Methods and systems for grading devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12586171-B2
Application number	US-202217955837-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2022
Priority date	Nov 17, 2021
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for grading user devices (e.g., mobile devices, smartphones, IoT devices, electronic devices, etc.). Image data associated with one or more portions of a user device may be determined as the user device traverses a conveyor system. The image data may be analyzed and a graphical depiction of regions of the user device where defects are present may be generated to rank, score, and/or grade the user device and/or portions of the user device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
determining image data associated with a mobile device, wherein the image data is determined using computer vision; and wherein the image data includes images from at least each of: the front, back, and sides of a mobile device; determining, based on the image data, a type of the mobile device; determining for the image data of each the front, back, and each side of the mobile device a plurality of fixed regions, wherein the regions are defined by a grid pattern; and wherein at least the buttons, lenses, speakers, and microphones are separated into regions separately from the grid pattern; wherein the plurality of regions includes the regions defined by the grid pattern and the separated regions; determining, for each region of the plurality of regions, a number of defects; determining, for each defect a size of the defect; determining, for each region of the plurality of regions, a numerical score, wherein the numerical score is based on the type of the mobile device and a combination of the number of defects and the size of the defect; determining a total numerical score for the mobile device based on the numerical score of each region; converting the numerical score to a letter grade; and updating, based on the numerical score and letter grade for each region of the plurality of regions, a device profile associated with the mobile device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the image data comprises receiving, from an imaging device, based on the mobile device traversing a conveyor, the image data.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the imaging device comprises one or more of a line scan camera, an area scan camera, a three-dimensional (3D) imaging camera, or a laser camera.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the type of the mobile device comprises determining the type of the mobile device from one or more of a barcode or a quick response code indicated by the image data.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the type of the mobile device is based on object recognition.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising causing display of the score for each region of the plurality of regions.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a type of defect.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising: predicting a functional defect of a mobile device based on the type of defect and the region of the defect.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining, by at least one of a user, a preselected criteria, or an algorithm, a minimum acceptable grade for the mobile device.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising: selecting defect types and regions which automatically produce an unwanted grade for the mobile device;
wherein the unwanted grade range is set by at least one of a user, a preselected criteria, or an algorithm.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising: prior to determining a grade for the mobile device, determining if any defect will produce a grade below the minimum acceptable grade.

12 . A method comprising:
determining, for each mobile device of a plurality of mobile devices, image data, wherein the image data is determined using computer vision; and wherein the image data includes images from at least each of: the front, back, and sides of a mobile device; determining, for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, based on the image data, a type of the mobile device; determining for the image data of each of the front, back, and each side of each of the plurality of mobile devices a plurality of fixed regions, wherein the regions are defined by a grid pattern; and wherein buttons, lenses, speakers, and microphones are separated into regions separately from the grid pattern; wherein the plurality of regions includes the regions defined by the grid pattern and the separated regions; determining, for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, for each region of the plurality of regions, a number of defects; determining, for each defect a size of the defect; determining, for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, for each region of the plurality of regions, a numerical score, wherein the numerical score is based on the type of the mobile device a combination of the number of defects and the size of the defect; determining a total numerical score for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices based on the numerical score of each region of the mobile device receiving the total score; converting the numerical score to a letter grade; and updating, for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, based on the numerical score and letter grade for each region of the plurality of regions, a device profile associated with the mobile device.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein determining, for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, the image data comprises determining, for each mobile device, the image data from an imaging device while each mobile device is traversing a conveyor.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the imaging device comprises one or more of a line scan camera, an area scan camera, a three-dimensional (3D) imaging camera, or a laser camera.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein determining, for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, the type of the mobile device comprises determining the type of the mobile device from one or more of a barcode or a quick response code indicated by the image data.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein determining, for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, the type of the mobile device is based on object recognition.

17 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising causing, for each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices, display of the score for each region of the plurality of regions.

18 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining, based on the scores for two or more mobile devices of the plurality of mobile devices, a group of mobile devices, wherein the scores, for each mobile device of the group of mobile devices, match.

Assignees

• Communications Test Design Inc

Inventors

• Parsons Mark
• Davis Nidhin
• Patwardhan Soham
• Patel Sujan
• Ho Dustin

Classifications

• G06K7/1413 Primary

  1D bar codes · CPC title

• G06K7/1417

  2D bar codes · CPC title

• G06V2201/06

  Recognition of objects for industrial automation · CPC title

• G06V20/60

  Type of objects · CPC title

• G06Q10/06395

  Quality analysis or management · CPC title