Refuse Container with Weight Indicator and Danger Alerting

Abstract

A refuse container provides an indication of the weight of the refuse stored therein and provides a danger alert when the weight of the refuse nears or exceeds a predetermined maximum. A display can display a value based on the weight of the refuse held in the refuse container. Further, one or more light sources can provide an indication of the weight of the refuse held in the refuse container. For example, the number of light source lit can provide an indication of the weight of the refuse held in the refuse container. A scale in the refuse container measures the weight of the refuse held therein. A controller uses the weight of the refuse held in the refuse container to determine the value to display on the display and whether to activate the light sources.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refuse container, comprising:
 a body in which refuse is held, the body comprising a protective conduit;   a scale to measure a weight of the refuse being held in the body of the refuse container;   an alert mechanism;   a controller to cause the alert mechanism to provide an alert based on the weight of the refuse; and   one or more wires to provide communications between the controller and the alert mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The refuse container of  claim 1 , wherein the protective conduit is attached to the body. 
     
     
         3 . The refuse container of  claim 2 , further comprising an inner shell, wherein an outer surface of the inner shell and an inner surface of the body for a space in which the protective conduit is placed. 
     
     
         4 . The refuse container of  claim 2 , wherein the protective conduit is located between an outer surface of the body and an inner surface of the body. 
     
     
         5 . The refuse container of  claim 1 , further comprising a display to display a value determined in accordance with the weight of the refuse being held in the body of the refuse container. 
     
     
         6 . The refuse container of  claim 5 , wherein the value displayed on the display is based on the difference between a predetermined maximum weight and the weight of the refuse in the body. 
     
     
         7 . The refuse container of  claim 5 , wherein the alert comprises a warning message displayed on the display when the weight of the refuse held in the body of the refuse container nears a predetermined maximum weight. 
     
     
         8 . The refuse container of  claim 1 , wherein the alert mechanism comprises one or more light sources that are activated in accordance with the weight held in the body of the refuse container. 
     
     
         9 . The refuse container of  claim 7 , wherein the number of the one or more light sources that are activated is determined in accordance with the proportion of the weight of refuse in the body of the refuse container to a predetermined maximum weight. 
     
     
         10 . The refuse container of  claim 7 , wherein the alert comprises flashing at least one of the one or more light sources. 
     
     
         11 . The refuse container of  claim 1 , wherein the alert is based on how close the weight is to a predetermined maximum weight. 
     
     
         12 . The refuse container of  claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises:
 a memory; and   a table stored in the memory, the table having at least one entry, each entry having a location and a maximum weight corresponding to the location; wherein the predetermined maximum weight is determined by obtaining a location of the refuse container and using the obtained location as a look up into the table find a table entry having a location matching the obtained location, and using the weight corresponding to the table entry with the matching location.   
     
     
         13 . A method for providing an alert in a refuse container, comprising:
 measuring a weight of refuse held in the refuse container as a measured weight using a scale;   determining a location of the refuse container;   determining a maximum weight for refuse that can be held in the refuse container in accordance with the determined location of the refuse container;   comparing the measured weight the determined maximum weight; and   providing an alert based on the comparison.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising providing the alert when the measured weight exceeds the predetermined maximum weight. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising providing the alert when the measured weight is within a percentage of the maximum weight. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the location of the refuse container is determined using a global positioning system (GPS) device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the location of the refuse container is determined using a lookup table. 
     
     
         18 . A refuse container, comprising:
 a body in which refuse is held, the body comprising a protective conduit;   a scale to measure a weight of the refuse being held in the body of the refuse container;   an alert mechanism;   a controller to cause the alert mechanism to provide an alert based on the weight of the refuse; wherein communication between the control and the alert mechanism is wireless.   
     
     
         19 . The refuse container of  claim 18 , further comprising one or more light sources that are activated in accordance with the measured weight. 
     
     
         20 . The refuse container of  claim 18 , further comprising a display to display a value in accordance with the measured weight.