the schematic illustration of
Figure 5, it is also possible to acquire, besides the
weight and the identification feature of refuse
container 1, the vehicle number of refuse collection
truck 2 and the time of the emptying, and to store same
in onboard computer 15.
Moreover, it is possible to store in onboard
computer 15 any desired information which can be input
by the operating personnel with association to the
identification feature ~.
Indicated in Figures 1 and 4 is that the
onboard computer 15 uses mobile storage cards 17 as an
output medium. ~he storage cards 17 serve as input
medium for a preferably stationary central co~puter 18
which is qenerally accommodated in a municipal or local
administration building. The mobile storage cards 17
are preferably made in the size of checks cards.
As illustrated in Figure 6, the central
computer 18 comprises a card reader 19 for reading
mobile storage cards 17 and a printer 20 for printing
out the data prepared in central computer 18, for
example, in the form of bills. Figure 7 shows a
possible embodiment of such a printout or such an
invoice, the latter listing here for the sake of
clarity the vehicle number of the refuse collection
truck 2, the date and the time of the refuse
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collection, the weight of the emptied refuse, and the
` fees.
Naturally, the data prepared in the central
computer 18 may also be used for further preparation of
information, so that it is possible to generate
likewise extensive, informative customer data banks and
statistics besides invoicing or collecting late
payment~.
Finally, it should be emphasized that the
teaching of the present invention is merely explained
by the above-described embodiment, but is by no means
limited thereto.
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