Systems and methods for automatically grading pre-owned electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12561789-B2
Application number	US-202418748913-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2024
Priority date	Jan 6, 2020
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically grading a user device are provided. Such systems and methods can include (1) a lighting element positioned at an angle relative to a platform, (2) an imaging device positioned at the angle relative to the platform such that light emitted from the lighting element and a field of view of the imaging device form a right angle where the light emitted from the lighting element and the field of view meet at a user device when the user device is positioned at a predetermined location on the platform, and (3) control circuitry that can activate the lighting element, instruct the imaging device to capture an image of a screen of the user device while the user device is at the predetermined location and is being illuminated by the first lighting element, and parse the image to determine whether the screen is damaged.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
one or more grading stations associated with one or more imaging devices; a conveyor associated with the one or more grading stations; and control circuitry configured to:
cause the conveyor to move a user device to one or more locations associated with the one or more grading stations;
cause the one or more imaging devices to capture one or more images of the user device; and
determine, based on the one or more images and using one or more artificial intelligence algorithms, whether a screen of the user device, a back of the user device, a side of the user device, or a camera of the user device is damaged, wherein the one or more artificial intelligence algorithms are trained to generate device grading using captured images of a plurality of known devices associated with different degrees of defects; and
one or more end locations configured for receiving the user device based on a grade assigned to the user device based on a condition of the screen of the user device, the back of the user device, the side of the user device, or the camera of the user device, wherein the one or more end locations comprise a first end location for receiving user devices having damaged screens and a second end location for receiving user devices having undamaged or non-defective user devices.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more grading stations comprises at least one of: (i) a screen damage detecting system, a back defect detecting system, a side defect detecting system, or a screen defect detecting system.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more lighting elements associated with the one or more grading stations.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
activate at least one lighting element of the one or more lighting elements simultaneously with at least one imaging device of the one or more imaging devices, and instruct the at least one imaging device to capture at least one image while the user device is at a predetermined location and is being illuminated by the at least one lighting element.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein:
a first lighting element of the one or more lighting elements is positioned relative to the conveyor at a first angle measured between the conveyor and a light-emitting surface of the first lighting element, and a first imaging device of the one or more imaging devices is positioned such that an axis of a field of view of the first imaging device is positioned at a second angle relative to the conveyor, the second angle being the same as the first angle.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein light emitted from the first lighting element and the axis of the field of view of the first imaging device form a right angle where the light emitted from the first lighting element and the axis of the field of view of the first imaging device meet at the user device when the user device is located at a predetermined location.

7 . The system of claim 3 , wherein at least one lighting element of the one or more lighting elements is positioned below the conveyor, wherein at least a portion of the conveyor is transparent to enable light emitted from the at least one lighting element to pass through the conveyor and illuminate the user device.

8 . The system of claim 3 , wherein at least one grading station of the one or more grading stations further comprises a positioning device, wherein the control circuitry is configured:
to activate the positioning device to position and/or rotate the user device through a field of view of at least one imaging device of the one or more imaging devices associated with the at least one grading station, and instruct the at least one imaging device to capture at least one image of the user device.

9 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more lighting elements comprises one or more ultraviolet light emitting elements or infra-red lights.

10 . The system of claim 3 , wherein causing the one or more imaging devices to capture the one or more images of the user device comprises:
identifying one or more optimal values for one or more optical parameters associated with at least one imaging device based on data associated with an identity of the user device; and instructing the at least one imaging device to adjust the one or more optical parameters based on the one or more optimal values.

11 . The system of claim 3 , wherein causing the one or more imaging devices to capture the one or more images of the user device comprises:
identifying one or more optimal values for one or more optical parameters associated with at least one imaging device based on a color of the user device; and instructing the at least one imaging device to adjust the one or more optical parameters based on the one or more optimal values.

12 . The system of claim 11 further comprising a device color sensor configured to identify the color of the user device and transmit data describing the color of the user device to the control circuitry.

13 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to optimize one or more of polarization patterns or exposure rates associated with the one or more lighting elements.

14 . The system of claim 3 , wherein at least one lighting element comprises a planar lighting element.

15 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more lighting elements have variable intensities.

16 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising comprises an inflow system associated with the one or more grading stations.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more grading stations define a multi-stage automated assembly line.

18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one imaging device comprises a line scanning camera.

Assignees

• Assurant Inc

Inventors

• Johnson Brandon P
• Herald Roscoe R
• Hanks Harrison A
• Farley Carson

Classifications

• G06V20/10

  Terrestrial scenes (scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59) · CPC title

• G06T2207/30121

  CRT, LCD or plasma display · CPC title

• G06T2207/10152

  Varying illumination · CPC title

• G06T2207/30242

  Counting objects in image · CPC title

• Y02W90/00

  Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation · CPC title