Electronic waste recycling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017344959-A1
Application number	US-201615165093-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 26, 2016
Priority date	May 26, 2016
Publication date	Nov 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and system for recycling electronic waste is provided. The method includes detecting electronic devices at a location of a user of a mobile device. Identification data identifying each electronic device is retrieved and a status for each device is determined. The electronic devices are analyzed with respect to electronic waste data and values for the electronic devices are determined with respect to recycling options. A score for each electronic device is generated and a comparative analysis is executed for the electronic devices with respect to the values and recycling options. Recommendations associated with the values and recycling options are generated and presented to the user via the mobile hardware device. The user selects a recycling option with respect to the recommendations and a recycling process associated with the recycling option selection is enabled.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device waste recycling method comprising:
detecting via a sensor of a mobile hardware device, by a processor of the mobile hardware device, a plurality of electronic devices at a location associated with a user of said mobile hardware device; retrieving, by said processor via said sensor, identification data identifying each device of said plurality of electronic devices; determining, by said processor via said sensor, a status for each said device; analyzing, by said processor based on said identification data and each said status, said plurality of electronic devices with respect to electronic waste data in an electronic waste repository; determining, by said processor, values for said plurality of electronic devices with respect to recycling options; generating, by said processor based on said values, a score for each electronic device of said plurality of electronic devices with respect to said values and said recycling options; executing, by said processor based on each said score, a comparative analysis for said plurality of electronic devices with respect to said values and said recycling options; generating, by said processor based on results of said comparative analysis, recommendations associated with said values and said recycling options; presenting, by said processor to said user via said mobile hardware device, said recommendations; receiving, by said processor from said user via said mobile hardware device, a recycling option selection with respect to said recommendations; and enabling, by said processor, a recycling process associated with said recycling option selection.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said recycling option selection comprises selecting an e-waste pickup option with respect to said plurality of electronic devices, wherein said recycling process comprises:
generating an optimal travel route for traveling between a recycling facility and said location associated with said user for retrieval of at least one of said plurality of electronic devices; and presenting said optimal travel route to a driver associated with said recycling facility.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said status indicates a power status for each said each said device, a condition of each said device, and a device usage status for each said device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said sensor is selected from the group consisting of an RFID tag reader, a Wi-Fi sensor, and a Bluetooth sensor.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining said values for said plurality of electronic devices comprises:
determining current resale values for said plurality of electronic devices; determining material values for materials comprised by said plurality of electronic devices; determining current trade in values for said plurality of electronic devices; and determining recycling royalty values associated with recycling said plurality of electronic devices.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said determining current resale values comprises;
determining a current physical and operating condition for said plurality of electronic devices; and analyzing a profile of said user, wherein said profile comprises resale vendor criteria associated with user preferred resale vendors and resale vendors located within a specified geographical area.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said determining material values comprises;
identifying precious metal values for precious metals comprised by said plurality of electronic devices; and analyzing a profile of said user, wherein said profile comprises resale vendor criteria associated with user preferred resale vendors and resale vendors located within a specified geographical area.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said determining material values comprises;
identifying retailer or manufacturer customer retention incentives associated with retailers or manufactures associated with said plurality of electronic devices; and analyzing a profile of said user, wherein said profile comprises resale vendor criteria associated with user preferred resale vendors and resale vendors located within a specified geographical area.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in the control hardware, said code being executed by the computer processor to implement: said detecting, said retrieving, said determining said status, said analyzing, said determining said values, said generating said score, said executing, said generating said recommendations, said presenting, said receiving, and said enabling.

10 . An electronic device waste recycling method comprising:
detecting via a sensor of a mobile hardware device, by a processor of said mobile hardware device, a plurality of electronic devices at a location associated with a user of said mobile device; retrieving, by said processor via said sensor, identification data identifying each device of said plurality of electronic devices; determining, by said processor, a usage pattern for a first device of said plurality of electronic devices; analyzing, by said processor, Internet content sources with respect to a lifespan for said first device based on a user type of said user and said usage pattern; generating, by said processor based on results of said analyzing, recommendations associated with recycling said first device; and presenting, by said processor to said user via said mobile hardware device, said recommendations.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said determining said usage pattern comprises:
tracking software usage, tasks, or usage frequency of said first device.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said determining said usage pattern comprises:
presenting to said user, via said mobile hardware device, a survey associated with usage of said first device; and retrieving, by said processor from said user, responses to said survey.

13 . A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device storing a computer readable program code, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm that when executed by a processor of a mobile hardware device implements an electronic device waste recycling method, said method comprising:
detecting via a sensor of said mobile hardware device, by said processor, a plurality of electronic devices at a location associated with a user of said mobile hardware device; retrieving, by said processor via said sensor, identification data identifying each device of said plurality of electronic devices; determining, by said processor via said sensor, a status for each said device; analyzing, by said processor based on said identification data and each said status, said plurality of electronic devices with respect to electronic waste data in an electronic waste repository; determining, by said processor, values for said plurality of electronic devices with respect to recycling options; generating, by said processor based on said values, a score for each electronic device of said plurality of electronic devices with respect to said values and said recycling options; executing, by said processor based on each said score, a comparative analysis for said plurality of electronic devices with respect to said values and said recycling options; generating, by said processor based on results of said comparative analysis, recommendations associated with said values and said recycling options; presenting, by said processor to said user via said mobile hardware de

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bostick James E
• Ganci Jr John M
• Keen Martin G
• Rakshit Sarbajit K

Classifications

• G06Q10/30 Primary

  Administration of product recycling or disposal · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• G01C21/343

  Calculating itineraries (travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047) · CPC title

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• G06Q50/184

  Intellectual property management · CPC title