Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02941812 2016-09-13
CONTAINERS WITH MULTIPLE SENSORS
BACKGROUND
Cross-Reference
[0001] This
application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No.
14/856,309, filed September 16, 2015 and titled "DUAL SENSING RECEPTACLES,"
and
claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No.
62/304,076, filed March 4, 2016 and titled "DUAL SENSING RECEPTACLES." In some
aspects, this application relates to U.S. Patent Application No. 14/639,862,
filed March 5,
2015 titled "DUAL SENSING RECEPTACLES," which claims the benefit of priority
to U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/953,402, filed March 14, 2014, titled
"DUAL
SENSING RECEPTACLE." The disclosures of each of the aforementioned
applications are
considered part of, and are incorporated by reference in, this application in
their entireties.
Field
[0002]
The present disclosure relates to receptacle assemblies, particularly to
trashcan assemblies having power-operated lids.
Description of the Related Art
[0003]
Receptacles having a lid are used in a variety of different settings. For
example, in both residential and commercial settings, trashcans often have
lids for preventing
the escape of contents or odors from the trashcan. Recently, trashcans with
power-operated
lids have become commercially available. Such trashcans can include a sensor
that can trigger
the trashcan lid to open.
SUMMARY
[0004]
In sensor-activated receptacles, it can be difficult to calibrate the sensor
to
trigger lid movement only when the user intends to open the lid. If the sensor
is too sensitive,
the sensor can trigger lid movement nearly every time a person walks by the
receptacle. This
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accidental lid movement will quickly exhaust the power source and/or wear down
components
from over use (e.g., the motor). Further, if the sensor is not adaptable, an
accidental or
unintended lid movement may occur due to a stationary or static object (e.g.,
a piece of
furniture) that triggers the sensor. However, if the sensor is calibrated to
be less sensitive, it
can be difficult to trigger lid movement.
[0005]
According to some embodiments, a trashcan assembly includes a sensor
zone (e.g., above the front portion of the lid) that is the primary location
for actuating a lid of
the trashcan assembly. For example, a user can waive a hand or hold an item of
trash within a
specified vertical distance of the sensor and the trashcan assembly will
detect the object and
automatically open the lid in response. After the lid has been opened, it can
remain open for a
short time and then close. In some embodiments, the trashcan assembly is
configured to keep
the lid open for a longer time if movement is sensed above the front portion
of the lid, even
movement that is further away (within a greater specified vertical distance)
than the movement
required to initially trip the lid.
[0006] Certain
embodiments have generally vertical and generally horizontal
sensing zones. However, detection of objects in the generally horizontal
sensing zone alone
may not accurately indicate when the lid should be opened. For example, people
often walk by
a trashcan (e.g., along its front face) without intending to throw trash away,
in which case it
would be undesirable for the lid to open. In some embodiments, the trashcan
assembly is
configured to recognize such a situation and/or to not open the lid merely
because someone
has walked by. For example, the trashcan assembly can be configured such that
detecting an
object in the horizontal sensing zones, without first, concurrently, or soon
afterward detecting
an object in the vertical sensing zone ordinarily will not cause the lid to be
opened.
[0007]
If someone is walking by the front of the trashcan, the person's hand or a
part of their clothing might pass above the trashcan, which could be detected
in the vertical
sensing zone, and thus could unintentionally trigger the lid. Some embodiments
are configured
to avoid such a result by monitoring the horizontal sensing zone to see if
someone is walking
by (and not stopped), in which case the object detection in the vertical
sensing zone can be
ignored.
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[0008]
After an object has been detected in the vertical sensing zone, the
horizontal
sensing zone can be monitored to maintain the lid open for a period and/or
until a condition is
satisfied. For example, the lid can remain open so long as the trashcan
assembly senses that
someone is standing in near (e.g., in front) of it, even if the person's hands
are not hovering
over the lid region. This may happen, for example, if the person is reaching
across a counter
for more trash or sorting through items (e.g., mail) to determine which items
to discard into the
trashcan assembly.
[0009]
Certain aspects of the disclosure are directed to a trashcan assembly that
includes a body portion and a lid portion. The lid portion can be pivotably
coupled with the
body portion. The trashcan assembly can include a sensor assembly. The sensor
assembly can
be coupled to the body portion. The sensor assembly can have a first
transmitter, a second
transmitter, and/or one or more receivers. A transmission axis of the first
transmitter can be
generally perpendicular to a transmission axis of the second transmitter.
[0010]
The sensor assembly can include a controller, which can have one or more
hardware processors. The controller can be configured to perform various
actions. For
example, the controller can be configured to instruct the first transmitter to
emit a first signal.
The controller can be configured to receive, from the one or more receivers, a
first indication
that an object is detected in a first region. After the first indication is
received, the controller
can be configured to determine whether a second indication has been received
from the one or
more receivers in response to emission of a second signal by the second
transmitter. The
controller can be configured to transmit an instruction to a power-operated
drive mechanism,
such as in response to receiving at least the first indication. The
instruction can cause the
power-operated drive mechanism to move the lid portion from a closed position
to an open
position.
[0011] Any of
the trashcan assembly features or structures disclosed in this
specification can be included in any embodiment. In certain embodiments, the
controller is
configured to receive the second indication from the receiver. The second
indication can
indicate that the object or another object is detected in the first region or
the second region. In
some embodiments, the controller is configured to transmit another instruction
to the power-
operated drive mechanism, such as in response to the second indication not
being received
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after a predetermined period. The another instruction can cause the power
operated drive
mechanism to move the lid portion from the open position to the closed
position. The
controller can be configured to instruct, in response to the second indication
not being received
after the predetermined period, the second transmitter to stop emitting the
second signal. In
some implementations, the controller is configured to instruct the second
transmitter not to
emit any signals before the first indication is received. In other
implementations, the controller
is configured to instruct the second transmitter to emit the second signal
before the first
indication is received. In some variants, the first transmitter has a
transmission axis extending
generally vertically and/or the second transmitter has a transmission axis
extending generally
horizontally. The first region can be a region that extends generally
vertically from the upper
surface of the sensor assembly. The second region can be a region that extends
generally
horizontally from the lateral surface of the sensor assembly. The receiver can
be configured to
transmit the first indication in response to reception of a reflection of the
first signal. In some
embodiments, in a first state, the first region comprises a ready mode region.
In certain
embodiments, in a second state, the first region comprises a hyper-mode
region. The hyper-
mode regions can extend beyond the ready-mode region. The receiver can be
configured to
transmit the first indication, such as in response to detection of the object
in the ready-mode
region. In some embodiments, the second region forms a beam angle of at least
about 60
degrees. The beam angle can be measured from an outer periphery of the second
region to a
central axis of the second region. In some embodiments, the sensor assembly
can include a
third transmitter and a fourth transmitter. The controller can be configured
to, in response to
receiving the first indication, instruct the second transmitter to emit the
second signal, instruct
the third transmitter to emit a third signal, and instruct the fourth
transmitter to emit a fourth
signal.
[0012] Certain
aspects of the disclosure are directed to a computer-implemented
method for determining a position of a lid portion of a trashcan assembly. The
method can
include generating a first command that instructs a first transmitter of a
sensor assembly to
emit a first signal. The trashcan assembly can include the sensor assembly.
The method can
include receiving, from one or more receivers of the sensor assembly, a first
indication that an
object is detected in a first region. The method can include, after the first
indication is
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received, determining whether a second indication has been received from the
one or more
receivers in response to emission of a second signal by a second transmitter
of the sensor
assembly. A transmission axis of the first transmitter can be generally
vertical and the
transmission axis of the second transmitter can be generally horizontal. The
method can
include generating a second command that instructs a power-operated drive
mechanism in
response to receiving at least the first indication. The second command can
cause the power-
operated drive mechanism to move the lid portion from a closed position to an
open position.
The method can be performed under control of program instructions executed by
one or more
computing devices.
100131 In some
embodiments, the method can include receiving the second
indication from the receiver. The second indication can indicate whether the
object or another
object is detected in the first region or the second region. The method can
include generating,
in response to the second indication indicating that the object or another
object is detected in
the first region or the second region, a third command that instructs the
power-operated drive
mechanism to move the lid portion from the open position to the closed
position. The method
can include generating, in response to the second indication indicating that
the object or
another object is detected in the first region or the second region, a fourth
command that
instructs second transmitter to stop emitting the second signal. In some
embodiments, the
method can include instructing the second transmitter not to emit any signals
before the first
indication is received. In other embodiments, the method can include
instructing the second
transmitter to emit the second signal before the first indication is received.
In some
embodiments, the first region can be a region that extends generally upward
from the upper
surface of the sensor assembly. In certain embodiments, the second region is a
region that
extends generally outward from the lateral surface of the sensor assembly. In
some
embodiments, the first region includes a ready-mode region and a hyper-mode
region
extending beyond the ready-mode region. The method can include receiving the
first indication
in response to detection of the object in the ready-mode region. In some
embodiments, the
second region forms a beam angle of at least about 60 degrees. The beam angle
can be
measured from an outer periphery of the second region to a central axis of the
second region.
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[0014]
Certain aspects of the disclosure are directed to a trashcan assembly that
includes a body that includes a top end, bottom end, sidewall, and internal
cavity. The trashcan
assembly can include a lid unit coupled with the top end of the body. The lid
unit includes a lid
and a motor. The motor is configured to move the lid between an open position
and a closed
position. The trashcan assembly can include a sensor assembly that includes a
first sensor
configured to emit first signals generally vertically to produce a first
sensing region. The
sensor assembly can include a second sensor configured to emit second signals
generally
horizontally to produce a second sensing region. The sensor assembly can
include a receiver
configured to receive one or more reflected signals. The reflected signals
include the first or
second signals reflected off an object in the first or second sensing regions.
The sensor
assembly can include a lens cover positioned over the first sensor, second
sensor, and receiver.
The trashcan assembly can include a controller operably connected with the
sensor assembly
and the motor. The trashcan assembly can be configured such that, in response
to the receiver
receiving one or more reflected signals, the trashcan assembly moves the lid
from the closed
position to the open position. The trashcan assembly can be configured to
detect the presence
of contaminants on the lens covering.
[0015]
In some embodiments, the trashcan assembly can be configured to detect
the presence of contaminants on the lens covering by determining whether a
proximity
measurement to a detected object is less than a threshold distance. The
threshold distance can
be less than about 0.5 inches.
[0016]
Certain aspects of the disclosure are directed to a trashcan assembly that
includes a body portion, a lid portion pivotably coupled with the body
portion, a microphone
coupled to the bod portion, and a sensor assembly coupled to the body portion.
The
microphone can be configured to receive an utterance and transform the
utterance into an
audio signal.
[0017]
The sensor assembly can include a controller, which can have one or more
hardware processors and memory. The controller can be configured to perform
various actions.
For example, the controller can be configured to receive the audio signal from
the microphone.
The controller can be configured to perform speech recognition on the audio
signal to identify
an uttered keyword. The controller can be configured to retrieve a stored
keyword from the
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memory. The controller can be configured to compare the stored keyword with
the uttered
keyword. The controller can be configured to transmit an instruction to a
power-operated
drive mechanism in response to a determination that the stored keyword matches
the uttered
keyword. The instruction can cause the power-operated drive mechanism to move
the lid
portion from a closed position to an open position.
[0018] Any of the trashcan assembly features or structures
disclosed in this
specification can be included in any embodiment. In certain embodiments, the
sensor assembly
further includes a first transmitter, a second transmitter, and a receiver. A
transmission axis of
the first transmitter can be generally perpendicular to a transmission axis of
the second
transmitter. In some implementations, the controller can be configured to
instruct the first
transmitter to emit a first signal, receive, from the receiver, a first
indication that an object is
not detected in a first region, and transmit a second instruction to the power-
operated drive
mechanism in response to receiving the first indication. The second
instruction can cause the
power-operated drive mechanism to move the lid portion from the open position
to the closed
position. In certain embodiments, the controller can be configured to instruct
the first
transmitter to emit a first signal, receive, from the receiver, a first
indication that an object is
detected in a first region, and generate a second instruction that causes the
power-operated
drive mechanism to move the lid portion from the closed position to the open
position. In
some embodiments, the controller can be configured to retrieve a second stored
keyword from
the memory, compare the second stored keyword with the uttered keyword, and
transmit a
third instruction to the power-operated drive mechanism instead of the second
instruction in
response to a determination that the second stored keyword matches the uttered
keyword. The
third instruction can cause the power-operated drive mechanism to move the lid
portion from
the open position to the closed position. In some implementations, the
trashcan assembly
further includes a light sensor coupled to the body portion. The light sensor
can be configured
to detect a first lux level of ambient light at a first time before the first
indication is received
and a second lux level of ambient light at a second time after the first
indication is received.
The second lux level can be greater than the first lux level. In certain
embodiments, the
controller can be configured to not transmit the second instruction to the
power-operated drive
mechanism in response to a determination that the second lux level is greater
than the first lux
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level by a threshold value. In some embodiments, the controller can be
configured to receive
the stored keyword from a user device over a wireless network.
[0019]
Certain aspects of the disclosure are directed to a trashcan assembly that
includes a body portion, a lid portion pivotably coupled with the body
portion, a power-
operated drive mechanism coupled with the body portion, and a sensor assembly
coupled to
the bod portion. The power-operated drive mechanism can include a motor, a
shaft driven by
the motor, and an adaptor coupled to the shaft and the lid portion.
[0020]
The sensor assembly can include a controller, which can have one or more
hardware processors. The controller can be configured to perform various
actions. For
example, the controller can be configured to detect an object in a first
region. The controller
can be configured to transmit an instruction to the power-operated drive
mechanism in
response to the detection of the object, wherein the instruction causes the
power-operated drive
mechanism to move the lid portion from a closed position to an open position.
[0021]
Any of the trashcan assembly features or structures disclosed in this
specification can be included in any embodiment. In certain embodiments, the
power-operated
drive mechanism can further include a position sensor coupled to the shaft. A
rotation of the
shaft can cause a change in voltage output by the position sensor. In some
implementations,
the controller can be further configured to transmit a second instruction to
the power-operated
drive mechanism that causes the power-operated drive mechanism to stop
operation in
response to a determination that a voltage output by the position sensor is a
threshold value. In
some embodiments, the position sensor can include a potentiometer. In certain
embodiments,
the controller can be further configured to determine a position of the lid
portion using the
voltage output by the position sensor. In some implementations, the controller
can be further
configured to determine the position of the lid portion using the voltage
output by the position
sensor even if the object obstructs movement of the lid portion by the power-
operated drive
mechanism.
[0022]
Any feature, structure, or step disclosed herein can be replaced with or
combined with any other feature, structure, or step disclosed herein, or
omitted. Further, for
purposes of summarizing the disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and
features have been
described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily any or all such
advantages are
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achieved in accordance with any particular embodiments disclosed herein. No
individual
aspects of this disclosure are essential or indispensable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] Various embodiments are depicted in the accompanying drawings for
illustrative purposes, and should in no way be interpreted as limiting the
scope of the
embodiments. Furthermore, various features of different disclosed embodiments
can be
combined to form additional embodiments, which are part of this disclosure.
[0024] Figure 1 illustrates a front perspective view of an
embodiment of a
receptacle assembly.
[0025] Figure 2 illustrates a front elevation view of the
receptacle assembly shown
in Figure 1.
[0026] Figure 3 illustrates a rear perspective view of the
receptacle assembly
shown in Figure 1.
[0027] Figure 4 illustrates a rear elevation view of the receptacle
assembly shown
in Figure 1.
[0028] Figure 5 illustrates a partial-exploded, rear perspective
view of the
receptacle assembly shown in Figure 1.
[0029] Figure 6 illustrates a top plan view of the receptacle
shown in Figure 1.
[0030] Figure 7A illustrates a trim ring portion of the receptacle of
Figure 1.
[0031] Figure 7B illustrates the trim ring portion of Figure 7A
with the outer trim
cover removed.
[0032] Figure 8A illustrates a sensor assembly of the receptacle
of Figure 1.
[0033] Figure 8B illustrates the sensor assembly of Figure 8A with
the outer
covering removed.
[0034] Figure 9A illustrates an upward sensing range of the
receptacle assembly
shown in Figure 1.
[0035] Figure 9B illustrates an outward sensing range of the
receptacle assembly
shown in Figure 1.
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[0036] Figure 9C illustrates a side view of a first example of the
sensing ranges
shown in Figures 9A and 9B.
[0037] Figure 9D illustrates a side view of a second example of
the sensing ranges
shown in Figures 9A and 9B.
[0038] Figure 10A illustrates a top perspective view of a lid portion of
the
receptacle assembly shown in Figure 1.
[0039] Figure 10B illustrates a bottom, front perspective view of
the lid portion
shown in Figure 10A.
[0040] Figure 10C illustrates a bottom, rear perspective view of
the lid portion
shown in Figure 10A.
[0041] Figure 11A illustrates an enlarged, rear perspective view
of the receptacle
assembly shown in Figure 1 with a rear cover removed to show a driving
mechanism.
[0042] Figure 11B illustrates an enlarged view of the driving
mechanism shown in
Figure 11A.
[0043] Figure 11C illustrates an enlarged, cross-sectional view of the trim
ring
portion shown in Figure 11B taken along line 11C-11C.
[0044] Figure 12 illustrates an enlarged perspective view of a
portion of a drive
mechanism of Figure 11A.
[0045] Figure 13 schematically illustrates a method for adapting
sensing thresholds
of the receptacle assembly shown in Figure 1.
[0046] Figure 14 schematically illustrates a method for
controlling the position of
the lid portion of the receptacle assembly of Figure 1.
[0047] Figure 15 schematically illustrates another method for
controlling the
position of the lid portion of the receptacle assembly of Figure 1.
[0048] Figures 16A-16C illustrate an enlarged, rear perspective view of
another
embodiment of the receptacle assembly shown in Figure 1 with a rear cover
removed to show
a driving mechanism.
[0049] Figure 17A illustrates an enlarged, rear perspective view
of the adaptor and
potentiometer shown in Figures 16A-16C.
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[0050]
Figure 17B illustrates an enlarged, rear, and top perspective view of the
adaptor and potentiometer shown in Figures 16A-16C.
[0051]
Figure 17C illustrates an enlarged, rear, and bottom perspective view of the
adaptor and potentiometer shown in Figures 16A-16C.
100521 Figure
17D illustrates an enlarged, side perspective view of the
potentiometer shown in Figures 16A-16C.
[0053]
Figure 17E illustrates an enlarged, side perspective view of the adaptor
shown in Figures 16A-16C.
[0054]
Figure 18A illustrates a rear, top perspective view of the receptacle
assembly shown in Figure 1.
[0055]
Figures 18B-18C illustrate a rear perspective view of the receptacle
assembly shown in Figure 1 with a rear cover removed to show springs.
[0056]
Figure 19 schematically illustrates another method for controlling the
position of the lid portion of the receptacle assembly of Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0057]
The various embodiments of a system for opening and closing a lid or door
of a receptacle, such as a trashcan, or other device, are disclosed in the
context of a trashcan.
The present disclosure describes certain embodiments in the context of a
trashcan due to
particular utility in this context. However, the subject matter of the present
disclosure can be
used in many other contexts as well, including, for example, commercial
trashcans, doors,
windows, security gates, and other larger doors or lids, as well as doors or
lids for smaller
devices such as high precision scales, computer drives, etc. The embodiments
and/or
components thereof can be implemented in powered or manually operated systems.
[0058] It is
also noted that the examples may be described as a process, such as by
using a flowchart, a flow diagram, a finite state diagram, a structure
diagram, or a block
diagram. Although these examples may describe the operations as a sequential
process, many
of the operations can be performed in parallel, or concurrently, and the
process can be
repeated. In addition, the order of the operations may be different than is
shown or described in
such descriptions. A process is terminated when its operations are completed.
A process may
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correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram,
etc. When a
process corresponds to a software function, its termination can correspond to
a return of the
function to the calling function or the main function. Any step of a process
can be performed
separately or combined with any other step of any other process.
Overview
[0059]
As shown in Figures 1-6, a trashcan assembly 20 can include a body portion
22 and a lid portion 24 pivotably attached to the body portion 22. The
trashcan assembly 20
can rest on a floor and can be of varying heights and widths depending on,
among other things,
consumer need, cost, and ease of manufacture.
[0060] The
trashcan assembly 20 can receive a bag liner (not shown), which can be
retained at least partially within the body portion 22. For example, an upper
peripheral edge 26
of the body portion 22 can support an upper portion of the bag liner such that
the bag liner is
suspended and/or restrained within the body portion 22. In some embodiments,
the upper edge
26 of the body portion 22 can be rolled, include an annular lip, or otherwise
include features
that have a generally rounded cross-section and/or extend outwardly from a
generally vertical
wall of the body portion 22 (see Figure 5). The outward-extending, upper
peripheral edge 26
can support the bag liner and prevent the bag liner from tearing near an upper
portion of the
bag liner. Although not shown, in some embodiments, the trashcan assembly 20
can include a
liner support member supported by the body portion 22, which can support the
bag liner.
[0061] Figures
1-6 illustrate the body portion 22 having a generally semi-circular
configuration with a rear wall 28 and a curved, front wall 30. However, other
configurations
can also be used, for example, a rectangular configuration. The body portion
22 can be made
from plastic, steel, stainless steel, aluminum or any other material.
[0062]
The pivotal connection between the body portion 22 and the lid portion 24
can be any type of connection allowing for pivotal movement, such as, hinge
elements, pins, or
rods. For example, as shown in Figure 11A, the lid portion 24 can pivot about
pivot pins 50,
52 extending laterally through a backside enclosure 56. In some embodiments,
biasing
members 126, such as one or more torsion springs, can be positioned around the
pins 50, 52.
The biasing members 126 can provide a biasing force to assist in opening
and/or closing the
lid portion 24. This can reduce the amount of power consumed by a motor 78
when moving
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the lid portion 24 between the open and closed positions and/or can allow for
the use a smaller
motor (e.g., in dimensional size and/or in power output).
[0063]
The trashcan assembly 20 can include a base portion 44. The base portion
44 can have a generally annular and curved skirt upper portion and a generally
flat lower
portion for resting on a surface, such as a kitchen floor. In some
implementations, the base
portion 44 can include plastic, metal (e.g., steel, stainless steel, aluminum,
etc.) or any other
material. In some implementations, the base portion 44 and the body portion 22
can be
constructed from different materials. For example, the body portion 22 can be
constructed
from metal (e.g., stainless steel), and the base portion 44 can be constructed
from a plastic
material.
[0064]
In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 5, the base portion 44 can be
separately formed from the body portion 22. The base portion 44 can be
connected with or
attached to the body portion 22 using adhesive, welding, and/or connection
components 46,
such as hooks and/or fasteners (e.g., screws). For example, the base portion
44 can include
hooked tabs that can connect with a lower edge (e.g., a rolled edge) of the
body portion 22.
The hooked tabs can engage the lower edge of the body portion 22 by a snap-fit
connection.
[0065]
As shown in Figure 5, the base portion 44 can include projections 40 that
are open or vented to the ambient environment (e.g., thorough the generally
flat lower portion
of the base portion 44). As illustrated, certain embodiments of the base
portion 44 include a
generally centrally located passage 41 extending through the base portion 44.
[0066]
In some embodiments, the trashcan assembly 20 can include a liner insert
100 positioned within the body portion 22 (see Figure 5). The liner insert 100
can be secured
to the base portion 44. For example, the liner insert 100 can have support
members 48 that are
joined with the base portion 44 (e.g., with fasteners, welding, etc.). The
support members 48
can support and/or elevate the liner insert 100 above away from the base
portion 44.
[0067]
The liner insert 100 can generally support and/or cradle a lower portion of
a
liner disposed in the trashcan assembly 20 to protect a bag liner from rupture
or damage and
retain spills. For instance, the liner insert 100 can have a generally smooth
surface to reduce
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the likelihood of the bag liner being torn or punctured by contact with the
liner insert 100. As
illustrated, the liner insert 100 can be generally concave or bowl-shaped.
[0068]
The liner insert 100 can reduce the chance of damage to the bag liner even
in trashcan assemblies 20 that do not utilize a generally rigid liner that
extends along a
majority of or all of the height of the body portion 22. In some embodiments,
the height of the
liner insert 100 can be substantially less than the height of the body portion
22, positioning the
uppermost surface of the liner insert 100 substantially closer to the bottom
of the trashcan
assembly 20 than to the middle and/or top of the trashcan assembly 20. In some
embodiments,
the height of the liner insert 100 can be less than or generally equal to
about one-fourth of the
height of the body portion 22. In certain embodiments, the height of the liner
insert 100 can be
less than or generally equal to about one-eighth of the height of the body
portion 22.
[0069]
The liner insert 100 can form a seal (e.g., generally liquid resistant) with
a
lower portion of the body portion 22. In some embodiments, the liner insert
100 can include
openings 42 that are configured to correspond to, or mate with, the
projections 40 located on
the interior bottom surface of the base portion 44, thereby placing the
openings 42 and the
projections 40 in fluid communication. By aligning the openings 42 of the
liner insert 100 and
the projections 40 of the base portion 44, the openings 42 can allow ambient
air to pass into
and out of the interior of the trashcan assembly. The openings 42 can inhibit
or prevent the
occurrence a negative pressure region (e.g., in comparison to ambient) inside
the trashcan
assembly 20 when a user removes a bag liner from the trashcan assembly 20.
Further, in
certain variants, when a user inserts refuse or other materials into the bag
liner in the trashcan
assembly 20, air within the trashcan assembly 20 can exit via the openings 42
and the
projections 40. The openings 42 can inhibit the occurrence of a positive
pressure region (e.g.,
in comparison to ambient) inside the trashcan assembly 20 and allowing the bag
liner to freely
expand.
[0070]
In some embodiments, the trashcan assembly 20 can include a backside
enclosure 56 that can house a plurality of bag liners (not shown). A rear
cover 54 can encase
an open portion of the backside enclosure 56. The rear cover 54 can include a
rear lid 49 that
provides access to the interior of the backside enclosure 56, so the user can
replenish the
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plurality of bag liners. An interior surface of the backside enclosure 56 can
include an opening
57 that provides access to the plurality of bag liners from the interior of
the body portion 22
(see Figure 11A). The rear wall 28 of the body portion 22 can include an
opening 55 in
communication with the backside enclosure opening 57. The openings 55, 57 can
be
positioned such that the user can reach into the interior of the body portion
22 and take a bag
liner from the backside enclosure 56. Additional examples and details of bag
liner dispensers
are included in U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/949,868, filed March 7,
2014, the contents
of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. As with all
embodiments in this
specification, any structure, feature, material, step, and/or process
illustrated or described in
such application can be used in addition to or instead of any structure,
feature, material, step,
and/or process illustrated or described in this specification.
[0071]
As shown in Figure 11A, the backside enclosure 56 can house a power
source 66 and a power-operated driving mechanism 58 to drive lid movement
(discussed in
greater detail below). In some embodiments, the backside enclosure 56 can
include a port 43
(e.g., a USB port, mini-USB port, or otherwise) for recharging the power
source 66 (see Figure
3). In some embodiments, the backside enclosure 56 can include a power button
51 for turning
on and off power to one or more features of the trashcan assembly 20 (see
Figure 3).
[0072]
A controller 70 (which is stored in the backside enclosure 56 in some
embodiments) can control one or more features of the trashcan assembly 20,
e.g., the power-
operated driving mechanism. The controller 70 can include one or a plurality
of circuit boards
(PCBs), which can provide hard-wired feedback control circuits, at least one
processor and
memory devices for storing and performing control routines, or any other type
of controller. In
some embodiments, the memory included in controller 70 may be a computer-
readable media
and may store one or more of any of the modules of software and/or hardware
that are
described and/or illustrated in this specification. The module(s) may store
data values defining
executable instructions. The one or more processors of controller 70 may be in
electrical
communication with the memory, and may be configured by executable
instructions included
in the memory to perform functions, or a portion thereof, of the trashcan
assembly 20. For
example, in some aspects, the memory may be configured to store instructions
and algorithms
that cause the processor to send a command to trigger at least one of the
several modes of
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operation (e.g., ready-mode, hyper-mode, calibration-mode, etc.) of the
trashcan assembly 20,
as described herein in reference to Figures 9A-9B and 13. As another example,
in some
aspects, the memory may be configured to store instructions and algorithms
that cause the
processor to send a command to trigger the motor 78 to move the lid portion 24
between the
open and closed positions based at least in part on received voice commands,
such as in the
example described herein in Figure 19.
[0073]
The backside enclosure 56 can have a generally low profile configuration.
For example, the back-side enclosure 56 can extend rearward from the rear wall
28 a distance
of less than or equal to about the distance from the rear wall 28 to the
furthest rearward extent
of the lid portion 24 and/or the furthest rearward extent of a trim ring
portion 38, such as less
than or equal to about 1 inch, or less than or equal to about 1/5th of the
distance between the
outside surfaces of the rear wall 28 and the front-most portion of the front
wall 30.
Trim Ring Portion
[0074]
In some embodiments, the trashcan assembly 20 can include a trim ring
portion 38 that can secure or retain an upper portion of the bag liner between
the trim ring
portion 38 and the upper edge 26 of the body portion 22. The trim ring portion
38 can surround
at least a portion of the body portion 22 and/or be positioned at least
partially above the body
portion 22. As illustrated, a diameter of the trim ring portion 38 can be
greater than a diameter
of the upper portion of the body portion 22, such that the trim ring portion
38 can receive, nest
with, and/or or removably lock onto the upper edge 26 of the body portion 22,
e.g., by a
friction fit. When a bag liner is placed in the body portion 22 and the upper
portion of the bag
liner is positioned over the rolled edge or annular lip of the upper edge 26,
the trim ring
portion 38 can be positioned (e.g., rotated into position) such that the bag
liner is disposed
between the trim ring portion 38 and the body portion 22. The trim ring
portion 38 can secure
a portion of the bag liner within the body portion 22 and prevent the bag
liner from falling into
the body portion 22.
[0075]
The trim ring portion 38 can include a rear-projecting portion 39 that can
be
secured to the back-side enclosure 56 and/or body portion 22, such as by
fasteners 29 (e.g.,
screws). Some embodiments of the trim ring portion 38 can rotate with respect
to the body
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portion 22 and/or the lid portion 24. The trim ring portion 38 can be made of
various materials,
such as plastic or metal. The trim ring portion 38 and the body portion 22 can
be made from
the same or different materials. For example, the trim ring portion 38 and the
body portion 22
can be constructed from a plastic material. Some embodiments of the trim ring
portion 38 can
engage and/or overlap the upper edge 26 of the trashcan assembly 20.
[0076]
The trim ring portion 38 can be pivotably coupled to the trashcan assembly
20. For example, the lid portion 24 and the trim ring portion 38 can pivot
generally along the
same pivot axis. In some embodiments, the trim ring portion 38 includes a
retaining
mechanism to maintain the trim ring portion 38 in an open position while the
bag liner is being
replaced or the trashcan interior is cleaned. As shown in Figure 11C, the trim
ring portion 38
can include a detent housing 160 positioned within the rear projecting portion
39. The detent
housing 160 can be integrally formed with or secured to the outer and/or inner
trim ring (if
present) 38a, 38b (see Figures 7A and 7B). The detent housing 160 can include
a first detent
structure 162a configured to interface (e.g., engage) with a second detent
structure disposed on
the backside enclosure 56. As the trim ring portion 38 moves to an open
position, the first
detent structure 162a can interface with the second detent structure 162b to
maintain the trim
ring portion 38 in an open position. In some embodiments, the first detent
structure 162a can
be a tooth, and the second detent structure 162b can be a divot, groove,
opening, or likewise.
Lid Sensor Assembly
[0077]
The trashcan assembly 20 can include a sensor assembly 102 for detecting
user movement (e.g., by detecting a reflected or emitted signal or
characteristic, such as light,
thermal, conductivity, magnetism, or otherwise). The sensor assembly 102 can
communicate
with the controller 70 to control lid movement.
[0078] The
sensor assembly 102 can be disposed on a generally outer portion of the
trashcan assembly 20. In some embodiments, the sensor assembly 102 can be
positioned at
least partially between the outer trim ring 38a and the inner trim ring 38b
(see Figures 7A and
7B) with a portion of the sensor assembly 102 exposed to the trashcan
exterior. For example,
as shown in Figure 7A, the sensor assembly 102 can be positioned such that at
least a portion
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of an upper surface 102a and/or a front surface 102b of the sensor assembly
102 is exposed to
the trashcan exterior. The sensor assembly 102 can be positioned near a
central and/or upper
portion of a front surface of the trim ring portion 38, such that the exposed
surfaces of the
sensor assembly 102 can be substantially flush with, and/or be shaped to
generally match or
correspond to the shape of, a top surface and/or an outer front surface of the
trim ring portion
38.
[0079]
Figures 8A and 8B illustrate enlarged views of the sensor assembly 102.
The sensor assembly 102 can include a support structure 110 for supporting one
or more
transmitters and receivers. An outer covering 106 can be secured to the
support structure 110
to cover the one or more transmitters and receivers. The outer covering 106
can include one or
more connection features 108 for securing the sensor assembly 102 to the trim
ring portion 38
(e.g., using screws, hooks, or other fasteners).
[0080]
The outer covering 106 can include a lens covering 104 that can be
transparent or translucent to permit transmission and/or receipt of light
signals. For example,
the lens covering 104 can be made of glass or plastics, such as polycarbonate,
Makrolon0, etc.
In some embodiments, the lens covering 104 can be opaque to visible light and
transparent or
translucent to UV and/or infrared light to reduce erroneous signals from
visible light and/or to
generally obscure the transmitter(s) and/or receiver(s) from view. The lens
covering 104 can be
substantially flush with a top surface and an outer front surface of the trim
ring portion 38. As
shown in Figure 1, the lens covering 104 of the sensor assembly 102 can be
aligned with the
trim ring portion 38. The front surface of the lens covering 104 can be
aligned with a front
surface of the trim ring portion 38, and the top surface of the lens covering
104 can curve over
a top edge of the trim ring portion 38 so that the top surface of the lens
covering 104 is
substantially flush with a rolled edge of the trim ring portion 38. In some
embodiments, a
width of the lens covering 104 can be at least two times a height of the lens
covering 104, e.g.,
the width can be about 30 mm and the height can be about 7 mm. In some
embodiments, the
height of the lens covering 104 can be at least about two times a depth of the
lens covering,
e.g., the height can be about 15 mm and the depth can be about 7 mm.
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
[0081]
As shown in Figure 8B, the sensor assembly 102 can include one or more
transmitters 112a-d (e.g., one, two, three, four, five or more) and one or
more receivers 114
(e.g., one, two, three, four, five or more). The transmitters 112a-d can emit
electromagnetic
energy, such as infrared light. The beams of light emitting from the
transmitters 112a-d can
define one or more overlapping or separate sensing regions 130, 132. In some
embodiments,
the outer periphery of the sensing regions 130, 132 can be identified by the
regions in which an
object (e.g., a person's body) will not trigger lid movement or where radiant
intensity of
emitted light falls below 50% of the maximum value. The receiver 114 can
receive
electromagnetic energy, such as infrared light, and detect reflections from an
object within the
beams of light emitted from the transmitters 112a-d. If the receiver 114
detects a signal above
a certain sensing threshold, the sensor assembly 102 can send a signal to the
controller 70 to
activate a function of the trashcan assembly 20. In certain variants, the
transmitters can emit
other types of energy, such as sound waves, radio waves, or any other signals.
The transmitters
and receivers can be integrated into the same sensor or configured as separate
components.
100821 The
transmitters 112a-d can transmit light in more than one direction, e.g., a
first subset of transmitters can transmit light in a first direction, and a
second subset of
transmitters can transmit light in a second direction. As shown in Figure 8B,
the first subset of
transmitters 112a-c can include a greater number of transmitters than the
second subset of
transmitters 112b. For example, the first subset of transmitters can include
three transmitters
112a-c and the second subset of transmitters can include a single transmitter
112d. However,
any number of transmitters can be included in each subset of transmitters
and/or additional
subsets of transmitters can transmit light in additional directions. In some
embodiments, the
first subset of transmitters 112a-c and the second subset of transmitters 112d
can be mounted
on different PCB boards. However, in other embodiments, all of the
transmitters 112a-b can be
mounted on a single PCB board having a structure to permit the second subset
of transmitters
112d to be directed at an angle different than the first subset of
transmitters 112a-c, e.g., in the
configuration shown in Figure 8B.
[0083]
The first subset of transmitters 112a-c can be positioned on or in the
support
structure 110, such that a transmitting axis of each of one or more of the
first subset of
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
transmitters 112a-c is generally perpendicular to a front surface 118 of the
support structure
110. In some embodiments, the front surface 118 can be positioned at an angle
relative to a
longitudinal axis of the trashcan assembly 20, such as between about -10
degrees and about 45
degrees (e.g., at least about: -10 degrees, -5 degrees, 0 degrees, 5 degrees,
10 degrees, 15
degrees, 20 degrees, 25 degrees, 30 degrees, values in between, or otherwise).
For example, as
shown in Figure 9C, the first subset of transmitters 112a-c can emit light at
an angle between
about 0 degrees and 60 degrees from a top surface of the trashcan assembly,
such as about 45
degrees. As another example, as shown in Figure 9D, the first subset of
transmitters 112a-c
can emit light at an angle between about -10 degrees and 10 degrees from a top
surface of the
trashcan assembly, such as about 0 degrees. As shown in Figure 8B, the second
subset of
transmitters 112d can be positioned on or in a platform 120 extending from the
support
structure 110. The platform 120 can be positioned such that a transmitting
axis of each of the
second subset of transmitters 112d is positioned at an angle relative to the
front surface 118 of
the support structure 110, such as between about 45 degrees and about 100
degrees (e.g., about
45 degrees, 60 degrees, 75 degrees, 80 degrees, 85 degrees, 90 degrees, 95
degrees, 100
degrees, values in between, or otherwise). In some embodiments, an upper
surface of the
platform 120 can be generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the
trashcan assembly
20. As shown in Figures 9C and 9D, the second subset of transmitters 112d can
be positioned
or otherwise configured to emit light along an axis substantially parallel to
a longitudinal axis
of the trashcan assembly 20.
[0084] As shown in Figure 8B, the second subset of transmitters
112d and the
receiver 114 can be positioned on opposite sides of the first subset of
transmitters 112a-c.
However, in certain variants, the second subset of transmitters 112d and the
receiver 114 can
be positioned on the same side of the first subset of transmitters 112a-c or
interspersed
between transmitters 112a-c in the first subset.
[0085] The support structure 110 can include a projecting portion
116 extending
across at least a portion of a length of the first subset of transmitters 112a-
c. An inner wall
116a of the projecting portion 116 can be generally perpendicular to the front
surface 118 of
the support structure 110. As shown in Figure 8B, the projecting portion 116
can extend from
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
an upper portion of the support structure 110 and extend along the length of
the first subset of
transmitters 112a-c. The inner wall 116a of the projecting portion 116 can
block portions of
emissions from the first subset of transmitters 112a-c that may accidentally
trigger lid
movement (e.g., when transmitted light reaches the receiver 114 without first
reflecting off a
user). In some embodiments, the second subset of transmitters 112d can be
spaced away from
the projecting portion 116, such that the projecting portion 116 does not
block emissions from
the second subset of transmitters 112b.
[0086]
The receiver 114 can be recessed from the front surface 118 of the support
structure. The recessed portion can include an upper wall 122a positioned at
an angle relative
to the longitudinal axis of the trashcan assembly 20, such as between about 0
degrees and
about 45 degrees (e.g., at least about: 15 degrees, 20 degrees, 25 degrees, 30
degrees, values in
between, or otherwise). The recessed portion can also include sidewalls 122b,
122c. The
sidewall 122b can separate the transmitters 122a-d from the receiver 114 to
reduce the
likelihood that emitted light reaches the light receiver without first
reflecting off a separate
surface (e.g., a user).
[0087]
The first subset of transmitters 112a-c can transmit light in a first
direction
and the second subset of transmitters 112d can transmit light in a second
direction. As shown
in Figure 8B, each transmitter in each subset of transmitters can transmit
light in substantially
the same direction. However, in other embodiments, one or more transmitters in
each subset
can transmit light in different directions.
[0088]
As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the transmitters 112a-d can create a first
sensing region 130 extending in a first direction and a second sensing region
132 extending in
a second direction. As illustrated, the sensing regions can be generally
conical in shape. The
conical shapes can extend along respective centerlines. In some embodiments,
the first
direction (e.g., along the centerline of the sensing region 130) is between
about 30 degrees and
about 90 degrees from the second direction, such as between about 30 degrees
and about 45
degrees, between about 45 degrees and about 60 degrees, between about 60
degrees and about
75 degrees, or between about 75 degrees and about 90 degrees. The first
sensing region 130
can extend generally upward, e.g., within about 15 degrees from the
longitudinal axis of the
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trashcan assembly 20. This can enable the trashcan assembly 20 to detect user
movement
above the trashcan assembly 20 (e.g., from a hand waving over the lid portion
24). As
mentioned above, the second sensing region 132 can extend in extending in a
second direction
(e.g., along the centerline of the sensing region 130). The second direction
can be generally
outward from the trashcan assembly 20. For example, the second direction can
extend between
about 0 degrees and about 60 degrees from a top surface of the trashcan
assembly (e.g., about
45 degrees). This can enable the trashcan assembly 20 to detect user movement
in front of the
trashcan assembly 20 (e.g., from a user standing in front of the trashcan
assembly 20). In some
embodiments, the centerline of the first sensing region 130 and the centerline
of the second
sensing region 132 are approximately perpendicular to each other, such as one
centerline being
substantially vertical and the other centerline being substantially
horizontal.
[0089]
As explained above, the first subset of transmitters 112a-c can include a
greater number of transmitters than the second subset of transmitters 112d.
There can be a
greater number of transmitters emitting light in front of the trashcan
assembly 20 (e.g.,
between about -10 degrees and about 10 degrees from a top surface of the
trashcan assembly
and/or from a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the trashcan)
than transmitters
emitting light above the trashcan assembly 20 (e.g., along an axis
substantially parallel to a
longitudinal axis of the trashcan assembly 20). As shown in Figure 9C, the
first subset of
transmitters 112a-c can achieve a sensing region 132 having a greater depth
(i.e., larger beam
angle) than the sensing region 130. In certain variants, such as is
illustrated in Figure 9D, the
sensing region 132 has a depth (i.e., beam angle) that is greater than or
equal to the depth of
the sensing region 130. In some embodiments, the each of the second subset of
transmitters
112d can emit a light having a greater half angle than each of the first
subset of transmitters
112a-c. The half angle being measured from the central transmission axis to a
region at which
an object can no longer be detected or where radiant intensity falls below 50%
of the
maximum value. For example, the half angle of transmitter 112d can be about 18
degrees and
the half angle of each of the transmitters 112a-c can be about ten degrees.
[0090]
In some embodiments, the sensing regions 130, 132 can be adjusted by
modifying one or more features of the lens covering 104. For example, the
sensing regions
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130, 132 can change depending on the angle of the lens cover 104 relative to
the axis of light
transmission from the transmitters 112a-d. As another example, the sensing
regions 130, 132
can change depending on the cross-sectional shape of the lens covering 104
(e.g., rectangular
or triangular).
[0091] In some
embodiments, sensor assembly 102 may only require enough power
to generate a low power beam of light, which may or may not be visible to the
human eye. In
some embodiments, the sensor assembly 102 can operate in a pulsating mode. The
transmitters
112a-d can be powered on and off in a cycle for short bursts lasting for any
desired period of
time (e.g., less than or equal to about 0.01 second, less than or equal to
about 0.1 second, or
less than or equal to about 1 second) at any desired frequency (e.g., once per
half second, once
per second, once per ten seconds). Cycling can greatly reduce the power demand
for powering
the sensor assembly 102. In operation, cycling does not degrade performance in
some
embodiments because the user generally remains in the path of the light beam
long enough for
a detection signal to be generated.
[0092] In some
embodiments, the trashcan assembly 20 can have one or more
modes of operation, for example, a ready-mode and a hyper-mode. In some
embodiments, the
trashcan assembly 20 can include an algorithm that determines whether and when
to trigger the
trashcan assembly 20 to operate in ready-mode, hyper-mode, or any other mode.
For example,
the algorithm can be executed by a software module of the controller 70 (e.g.,
a lid position
controller) and can send a command to open the lid portion 24. In some
embodiments, the
command can be sent if (e.g., in response to) an object being detected within
the ready-mode
sensing regions 130b, 132b. In certain implementations, the controller 70 can
send a command
to open the lid, and/or to keep the lid open, if an object is detected and/or
remains (e.g., for a
pre-determined period of time) within the hyper-mode sensing regions 130a,
132a.
[0093] The
algorithm can include various scenarios under which the trashcan
assembly 20 provides an action, such as the lid portion 24 opening and
closing, triggering the
ready-mode and hyper-mode, or other actions. For example, broadly speaking,
the algorithm
can include evaluating one or more received signals and, in response,
determining whether to
provide an action. In some embodiments, the algorithm determines whether to
provide an
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
action in response to receipt of a signal from at least two sensors, such as
at least two
transmitters (e.g., the transmitter 112d and at least one of transmitters 112a-
c).
[0094]
In some scenarios, in the ready-mode, the lid portion 24 can open when an
object is detected within at least one of the ready-mode sensing regions 130b
(e.g., generally
vertical region) and/or 132b (e.g., generally horizontal region). For example,
in some
embodiments, the lid portion 24 is opened in response to an object being
detected in the
sensing region 130b. In certain implementations, the trashcan assembly 20 is
configured to
open the lid portion 24 only in response to an object being detected in the
sensing region 130
and/or does not open the lid portion 24 in response to an object being
detected in the sensing
region 132.
[0095]
At least one of the transmitters 112a-d can operate when the trashcan
assembly 20 is in the ready mode. In some embodiments, in the ready mode, the
generally
vertical transmitter 112d operates (e.g., emits a signal) and the generally
horizontal
transmitters 112a-c are deactivated (e.g., do not emit a signal). This can
reduce power usage
and/or the chance of unintentional opening of the lid portion 24, such as in
response to a
person walking by the front of the trashcan assembly 20. In some variants, the
generally
horizontal sensing field 132 is not produced when the trashcan assembly 20 is
in the ready
mode, until the vertical transmitter 112d has been emitting a signal for a
period of time, but
before an object is detected in the sensing region 130b, and/or until an
object is detected in the
sensing region 130b. In other variants, in the ready mode, both the generally
vertical
transmitter 112d and the generally horizontal transmitters 112a-c are
activated. In some
embodiments, in the ready mode, the generally vertical sensing region 130b can
extend across
a range 130c, for example, between about 0 inches and about 6 inches from an
upper surface
102a of the sensor assembly 102.
[0096] In
certain implementations, the trashcan assembly 20 produces both the first
and second ready-mode regions 130b, 132b. As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the
upward-
directed, ready-mode sensing region 130b can extend across a greater distance
than the
outward-directed (e.g., in front of the trashcan assembly, such as less than
about 10 degrees
from horizontal), ready-mode sensing region 132b. For example, the ready-mode
sensing
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
region 130b can extend across a range 130c, for example, between about 0
inches and about 6
inches from an upper surface 102a of the sensor assembly 102, and the ready-
mode sensing
region 132b can extend across a range 132c, for example, between about 0
inches and about 3
inches from a front surface 102b of the sensor assembly 102. An outer-most
portion of the
ready-mode sensing region 132 can form a beam angle a between about 30 degrees
and about
90 degrees, such as about 60 degrees. The beam angle being measured from the
central
transmission axis to a region at which an object can no longer be detected or
where radiant
intensity falls below 50% of the maximum value. As mentioned above, in some
embodiments,
the sensing region 132 is not formed when the trashcan assembly 20 is in the
ready mode. For
example, some embodiments do not include the ready-mode sensing region 132b.
[0097]
Once the lid portion 24 opens, the lid portion 24 can remain open so long as
the sensor assembly 102 detects an object in at least one of the sensing
regions 130, 132. In
some implementations, when an object is no longer detected in at least one of
the sensing
regions 130, 132, the lid portion 24 is moved to the closed position.
Alternatively, lid portion
24 can remain open for a pre-determined period of time. For example, opening
the lid portion
24 can initialize a timer. If the sensor assembly 102 does not detect an
object before the timer
runs out, then the lid portion 24 returns to a closed position. If the sensor
assembly 102 detects
an object before the timer runs out, then the controller 70 either
reinitializes the timer either
immediately or after the timer runs out. In some embodiments, the trashcan
assembly 20 can
operate in a stay-open mode. If an object or movement of an object is
continuously detected in
the ready-mode region or hyper-mode region (if activated), then the lid
portion 102 can remain
open for an extended period of time. This can be useful if a large amount of
refuse is being
thrown in the trashcan assembly 20 or to clean the interior of the trashcan
assembly 20.
[0098]
Once ready-mode is activated, and/or the lid is open, and/or the sensor
detects further movement in the ready-mode regions 130b, 132b, and/or the
sensor detects
continued presence of an object in the ready-mode regions 130b, 132b, for a
pre-determined
time period, then the sensor assembly 102 can enter a hyper-mode (e.g., during
which the
sensor assembly 102 has increased sensitivity to movement within a zone, or
has a larger or
wider sensitivity zone, or has some other increased sensitivity signal
detection) for a pre-
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determined period of time. When the trashcan assembly 20 is in hyper-mode, the
lid portion 24
can remain open so long as an object is detected within the ready-mode regions
130b, 132b or
hyper-mode regions 130a, 132a. In some implementations, when an object is no
longer
detected in at least one of the sensing regions 130, 132, the lid portion 24
is moved to the
closed position and/or the trashcan assembly 20 reverts to the ready-mode.
[0099] As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the upward-directed, hyper-
mode sensing
region 130a can extend across a range between about 0 inches and about six
inches from the
ready-mode sensing region 130b, e.g., up to about 12 inches from the upper
surface 102a of
the sensor assembly 102. A width of the hyper-mode sensing region 130a can
extend across at
least a majority of or substantially the entire width of the trashcan assembly
20 (i.e., measured
from a sidewall to the opposite sidewall of the trashcan assembly 20). For
example, the width
of the hyper-mode sensing region 130a can extend at least about 75% of the
width of the
trashcan assembly 20 and/or less than or equal to about the width of the
trashcan assembly 20.
The outward-directed, hyper-mode sensing region 132a can extend across a range
132d, for
example, between about 0 inches and about nine inches from the ready-mode
sensing region
132b, e.g., up to about 12 inches from the front surface 102b of the sensor
assembly 102. In
some embodiments, the extent of the ready-mode and hyper-mode regions 132c,
132d is
approximately equal. A width 132e of the hyper-mode sensing region 132a can
extend across
at least a majority of or substantially the entire width of the trashcan
assembly 20. For
example, the width of the hyper-mode sensing region 132a can be at least about
75% of the
width of the trashcan assembly 20 and/or less than or equal to about the width
of the trashcan
assembly 20. For example, width 132e can be between approximately 0 and
approximately
7 inches. In some embodiments, the range 130d of the upward-directed hyper-
mode region
130a can be about the same as the range 132d of the outward-directed, hyper-
mode region
132a. In some embodiments, the angle of the sensing region 132 can decrease
across the
hyper-mode sensing region 132a. For example, an inner portion of the hyper-
mode sensing
region 132a can form a beam angle a between about 30 degrees and about 90
degrees, such as
about 60 degrees. A mid-portion of the hyper-mode sensing region 132a can form
a beam
angle 0 between about 15 degrees and about 75 degrees, such as about 47
degrees. An outer-
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
portion of the hyper-mode sensing region 132a can form a beam angle 7 between
about 0
degrees and about 60 degrees, such as about 30 degrees.
101001
In some embodiments, the transmitter 112d is the primary transmitter. For
example, in some implementations, in the ready-mode the transmitter 112d
operates
(e.g., emits a signal) and the transmitters 112a-c do not operate. As shown in
Figures 9C and
9D, in some implementations, the transmitter 112d can emit a signal along an
axis that is
substantially parallel (e.g., between about -10 degrees and about 10 degrees
from being
perfectly parallel) to a longitudinal axis of the trashcan assembly 20. The
ready-mode sensing
region 130b can extend across a range 130c, for example, between about 0
inches and about
ten inches from an upper surface 102a of the sensor assembly 102. In those
embodiments in
which the transmitters 112a-c are not operating in the ready-mode, the range
of the ready-
mode sensing region 132b is about 0 inches. The transmitter 112d can operate
at a frequency
of about 8 Hz in the ready-mode.
1010111
In certain scenarios, in the ready-mode, the trashcan assembly 20
determines whether a first object-detection-event has occurred, such as an
object being
detected in the ready-mode sensing region 130b. In some embodiments, in
response to
detection of the first object-detection-event, the lid portion 24 is opened.
In some variants, in
response to the first object-detection-event, the trashcan assembly 20 can
enter the
hyper-mode. In some embodiments, the lid portion 24 is opened when (e.g.,
before, concurrent
with, or immediately following) the trashcan assembly 20 enters the hyper-
mode. In certain
variants, unlike some scenarios described above, the lid portion 24 is not
opened when the
trashcan assembly 20 enters the hyper-mode. Rather, as will be described in
more detail in the
following paragraphs, in some embodiments, satisfaction of a further condition
(e.g., a further
object detection) is needed for the lid portion 24 to be opened. In some
implementations, a
further condition (e.g., a further object detection) is needed for the lid
portion 24 to be kept
open.
[0102]
In some embodiments, in the hyper-mode, the transmitter 112d continues to
operate and the transmitters 112a-c begin to operate as well. In embodiments
in which the
transmitters 112a-c are active before the first object-detection-event (e.g.,
the transmitters 112d
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
and 112a-c become active concurrently, the transmitter 112d becomes active
before the
transmitters 112a-c, the transmitters 112a-c become active before the
transmitter 112d, etc.), in
the hyper-mode, the transmitter 112d and the transmitters 112a-c continue to
operate. In some
variants, the transmitter 112d can stop operating, such as until the receiver
114 detects an
object in the sensing region 132 and/or until the sensor assembly 102 reverts
to the ready-
mode. As shown in Figure 9D, the transmitters 112a-c can emit a signal between
about -10
degrees and about 10 degrees from a top surface of the trashcan assembly 20
and/or along a
line generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the trashcan assembly
20. In certain
embodiments, each transmitter 112a-d emits a signal about every quarter of a
second (e.g.,
each transmitter 112a-d operates at a frequency of about 4 Hz). The
transmitters 112a-d can
operate sequentially such that no two transmitters 112a-d emit a signal at the
same time. The
sequenced transmitters 112a-d can operate in any order.
[0103]
In various embodiments, in the hyper-mode the extent of the sensing range
can increase compared to the ready mode. For example, as shown in Figures 9A
and 9B, in
hyper-mode the upward-directed extent of the sensing region can increase, such
as between
about 0 inches and about five inches beyond the upper extent of the ready-mode
sensing region
130b. In some embodiments, the hyper-mode sensing region 130a extends
vertically to about
15 inches from the upper surface 102a of the sensor assembly 102. A width of
the hyper-mode
sensing region 130a can extend across at least a majority of or substantially
the entire width of
the trashcan assembly 20 (e.g., measured from a sidewall to the opposite
sidewall of the
trashcan assembly 20). For example, the width of the hyper-mode sensing region
130a can
extend at least about 75% of the width of the trashcan assembly 20 and/or less
than or equal to
about the width of the trashcan assembly 20. In some embodiments, the sensor
assembly 102
changes its sensitivity in the hyper-mode, such as being more sensitive in the
hyper-mode than
in the ready-mode.
[0104]
Various techniques can be employed to increase the extent of the sensing
range and/or to increase the sensitivity of the sensor assembly 102. For
example, in some
embodiments, the amount of power supplied to the transmitters 112a-d and/or
the power of the
emitted signal is increased. In certain embodiments, the sensitivity of the
receiver 114 is
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
increased in the hyper-mode. For example, the minimum signal level (also
called the
threshold) that is determined to be a detected object can be reduced. In some
implementations,
the detected signal is filtered (to reduce noise which could lead to erroneous
object detections)
and the amount of filtering is decreased in the hyper-mode. This may result in
certain object
detections that would be filtered-out in the ready-mode not being filtered-out
in the hyper-
mode.
[0105]
In the hyper-mode, the outward-directed (e.g., generally horizontal) sensing
region 132 can be produced. As shown in Figure 9B, the sensing region 132 can
extend across
a range 132d. For example, sensing region 132 can extend between about 0
inches and about
12 inches from the front surface 102b of the sensor assembly 102. A width 132e
of the hyper-
mode sensing region 132 can extend across at least a majority of or
substantially the entire
width of the trashcan assembly 20. For example, the width of the sensing
region 132 can be at
least about 75% of the width of the trashcan assembly 20 and/or less than or
equal to about the
width of the trashcan assembly 20. For example, width 132e can be between
approximately 0
and approximately 7 inches. A length 132f of a distance between the sensor
assembly 102 on
the central transmission axis and an outer edge of the sensing region 132a at
which an object
can no longer be detected or where radiant intensity falls below 50% of the
maximum value
can be between approximately 0 and approximately 10 inches. In some
implementations, a
length 132g of the sensing region 132 can be between approximately 0 and
approximately 12
inches. In some embodiments, the range 132d of the outward-directed sensing
region 132 the
can be about the same as range 130d of the upward-directed hyper-mode sensing
region 130a.
In some embodiments, the angle of the sensing region 132 can decrease across
the sensing
region 132a and/or 132b. For example, an inner portion of the sensing region
132a and/or 132b
can form a beam angle a between about 30 degrees and about 90 degrees, such as
about 60
degrees. A mid-portion of the sensing region 132a and/or 132b can form a beam
angle 13
between about 15 degrees and about 75 degrees, such as about 47 degrees. An
outer-portion of
the sensing region 132a and/or 132b can form a beam angle y between about 0
degrees and
about 60 degrees, such as about 30 degrees.
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
[0106]
In some embodiments, in hyper-mode, the trashcan assembly 20 determines
whether a second object-detection-event occurs. For example, in hyper-mode,
the trashcan
assembly 20 can look, for a certain period, to see if an object is within the
sensing region 130
and/or the sensing region 132. In some embodiments, such an object can be
detected by light
from one of the transmitters 112a-c being reflected off of the object and
received by the
receiver 114. The receiver 114 can wait for reflected signals, or any other
signals, that may
indicate that an object is detected within the sensing region 132 for a first
predetermined
period (e.g., approximately 1 second, approximately 5 seconds, etc. or a time
based on a time it
takes the transmitters 112a-d to emit a predetermined number of signals). In
some
embodiments, some or all of the transmitters 112a-c may continue to operate
for the first
predetermined period of time after the sensor assembly 102 transitions to the
hyper-mode. In
certain implementations, if a second object-detection-event is not detected
(e.g., no object is
detected within the sensing region 132) during the first predetermined period,
then the sensor
assembly 102 reverts to the ready-mode and/or closes the lid portion 24. In
some
implementations, such reversion includes reducing or stopping operation of the
transmitters
112a-c. In other implementations (e.g., implementations in which the
transmitters 112a-c are
active in the ready-mode), such reversion may not affect operation of the
transmitters 112a-c.
[0107]
In some implementations, during the hyper-mode, in response to the
trashcan assembly 20 determining that the second object-detection-event has
occurred, the lid
portion 24 is opened and/or kept open (e.g., not closed). For example, in
hyper-mode, in
response to an object being detected within the sensing region 130 and/or the
sensing region
132 for a second predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 0.5
seconds, approximately
1 second, etc. or a time based on a time it takes the transmitters 112a-d to
emit a
predetermined number of signals), then the controller 70 (via a software
module running the
algorithm, such as the lid position controller) can send a command to trigger
the trashcan
assembly 20 to open the lid. In some embodiments, the object is determined to
be detected for
the second predetermined period when: the object is detected at first and
second moments
spaced by the second predetermined period, the object is detected at least
twice in a span of
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
time equal to the second predetermined period, and/or the object is detected
continuously
during a span of time equal to the second predetermined period.
[0108]
In some embodiments, the second object-detection-event only occurs if the
object is detected for a sufficient amount of time to indicate that the
object's presence near the
trashcan assembly 20 is not merely fleeting or transitory. An example of a
fleeting or transitory
object detection may occur when a person walks by the trashcan assembly 20.
The person may
pass their hand, or a part of clothing, unintentionally above the lid portion
24 and within the
ready-mode sensing region 130b, and then continue to walk away from the
trashcan assembly
20. In such a situation, some it may be desirable to not open the lid. This
can reduce
unintended operation of the lid portion 24 (which can be perceived as annoying
by a user),
reduce power usage, reduce the chance of escape of odors in the trashcan
assembly 20, and/or
increase the operational life of the trashcan assembly 20. In various
embodiments, the trashcan
assembly 20 is configured such that a person may pass by the trashcan assembly
20 without the
lid portion 24 opening and/or such that the lid portion 24 automatically opens
only after a
person slows below a maximum speed (e.g., or stops next to (e.g., in front of)
the trashcan
assembly 20. In some embodiments, the maximum speed is less than the normal
walking speed
for a human, such as about 3.1 mph. In some embodiments, the trashcan assembly
20 is
configured to open the lid portion 24 in response to an object being detected
in the ready-mode
sensing region 130b, and further configured to close the lid portion 24 soon
thereafter (e.g.,
within less than about 30 seconds from the start of the opening action) if a
further object
detection event is not detected in at least one of the regions 130, 132.
[0109]
In some embodiments, the lid portion 24 remains open as long as the object
is detected within the sensing region 130 or the sensing region 132. For
example, in certain
implementations, in hyper-mode, the lid portion 24 is kept open if an object
is detected in the
sensing region 130a or if an object is detected in the sensing region 132a. In
certain
embodiments, the controller 70 transmits a command to close the lid portion 24
if no object
has been detected in the sensing region 130 or the sensing region 132 for at
least a third
predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 1 second, approximately 5
seconds, etc. or a
time based on a time it takes the transmitters 112a-d to emit a predetermined
number of
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
signals). In various embodiments, the sensor assembly 102 reverts to the ready-
mode after the
lid portion 24 is closed and/or in response to no object being detected in the
sensing regions
130, 132 for at least the third predetermined period.
[0110]
The software module of the controller 70 (e.g., the lid position controller)
can implement a timer or a counter to determine whether the first, second,
and/or third
predetermined period of time has passed. Alternatively, the trashcan assembly
20 can include a
mechanical timer that transmits a signal to the controller 70 when the timer
expires or fires to
indicate that the timer has expired.
[0111]
In certain embodiments, the range and/or angles of the sensing regions
130a, 130b, 132a, and/or 132b are pre-determined (e.g., set to the values
disclosed above). In
other embodiments, the range and/or angles of the sensing regions 130a, 130b,
132a, and/or
132b can be adjusted by a user. For example, a switch, dial, or other physical
component may
allow a user to adjust the range and/or angle settings. As another example,
the trashcan
assembly 20 (e.g., the sensor assembly 102) includes a wireless transceiver in
communication
with the controller 70 (e.g., a Bluetooth transceiver, a Wi-Fi transceiver,
etc.). As yet another
example, the trashcan assembly 20 can include a port (e.g., a universal serial
bus port) in
communication with the controller 70. The user can adjust the range and/or
angle settings via
an application running on a mobile device (e.g., cell phone, tablet, laptop,
watch, etc.) or on
any other computing device (e.g., a desktop) and the mobile device can
transmit the user-
provided adjustments wirelessly to the wireless transceiver of the trashcan
assembly 20. The
trashcan assembly 20 may then adjust the range and/or angle settings
accordingly.
[0112]
In some embodiments, these arrangements of transmitter(s) and/or
receiver(s), or one or more other arrangements of transmitter(s) and/or
receiver(s), in
cooperation with one or more processing algorithms in the controller, can be
configured to
trigger an opening of the lid, in either the ready-mode or the hyper-mode,
that occurs in one or
more of the following situations: (a) when an object is positioned at or near
a front, top, lateral
corner or region (left or right) of the trashcan assembly; (b) when an object
is positioned in
front of the front plane or front portion of the trashcan assembly and spaced
further laterally
away from a lateral side (either left or right) or lateral face of the
trashcan; (c) when an object
is positioned at or below the top plane of the lid in the closed position,
such as below the top
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
plane of the lid in the closed position by at least about the front height of
the trim ring, and/or
below the plane of the lid in the closed position by at least about 2 inches,
and/or below the
plane of the lid in the closed position by at least about the front-to-rear
thickness of the trim
ring; (d) when an object is positioned above the topmost surface of the
trashcan; (e) when an
object is positioned above the topmost surface of the trashcan and in front of
the frontmost
surface of the trashcan; and/or (f) when an object is positioned above the
topmost surface of
the trashcan and behind the frontmost surface of the trashcan. In some
embodiments, the
sensing regions 130, 132 may have varying levels of sensitivity. The
transmitters 112a-d can
emit cones of light, which define the sensing regions 130, 132 of the sensors
(subject to the
nominal range of the sensor assembly 102). The areas in which two or more
cones overlap can
create sensing regions with increased sensitivity. Portions of the sensing
regions 130, 132 in
which cones do not overlap create regions of decreased sensitivity. A user may
need to be
present in the regions with decreased sensitivity for a longer period of time,
or move closer to
a transmitter or receiver, to trigger lid movement as compared to regions with
increased
sensitivity.
[0113] In some embodiments, the controller 70 can trigger an
extended-chore mode
in which the trim ring portion 38 can open (as described above) to permit the
user to replace
the bag liner or clean the interior of the trashcan assembly 20. For example,
the trashcan
assembly 20 can include a separate sensor assembly or sensing region (e.g., on
a lateral
sidewall of the body portion 22 or the rear wall 28 of the body portion)
configured to trigger
the extended-chore mode. As another example, the user can trigger the extended-
chore mode
by particular hand motions. In some embodiments, the user can manually
position the trim ring
portion 38 in an open mode.
Environmental Calibration
[0114] In some embodiments, the controller 70 can trigger a
calibration-mode in
which sensing thresholds of receiver 114 may be adjusted to account for
changes in
environment surrounding the trashcan assembly 20. The calibration-mode can be
configured to
avoid unintended actuation (e.g., opening) of the trashcan lid by stationary
objects located
within one or more sensing zones 130b, 132b. For example, receiver 114 of
sensor assembly
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
102 may detect an object within sensing regions 130b, 132b by detecting one or
more signals
from one or more of transmitters 112a-d that are reflected off from the
object. Having detected
an object in one or more of the sensing regions 130b, 132b, the sensor
assembly 102 can send
a signal to the controller 70 to activate a function of the trashcan assembly
20, e.g., ready-
mode. However, situations may occur where a permanently or temporarily
stationary or static
object is located within one or more of sensing regions 130b, 132b of trashcan
assembly 20,
such as when the user places the trashcan assembly 20 near a stationary
object, thereby
positioning the object within sensing regions 130b, 132b. Some examples of
stationary
objections that may routinely be placed within a sensing region 130b, 132b
include a wall, or a
piece of furniture, or the underside of a table or desk, or an interior of a
cabinet, or a door. For
example, the trashcan assembly 20 may be placed under a table located within
at least one of
the sensing regions 130b, 132b. This may result in unintended or accidental
operation of lid
portion 24 due to the table being positioned within sensing regions 130b,
132b, because
receiver 114 may detect a signal, reflected from the table, above the sensing
threshold, causing
sensor 102 to send a signal to controller 70 to activate the ready-mode. In
another example,
degradation of receiver 114 over time may result in sensor drift, which may
cause unintended
actuation of lid portion 24. In some embodiments, an algorithm included in
controller 70 can
send a command to adapt the sensing thresholds of receiver 114 based at least
in part on
changes in the surrounding environment located within the sensing regions
130b, 132b.
[0115] An
example method of adapting sensing conditions of trashcan assembly
20, in accordance with some embodiments, will now be described in reference to
Figure 13. In
some embodiments, the adaptable sensing condition is a sensing threshold of
receiver 114 that
is adaptable based, at least in part, on a change in the environment
positioned within the
sensing regions 130, 132. Process 1300 may be performed by controller 70 of
trashcan
assembly 20, as described in reference to Figure 11A. The method can be
implemented, in part
or entirely, by a software module of the controller 70 or implemented
elsewhere in the trashcan
assembly 20, for example by one or more processors executing logic in
controller 70. In some
embodiments, controller 70 includes one or more processors in electronic
communication with
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
at least one computer-readable memory storing instructions to be executed by
the at least one
processor of controller 70.
[0116]
In some embodiments, process 1300 starts at a start block where a
calibration-mode can be initiated. In some embodiments, process 1300 may be
initiated by an
algorithm of controller 70 that is configured to periodically scan the
surrounding environment.
This scan can occur with or without user initiation or interaction. For
example, in automatic
calibration, at a set time interval (e.g., once an hour, once a day, once a
week, etc.) controller
70 may send a command to trigger calibration-mode. The automatic periodic scan
permits the
trashcan assembly 20 to continuously and automatically monitor the surrounding
environment
and update sensing thresholds in accordance with the method described in
reference to Figure
13. In some embodiments, the controller 70 can include an algorithm configured
to send a
command triggering calibration-mode based on user input. For example, trashcan
assembly 20
may include a button (not shown) that a user may operate to manually activate
a calibration-
mode, such as when the trashcan is positioned in a new location near
stationary objects. In
some embodiments, a user may place a stationary object within sensing regions
130b, 132b
(e.g., by moving a piece of furniture near the trashcan assembly 20 or by
moving the trashcan
assembly 20 near a piece of furniture) and the detection of the object within
the sensing
regions 130b, 132b may trigger a calibration-mode prior to activating ready-
mode.
For example, if the trashcan assembly 20 is actuated by an object within a
sensing region 130b,
132b that does not move for longer than a set period of time (e.g., 5 minutes,
10 minutes, 30
minutes, an hour, etc.), then a calibration-mode may be triggered. In some
embodiments,
controller 70 may automatically send a command to trigger a calibration-mode
when a user
manually moves the lid (e.g., to open or close it). For example, if the lid is
improperly opening
or remaining open because a stationary object is within one or more sensing
regions 130b,
132b, a user may manually close the lid, which may automatically trigger a
calibration-mode.
Also, if a user manually opens the lid portion 24, this may be indicative that
one or more
current sensing thresholds are inaccurate and that the controller 70 is
missing events that
should cause trashcan assembly 20 to actuate.
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
[0117]
After calibration-mode is initiated, the process 1300 continues to block
1310, where a present state of the environment surrounding trashcan 20 is
determined. For
example, present proximity measurements are acquired for one or more or all
sensing regions
of trashcan assembly 20. In some embodiments, one or more proximity
measurements may
represent the distance between the trashcan assembly 20 and objects located in
the
environment surrounding the trashcan assembly 20. In some embodiments,
acquiring
proximity measurements for sensing regions includes detecting one or more
objects located
within sensing regions 130, 132. For example, the transmitters 112a-d may emit
a signal into
sensing regions 130, 132 and objects located within sensing regions 130, 132
may cause a
reflected signal. The reflected signal, detected by receiver 114, may cause
the sensor assembly
102 to send an electronic signal to the controller 70 to store information
about nearby objects
in the sensing regions 130b, 132b in the memory of controller 70. It will be
understood that,
while the embodiments disclosed herein refer to sensing regions 130 and 132,
the method of
Figure 13 may not be limited to one or two sensing regions, but may include
any number of
sensing regions or directions. After determining the present state of the
environment, the
process continues to subprocess 1320 for each sensing region of the trashcan
assembly 20.
[0118]
For a plurality of sensing regions, subprocess 1320 can continue to block
1330, where stability thresholds are determined. In some embodiments, the
stability thresholds
may be based, at least in part, on past proximity or environmental
measurements of a given
sensing region. A set of past proximity measurements may be stored in the
memory of
controller 70. The controller 70 may be configured based on instructions to
compute the
stability thresholds based on the set of past proximity measurements. For
example, the stability
threshold may include an average of past proximity measurements. In some
embodiments, the
stability threshold may be based on all past measurements, or the average may
be based on a
set of past measurements corresponding to a predetermined time period (e.g.,
past proximity
measurements of the previous day or week or month). In some embodiments, the
stability
threshold may include a determination of the variability within the past
proximity
measurements of a given sensing region. For example, the stability threshold
may be based on
the standard deviation of past proximity measurements used to determine the
average
proximity measurement.
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
[0119]
After the stability thresholds are determined, the process 1300 continues to
decision block 1340, where a determination is made as to whether the
environment is stable
within a given sensing region. In some embodiments, the environment may be
deemed stable
based, at least in part, on a comparison of the stability thresholds and the
current proximity
measurement for a given sensing region. For example, if the current proximity
measurement
acquired in block 1310 for a given sensing region is outside, e.g., exceeds or
is below, the
stability threshold determined in block 1330, then the environment is not
determined to be
stable (e.g., "not stable"). In some embodiments, where the current proximity
measurement
from block 1310 is off of the average proximity measurement and outside of the
standard
deviation, then the environment may be deemed not stable. In some embodiments,
if decision
block 1340 determines that the environment is not stable, then the process
1300 continues to
an end block, the sensing threshold is not updated, and the process 1300 is
complete. In some
embodiments, the determination that the environment is not stable may trigger
one or more
other functions of trashcan assembly 20, e.g., ready-mode, hyper-mode, etc.,
as detailed herein.
[0120] If
decision block 1340 determines that the environment is stable, based, at
least in part, on the comparison of the stability thresholds and present state
of the environment,
then process 1300 continues to decision block 1350. At decision block 1350 a
determination is
made as to whether the environmental measurement (e.g., the distance between a
sensor and a
stationary object) of a given sensing region is less than a calibrated value
for that sensing
region. In some embodiments, the calibrated value may be the sensing threshold
of receiver
114 preinstalled in the controller 70 that causes sensor assembly 102 to send
a signal to
controller 70 to activate a function of the trashcan assembly 20. The
calibrated value may be
based on an expected detection of reflected light of an object in sensing
regions 130b, 132b
that activates ready-mode operation. The calibrated value may be locally
stored in the memory
of controller 70. In some embodiments, the predetermined calibrated value may
include
sensing thresholds previously updated due to a prior iteration of process
1300. In some
embodiments, the stability of the environment may be determined based at least
in part on the
present state of the environment for a given sensing region determined in
block 1310. In some
embodiments, the stability of the environment may be determined based at least
in part on the
average of past proximity measurements determined in block 1330. In some
embodiments, the
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
controller 70 may include an algorithm configured to send a command to compare
the
proximity measurement with the calibrated value.
[0121]
If a determination is made that the environmental measurement is less than
the predetermined calibrated value, then process 1300 continues to block 1360.
At block 1360,
the sensing threshold for a given sensing region is reset to the calibrated
value. For example,
the sensing thresholds may be adjusted to the preinstalled sensing threshold
based on the
calibrated value, thereby prohibiting receiver 114 from detecting objects
outside of the given
sensing regions, for example, due to sensor drift. In some embodiments, the
updated sensing
threshold may be stored in the memory of controller 70.
[0122] If the
determination at decision block 1350 is that an environmental
measurement is greater than the calibrated value, then process 1300 continues
to block 1370.
At block 1370, the sensing threshold for a given sensing region is normalized
based on the
environmental measurement. The updated sensing threshold may be stored in the
memory of
controller 70. In some embodiments, the environmental measurement may be based
on the
present state of the environment, as determined in block 1310. In some
embodiments, the
environmental measurement may be based on the average of past proximity
measurements, as
determined in block 1330. In embodiments where the environmental measurement
is greater
than the calibrated value, the environmental measurement may represent a
static change in the
environment located within in the given sensing region. The controller 70 may
include an
algorithm to issue a command to normalize or calibrate the sensing thresholds,
such as in
process 1300, to accommodate the static change. For example, the sensing
thresholds may be
adjusted or normalized. For example, a reflected signal received by receiver
114 from a static
change may produce an adjustment or normalization that represents a triggering
measurement
beyond which the ready-mode operation will be activated. In some embodiments,
unintended
or accidental movement of lid portion 24 may be avoided by normalizing the
sensing
thresholds based on the static change.
[0123]
In some embodiments, the sensing threshold may be updated to be equal to
the environmental measurement plus a margin. Thus, the sensing thresholds may
be set
marginally beyond the environmental measurement, for example, based on the
standard
deviation determined in block 1330. By setting the sensing threshold
marginally beyond the
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environmental measurement, the controller 70 may account for noise detected by
sensor
assembly 102 or other inconsequential variations in the detected surroundings.
Sensing
thresholds can be adapted or normalized to accommodate static changes in the
surrounding
environment, e.g., a new piece of furniture placed near trashcan assembly 20.
In some
embodiments, a fixed object or static object within sensing regions 130b, 132b
may not trigger
ready-mode, or may avoid a repeated triggering or ready-mode, thereby avoiding
repeated
unintended or accidental opening of the lid portion 24.
10124]
Once the sensing thresholds are updated for one or more sensing regions,
either from block 1360 or 1370, the process 1300 continues to an end block and
the process
1300 is completed. Upon completion of process 1300, the process 1300, or
portions thereof,
may be repeated. In some embodiments, the controller 70 may continuously or
periodically
monitor the surrounding environment and update the sensing thresholds as
needed. In some
embodiments, controller 70 may send a command to trigger calibration-mode
based on a
predetermined time interval, e.g., once an hour, a day, a week, or a month,
etc. In some
embodiments, controller 70 may monitor the surrounding environment to update
sensing
thresholds as necessary without constantly operating sensor assembly 102. in
some
embodiments, periodic rather than continuous running of calibration-mode,
including sensor
assembly 102, can reduce the power demand for powering the sensor assembly
102, thereby
improving the performance and life of sensor assembly 102. In some
embodiments, controller
70 may not trigger process 1300 until receiving a user input, e.g., user
operating a button or
selecting a command prompt.
Lid Driving Mechanism
[0125]
As mentioned above, the backside enclosure 56 can house a power
source 66 and a power-operated driving mechanism 58 to drive lid movement. The
driving
mechanism 58 can include a drive motor 78 and a shaft 80. In some embodiments,
the driving
mechanism 58 can include a clutch member 84 that can translate along at least
a portion of the
longitudinal length of the shaft 80. The clutch member 84 can be positioned on
the motor shaft
80 between a biasing member 82 (e.g., a spring) and an end member 86 (e.g., a
torque
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
transmission member) (see Figure 12), such that the biasing member 82, the
clutch member
84, and the end member 86 are generally coaxial. At least some of the driving
mechanism
components can be removably coupled to facilitate repair, replacement, etc.
[0126]
As shown in Figure 12, the clutch member 84 can include one or more
torque transmission members, such a first arm 106 and a second arm 108 that
can extend
radially outward from a body of the clutch member 84. In some embodiments, the
arms 106,
108 can be spaced apart from each other, such as by about 180 degrees. Various
other angles
are contemplated, such as at least about: 300, 45 , 60 , 90 , 120 , values in
between, or
otherwise.
[0127] In some
embodiments, the end member 86 can be fixed to the motor shaft
80 (e.g., by a fastener), such that torque from the motor 78 can be
transmitted through the shaft
80 and into the end member 86. The biasing member 82 can bias the clutch
member 84 against
the end member 86 to form a frictional interface between the clutch 84 and end
member 86.
The frictional interface causes the clutch member 84 to rotate when the end
member 86
rotates.
[0128]
As shown in Figure 11A, the lid portion 24 can include a rear portion 64
covering at least a portion of the driving mechanism 58. The lid portion 24
can include a lid
driving portion 74 positioned at or near the rear underside of the lid portion
24. The lid-driving
portion 74 can abut, mate, contact, receive, and/or be received by the drive
mechanism 58 to
facilitate opening and closing the lid portion 24. For example, the lid-
driving portion 74 can be
generally arcuately-shaped and surround at least a portion of the drive
mechanism 58. The lid-
driving portion 74 can include rotation support members, such as a first
flange 88 and a second
flange 90 that can extend radially inward. The flanges 88, 90 can interface
with the clutch
member 84, such that rotation of the clutch member 84 can drive lid movement.
Rotational
force produced by the motor 78 (via the shaft 80, end member 86, and/or clutch
member 84)
encourages rotation of the arms 106, 108 against the flanges 88, 90 to rotate
the lid portion 24.
[0129]
In some scenarios, a user may accidentally or intentionally try to manually
close or open the lid portion 24. However, manually closing the lid portion 24
when the motor
has opened or is in the process of opening the lid portion 24 acts against the
operation of the
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motor 78 and can damage components of driving mechanism 58. For example, when
the motor
78 is opening the lid portion 24, the motor 78 encourages the arms 106, 108 to
abut against
and turn the flanges 88, 90 in a first direction. Yet, when a user manually
attempts to close the
lid portion 24, the lid and the flanges 88, 90 are encouraged to rotate in a
second direction
opposite the first direction. In this scenario, the arms 106, 108 are being
encouraged to rotate
in opposite directions concurrently, which can damage the clutch member 84,
the shaft 80, and
the motor 78.
[0130]
To avoid such damage, the clutch member 84 can be configured to rotate
relative to the end member 86 or other components, such that manual operation
of the lid
portion 24 does not damage (e.g., strip or wear down) components of the
driving mechanism
58. In some embodiments, the clutch member 84 can include a first cam surface
180 and a first
return surface 182 (see Figure 12). The first cam surface 180 can be inclined
from a first level
to a second level, in relation to a plane extending generally transverse to
the longitudinal axis
of the clutch member 84. The first return surface 182 can intersect the first
cam
surface 180 and can be disposed between the first and second levels.
[0131]
The end member 86 can include a second cam surface 184 and a second
return surface 186. The second cam surface 184 can be inclined from a first
level to a second
level, in relation to a plane extending generally transverse to the
longitudinal axis of the end
member 86 and the shaft 80. The second return surface 186 can intersect the
first cam
surface 180 and can be disposed between the first and second levels.
[0132]
The second cam surface 184 and the second return surface 186 of the end
member 86 can be shaped to correspond with the first cam surface 180 and the
first return
surface 182 of the clutch member 84, thereby allowing mating engagement of the
end
member 86 and the clutch member 84. For example, summits 180a of the first cam
surface 180
can be nested in the valleys 184b of the second cam surface 184, and summits
184a of the
second cam surface 184 can be nested in the valleys 180b of the first cam
surface 180.
[0133]
When the lid portion 24 is manually operated, the first inclined cam surface
180 can move relative to the second inclined cam surface 184. As the inclined
cam surface 180
slides relative to the second inclined cam surface 184, the summit 180a
circumferentially
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approaches the summit 184a. The relative movement between the first and second
inclined
cam surfaces 180, 184 (e.g., by the interaction of the inclines) urges the
clutch member 84
away from the end member 86 along the longitudinal axis of the shaft 80 (e.g.,
in a direction
generally toward the motor 78 and against the bias of the biasing member 82).
The end
member 86 can be generally restrained from moving longitudinally (e.g., by the
fastener).
Since the clutch member 84 is displaced from the end member 86, manual
operation of the lid
portion 24 can be performed without imposing undue stress on, or damage to,
components of
the trashcan assembly 20
101341
When manual operation of the lid portion 24 ceases, the biasing member 82
can return the clutch member 84 into generally full engagement with the end
member 86. Re-
engaging the clutch member 84 and the end member 86 permits transmission of
torque from
the motor 78 to the clutch member 84 to drive lid movement.
101351
As shown in Figure 11B, when the first arm 106 abuts the first flange 88
and the second arm 108 abuts the second flange 90, a circumferential distance
D1 exists
between a non-abutted surface 108a of the second arm 108 and a non-abutted
surface 88a of
the first flange 88. In some embodiments, a generally equal circumferential
distance D2 (not
shown) exists between a non-abutted surface 106a of the first arm 106 and a
non-abutted
surface 90a (not shown) of the second flange 90. In certain configurations,
the circumferential
distance D1 and/or D2 is greater than or equal to the amount of rotation of
the lid from the
open to the closed position. For example, the circumferential distance D1
and/or D2 can be at
least about 60 and/or less than or equal to about 125 . In certain variants,
the circumferential
distance D1 and/or D2 is greater than or equal to about 80 .
101361
Due to the circumferential distances D1, D2 between the non-abutted
surfaces 88a, 90a of the flanges 88, 90 and the non-abutted surfaces 106a,
108a of the arms
106, 108, the lid portion 24 can be manually operated without turning the
motor 78. If a user
were to operate the lid portion 24 manually, the flanges 88, 90 would rotate
without applying
force to the arms 106, 108 of the clutch member 84, and thus rotate the lid
without damaging
components of the driving mechanism 58.
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[0137]
In some embodiments, the driving mechanism 58 can drive the lid
movement without the clutch member 84. As shown in Figure 16A, the driving
mechanism 58
can include the motor 78, a torque transfer system such as the shaft 80,
fasteners 1602a-b, an
adaptor 1604, and an electronic dynamic position detector such as a
potentiometer 1606. In
some embodiments, the adaptor 1604 and the potentiometer 1606 can be
positioned on or in
mechanical communication with the shaft 80 adjacent to the motor 78 such that
the adaptor
1604 and the potentiometer 1606 are generally coaxial. The positioning of the
adaptor 1604
and the potentiometer 1606 on the shaft 80 is described in greater detail
below with respect to
Figures 17D and 17E. The adaptor 1604 can be positioned between the
potentiometer 1606
and the motor 78. As shown in Figures 16B and 16C, the adaptor 1604, the
potentiometer
1606, and/or the motor 78 can be spaced apart from each other.
[0138]
In some embodiments, the adaptor 1604 can be fixed or mated to or
otherwise in mechanical communication with the shaft 80 such that torque from
the motor 78
can be transmitted through the shaft 80 and into the adaptor 1604. A rotation
of the shaft 80
caused by the motor 78 can result in the rotation of the adaptor 1604 about
the longitudinal
axis of the shaft 80. The fasteners 1602a-b (e.g., screws) can be used to
fasten the adaptor
1604 to the rear portion 64 of the lid portion 24, as shown in Figure 18A and
described in
greater detail below. The fasteners 1602a-b can generally restrain the adaptor
1604 from
moving longitudinally. The motor 78 can be rigidly coupled with the lid
portion 24 via the
adaptor 1604 and fasteners 1602a-b. The motor 78 can directly drive the
opening and/or
closing of the lid portion 24 without the clutch member 84 in some
embodiments.
[0139]
As described above, in some scenarios, a user may accidentally or
intentionally try to manually close or open the lid portion 24. Similarly, the
lid portion 24 may
not be able to completely open or close due to an obstruction (e.g., the lid
portion 24 contacts
the underside of a table when opening or the trashcan assembly 20 is
overfilled with trash,
preventing the lid portion 24 from completely closing). In some systems,
components of the
driving mechanism 58 can be damaged if an obstruction or user action acts
against the
operation of the motor 78, especially if a clutch assembly is not available.
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
101401
In some embodiments, the trashcan assembly 20 can avoid or prevent the
likelihood of such damage occurring. In some embodiments, as the motor 78 is
operating to
open or close the lid portion 24, the driving mechanism 58 may monitor for any
friction or
resistance that could indicate an obstruction or manual operation of the
trashcan assembly 20.
Such friction or resistance may be detected by the motor 78, the potentiometer
1606, the
controller 70, and/or any other components of the driving mechanism 58. For
example, the
potentiometer 1606 may output a voltage to the controller 70. As described in
greater detail
below, as the motor 78 rotates the shaft 80, the shaft 80 causes a change in
resistance of the
potentiometer 1606, thereby resulting in a change in the voltage output by the
potentiometer
1606. Generally, as the lid portion 24 is opened or closed, the voltage output
by the
potentiometer 1606 gradually changes in a constant direction (e.g., the
voltage gradually
increases or gradually decreases) given that the shaft 80 rotates in a single
direction until the
lid portion 24 is opened or closed. If an obstruction is present or a user
attempts to manually
control the trashcan assembly 20, the gradual change in the voltage output by
the
potentiometer 1606 may be disrupted (e.g., the voltage may begin to increase
when the voltage
is expected to decrease, or the voltage may begin to decrease when the voltage
is expected to
increase, or the voltage may stay constant when the voltage is expected to
increase or decrease,
and/or the voltage may change more slowly than expected, etc.). When the
controller 70
detects such a disruption, the power to the motor 78 can be modified, such as
by shutting off
the power and/or reversing the direction of the motor 78, or otherwise
disabling the motor,
thereby reducing the likelihood of damage to the components of the driving
mechanism 58.
When the motor 78 is disabled, the movement of the lid portion 24 may work
against the
internal friction of the motor 78 (e.g., because the lid portion 24 is rigidly
coupled with the
motor 78 via the adaptor 1604 and the fasteners 1602a-b), thereby providing an
inherent
damping ability that reduces a speed at which the lid portion 24 closes.
101411
In some embodiments, if an obstruction is detected (e.g., the voltage of the
potentiometer 1606 remains generally constant while the motor 78 attempts to
drive the lid
portion 24) and the obstruction occurs two or more times within a finite or
predetermined
period of time, this may indicate that an inanimate object (e.g., an underside
of a cabinet or a
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wall or a piece of furniture or a door, etc.) is blocking operation of the lid
portion 24 and/or
causing the lid portion 24 to open in the first place. The controller 70 may
reduce range 130d
and/or range 132d, such as to be less than the distance to such object, to
reduce the likelihood
that the inanimate object would cause the lid portion 24 to open in the
future.
101421 As
shown in Figures 16B and 16C, the potentiometer 1606 can be coupled
adjacent to or otherwise in electrical communication with a PCB of the
controller 70. As
shown in Figures 17A and 17B, the potentiometer 1606 can include one or more
connectors
1706a-d to couple the potentiometer 1606 with the PCB. The one or more
connectors 1706a-d,
together with other circuitry of the PCB, may form a closed circuit, thereby
allowing a current
to pass through the potentiometer 1606. A bottom portion of the potentiometer
1606 includes
notches 1712a and 1712b that extend outward from the bottom portion of the
potentiometer
1606, as shown in Figure 17C. When the potentiometer 1606 is coupled adjacent
to the PCB,
the notches 1712a-b each mate with openings in the PCB.
[0143]
In certain embodiments, as shown in Figure 17D, the potentiometer 1606
includes an opening through which the shaft 80 longitudinally extends. The
potentiometer
1606 also includes a contact 1710 that controls a variable resistance of the
potentiometer 1606.
The contact can be configured to connect with, functionally interact with, or
be in mechanical
communication with, the driving system of the lid. For example, a portion of
the contact 1710
can have a flat surface and another portion of the contact 1710 can have a
curved or rounded
surface. Likewise, a portion of the shaft 80 can have a flat surface and
another portion of the
shaft 80 can have a curved or rounded surface. The flat surface of the shaft
80 can abut,
contact, and/or mate with the flat surface of the contact 1710 and the curved
or rounded
surface of the shaft 80 can abut, contact, and/or mate with the curved or
rounded surface of the
contact 1710. In some embodiments, both the contact 1710 and the shaft 80 have
corresponding or complementary grooves, indentations, or other non-uniform
features on a
surface to allow the contact 1710 and the shaft 80 to abut, contact, and/or
mate. Rotational
force produced by the motor 78 (via the shaft 80) may encourage rotation of
the contact 1710
about the longitudinal axis of the shaft 80. This rotation causes the contact
1710 to adjust or
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
modify the resistance of the potentiometer 1606, and thereby causes the
contact 1710 to adjust
the output voltage of the potentiometer 1606.
[0144]
As shown in Figure 17E, the adaptor 1604 can include a flange 1704. Like
the contact 1710, an inner portion of the flange 1704 can have a flat surface
and a curved or
rounded surface. The flange 1704 can abut, contact, and/or mate with the shaft
80 in a manner
similar to the contact 1710. The flange 1704 may extend radially outward from
the remaining
portion of the adaptor 1604. Rotational force produced by the motor 78 (via
the shaft 80) may
encourage rotation of the flange 1704 about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
80, which causes
the remaining portion of the adaptor 1604 to rotate. In some embodiments, the
motor 78 may
be required to exert greater force to drive the lid portion 24 from the closed
position to the
open position than to drive the lid portion 24 from the open position to the
closed position. For
example, as disclosed herein, the motor 78 can be positioned within the
driving mechanism 58,
which is covered by the rear portion 64 of the lid portion 24 as shown in
Figure 18A. Given
the position of the motor 78 and the pivot axis of the lid portion 24, the
moment of force
exerted on the lid portion 24 in the closed position may be greater than the
moment of force
exerted on the lid portion 24 in the open position. The force of gravity may
aid the driving
mechanism 58 in the open-to-closed procedure, whereas the force of gravity may
resist the
driving mechanism 58 in the closed-to-open procedure. To counteract the
greater moment of
force and gravity force and to reduce the stress on the motor 78 and other
driving structures,
the driving mechanism can include one or more biasing members, such as springs
1802a
and/or 1802b (e.g., tension springs), as shown in Figure 18B.
[0145]
As shown in Figure 18C, the springs 1802a and 1802b couple with the rear
portion 64 of the lid portion 24. The spring 1802a can be inclined from a
first level to a second
level, in relation to a plane extending generally transverse to the
longitudinal axis of the pivot
pins 50, 52. Likewise, the spring 1802b can be inclined from a first level to
a second level, in
relation to a plane extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of
the pivot pins 50,
52. The springs 1802a and 1802b can be stretched or elongated from a resting
length of the
springs 1802a, 1802b. Thus, the springs 1802a, 1802b can help counteract the
greater moment
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
of force or gravitational force by providing a biasing force to assist the
motor 78 in driving the
lid portion 24 to the open position.
Lid Position Sensors
[0146] As
shown in Figure 10C, the lid portion 24 can include a position sensing
system that comprises one or more lid position sensing elements, such as a
first
flagging member 92 and a second flagging member 94, and/or a variable resistor
(e.g.,
a potentiometer). The driving mechanism 58 can include one or more position
sensors, such as
a first position sensor 96 and a second position sensor 98, to detect the
position of the lid
portion 24, e.g., by detecting the position of the flagging members 92, 94.
The motor 78 and
the position sensors 96, 98 can communicate with the controller 70 to
facilitate control of the
movement of the lid portion 24. As shown in Figures 11A and 11B, the driving
mechanism 58
can include a first position sensor 96 (e.g., a closed position sensor) and a
second position
sensor 98 (e.g., an open position sensor). In some implementations, the
position sensors 96, 98
can include paired optical proximity detectors, such as light emitters, that
cooperate with an
intermediate sensor 128, such as a light receiver. As illustrated, the
position sensors 96, 98 can
be located in a single housing, which can facilitate manufacturability and
repair and can reduce
the overall space occupied by the position sensors 96, 98.
[0147]
When the lid portion 24 is in its home or fully closed position, the first
flagging member 92 is located between the first position sensor 96 and the
intermediate sensor
128 and the second flagging member 94 is not located between the second
position sensor 98
and the intermediate sensor 128. In this configuration, the first flagging
member 92 blocks an
emission (e.g., a signal) between the first position sensor 96 and the
intermediate sensor 128,
which can be interpreted (e.g., by the controller implementing an algorithm)
to discern the
position of the lid portion 24.
[0148]
As the lid portion 24 rotates into the fully open position, the first
flagging
member 92 rotates such that it is no longer between the first position sensor
96 and the
intermediate sensor 128, and the second flagging member 94 rotates such that
it is between the
second position sensor 98 and the intermediate sensor 128. In this
configuration, the second
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flagging member 94 blocks an emissions (e.g., a signal) between the second
position sensor 98
and the intermediate sensor 128, which can be interpreted by the controller 70
to discern the
position of the lid portion 24.
[0149]
Any combination of flagging members and position sensors can be used to
detect various positions of the lid portion 24. For example, additional
positions (e.g., an about
halfway opened position) can be detected with additional sensors and flagging
members in a
manner similar or different from that described above. Some embodiments have
flagging
members located in the backside enclosure 56 and position sensors on the lid
portion 24.
[0150]
In some embodiments, the output of the electronic dynamic position
detector, such as a potentiometer 1606, can indicate 'a position of the lid
portion 24 without
requiring a separate mechanical and/or optical positioning system.
Thus, in some
embodiments, the first flagging member 92, the second flagging member 94, the
first position
sensor 96, and/or the intermediate sensor 128 are not used. For example, in
some
embodiments, the rotation of the shaft 80 can cause a rotation of the contact
1710, changing
the resistance of the potentiometer 1606, such as is described above. In some
embodiments,
rotation of the shaft 80 can cause both a change in the resistance of the
potentiometer 1606 and
a change in a position of the lid portion 24 (e.g., since the contact 1710
abuts, contacts, and/or
mates with the shaft 80 and since the lid portion 24 is rigidly coupled with
the motor 78). A
position of the lid portion 24 can be directly or indirectly correlated with
the resistance of the
potentiometer 1606 (or a voltage output by the potentiometer 1606).
[0151]
Given this relationship, the controller 70 can be configured to store
voltage
values that represent different positions of the lid portion 24, including a
completely closed
position and a completely open position, and one or a plurality of various
steps in between the
completely closed position and a completely open position. As the motor 78
drives the lid
portion 24, the controller 70 can periodically or generally continuously
measure (e.g., every
0.1ms, every lms, etc.) the voltage output by the potentiometer 1606 and
compare that voltage
with the stored voltages. For example, the potentiometer 1606 may output a
first voltage when
the lid portion 24 is closed and may output a second voltage greater than the
first voltage when
the lid portion 24 is open (or vice-versa). When comparing the voltages, if
the controller 70
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determines that the measured voltage is less than or equal to the first
voltage, then the
controller 70 may determine that the lid portion 24 is completely closed and
send a command
to disable the motor 78. Likewise, if the controller 70 determines that the
measured voltage is
greater than or equal to the second voltage, then the controller 70 may
determine that the lid
portion 24 is completely open and send a command to disable the motor 78. In
some
embodiments, as the controller 70 senses, from the potentiometer 1606, that
the lid is near the
completely open or completely closed positions, the controller 70 can decrease
the speed or
slow down the motor 78 so as to avoid a forceful or loud closing or opening.
10152]
Thus, in some embodiments, the controller 70 can: (a) periodically or
generally continuously measure the voltage output of an electronic component
(such as the
potentiometer 1606) and can compare the measured voltage with stored voltages;
and/or
(b) directly measure the movement of the lid portion (such as by measuring a
degree of
rotation or other movement of a mechanical component of the lid assembly
itself, such as the
shaft 80), without requiring the use of a separate movement-detecting system
such as a
flagging system or an optical measuring system). In some embodiments (such as
in
embodiments that use an electronic detector such as a potentiometer), the
controller 70 can
determine a position of the lid portion 24 on a generally continuous basis,
not just at discrete
positions (e.g., completely closed, completely open, or any position in
between completely
closed and completely open), at the time that the voltage output by the
potentiometer 1606 is
measured. Also, in some of such embodiments, the risk of decoupling or
slipping or
misreading of the lid-opening system from the lid-position-detecting position
is very low,
since the position of the lid is measured directly from a mechanical component
that moves the
lid itself. Some systems, on the other hand, may use flags or other markers
that are separate
from the mechanical components that open the lid (e.g., flagging members 92,
94) but that
track the position of the lid portion 24, such as is described above. However,
in some
embodiments of these systems, the position of the lid portion 24 is only
determined at discrete
positions (e.g., positions associated with a flagging member). Thus, the
position of the lid
portion 24 may not be able to be determined if no flagging member is between a
position
sensor and the intermediate sensor 128. In some situations, making an accurate
determination
of the position of the lid portion 24 may be important because the trashcan
assembly can use
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the position determination to determine when to shut off the motor 78 to
prevent damage or
malfunction (e.g., the motor 78 may be shut off when the lid portion 24 is in
the completely
open or completely closed position). In some situations, the motor 78 may be
running to cause
movement of the lid portion 24, but an obstruction or the user may be
preventing movement of
the lid portion 24. Because the motor 78 is running, the lid portion 24 is not
moving, and no
flagging member is between a position sensor and the intermediate sensor 128,
the actual
position of the lid portion 24 is unknown. A controller may determine that the
lid portion 24 is
at a certain position based on a time that the motor 78 has been running, the
number of
rotations of the motor 78, and/or the like when in fact the lid portion 24 is
not at the
determined position due to the obstruction or user. To address this issue,
some systems may
have to run a reset operation. In the reset operation, some embodiments of
such systems can
request a user to completely close the lid portion 24 so that the actual
position of the lid
portion 24 is known. Once the lid portion 24 is in the completely closed
position, the trashcan
assembly can resume lid open and close operations. By using a sensor system,
such as the
potentiometer 1606, that is more directly connected to the components that
open the lid, such a
trashcan assembly 20 can be used without running a reset operation in
situations in which an
obstruction or the user prevents movement of the lid portion 24. In some
embodiments, given
the relationship between the potentiometer 1606, the shaft 80, and the lid
portion 24, the
voltage output by the potentiometer 1606 only changes if the position of the
lid portion 24
changes. Thus, the voltage output by the potentiometer 1606 can be used by the
controller 70
to accurately determine a position of the lid portion 24 even if an
obstruction or a user prevents
the motor 78 from moving the lid portion 24 to an open or closed position.
101531
The controller 70 can store voltages and perform the comparison for any
type of potentiometer. For example, the potentiometer 1606 can be a linear
potentiometer, a
logarithmic potentiometer, and/or the like.
LED Indicator
[0154]
As shown in Figures 10B and 10C, the lid portion 24 can include one or
more indicators 150 (e.g., an LED indicator). For example, when the lid
portion 24 is open, the
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indicator 150 can display a certain color of light, e.g., green light. As
another example, the
indicator 150 can display a certain color of light based on the amount of
remaining power, so
the user knows when to recharge the power source 66 (e.g., red light can
indicate low power).
In yet another example, the indicator 150 can provide a light source when the
trashcan
assembly 20 is being used in the dark.
[0155]
The indicator 150 can indicate whether an object is detected in the sensing
region 130 and/or the sensing region 132 by the sensor assembly 102 and/or
provide notice
that the lid portion 24 may close within a certain period of time. For
example, when the lid
portion 24 is open (e.g., because the receiver 114 detects a signal emitted by
one or more of the
transmitters 112a-d that has reflected off of an object), the trashcan
assembly 20 enables the
indicator 150 (e.g., causes the indicator 150 to display a certain color of
light). If an object is
no longer detected in at least one of the sensing regions 130, 132 (e.g., the
receiver 114 does
not detect a signal reflected off an object), the trashcan assembly 20
disables the indicator 150.
As described herein, after an object is no longer detected, the lid portion 24
may remain open
for a pre-determined period of time before being moved to the closed position.
If, before the
lid portion 24 is closed, the sensor assembly 102 again detects an object,
then the indicator 150
can be re-enabled (and the lid portion 24 may remain open). Thus, disabling
the indicator 150
may serve as notice that the sensor assembly 102 no longer detects an object
and that the lid
portion 24 may close if no object is detected before the pre-determined period
of time expires.
A user can therefore use the indicator 150 as a guide to determine whether the
sensor assembly
102 detects the user and/or whether the user needs to change positions to keep
the lid portion
24 open.
[0156]
The indicator 150 can be positioned on a bottom portion of the lid portion
24 such that the indicator 150 is only visible when the lid portion 124 is in
an open position. In
some embodiments, the exterior of the trashcan assembly is simple and clean,
without any
buttons switches, and/or indicators. As shown in Figures 10B and 10C, the
indicator 150 can
be positioned at a periphery of the lid portion 24. In some embodiments, the
lid portion 24 can
include an upper lid 24a secured to a lower lid 24b (see Figures 10A-10C). The
one or more
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indicators 150 can be powered by the power source 66 via cables extending
between the upper
and lower lids 24a, 24b.
Controlling Lid Position
101571 As
previously discussed, the trashcan assembly 20 can implement an
algorithm that directs various actions, such as opening and closing of the lid
portion 24,
triggering the ready-mode and hyper-mode, or other actions. In general, the
algorithm can
include evaluating one or a plurality of received signals and, in response,
determining whether
to provide an action. In some embodiments, the algorithm determines whether to
provide an
action in response to receipt of a signal from at least two sensors, such
opening the lid
portion 24 in response to signals from as at least two transmitters (e.g., the
transmitter 112d
and at least one of transmitters 112a-c). In certain variants, the algorithm
determines whether
to open the lid portion 24 in response to an object being detected in a
certain location or
combination of locations, such as an object being detected in the sensing
region 130 and in the
sensing region 132. Some embodiments are configured to open the lid portion 24
in response
to an object being detected in a certain sequence of locations, such as an
object being detected
in the sensing region 130 and an object being subsequently or concurrently
detected in the
sensing region 132. Certain implementations are configured to determine
whether a detected
object is fleeting or transitory, which may indicate that the detected object
is not intended to
trigger operation of the trashcan assembly 20 (e.g., a person walking by the
trashcan
assembly 20). For example, some embodiments can evaluate whether a detected
object is
detected for less than a certain period and/or is moving through at least one
of the sensing
regions (e.g., the region 132) at greater than or equal to a maximum speed. If
the detected
object is fleeting or transitory, the algorithm can determine that the lid
portion 24 should not
be opened in response to such detection.
[0158]
Figure 14 illustrates an example algorithm process 1400 of controlling the
position of the lid portion 24. The process 1400 may be performed by
controller 70 of trashcan
assembly 20, as described above (e.g., in connection with Figures 9A-9D). The
method can be
implemented, in part or entirely, by a software module of the controller 70
(e.g., by the lid
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position controller) or implemented elsewhere in the trashcan assembly 20, for
example by one
or more processors executing logic in controller 70. In some embodiments,
controller 70
includes one or more processors in electronic communication with at least one
computer-
readable memory storing instructions to be executed by the at least one
processor of controller
70, where the instructions cause the trashcan assembly 20 to implement the
process 1400.
[0159] In some embodiments, the process 1400 starts at block 1402 where a
signal
is emitted using a first transmitter, such as the transmitter 112d (e.g., a
generally vertical
transmitter). In some embodiments, in block 1402, the trashcan assembly 20 is
in the ready-
mode state, as discussed above. In some embodiments, the transmitter 112d is
configured to
emit a signal generally upward from an upper surface 102a of the sensor
assembly 102 (e.g.,
on top of the trashcan assembly 20, between about 0 and about 10 degrees from
the top surface
of the trashcan assembly 20, such as shown in Figures 9C and 9D). In some
embodiments, the
transmitters 112a-c are not emitting signals in block 1402. In other
embodiments, the
transmitters 112a-c are also emitting signals in block 1402.
[0160] As
shown, the process 1400 can include block 1404 where a determination
is made as to whether an object is detected, such as in the region 130b. For
example, the
receiver 114 can determine whether a reflected signal is detected in response
to the signal
emitted by the transmitter 112d (and provides such indication to the
controller 70), which may
indicate that an object is in the sensing region 130b. If no object is
detected, the process 1400
reverts to block 1402. However, if an object is detected, the process 1400
continues to block
1406, in which the lid portion 24 is opened. For example, in response to an
object being
detected in the region 130b, the controller 70 can send a signal to a motor to
open the lid
portion 24.
[0161]
In the block 1406, one or more sensors and one or more algorithms can be
used to receive and process information about the background or ambient light
of the
environment in which the trashcan assembly 20 is being used. For example, it
can be
determined whether or not the trashcan assembly 20 is being used in a bright
environment,
such as ambient sunlight, before the lid portion 24 is opened. The controller
70 can be
configured to determine whether or not the receiver 114 is receiving light
signals substantially
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continuously. For example, if the receiver 114 generally receives signals over
a time period of
800 microseconds and has more than about ten to twelve dropouts during that
time period, it
can be assumed that the trashcan assembly 20 is being exposed to bright
ambient light, such as
sunlight. As such, the controller 70 can be configured to avoid analyzing the
output of the
receiver 114. The trashcan assembly 20 can also include a light sensor, such
as a photo diode,
that measures the lux level of ambient light. The lux level can be transmitted
to the controller
70 on a continuous basis. If a sudden change in the lux level occurs within a
certain period of
time (e.g., because a person turned on a light or the sun started shining on
the trashcan
assembly 20) at or nearly at the same time as an object is detected in block
1404 (e.g., within
lms, within 1 second, etc.), then it may be assumed that the trashcan assembly
20 is being
exposed to bright ambient light. If it is determined, in the block 1406, that
the trashcan
assembly 20 is in a bright environment, the process 1400 can return to block
1402 and
repeat. On the other hand, if it is determined in block 1406 that the trashcan
assembly 20 is not
reporting an aberration in the detection of ambient light, then the process
1400 can move on to
block 1408.
[0162]
In some embodiments, the process 1400 moves to block 1408, which can
include producing first and second sensing regions 130, 132 (e.g., generally
vertical and
generally horizontal sensing regions). For example, transmitter 112d can
continue to produce
the sensing region 130 and the transmitters 112a-c can produce the second
sensing region 132.
In certain embodiments, block 1408 includes beginning to emit signals from the
transmitters 112a-c. In some implementations, in block 1408, the trashcan
assembly 20 can
enter the hyper-mode, as discussed above. For example, the sensing extent of
the first sensing
region 130 can be increased, as discussed above.
[0163]
As illustrated, the process 1400 can include block 1410 where a
determination is made as to whether a further object-detection event has
occurred. For
example, the trashcan assembly 20 can determine whether an object has been
detected in at
least one of the sensing regions 130, 132. If a further object-detection event
has occurred, the
process 1400 can revert to block 1408, in which the first and second sensing
regions 130, 132
are produced.
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
[0164]
If no further object-detection event has occurred, the process 1400 can
continue to block 1412. In some embodiments, the process 1400 includes a timer
or delay
before moving to block 1412. For example, the process 1400 can include
determining that no
further object-detection event has occurred for at least a predetermined
amount of time, such
as at least about: 1, 2, 3, or 4 seconds. This can enable a user to briefly
leave the sensing
regions 130, 132 without the process 1400 continuing to block 1412.
[0165]
In some embodiments, block 1412 includes closing the lid portion 24 and/or
reverting to the ready-mode. For example, the controller 70 can send a signal
to a motor to
close the lid portion 24. In certain implementations, block 1412 includes
reducing the extent of
the first sensing region 130 and/or reducing or eliminating the range of the
second sensing
region 132. In some embodiments, block 1412 includes reducing or ceasing
operation of the
transmitters 112a-c. As illustrated, the process 1400 can revert to block
1402.
[0166]
Figure 15 illustrates an example algorithm process 1500 of controlling the
position of the lid portion 24. The process 1500 may be performed by the
controller 70 of
trashcan assembly 20, as described above (e.g., in connection with Figures 9A-
9D). The
method can be implemented, in part or entirely, by a software module of the
controller 70 (e.g.,
by the lid position controller) or implemented elsewhere in the trashcan
assembly 20, for
example by one or more processors executing logic in the controller 70. In
some embodiments,
the controller 70 includes one or more processors in electronic communication
with at least
one computer-readable memory storing instructions to be executed by the at
least one
processor of controller 70, where the instructions cause the trashcan assembly
20 to implement
the process 1500.
[0167]
In some embodiments, process 1500 starts at block 1502 where a signal is
emitted using a first transmitter, such as a generally vertical transmitter.
For example, the
controller 70 can instruct the vertical transmitter to emit the signal. The
vertical transmitter can
be the transmitter 112d, which emits a signal generally upward from an upper
surface 102a of
the sensor assembly 102 (e.g., on top of the trashcan assembly 20, between
about 0 and about
10 degrees from the top surface of the trashcan assembly 20, such as shown in
Figures 9C and
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
9D). In some embodiments, in block 1502 the sensor assembly 102 is in the
ready-mode and
the transmitters 112a-c are not emitting signals.
101681
As shown, the process 1500 can include block 1504 where a determination
is made as to whether an object is detected. For example, the receiver 114
determines whether
a reflected signal is detected in response to the signal emitted by the
transmitter 112d (and
provides such indication to the controller 70), which may indicate that an
object is in the
sensing region 130b.
101691
If no object is detected, the process 1500 reverts to block 1502. However,
if
an object is detected, the process 1500 continues to block 1506. In certain
embodiments, block
1506 includes activating the hyper-mode, which can include increasing the
extent of the
sensing range of the first transmitter, as is discussed above. In some
embodiments, block 1506
includes stating a first timer. For example, the first timer may be a timer or
counter
implemented by the controller 70 or a mechanical timer and the first timer
expires or fires after
a first predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 1 second,
approximately 5 seconds,
etc. or a time based on a time it takes the transmitters 112a-d to emit a
predetermined number
of signals). Detection of the object causes the sensor assembly 102 to
transition into the hyper-
mode. The first timer represents a time that the sensor assembly 102 waits in
the hyper-mode
for the detection of an object in the sensing region 132 before transitioning
back into the
ready-mode.
[0170] The
process 1500 can include block 1508 where signals are emitted with the
first transmitter and with a second transmitter, such as a generally vertical
transmitter and a
generally horizontal transmitter. For example, the controller 70 can instruct
the horizontal
transmitters to emit signals. The horizontal transmitters can be the
transmitters 112a-c, which
emit signals generally outward from a front surface 102b of the sensor
assembly 102 (e.g., in
front of the trashcan assembly 20, between about 80 degrees and about 90
degrees from the top
surface of the trashcan assembly 20, such as shown in Figure 9D). The vertical
and horizontal
transmitters can emit the signals sequentially such that no two transmitters
emit a signal at the
same time. At block 1508, each transmitter may emit a single signal. In some
embodiments,
the horizontal transmitters, and not the vertical transmitter, emit signals.
For example, in some
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embodiments, the receiver 114 may be configured to detect whether an object is
in the sensing
region 132, which may make operation of the vertical transmitter unnecessary
during certain
periods.
[0171]
As illustrated, in block 1510 a determination is made as to whether the
first
timer has expired. If the first timer has expired, the process 1500 reverts to
block 1502 and the
first timer is reset (e.g., to its value before being started). For example,
if the first timer
expires, this may indicate that no object was detected in the sensing region
132 (because, for
example, a user inadvertently moved into the ready-mode sensing region 130b
and/or because
the user did not intend to open the lid portion 24). In various embodiments,
when the
process 1500 reverts to block 1502, the sensor assembly 102 can transitions
back into the
ready-mode.
[0172]
If the first timer has not expired, the process 1500 continues to block 1512
where a determination is made as to whether an object is detected in response
to the emission
of a signal by a horizontal transmitter. For example, the controller 70
determines, using
information provided by the receiver 114, whether an object is detected in the
sensing region
132. If no object is detected, the process 1500 reverts to block 1508. For
example, if no object
is detected, then the transmitters 112a-c may continue to emit signals in an
attempt to detect an
object in the sensing region 132 before the first timer expires.
[0173]
If an object is detected in block 1512, the process 1500 continues to block
1514 where a second timer is started. For example, the second timer may be a
timer or counter
implemented by the controller 70 or a mechanical timer and the second timer
expires or fires
after a second predetermined period of time (e.g., approximately 0.5 seconds,
approximately 1
second, etc. or a time based on a time it takes the transmitters 112a-d to
emit a predetermined
number of signals). Once an object is initially detected in the sensing region
132, the controller
70 determines whether the object remains in the sensing region 132 for a
period of time before
causing the lid portion 24 to open. This can aid in determining whether the
detected object in
the sensing region 132 is fleeting. By waiting (to see that the object is
detected for the second
timer's period) before opening the lid portion 24, the process 1500 can reduce
the chance that
the lid portion 24 will open prematurely and/or unintentionally, such as could
otherwise occur
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
when a person merely walks by the trashcan assembly 20. In some
implementations, the
second timer represents the period of time that the object is to remain in the
sensing region 132
before the controller 70 causes the lid portion 24 to open.
[0174]
As illustrated, The process 1500 continues to block 1516 where signals are
emitted using vertical and horizontal transmitters. As described above, the
vertical and
horizontal transmitters can emit the signals sequentially such that no two
transmitters emit a
signal at the same time. At block 1516, each transmitter may emit a single
signal. In some
embodiments, the horizontal transmitters and not the vertical transmitter are
emitting signals.
For example, the receiver 114 may be configured to detect whether an object
has remained in
the sensing region 132 for a period of time and use of the vertical
transmitter may not be
necessary.
[0175]
The process 1500 continues to block 1518 where a determination is made as
to whether an object is detected in response to the emission of a signal by a
horizontal
transmitter. For example, the controller 70 determines, using information
provided by the
receiver 114, whether an object is detected in the sensing region 132. If no
object is detected,
the process 1500 reverts to block 1502 and the first and second timers are
reset (e.g., to their
respective values before being started). For example, if an object is no
longer detected in the
sensing region 132, then the controller 70 may determine that the object
detected in the sensing
region 130b and/or the sensing region 132 was fleeting and/or inadvertent. As
noted above, in
response to the process 1500 reverting to block 1502, the sensor assembly 102
can transition
back into the ready-mode.
[0176]
If the object continues to be detected, then the process 1500 continues to
block 1520 where a determination is made as to whether the second timer has
expired. If the
second timer has not expired, the process 1500 reverts to block 1516. For
example, if the
second timer has not expired, then the controller 70 continues to determine
whether the object
has remained in the sensing region 132 by causing the transmitters 112a-c to
continue to emit
signals for object detection.
[0177]
If the second timer has expired, then the process 1500 continues to block
1522 where the lid portion 24 is opened. For example, if the second timer has
expired, this
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
indicates that the object remained in the sensing region 132 for the minimum
period. Thus, the
controller 70 determines that the detected object is not fleeting or
inadvertent, and opens the
lid portion 24.
[0178]
In the block 1522, it can be determined whether or not the trashcan
assembly 20 is detecting a light aberration, before the lid portion 24 is
opened, such as in a
manner as described above with respect to Figure 14. If it is determined, in
the block 1522,
that the trashcan assembly 20 is detecting a light aberration, the process
1500 can return to
block 1502 and repeat without opening the lid portion 24. On the other hand,
if it is
determined in block 1522 that the trashcan assembly 20 is not detecting a
light aberration, the
process 1500 can move on to block 1524 after opening the lid portion 24.
[0179]
As illustrated, the process 1500 can continue to block 1524 where signals
are emitted using vertical and horizontal transmitters. As described above,
the vertical and
horizontal transmitters can emit the signals sequentially such that no two
transmitters emit a
signal at the same time. At block 1524, each transmitter may emit a single
signal. The
transmitters 112a-d may emit signals to provide the controller 70 with
information on whether
to close the lid portion 24 or keep the lid portion 24 open. For example, the
controller 70 can
instruct that the lid portion 24 be closed if a period elapses without an
object being detected in
the sensing region 130 and/or the sensing region 132.
[0180]
Once the signals are emitted using the vertical and/or horizontal
transmitters, the process 1500 continues to block 1526 where a determination
is made as to
whether an object is detected. If an object is detected, the process 1500
reverts to block 1524.
For example, detection of an object causes the controller 70 to determine that
the lid portion
24 should remain open and that the transmitters 112a-d should continue to emit
signals for
object detection.
[0181] If no
object is detected, then the process 1500 continues to block 1528
where a third timer is started. For example, the third timer may be a timer or
counter
implemented by the controller 70 or a mechanical timer and the third timer
expires or fires
after a third predetermined period of time e.g., approximately 1 second,
approximately 5
seconds, etc. or a time based on a time it takes the transmitters 112a-d to
emit a predetermined
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number of signals). In some cases, a person may temporarily leave the vicinity
of the trashcan
assembly 20, but may still wish that the lid portion 24 remain open. Thus, the
third timer
represents a time that the controller 70 waits when no object is detected
before causing the lid
portion 24 to close.
[0182] The
process 1500 can continue to block 1530 where signals are emitted
using vertical and horizontal transmitters. As described above, the vertical
and horizontal
transmitters can emit the signals sequentially such that no two transmitters
emit a signal at the
same time. At block 1530, each transmitter may emit a single signal. The
transmitters 112a-d
may emit signals to provide the controller 70 with information on whether an
object has
returned to the sensing region 130 or the sensing region 132 before the third
timer expires.
[0183]
Once the signals are emitted using the vertical and/or horizontal
transmitters, the process 1500 continues to block 1532 where a determination
is made as to
whether an object is detected. If an object is detected, the process 1500
reverts to block 1524
and the third timer is reset (e.g., to its value before being started). For
example, detection of an
object causes the controller 70 to determine that an object has returned to
the sensing region
130 or the sensing region 132, that the lid portion 24 should remain open, and
that the
transmitters 112a-d should continue to emit signals for object detection.
[0184]
If no object is detected, the process 1500 continues to block 1534 where a
determination is made as to whether the third timer has expired. If the third
timer has not
expired, the process 1500 reverts to block 1530. For example, if the third
timer has not
expired, then the controller 70 continues to determine whether the object has
returned to the
sensing region 130 or the sensing region 132 by causing the transmitters 112a-
d to continue to
emit signals for object detection.
[0185]
If the third timer has expired, the process 1500 continues to block 1536
where the lid portion 24 is closed. For example, if the third timer expires,
then the controller
70 determines that a sufficient amount of time has passed since the object was
last detected
and that the lid portion 24 can close. As shown, the process 1500 can revert
to block 1502 and
the first, second, and third timers can be reset (e.g., to their respective
values before being
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started). In various implementations, the sensor assembly 102 can transition
back into the
ready-mode.
Dirty Lens Compensation
[0186] Dirt or
other contaminants (e.g., dust, grease, liquid droplets, or otherwise)
may be introduced onto the lens covering 104 by a user. For example, during
the course of
placing wet and messy refuse (e.g., coffee grounds) into the trashcan assembly
20, some of the
refuse may spill onto the lens covering 104. The dirt or other contaminants
can block signals
from one or more of the transmitters 112a-d from reaching the sensing regions
130b, 132b.
Instead, the dirt or other contaminants can reflect the signals to the
receiver 114, which can
lead to false positives (e.g., incorrect indications that an object is in one
of the sensing
regions 130, 132). The false positives can result in a delay in closing the
lid portion 24 and/or
in the lid portion 24 remaining in the open position. Some embodiments of the
trashcan
assembly 20 are configured to reduce or avoid such problems, such as by
adjusting one or
more parameters to account for the dirtiness of the lens covering 104.
[0187]
In some embodiments, the trashcan assembly 20 can include a lens
calibration-mode process that detects and/or makes adjustments to account for
dirt or other
contaminants on the lens covering 104. The process can be performed by an
algorithm
included in the controller 70. In some embodiments, the process is the same,
or similar to, the
process 1300 described above in connection with the environmental calibration
and Figure 13.
The lens calibration-mode process can include any one, or any combination, of
the features of
the process 1300. For example, similar to the discussion above, the trashcan
assembly 20 can
detect the presence of a stationary contaminant (e.g., dirt) on the lens
covering 104 and can
make adjustments (e.g., to sensing thresholds) to compensate for the
contaminant.
[0188] In some
embodiments, the lens calibration-mode process begins with
periodically conducting a scan, such as a scan of the lens cover 104. This
scan can occur with
or without user initiation or interaction. For example, in an automatic
calibration mode, at a set
time interval (e.g., once an hour, once a day, once a week, etc.), the
controller 70 may send a
command to begin the lens calibration-mode. The automatic periodic scan
permits the trashcan
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assembly 20 to continuously and/or automatically monitor the ability of
signals to pass through
the lens covering 104 and to update sensing thresholds accordingly. In some
embodiments, the
controller 70 can include an algorithm configured to send a command initiating
the lens
calibration-mode based on user input. For example, the trashcan assembly 20
may include a
button that a user may operate to manually activate the lens calibration-mode,
such as during
or after adding refuse into the trashcan assembly 20. In some embodiments, the
controller 70 is
configured to automatically send a command to start the lens calibration-mode
in response to a
user manually moving the lid (e.g., to open or close it). For example, if the
lid is improperly
remaining open due to dirt on the lens cover 104, a user may manually close
the lid, which can
automatically trigger the lens calibration-mode.
[0189]
As mentioned above, in a normal (e.g., clean) state of the lens covering
104,
the signals emitted from the transmitters 112a-d can pass through the lens
cover 104, be
reflected off an object in one of the sensing regions 130, 132, and be
received by the
receiver 114. However, when the lens covering 104 is dirty, the contaminants
on the lens
cover 104 can block the passage of some or all of the signals, such as those
signals attempting
to pass through a particular portion of the lens covering 104. Such blocked
signals can be
reflected off the contaminants and received by the receiver 114, thereby
providing a false
positive of an object being in one of the sensing regions 130, 132.
[01901
Various embodiments include determining whether an object-detection
event is a false positive. For example, some embodiments make such a
determination using a
proximity measurement in one or more sensing regions of the trashcan assembly
20. The
proximity measurement, which represents the distance between the trashcan
assembly 20 and a
detected object, can be determined in various ways. For example, the proximity
measurement
can be determined based at least in part on the time difference between the
signal being
emitted and received. In some embodiments, if the proximity measurement is
less than a
certain amount (e.g., less than 0.5 inch), the trashcan assembly 20 determines
that the detected
object is a false positive, such as because of a contaminant on the lens cover
104. In certain
implementations, an object-detection event is determined to be a false
positive if the object-
detection event is consistently occurring (e.g., constantly occurring) in
portion of at least one
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of the sensing regions 130, 132, as may be the case for a contaminant on the
lens covering 104.
In some embodiments, an object-detection event is determined to be a false
positive if the
controller 70 determines that the detected object is stationary or generally
stationary in the one
of the sensing regions 130, 132 for at least a certain period (e.g., at least
about 1 minute), such
as may be the case for a contaminant on the lens covering 104.
[0191] In some embodiments, the controller 70 takes a corrective
action in
response to an object-detection event being determined to be a false positive.
For example, the
controller 70 can filter-out and/or disregard the erroneous object-detection
event. This can
facilitate normal operation of the lid portion 24, such as allowing the lid
portion 24 to close. In
some variants, if the object-detection event is determined not to be a false
positive (e.g., to be
moving in one of the sensing regions 130, 132 or otherwise not indicative of a
contaminant on
the lens covering 104), the trashcan assembly 20 processes the object-
detection event in the
logic for movement of the lid portion 24 or otherwise, as is described above.
Voice Activation
[0192] In some embodiments, the trashcan assembly 20 can actuate
one or more
features of the trashcan assembly 20, such as opening and/or closing the lid
portion 24, using
an audio sensor, such as an audio sensor configured to sense one or more voice
commands or
other sounds (e.g., clapping, snapping, or otherwise) received from a user. In
some
embodiments, the audio sensor can be the only sensor utilized to actuate the
trashcan assembly
20, or the audio sensor can be used with one or more other sensors, such as
one or more
movement or proximity detectors (e.g., as described anywhere in this
specification).
Regarding the audio sensor, the memory in the controller 70 can store data
representing one or
more keywords or sounds. A keyword or sound (also referred to herein as a wake
word or a
code word) may be a word that is associated with a particular action or state
of the trashcan
assembly 20. When the trashcan assembly 20 detects a particular keyword or
sound, the
trashcan assembly 20 can take a corresponding action (e.g., open the lid
portion 24, close the
lid portion 24, maintain the lid in an open position, etc.) and/or transition
to a corresponding
state (e.g., transition to a stay-open mode or transition to a stay-closed
mode, which are
described in greater detail below).
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[0193]
The backside enclosure 56, the sensor assembly 102, and/or any other
portion of the trashcan assembly 20 can include a microphone. For example, the
microphone
can be disposed on a generally outer portion of the trashcan assembly 20
(e.g., the rear wall 28,
the front wall 30, etc.). In some embodiments, at least a portion of the
microphone is exposed
to the trashcan exterior. In other embodiments, the microphone is not exposed
to the trashcan
exterior and a hard or soft grill can be coupled with the microphone to
protect the microphone
while still allowing sound to pass from the trashcan exterior to the
microphone. The
microphone may capture sound, such as an utterance spoken by or a sound made
by a user.
Once captured, the microphone can transform the sound into an electrical audio
signal that
represents the captured sound and transmit the electrical audio signal to the
controller 70.
[0194]
Using instructions and/or algorithms stored in the memory, one or more of
the processors of the controller 70 can perform speech recognition on the
received electrical
audio signal to identify any words that may have been spoken. The processor
can then compare
the identified words with the one or more keywords (e.g., using the data
representing one or
more keywords stored in the memory) to determine if there are any matches.
Thus, the
processor can perform a comparison of the captured audio with known keywords
to determine
whether a user said any of the known keywords.
[0195]
If an identified word does not match a keyword, the controller 70 takes no
action. If an identified word matches a keyword, the controller 70 can then
perform an action
and/or transition to a state associated with the keyword. For example, if the
processor
determines that the user said a keyword or made a sound associated with the
opening of the lid
portion 24 (e.g., "OPEN LID" or "OPEN TRASHCAN," etc.), the controller 70 can
cause the
motor 78 to move the lid portion 24 to the open position. Likewise, if the
processor determines
that the user said a keyword or made a sound associated with the closing of
the lid portion 24
(e.g., "CLOSE LID" or "CLOSE TRASHCAN," etc.), the controller 70 can cause the
motor 78
to move the lid portion 24 to the closed position. As another example, if the
processor
determines that the user said a keyword or made a sound associated with a
desire to keep the
lid portion 24 open for an extended period (e.g., "STAY OPEN" or "TASK MODE,"
etc.), the
controller 70 can cause the motor 78 to move the lid portion 24 to the open
position (if the lid
portion 24 is closed) or not cause the motor 78 to move the lid portion 24 to
the closed
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position even if no object is detected by the components of the sensor
assembly 102 for an
extended period or indefinitely. In some embodiments, the extended period can
be at least
about 20 seconds or at least about 30 seconds or at least about one minute,
etc.). Likewise, if
the processor determines that the user said a keyword or made a sound
associated with a desire
to keep the lid portion 24 closed for an extended period (e.g., "STAY CLOSED"
or "CLOSED
MODE," etc.), such as to avoid unintentionally triggering the opening of the
trashcan assembly
20 when someone is working around or otherwise near the trashcan assembly 20
for some
other reason besides depositing trash, the controller 70 can cause the motor
78 to move the lid
portion 24 to the closed position (if the lid portion 24 is open) or not cause
the motor 78 to
move the lid portion 24 to the open position even if an object is detected by
the components of
the sensor assembly 102 for an extended period. In some embodiments, the lid
portion 24 may
remain open or closed until a repeated or different keyword is uttered or
sound is made (e.g., a
keyword associated with the closing or opening of the lid portion 24), until a
predetermined
period of time has passed (e.g., at least about 1 minute, at least about 5
minutes, etc.), and/or
the like. It is contemplated that any type of location detection or motion
detection or sound
detection, including any of those that are disclosed in this specification, or
any combination of
such modes of detection, can be used by the electronic controller of the
trashcan assembly 20
to actuate any function described in this specification.
[0196]
In some embodiments, the keywords recognized by the trashcan assembly
20 are preset. For example, the data representing the keywords can be stored
in the memory
during assembly and/or manufacture of the trashcan assembly 20.
[0197]
In some embodiments, the keywords recognized by the trashcan assembly
20 are user-defined. For example, the trashcan assembly 20 can include a
button, switch, or
other such user input component that, when enabled, causes the trashcan
assembly 20 to enter
a training mode. In the training mode, a display or screen of the trashcan
assembly 20 can
identify an action or state of the trashcan assembly 20 and prompt a user to
say a keyword that
will then be associated with the action or state. The microphone can capture
the keyword
uttered by the user and transmit the representative electrical audio signal to
the controller 70.
The controller 70 can perform speech recognition on the electrical audio
signal to generate
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data representing the uttered keyword and the generated data can be stored in
memory for later
use. The trashcan assembly 20 can repeat this process for any number of
actions or states that
can be associated with a keyword. In addition, the trashcan assembly 20 can
repeat this process
for multiple users. Different users may say the same word in different ways
(e.g., with different
accents, intonations, inflections, pitch, rate, rhythm, etc.) and so it may be
useful to store
varied pronunciations of a single keyword to improve the accuracy of the
speech recognition
and thus the actions performed by the trashcan assembly 20. The memory can
store one or
more pronunciations for a single keyword and any number of these
pronunciations can be
compared with the identified words during the speech recognition process.
[0198] In some
embodiments, the trashcan assembly 20 can include wireless
communication components that allow the trashcan assembly 20 to receive
keyword
information wirelessly from a user device. The wireless communication
components can
include an antenna, a transceiver coupled with the antenna, and related
circuitry. The antenna
can be disposed on a generally outer portion of the trashcan assembly 20
(e.g., the rear wall 28,
the front wall 30, the sensor assembly 102, the backside enclosure 56, etc.).
In some
embodiments, at least a portion of the antenna is exposed to the trashcan
exterior. The antenna
may be positioned in a manner that avoids signal interference when the lid
portion 24 changes
positions. The antenna can transmit signals received from the transceiver and
receive signals
transmitted by the user device. The antenna forwards signals received from the
user device to
the transceiver.
[0199]
The transceiver can be located anywhere within the interior of the trashcan
assembly. For example, the transceiver can be a chip included within the
controller 70. The
transceiver can package data for transmission over the antenna and unpackage
data received by
the antenna. The transceiver may be able to communicate over a variety of
networks, such as a
cellular network, a network using the IEEE 802.11 protocol (e.g., Wi-Fi), a
network using the
Bluetooth0 protocol, and/or the like. The transceiver can forward unpackaged
data to the
controller 70 for processing and/or storage.
[0200]
A user device can be any electronic device. For example, a user device can
include a wide variety of computing devices, including personal computing
devices, terminal
computing devices, laptop computing devices, tablet computing devices,
electronic reader
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devices, mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones, media players, handheld gaming
devices, etc.),
wearable devices with network access and program execution capabilities (e.g.,
"smart
watches" or "smart eyewear"), wireless devices, home automation devices (e.g.,
"smart
thermostats" or "smart meters"), set-top boxes, gaming consoles, entertainment
systems,
televisions with network access and program execution capabilities (e.g.,
"smart TVs"), and
various other electronic devices and appliances. The user device can be
equipped with
software or an "app" that is configured to enable the user device and/or the
trashcan assembly
20 to perform any of the functions, tasks and/or steps described and/or
illustrated herein.
102011
For example, using the app, a user can establish a connection between the
user device and the trashcan assembly 20 (e.g., via communications that pass
through the
wireless communication components). The app can then be used to train the
trashcan
assembly 20. The app can generate a user interface for display on the screen
of the user device
that identifies an action or state of the trashcan assembly 20 and that
prompts a user to say a
keyword that will then be associated with the action or state. In some
embodiments, a
microphone of the user device captures the keyword uttered by the user and the
user device
performs speech recognition to generate data representing the uttered keyword.
The generated
data is then transmitted to the controller 70, via the antenna, the
transceiver, and/or the related
circuitry, for storage in the memory. The generated data can also be stored
locally on the user
device (e.g., by storing the generated data locally, the user device can be
used to program
multiple trashcan assemblies 20 without having the user repeat the training
process). In some
embodiments, a microphone of the user device captures the keyword uttered by
the user and
the representative electrical audio signal is transmitted to the controller 70
via the antenna, the
transceiver, and/or the related circuitry. The representative electrical audio
signal can also be
stored locally on the user device to, for example, allow the user to program
multiple trashcan
assemblies 20 without having to repeat the training process. The controller 70
then performs
speech recognition to generate data representing the uttered keyword and
stores the generated
data in the memory. The app can repeat this process for any number of actions
or states that
can be associated with a keyword. In addition, the app can repeat this process
for multiple
users. As described above, different users may say the same word in different
ways (e.g., with
different accents, intonations, inflections, pitch, rate, rhythm, etc.) and so
it may be useful to
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store varied pronunciations of a single keyword to improve the accuracy of the
speech
recognition and thus the actions performed by the trashcan assembly 20. The
memory can store
one or more pronunciations for a single keyword and any number of these
pronunciations can
be compared with the identified words during the speech recognition process.
[0202] In some
embodiments, the wireless communication components can also be
used to obtain keyword data from an informational source (e.g., the Internet,
a home system,
etc.). The keyword data can be stored in the memory for later use.
[0203]
In certain embodiments, the voice recognition capability and the object
detection capability of the trashcan assembly 20 can work in conjunction to
determine when to
actuate one or more functions of the trashcan assembly 20, such as when to
close and/or open
the lid portion 24. For example, Figure 19 illustrates an example algorithm
process 1900 of
controlling the position of the lid portion 24. The process 1900 may be
performed by controller
70 of trashcan assembly 20, as described above. The method can be implemented,
in part or
entirely, by a software module of the controller 70 (e.g., by the lid position
controller) or
implemented elsewhere in the trashcan assembly 20, for example by one or more
processors
executing logic in controller 70. In some embodiments, controller 70 includes
one or more
processors in electronic communication with at least one computer-readable
memory storing
instructions to be executed by the at least one processor of controller 70,
where the instructions
cause the trashcan assembly 20 to implement the process 1900. The process 1900
starts at
block 1902.
[0204]
As illustrated, the process 1900 moves to block 1904 where a signal is
emitted using a first transmitter, such as the transmitter 112d (e.g., a
generally vertical
transmitter). In some embodiments, in block 1904, the trashcan assembly 20 is
in the ready-
mode state, as discussed above. In some embodiments, the transmitter 112d is
configured to
emit a signal generally upward from an upper surface 102a of the sensor
assembly 102 (e.g.,
on top of the trashcan assembly 20, between about 0 and about 10 degrees from
the top surface
of the trashcan assembly 20, such as shown in Figures 9C and 9D). In some
embodiments, the
transmitters 112a-c are not emitting signals in block 1904.
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[0205]
As shown, the process 1900 can include block 1906 where a determination
is made as to whether an object is detected, such as in the region 130b. For
example, the
receiver 114 can determine whether a reflected signal is detected in response
to the signal
emitted by the transmitter 112d (and provides such indication to the
controller 70), which may
indicate that an object is in the sensing region 130b. If no object is
detected, the process 1900
moves to block 1908. However, if an object is detected, the process 1900
continues to block
1910.
[0206]
At block 1908, a determination is made as to whether the lid portion 24 is
open. For example, even though no object is detected, the lid portion 24 may
still be open if
the user uttered a keyword associated with the opening of the lid portion 24.
If the lid is closed,
the process 1900 moves to block 1920. Otherwise, the process 1900 moves to
block 1918 to
close the lid portion 24 and then proceeds to block 1920.
[0207]
As illustrated, a determination is made as to whether the lid portion 24 is
closed at block 1910. For example, as described above, the lid portion 24 may
be open even
before an object is detected in both the sensing regions 130 and 132 if the
user uttered a
keyword that caused the lid portion 24 to open. If the lid portion 24 is
closed, the process 1900
moves to block 1912 to open the lid portion 24 and then proceeds to block
1914. For example,
in response to an object being detected in the region 130b, the controller 70
can send a signal
to a motor to open the lid portion 24. However, if the lid portion 24 is
already open, the
process 1900 proceeds directly to block 1914.
[0208]
In the block 1912, it can be determined whether or not the trashcan
assembly 20 is being used in a bright environment, such as ambient sunlight,
before the lid
portion 24 is opened in a manner as described above with respect to Figure 14.
If it is
determined, in the block 1912, that the trashcan assembly 20 is in a bright
environment, the
process 1900 can return to block 1904 and repeat without opening the lid
portion 24. On the
other hand, if it is determined in block 1912 that the trashcan assembly 20 is
not in a bright
environment, the process 1900 can move on to block 1914 after opening the lid
portion 24.
[0209]
In some embodiments, the process 1900 moves to block 1914, which can
include producing first and second sensing regions 130, 132 (e.g., generally
vertical and
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generally horizontal sensing regions). For example, transmitter 112d can
continue to produce
the sensing region 130 and the transmitters 112a-c can produce the second
sensing region 132.
In certain embodiments, block 1914 includes beginning to emit signals from the
transmitters 112a-c. In some implementations, in block 1914, the trashcan
assembly 20 can
enter the hyper-mode, as discussed above. For example, the sensing extent of
the first sensing
region 130 can be increased, as discussed above.
[0210]
As illustrated, the process 1900 can include block 1916 where a
determination is made as to whether a further object-detection event has
occurred. For
example, the trashcan assembly 20 can determine whether an object has been
detected in at
least one of the sensing regions 130, 132. If a further object-detection event
has occurred, the
process 1900 can revert to block 1914, in which the first and second sensing
regions 130, 132
are produced.
[0211]
If no further object-detection event has occurred, the process 1900 can
continue to block 1918. In some embodiments, the process 1900 includes a timer
or delay
before moving to block 1918. For example, the process 1900 can include
determining that no
further object-detection event has occurred for at least a predetermined
amount of time, such
as at least about: 1, 2, 3, or 4 seconds. This can enable a user to briefly
leave the sensing
regions 130, 132 without the process 1900 continuing to block 1918.
[0212]
As described above, block 1918 includes closing the lid portion 24 and/or
reverting to the ready-mode. For example, the controller 70 can send a signal
to a motor to
close the lid portion 24. In certain implementations, block 1918 includes
reducing the extent of
the first sensing region 130 and/or reducing or eliminating the range of the
second sensing
region 132. In some embodiments, block 1918 includes reducing or ceasing
operation of the
transmitters 112a-c.
[0213] In some
embodiments, the process 1900 moves to block 1920 where a
determination is made as to whether a first voice command is detected. For
example, the first
voice command can be a keyword or wake word that is associated with the
opening of the lid
portion 24. The controller 70 can perform speech recognition on an utterance
made by a user to
determine whether the utterance corresponds to the first voice command. If the
first voice
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command is detected, the process 1900 moves to block 1922 to open the lid
portion 24 as
verbally instructed by the user. However if the first voice command is not
detected, the process
1900 reverts to block 1904. Thus, voice recognition can be used to open the
lid portion 24
even when no object is detected within the sensing region 130 and/or the
sensing region 132.
[0214] In the
block 1922, it can be determined whether or not the trashcan
assembly 20 is being used in a bright environment, such as ambient sunlight,
before the lid
portion 24 is opened in a manner as described above with respect to Figure 14.
If it is
determined, in the block 1922, that the trashcan assembly 20 is in a bright
environment, the
process 1900 can return to block 1904 and repeat without opening the lid
portion 24. On the
other hand, if it is determined in block 1922 that the trashcan assembly 20 is
not in a bright
environment, the process 1900 can move to block 1904 after opening the lid
portion 24.
[0215]
While the process 1900 is described herein with respect to a keyword
associated with the opening of the lid portion 24, this is not meant to be
limiting. Any keyword
associated with any action or state can be used in conjunction with the object
detection
capabilities of the sensor assembly 102 in a similar manner to open and/or
close the lid portion
24. In the decision block 256, it can be determined whether or not the trash
can 20 is being
used in a bright environment, such as ambient sunlight. For example, the micro
controller 110
can be configured to determine whether or not the light receiver(s) 94 are
receiving light
signals substantially continuously. For example, if the light receiver(s) 94
receive signals over
a time period of 800 microseconds and have more than about ten to twelve
dropouts during
that time period, it can be assumed that the trash can 20 is being exposed to
bright ambient
light such as sunlight. As such, the micro controller 110 can be configured to
avoid analyzing
the output of the light receiver(s) 94. If it is determined, in the decision
block 256, that the
trash can 20 is in a bright environment, the control routine 250 can return to
operation block
252 and repeat. On the other hand, if it is determined in decision block 256
that the trash can
20 is not in a bright environment, the control routine 250 can move on to
operation block 258.
[0216]
While the disclosure provided herein is directed to trashcan assemblies,
this
is not meant to be limiting. For example, the features, structures, methods,
techniques, and
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other aspects described herein can be implemented in a hamper, crate, box,
basket, drum, can,
bottle, jar, barrel, or any other container or receptacle that may include a
movable lid.
Terminology and Summary
[0217]
Although the trashcan assemblies have been disclosed in the context of
certain embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in
the art that the
present disclosure extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to
other alternative
embodiments and/or uses of the trashcans and obvious modifications and
equivalents thereof.
In addition, while several variations of the trashcans have been shown and
described in detail,
other modifications, which are within the scope of the present disclosure,
will be readily
apparent to those of skill in the art. For example, a gear assembly and/or
alternate torque
transmission components can be included. For instance, in some embodiments,
the trashcan
assembly 20 includes a gear assembly. Some embodiment of the gear assembly
include a gear
reduction (e.g., greater than or equal to about 1:5, 1:10, 1:50, values in
between, or any other
gear reduction that would provide the desired characteristics), which can
modify the rotational
speed applied to the shaft 80, clutch member 84, and/or other components. Some
embodiments
are discussed above interacting with an object. The object can be a person's
body or a portion
thereof, something a person is wearing, holding, or manipulating, an article
of the environment
(e.g., furniture), or otherwise.
[0218] For
expository purposes, the term "lateral" as used herein is defined as a
plane generally parallel to the plane or surface of the floor of the area in
which the device
being described is used or the method being described is perfolined,
regardless of its
orientation. The term "floor" floor can be interchanged with the term
"ground." The term
"vertical" refers to a direction perpendicular to the lateral as just defined.
Terms such as
"above," "below," "bottom," "top," "side," "higher," "lower," "upper,"
"upward," "over," and
"under," are defined with respect to the horizontal plane.
[0219]
Conditional language, such as "can," "could," "might," or "may," unless
specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as
used, is generally
intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments
do not include,
certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is
not generally
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intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way
required for one or more
embodiments.
[0220]
The terms "approximately," "about," and "substantially" as used herein
represent an amount close to the stated amount that still performs a desired
function or
achieves a desired result. For example, in some embodiments, as the context
may dictate, the
terms "approximately", "about", and "substantially" may refer to an amount
that is within less
than or equal to 10% of the stated amount. The term "generally" as used herein
represents a
value, amount, or characteristic that predominantly includes or tends toward a
particular value,
amount, or characteristic. As an example, in certain embodiments, as the
context may dictate,
the term "generally perpendicular" can refer to something that departs from
exactly parallel by
less than or equal to 20 degrees.
[0221]
Although certain embodiments and examples have been described herein, it
will be understood by those skilled in the art that many aspects of the
receptacles shown and
described in the present disclosure may be differently combined and/or
modified to form still
further embodiments or acceptable examples. All such modifications and
variations are
intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure. A wide
variety of designs
and approaches are possible. No feature, structure, or step disclosed herein
is essential or
indispensable.
[0222]
Any of the methods and tasks described herein may be performed and fully
automated by a computer system. The computer system may, in some cases,
include multiple
distinct computers or computing devices. Each such computing device typically
includes a
processor (or multiple processors) that executes program instructions or
modules stored in a
memory or other non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or device
(e.g., solid state
storage devices, disk drives, etc.). The various functions disclosed herein
may be embodied in
such program instructions, and/or may be implemented in application-specific
circuitry (e.g.,
ASICs or FPGAs) of the computer system. Where the computer system includes
multiple
computing devices, these devices may, but need not, be co-located. The results
of the disclosed
methods and tasks may be persistently stored by transforming physical storage
devices, such as
solid state memory chips and/or magnetic disks, into a different state.
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102231
Depending on the embodiment, certain acts, events, or functions of any of
the processes or algorithms described herein can be performed in a different
sequence, can be
added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., not all described operations or
events are necessary
for the practice of the algorithm). Moreover, in certain embodiments,
operations or events can
be performed concurrently, e.g., through multi-threaded processing, interrupt
processing, or
multiple processors or processor cores or on other parallel architectures,
rather than
sequentially.
[0224]
The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, routines, and algorithm
steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be
implemented as
electronic hardware (e.g., ASICs or FPGA devices), computer software that runs
on general
purpose computer hardware, or combinations of both. To illustrate this
interchangeability of
hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, and
steps have been
described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such
functionality is
implemented as specialized hardware versus software running on general-purpose
hardware
depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the
overall system.
The described functionality can be implemented in varying ways for each
particular
application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as
causing a
departure from the scope of the disclosure.
102251
Moreover, the various illustrative logical blocks and modules described in
connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented or
performed by a
machine, such as a general purpose processor device, a digital signal
processor (DSP), an
application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate
array (FPGA) or
other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete
hardware
components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions
described herein. A
general purpose processor device can be a microprocessor, but in the
alternative, the processor
device can be a controller, microcontroller, or state machine, combinations of
the same, or the
like. A processor device can include electrical circuitry configured to
process computer-
executable instructions. In another embodiment, a processor device includes an
FPGA or other
programmable device that performs logic operations without processing computer-
executable
instructions. A processor device can also be implemented as a combination of
computing
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devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of
microprocessors,
one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such
configuration.
Although described herein primarily with respect to digital technology, a
processor device may
also include primarily analog components. For example, some or all of the
algorithms
executed by the controller 70 and described herein may be implemented in
analog circuitry or
mixed analog and digital circuitry. A computing environment can include any
type of
computer system, including, but not limited to, a computer system based on a
microprocessor,
a mainframe computer, a digital signal processor, a portable computing device,
a device
controller, or a computational engine within an appliance, to name a few.
[0226] The
elements of a method, process, routine, or algorithm described in
connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be embodied directly in
hardware, in a
software module executed by a processor device, or in a combination of the
two. A software
module can reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory,
EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other
form of a
non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. An example storage medium can
be
coupled to the processor device such that the processor device can read
information from, and
write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage
medium can be
integral to the processor device. The processor device and the storage medium
can reside in an
ASIC. The ASIC can reside in a trashcan assembly. In the alternative, the
processor device and
the storage medium can reside as discrete components in a trashcan assembly.
[0227]
Some embodiments have been described in connection with the
accompanying drawings. The figures are drawn to scale, but such scale should
not be
interpreted as limiting. Distances, angles, etc. are merely illustrative and
do not necessarily
bear an exact relationship to actual dimensions and layout of the devices
illustrated.
Components can be added, removed, and/or rearranged. Further, the disclosure
herein of any
particular feature, aspect, method, property, characteristic, quality,
attribute, element, or the
like in connection with various embodiments can be used in all other
embodiments set forth
herein. Additionally, it will be recognized that any methods described herein
may be practiced
using any device suitable for performing the recited steps.
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CA 02941812 2016-09-13
[0228]
For purposes of this disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and novel
features are described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all
such advantages
may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for
example, those
skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure may be embodied or
carried out in a manner
that achieves one advantage or a group of advantages as taught herein without
necessarily
achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
[0229]
Moreover, while illustrative embodiments have been described herein, the
scope of any and all embodiments having equivalent elements, modifications,
omissions,
combinations (e.g., of aspects across various embodiments), adaptations and/or
alterations as
would be appreciated by those in the art based on the present disclosure. The
limitations in the
claims are to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the
claims and not
limited to the examples described in the present specification or during the
prosecution of the
application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive. Further, the
actions of the
disclosed processes and methods may be modified in any manner, including by
reordering
actions and/or inserting additional actions and/or deleting actions. It is
intended, therefore, that
the specification and examples be considered as illustrative only, with a true
scope being
indicated by the claims and their full scope of equivalents.
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