Systems and methods for vending and/or purchasing mobile phones and other electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11989710-B2
Application number	US-201916719699-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2019
Priority date	Dec 19, 2018
Publication date	May 21, 2024
Grant date	May 21, 2024

Abstract

Kiosk systems and methods for vending mobile phones and other electronic devices to, and/or for purchasing mobile phones and other electronic devices from, consumers are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, such systems can include subsystems for transferring data from, e.g., a purchased phone to a vended phone.

First claim

We claim:

1. A consumer operated kiosk comprising:
a user interface;
an inspection area configured to receive a first electronic device from a user;
a wired and/or wireless connectivity device operably associated with the inspection area and configured to connect to the first electronic device;
one or more vending units, wherein each of the one or more vending units contains one or more second electronic devices;
an outlet configured to receive the one or more second electronic devices from the one or more vending units;
a data transfer compartment separate from the inspection area and the outlet, wherein the data transfer compartment is configured to receive the first electronic device together with at least one of the second electronic devices;
a data transfer apparatus operably associated with the data transfer compartment; and
one or more processors operably connected to the wired and/or wireless connectivity device, the one or more vending units, and the data transfer apparatus, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
receive a selection of one of the one or more second electronic devices from the user via the user interface,
at least partially in response to receiving the selection, cause the vending unit that contains the selected second electronic device to dispense the selected second electronic device to the user via the outlet-after the retraction device has disconnected the wired connector from the selected second electronic device;
transfer data from the first electronic device to the selected second electronic device via the data transfer apparatus when the first electronic device and the selected second electronic device are positioned in the data transfer compartment;
receive characteristic information about the first electronic device via the wired and/or wireless connectivity device; and
facilitate a purchase of the first electronic device from the user based at least in part on the characteristic information.

2. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
determine a price for the first electronic device based at least in part on the characteristic information;
present, to the user, an offer to purchase the first electronic device for the price;
receive an acceptance of the offer from the user;
cause the kiosk to retain the first electronic in response to receiving the acceptance; and
cause the kiosk to provide payment of the price to the user in exchange for the first electronic device.

3. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
present, to the user, a price to purchase the selected second electronic device from the kiosk; and
confirm receipt of payment from the user to purchase the selected second electronic device for the price, wherein causing the vending unit that contains the selected second electronic device to dispense the selected second electronic device to the user includes causing the vending unit to dispense the selected second electronic device to the user at least partially in response to confirming receipt of the payment.

4. The kiosk of claim 1 , further comprising one or more cameras operably associated with the inspection area, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to perform a visual inspection of the first electronic device via the one or more cameras when the first electronic device is positioned in the inspection area and determine a price for the first electronic device based at least in part on the characteristic information and the visual inspection.

5. The kiosk of claim 4 wherein the visual inspection includes an evaluation of the condition of the first electronic device, and wherein the price for the first electronic device is based at least in part on the characteristic information and the condition of the first electronic device.

6. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the first electronic device is a mobile phone, and the one or more second electronic devices are mobile phones.

7. The kiosk of claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning compartment, the cleaning compartment including an ultraviolet light source and/or other devices for cleaning electronic devices.

8. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the
data transfer apparatus includes a wireless connection configured to wirelessly connect to the selected second electronic device, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to transfer data from the first electronic device to the selected second electronic device via the wireless connection.

9. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the
data transfer apparatus includes a first wired connector configured to connect to the first electronic device and a second wired connector configured to connect to the selected second electronic device, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to transfer data from the first electronic device to the selected second electronic device via the first and second wired connectors.

10. The kiosk of claim 1
wherein the data transfer apparatus includes a first wireless connection configured to connect to the first electronic device and a second wireless connection configured to connect to the selected second electronic device, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to transfer data from the first electronic device to the selected second electronic device via the first and second wireless connections.

11. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the data transfer apparatus is configured to wirelessly transfer data from the first electronic device to the selected second electronic device.

12. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the transfer of data from the first electronic device to the selected second electronic device is via a wireless connection.

13. The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the vending unit that contains the selected second electronic device includes a wired connector operably connected to the selected second electronic device.

14. The kiosk of claim 13 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to provide power to the selected second electronic device via the wired connector.

15. The kiosk of claim 13 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transfer data from the first electronic device to the selected second electronic device via the wired connector.

16. The kiosk of claim 13 wherein the wired connector is a first wired connector, wherein the
data transfer apparatus includes second wired connector configured to connect to the selected second electronic device, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transfer data from the first electronic device to the selected second electronic device via the second wired connector.

17. The kiosk of claim 13 wherein the wired connector is attached to a cable, and wherein the kiosk further comprises a retraction device configured to retract the cable after disconnection of the wired connector from the selected second electronic device.

18. The kiosk of claim 13 herein the one or more processors are further configured to transfer data from the first electronic device to the selected second electronic device via the wired and/or wireless connectivity device and the wired connector.

19. The kiosk of claim 13 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transfer data to the selected second electronic device via the wired connector.

20. The kiosk of claim 13 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transfer an application program to the

Assignees

• Ecoatm Llc

Inventors

• Forutanpour Babak
• Enriquez Joemari
• Ploetner Jeffrey
• Mersten David

Classifications

• G07F7/005

  Details or accessories · CPC title

• G07F11/36

  in which the magazines are of helical or spiral form · CPC title

• G07F11/42

  the articles being delivered by motor-driven means · CPC title

• G07F11/62

  in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles · CPC title

• G07F11/72

  Auxiliary equipment, e.g. for lighting cigars, opening bottles · CPC title