System for electrically testing mobile devices at a consumer-operated kiosk, and associated devices and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024346463-A1
Application number	US-202418437212-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 8, 2024
Priority date	Oct 3, 2014
Publication date	Oct 17, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for recycling a mobile device. A system configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present technology includes an electrical connector and testing electronics. The electrical connector is configured to be electrically connected to a mobile device, and the testing electronics are configured to produce an electrical measurement by measuring an electrical attribute associated with a hardware component of the mobile device over the electrical connector. The system is further configured to valuate, identify, and/or authenticate the mobile device based at least in part on the electrical measurement.

First claim

I/We claim:

1 . A system for recycling a mobile device, wherein the mobile device has an electronic hardware component, the system comprising:
an electrical connector configured to be electrically connected to the mobile device; testing electronics configured to produce an electrical measurement by measuring an electrical attribute associated with the hardware component over the electrical connector; a processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein that are executable by the processer to valuate, identify, and/or authenticate the mobile device based at least in part on the electrical measurement.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a display screen, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:
determine an appropriate purchase price of the mobile device based at least in part on the electrical measurement; and display the purchase price to a user of the system via the display screen.

3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the electrical attribute is an electrical current drawn from the hardware component of the mobile device.

4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the hardware component is a charging circuit.

5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device has a battery, and wherein the electrical attribute is a charge current drawn by the mobile device to charge the battery.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the testing electronics include:
a power line configured to provide a test voltage to the hardware component; and
a current measuring circuit configured to measure an electrical current drawn by the hardware component in response to the test voltage.

7 . The system of claim 6 wherein the testing electronic further include one or more data lines, and wherein the testing electronics are further configured to:
send a control signal over the electrical connector to activate the hardware component; and
measure an electrical response on the power line in response to the control signal.

8 . The system of claim 6 wherein:
the power line is a first power line;
the mobile device has a second power line; and
the testing electronics further include—
a voltage source coupled to the first power line, and
a power switch configured to switchably connect the first power line to the second power line, and further configured to disconnect the voltage source from the electrical connector when the electrical current exceeds a threshold.

9 . The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the processor and the testing electronics is further configured to produce a test result by comparing the electrical measurement to at least one reference quantity.

10 . The system of claim 9 wherein at least one of the processor and the testing electronics is further configured to select the at least one reference quantity from a look-up table based on a make and/or a model of the mobile device.

11 . The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one reference quantity includes:
a quantity corresponding to a maximum allowable electrical current; and
a quantity corresponding to a minimum allowable electrical current.

12 . The system of claim 1 wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:
look up at least one reference quantity in a database associated with a make and/or model of the mobile device;
compare the electrical measurement to the at least one reference quantity;
produce a test result based on the comparison; and
determine an appropriate purchase price of the mobile device based at least in part on the test result.

13 . The system of claim 1 wherein the testing electronics further include:
a data switch coupled to the electrical connector; and
a controller configured to—
switchably couple itself to the hardware component via the data switch, and
control the hardware component while producing the electrical measurement.

14 . A method for recycling mobile devices, the method comprising:
sending a test signal to a mobile device over an electrical connector coupled to the mobile device; measuring a response to the test signal to produce a measurement of an electrical attribute associated with a hardware component of the mobile device; and at least one of valuating, authenticating, or identifying the mobile device based at least in part on the measurement.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the measurement is a measurement of electrical current drawn by the mobile device.

16 . The method of claim 14 wherein the hardware component is a charge circuit.

17 . The method of claim 14 wherein sending the test signal includes connecting a power line of the mobile device to a voltage supply upstream from the mobile device.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein sending the test signal includes closing a switch connected between the power line and the voltage supply.

19 . The method of claim 14 wherein the test signal is a test packet.

20 . The method of claim 14 wherein sending the test signal includes sending a stream of random test packets.

Assignees

• Ecoatm Llc

Inventors

• Hunt Loren
• Snook James Andrew
• Segil Rick
• Doppalapudi Prabhakar
• Flournoy Henry

Classifications

• G06Q20/18

  involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals · CPC title

• G07F7/00

  Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus · CPC title

• Y02W90/00

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

• G06Q30/02

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title

• Y02W30/82

  Recycling of waste of electrical or electronic equipment [WEEE] · CPC title