Systems and methods for remote collection of electronic devices for value

• US 10,339,509 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A La Carte Media, Inc.
• Original Assignee: A La Carte Media, Inc.
• Inventors: Bordeleau, David, Mastronardi, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Goyea, Olusegun
• Application Number:
  US15/153,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20160335616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1437, 705306, 705308, 705 263, 705 23
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10425 the interrogation device being arranged for interrogation of record carriers passing by the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/06 by returnable containers , i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value, e.g. bottles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/00 Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation

Abstract

A kiosk for accepting a portable electronic device from a client in exchange for payment includes a display, one or more cameras, a portable device receiving arrangement, a payment dispensing arrangement, and a communication connection to a remote server and/or operator. The kiosk is configured to, in conjunction with the remote server and/or operator, control an application program executing on the portable electronic device and one or more the cameras to detect characteristics of the portable electronic device. The kiosk is also configured to determine a value for the portable electronic device based upon aspects including the detected characteristics, and to display the determined value on said at least one display for approval by the client. Subsequently, based upon the determined value, the kiosk provides a payment to the client via the payment dispensing arrangement, and deposits the portable electronic device in the kiosk for subsequent collection.

Claims

1. A kiosk for accepting a portable electronic device from a client in exchange for payment, comprising:

at least one display;

one or more cameras;

a portable device receiving arrangement;

at least one communication connection to a remote server and a remote operator; and

at least one processor configured to;

control, based at least on commands from the remote operator, moving one or more of the cameras to change a position or an angle of view of the one or more cameras in relation to the portable electronic device to detect characteristics of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is located in the portable device receiving arrangement and an application program is executing on the portable electronic device;

determine, in combination with the remote server and/or the remote operator, a value for the portable electronic device based upon aspects including the detected characteristics, and displaying the determined value on said at least one display for approval by the client;

based upon the determined value, provide a payment to the client; and

deposit the portable electronic device in the kiosk for subsequent collection.

2. The kiosk according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, in response to detecting the portable electronic device, prompt the client to execute the application program on the portable electronic device.

3. The kiosk according to claim 1, wherein the controlling of the application program includes controlling the application program to display selected patterns on a display of the portable electronic device or play selected audio files over speakers of the portable electronic device, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive said audio output from the speakers and to either analyze the received audio at the kiosk or transmit the received audio to the remote server and/or operator.

4. The kiosk according to claim 3, wherein the controlling of the application program further includes coordinating the display of the selected patterns on the display of the portable electronic device and capturing images of the portable electronic device, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to detect said displayed selected patterns and to either analyze the detected patterns at the kiosk or transmit information regarding the detected pattern to the remote server and/or operator.

5. The kiosk according to claim 3, wherein the controlling of the application program further includes coordinating the display of the selected patterns on the display of the portable electronic device and transmission of images and/or audio of the portable electronic device to the server and/or operator.

6. The kiosk according to claim 1, wherein the controlling based on commands from the remote operator further includes mechanically moving the portable electronic device while capturing images of the portable electronic device.

7. The kiosk according to claim 3, wherein the controlling of the application program further includes moving one or more the cameras while capturing images of the portable electronic device.

8. The kiosk according to claim 3, wherein the controlling of the application program further includes any of (1) using a camera of the portable electronic device to capture one or more images and causing the portable electronic device to transmit the captured one or more images to the kiosk, to the remote server and/or operator, (2) using a microphone of the of the portable electronic device to capture one or more sounds played by the kiosk and causing the portable electronic device to transmit the captured one or more sounds to the kiosk, to the remote server and/or operator, (3) causing the portable electronic device to capture one or more accelerometer readings while the portable electronic device is being mechanically moved and causing the portable electronic device to transmit the captured one or more accelerometer readings to the kiosk, to the remote server and/or operator, and (4) causing the portable electronic device to capture one or more readings of signal strength of a wireless signal or a cellular signal while the portable electronic device is being mechanically moved and causing the portable electronic device to transmit the captured one or more readings of signal strength to the kiosk, to the remote server and/or operator.

9. The kiosk according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display a plurality of questions to the client on the at least one display, wherein the plurality of questions is dynamically selected based upon a determined type of the portable electronic device and/or a determined characteristic of the client.

10. The kiosk according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display a plurality of questions to the client on the at least one display, wherein the plurality of questions is dynamically selected based upon said detected characteristics of the portable electronic device.

11. The kiosk according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of connectors for portable electronic devices, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to selectively provide the client with a connector from the plurality of connectors based upon a determined type of the portable electronic device.

12. The kiosk according to claim 1, wherein the kiosk further comprises an electronically controlled door for accessing the portable device receiving arrangement.

13. The kiosk according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to open the electronically controlled door upon command from the remote server and/or operator.

14. The kiosk according to claim 1, wherein the electronically controlled door is controlled by the at least one processor to open in different amounts according to a determined type of the portable electronic device.

15. The kiosk according to claim 1, further comprising a housing, wherein a first camera and a second camera are arranged on the front of the housing such the first camera view includes substantially all of the area in front of the kiosk in which the client may stand while using the kiosk, and the second camera view includes an access door of the payment dispensing arrangement.

16. The kiosk according to claim 1, further comprising an accessory bin with an electronically controlled door.

17. The kiosk according to claim 1, further comprising a fingerprint scanner configured to obtain a fingerprint of the client, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to associate the fingerprint with an agreement relating to transfer ownership of the portable electronic device.

18. The kiosk according to claim 1, further comprising a client id scanner configured to scan a client id to obtain a scanned client id, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit an image of the client captured by one of the cameras and the scanned client id to the remote server and/or operator.

19. The kiosk according to claim 1, further comprising a charging station configured to deliver a predetermined amount of charge to a plugged in device.

20. A system comprising:

a plurality of call center terminals;

at least one central server;

a network communicatively connecting the plurality of call center terminals and the at least one central server; and

a plurality of kiosks connected to the network, each kiosk configured for accepting a portable electronic device from a client in exchange for payment, and comprising;

at least one display;

one or more cameras;

a portable device receiving arrangement;

and

at least one processor configured to;

control, based at least on commands received from an operator at one of the call center terminals, moving of one or more of the cameras to change a position or an angle of view of the one or more cameras in relation to the portable electronic device to detect characteristics of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is located in the portable device receiving arrangement and an application program is executing on the portable electronic device;

determine, in combination with the remote server and/or the remote operator, a value for the portable electronic device based upon aspects including the detected characteristics, and displaying the determined value on said at least one display for approval by the client;

based upon the determined value, provide a payment to the client; and

deposit the portable electronic device in the kiosk for subsequent collection.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to selectively assign an evaluation of the electronic device to a queue of a first level operator or to a queue of a second level operator, based upon based on a current status of the evaluation.