Apparatus and method for recycling mobile phones

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10825082-B2
Application number	US-201715630460-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2017
Priority date	Oct 2, 2008
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A recycling kiosk for recycling and financial remuneration for submission of a mobile telephone is disclosed herein. The recycling kiosk includes an inspection area with a plurality of white walls in order to perform a visual analysis of the mobile telephone for determination of a value of the mobile telephone. The visual analysis inspects the LCD screen of the mobile phone to determine if the LCD screen is damaged. The recycling kiosk also includes a processor, a display and a user interface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a kiosk for evaluating and purchasing a used electronic device, the method comprising:
receiving the electronic device at the kiosk, wherein the kiosk includes an internal inspection area and an inspection camera operably associated with the inspection area;
wirelessly causing a screen of the electronic device to display a known image;
capturing, via the inspection camera, an image of the screen while the screen displays the known image;
determining whether the electronic device is damaged based at least partially on the captured image of the screen; and
providing, via the kiosk, compensation in exchange for the electronic device after determining whether the electronic device is damaged.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring the captured image to an operator, wherein determining whether the electronic device is damaged includes receiving an input from the operator based on a visual evaluation of the transferred captured image.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
presenting, via the kiosk, an offer to purchase the electronic device after determining whether the electronic device is damaged; and
receiving, via the kiosk, an acceptance of the offer, wherein providing the compensation includes providing the compensation after receiving the acceptance.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:
the kiosk includes a storage receptacle operably associated with the inspection area; and
the method further comprises transferring the electronic device from the inspection area to the storage receptacle after receiving the acceptance.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a compensation amount to provide in exchange for the electronic device based at least partially on whether the electronic device is damaged.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the electronic device is damaged includes comparing a stored duplicate of the known image with the captured image of the screen.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring a luminescence of the screen while the screen displays the known image, wherein determining whether the electronic device is damaged includes determining whether the electronic device is damaged further based at least partially on the measured luminescence.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising powering up the electronic device after receiving the electronic device at the kiosk.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the compensation includes providing the compensation as cash.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the captured image of the screen is a first image of the screen; and
the method further comprises—
moving the inspection camera relative to the electronic device after capturing the first image of the screen, and
capturing, via the inspection camera, a second image of the screen after moving the inspection camera.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein moving the inspection camera includes moving the inspection camera in an arc relative to the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein moving the inspection camera includes moving the inspection camera along a ceiling of the inspection area.

14. A system for evaluating and purchasing a used electronic device, the system comprising:
a kiosk including an internal inspection area and an inspection camera operably associated with the inspection area, wherein the inspection area is configured to receive the electronic device; and
one or more processors configured to—
wirelessly cause a screen of the electronic device to display a known image,
cause the inspection camera to capture an image of the screen while the screen displays the known image,
determine whether the electronic device is damaged based at least partially on the captured image of the screen, and
cause the kiosk to provide compensation in exchange for the electronic device after determining whether the electronic device is damaged.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the one or more processors is/are configured to:
transfer the captured image to an operator;
to receive an input from the operator based on a visual evaluation of the transferred captured image; and
to determine whether the electronic device is damaged based at least partially on the input.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the one or more processors is/are configured:
to cause the kiosk to present an offer to purchase the electronic device after determining whether the electronic device is damaged;
to receive, via the kiosk, an acceptance of the offer; and
to cause the kiosk to provide the compensation in exchange for the electronic device after receiving the acceptance.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein:
the kiosk includes a storage receptacle operably associated with the inspection area; and
the one or more processors is/are configured to cause the kiosk to transfer the electronic device from the inspection area to the storage receptacle after receiving the acceptance.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the one or more processors is/are configured to determine a compensation amount to provide in exchange for the electronic device based at least partially on whether the electronic device is damaged.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the one or more processors is/are configured to determine whether the electronic device is damaged at least partially by comparing a stored duplicate of the known image with the captured image of the screen.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the one or more processors is/are configured:
to cause the kiosk to measure a luminescence of the screen while the screen displays the known image; and
to determine whether the electronic device is damaged further based at least partially on the measured luminescence.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the one or more processors is/are configured to cause the kiosk to power up the electronic device after receiving the electronic device at the inspection area.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein the kiosk is configured to provide the compensation as cash.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein:
the captured image of the screen is a first image of the screen; and
the one or more processors is/are configured to—
cause the kiosk to move the inspection camera relative to the electronic device after capturing the first image of the screen, and
cause the inspection camera to capture a second image of the screen after moving.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the one or more processors is/are configured to cause the kiosk to move the inspection camera in an arc relative to the electronic device.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the one or more processors is/are configured to cause the kiosk to move the inspection camera along a ceiling of the inspection area.

Assignees

• Ecoatm Llc

Inventors

• Librizzi Michael
• Bowles Mark Vincent
• Duben Ahron

Classifications

• G06V2201/02

  Recognising information on displays, dials, clocks · CPC title

• Y02W90/10

  Bio-packaging, e.g. packing containers made from renewable resources or bio-plastics · CPC title

• G06Q30/08 Primary

  Auctions · CPC title

• G06Q10/30

  Administration of product recycling or disposal · CPC title

• H04M1/24

  Arrangements for testing · CPC title