US5519609A — Biosolids tracking system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 196 words

A method of tracking the intentional depositing of vehicle-transported sewage sludge on plots of land comprising the steps of: (a) storing in the memory of a computer boundary information identifying the respective plot boundaries of a plurality of plots of land; (b) using said boundary information in the computer for determining a plurality of polygons defined by the superposition of said plot boundaries so that each of said plots includes at least one of said polygons and, so that, if one of said plots overlaps another of said plots, then said one of said plots includes at least two of said polygons; (c) determining in said computer the area of each of said polygons using said boundary information; (d) storing in said computer memory quantity data representative of the quantity of sewage sludge deposited on said plots and analysis data representative of selected constituents including at least one of metals and nutrients of the sewage sludge deposited on said plots; and (e) determining in said computer the cumulative quantity per unit area of said constituents deposited on said polygons using said polygon area, quantity data and analysis data thereby tracking sewage sludge deposited on the plots.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 196 words

A method of tracking the intentional depositing of vehicle-transported sewage sludge on plots of land comprising the steps of: (a) storing in the memory of a computer boundary information identifying the respective plot boundaries of a plurality of plots of land; (b) using said boundary information in the computer for determining a plurality of polygons defined by the superposition of said plot boundaries so that each of said plots includes at least one of said polygons and, so that, if one of said plots overlaps another of said plots, then said one of said plots includes at least two of said polygons; (c) determining in said computer the area of each of said polygons using said boundary information; (d) storing in said computer memory quantity data representative of the quantity of sewage sludge deposited on said plots and analysis data representative of selected constituents including at least one of metals and nutrients of the sewage sludge deposited on said plots; and (e) determining in said computer the cumulative quantity per unit area of said constituents deposited on said polygons using said polygon area, quantity data and analysis data thereby tracking sewage sludge deposited on the plots.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method as set forth in claim 1, said computer including means for presenting a display, said method further including the steps of storing in said computer memory a graphical illustration of the plot and selectively displaying said illustration.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method as set forth in claim 2, further including the step of storing said graphical illustration as a portion of a topographic map.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method as set forth in claim 2, further including the step of storing said graphical illustration as a portion of a digitized photographic image.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method as set forth in claim 2, further including the steps of storing said graphical illustration as a portion of a topographic map and of a digitized photographic image and displaying said map and photograph in superposed relationship.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 105 words

The method as set forth in claim 1, said computer including means for presenting a display, said method further including the steps of storing in said computer memory a graphical illustration of at least a portion of the plot and selectively displaying said illustration, storing in said computer memory textual data concerning said plot, and providing a computer program interface between said illustration and textual data allowing at least one of retrieval of said illustration in response to retrieval from said memory of selected portions of said textual data, and retrieval from said memory of said textual data in response to retrieval of said illustration.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the steps of storing in said computer memory textual data concerning said plot.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method as set forth in claim 7, further including the step of storing said plot area, quantity data and analysis as part of said textual data.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the steps of identifying a plurality of points about said respective plot boundaries and identifying said points as corner points of said respective plot boundaries.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method as set forth in claim 1, the sewage sludge being deposited on each of the plots in loads of sewage sludge, said analysis data including the percent of solids in the sewage sludge each of said loads.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of producing an output from said computer as a report representative of said cumulative amount.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method as set forth in claim 1, using a personal computer as said computer.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of repeating step (e) for successive quantities of sewage sludge deposited on the plots.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 63 words

The method as set forth in claim 1, step (a) including the steps of identifying a plurality of points about the boundaries of said plots, at said boundary points, receiving global positioning signals in a receiver and, in response, determining in said receiver the coordinates of each of said points, and storing said coordinates in said memory as part of said boundary information.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method as set forth in claim 1, step (a) including the step of storing said boundary information for plots defined in subsequent seasons.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 191 words

A sewage sludge tracking apparatus for tracking the intentional depositing of vehicle-transported sewage sludge on plots of land comprising: a computer; and computer memory coupled with said computer, said memory including boundary information identifying the respective plot boundaries of a plurality of plots of land, said computer including means for determining a plurality of polygons defined by the superposition of said plot boundaries so that each of said plots includes at least one of said polygons and so that, if one of said plots overlaps another of said plots, then said one of said plots includes at least two of said polygons, and determining the area of each of said polygons using said boundary information, said computer memory including quantity data representative of the quantity of sewage sludge deposited on said plots and analysis data representative of selected constituents including at least one of metals and nutrients of the sewage sludge deposited on said plots, said computer including means for determining the cumulative quantity per unit area of said constituents deposited on said polygons using said polygon area, quantity data and analysis data thereby tracking sewage sludge deposited on the plots.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 191 words

A sewage sludge tracking apparatus for tracking the intentional depositing of vehicle-transported sewage sludge on plots of land comprising: a computer; and computer memory coupled with said computer, said memory including boundary information identifying the respective plot boundaries of a plurality of plots of land, said computer including means for determining a plurality of polygons defined by the superposition of said plot boundaries so that each of said plots includes at least one of said polygons and so that, if one of said plots overlaps another of said plots, then said one of said plots includes at least two of said polygons, and determining the area of each of said polygons using said boundary information, said computer memory including quantity data representative of the quantity of sewage sludge deposited on said plots and analysis data representative of selected constituents including at least one of metals and nutrients of the sewage sludge deposited on said plots, said computer including means for determining the cumulative quantity per unit area of said constituents deposited on said polygons using said polygon area, quantity data and analysis data thereby tracking sewage sludge deposited on the plots.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 52 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 16, further including a global positioning receiver operable for receiving signals from global positioning satellites and for determining land coordinates therefrom, said computer memory including means for receiving and storing inputs as land coordinates produced by said receiver, said boundary information including said land coordinates.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 16, said memory including display data representative of said plots, said computer including means for displaying a graphical illustration of said plots.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 18, said graphical illustration being included as a portion of a topographic map.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 18, said graphical illustration being a portion of a digitized photographic image.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 38 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 18, said graphical illustration being a portion of a topographic map and of a digitized photographic image, said computer including means for displaying said map and photographic image in superposed relationship.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 65 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 16, said memory including data representative of a graphical illustration of at least a portion of said plots and representative of textual data concerning said plots, said computer including means for retrieving said illustration in response to retrieval of selected portions of said textual data, and for retrieving said textual data in response to retrieval of said illustration.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 16, said computer including a personal computer.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 226 words

A method of tracking the intentional depositing of vehicle-transported sewage sludge on plots of land comprising the steps of: (a) storing in the memory of a computer boundary information identifying the respective plot boundaries of a plurality of plots of land, and setback information representative of any setback locations in the vicinity of said plots; (b) using said setback information and said boundary information in said computer for modifying said plot boundaries according to said setback locations and for determining a plurality of polygons defined by the superposition of said modified plot boundaries so that each of said plots includes at least one of said polygons and, so that, if one of said plots overlaps another of said plots, then said one of said plots includes at least two of said polygons; (c) determining in said computer the area of each of said polygons using said boundary information; (d) storing in said computer memory quantity data representative of the quantity of sewage sludge deposited on said plots and analysis data representative of selected constituents including at least one of metals and nutrients of the sewage sludge deposited on said plots; and (e) determining in said computer the cumulative quantity per unit area of said constituents deposited on said polygons using said polygon area, quantity data and analysis data thereby tracking sewage sludge deposited on the plots.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 226 words

A method of tracking the intentional depositing of vehicle-transported sewage sludge on plots of land comprising the steps of: (a) storing in the memory of a computer boundary information identifying the respective plot boundaries of a plurality of plots of land, and setback information representative of any setback locations in the vicinity of said plots; (b) using said setback information and said boundary information in said computer for modifying said plot boundaries according to said setback locations and for determining a plurality of polygons defined by the superposition of said modified plot boundaries so that each of said plots includes at least one of said polygons and, so that, if one of said plots overlaps another of said plots, then said one of said plots includes at least two of said polygons; (c) determining in said computer the area of each of said polygons using said boundary information; (d) storing in said computer memory quantity data representative of the quantity of sewage sludge deposited on said plots and analysis data representative of selected constituents including at least one of metals and nutrients of the sewage sludge deposited on said plots; and (e) determining in said computer the cumulative quantity per unit area of said constituents deposited on said polygons using said polygon area, quantity data and analysis data thereby tracking sewage sludge deposited on the plots.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method as set forth in claim 24, said setback location including a well, the boundary of said setback area being defined by a circle surrounding said well.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method as set forth in claim 24, said setback location including a stream, the boundary of said setback area being defined by a line generally parallel to the stream at a predetermined distance.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method as set forth in claim 24, said computer including means for presenting a display, said method further including the steps of storing in said computer memory a graphical illustration of the plot and selectively displaying said illustration.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method as set forth in claim 27 further including the step of storing said graphical illustration as a portion of a topographic map.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method as set forth in claim 27 further including the step of storing said graphical illustration as a portion of a digitized photographic image.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method as set forth in claim 27 further including the steps of storing said graphical illustration as a portion of a topographic map and of a digitized photographic image and displaying said map and photograph in superposed relationship.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 105 words

The method as set forth in claim 24, said computer including means for presenting a display, said method further including the steps of storing in said computer memory a graphical illustration of at least a portion of the plot and selectively displaying said illustration, storing in said computer memory textual data concerning said plot, and providing a computer program interface between said illustration and textual data allowing at least one of retrieval of said illustration in response to retrieval from said memory of selected portions of said textual data, and retrieval from said memory of said textual data in response to retrieval of said illustration.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method as set forth in claim 24 further including steps of storing in said computer memory textual data concerning said plot.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method as set forth in claim 24 further including the step of storing said plot area, quantity data and analysis as part of said textual data.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method as set forth in claim 24, further including the steps of identifying a plurality of points about said respective plot boundaries and identifying said points as corner points of said respective plot boundaries.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method as set forth in claim 24 further including the steps of performing said steps for waste matter including biosolids.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method as set forth in claim 24, the sewage sludge being deposited on each of the plots in the loads of sewage sludge, said analysis data including the percent of solids in the sewage sludge of each of said loads.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method as set forth in claim 24 further including the step of producing an output from said computer as a report representative of said cumulative amount.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method as set forth in claim 24 further including the step of using a personal computer as said computer.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method as set forth in claim 24 further including the step of repeating steps (d) and (e) for successive quantities of waste matter deposited on the plots.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 217 words

A sewage sludge tracking apparatus for tracking the intentional depositing of vehicle-transported sewage sludge on plots of land comprising: a computer; and computer memory coupled with said computer, said memory including boundary information identifying the respective plot boundaries of a plurality of plots of land and setback information representative of any setback locations in the vicinity of said plots; said computer including means for modifying said plot boundaries according to said setback locations and for determining a plurality of polygons defined by the superposition of said modified plot boundaries so that each of said plots includes at least one of said polygons and so that, if one of said plots overlaps another of said plots, then said one of said plots includes at least two of said polygons, and determining the area of each of said polygons using said boundary information, said computer memory including quantity data representative of the quantity of sewage sludge deposited on said plots and analysis data representative of selected constituents including at least one of metals and nutrients of the sewage sludge deposited on said plots, said computer including means for determining the cumulative quantity per unit area of said constituents deposited on said polygons using said polygon area, quantity data and analysis data thereby tracking sewage sludge deposited on the plots.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 217 words

A sewage sludge tracking apparatus for tracking the intentional depositing of vehicle-transported sewage sludge on plots of land comprising: a computer; and computer memory coupled with said computer, said memory including boundary information identifying the respective plot boundaries of a plurality of plots of land and setback information representative of any setback locations in the vicinity of said plots; said computer including means for modifying said plot boundaries according to said setback locations and for determining a plurality of polygons defined by the superposition of said modified plot boundaries so that each of said plots includes at least one of said polygons and so that, if one of said plots overlaps another of said plots, then said one of said plots includes at least two of said polygons, and determining the area of each of said polygons using said boundary information, said computer memory including quantity data representative of the quantity of sewage sludge deposited on said plots and analysis data representative of selected constituents including at least one of metals and nutrients of the sewage sludge deposited on said plots, said computer including means for determining the cumulative quantity per unit area of said constituents deposited on said polygons using said polygon area, quantity data and analysis data thereby tracking sewage sludge deposited on the plots.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-05-21	1999-11-20	2000-05-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-05-21	2003-11-20	2004-05-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-05-21	2007-11-20	2008-05-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Biosolids tracking system

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