Apparatus And Method For Recycling Mobile Phones

• US 20100228676A1
• Filed: 05/23/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecoatm Incorporated (Coinstar Asset Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ecoatm Incorporated (Coinstar Asset Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Duben, Ahron, Bowles, Mark, Librizzi, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 at kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• 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: H04M 1/0287 being disposable or recyclable
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/82 Recycling of waste of electrical or electronic equipment [WEEE]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/00 Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation

Abstract

A recycling kiosk for recycling and financial remuneration for submission of a mobile telephone is disclosed herein. The recycling kiosk includes an inspection area with a plurality of white walls in order to perform a visual analysis of the mobile telephone for determination of a value of the mobile telephone. The visual analysis inspects the LCD screen of the mobile phone to determine if the LCD screen is damaged. The recycling kiosk also includes a processor, a display and a user interface.

Claims

1. A method for analysis of a mobile phone and financial remuneration to a user for submission of the mobile phone, the method comprising:

positioning a mobile phone in an inspection area of a recycling kiosk, the inspection area having a plurality of white walls;

placing the mobile phone in a camera mode wherein a LCD screen of the mobile phone is illuminated in white to visually enhance the appearance of any defects in the LCD screen;

inspecting an image of the LCD screen of the mobile phone obtained by at least one camera disposed in the inspection area to determine if the LCD screen of the mobile phone has any defects and to define an analyzed mobile phone; and

determining a value for the analyzed mobile phone.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising performing an electrical analysis of the mobile phone.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising powering up the mobile phone.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising measuring the luminescence from the LCD screen of the mobile phone.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the recycling kiosk further comprises:

a housing;

a user interface on an exterior surface of the housing for the user to input information;

a plurality of electrical connectors, at least one electrical connector of the plurality of electrical connectors capable of connecting to the mobile phone placed within the inspection area;

at least one electrical connector dispensing device for dispensing one electrical connector of the plurality of electrical connectors to the inspection area;

a processor within the housing and in communication with the at least one camera, each of the plurality of electrical connectors and the user interface, the processor configured to identify the brand and model number of the mobile phone based on at least one of the information from the user and the images from the at least one camera, the processor configured to determine the at least one electrical connector to dispense to the inspection area, the processor configured to perform a visual analysis of the display of the mobile phone, the processor configured to perform an electrical analysis of the mobile phone, and the processor configured to determine a financial remuneration value for the mobile phone.

10. The method according to claim 1 further comprising performing an electrical analysis of the mobile phone.

6. A method for analysis of a mobile phone and financial remuneration to a user for submission of the mobile phone, the method comprising:

positioning a mobile phone in an inspection area of a recycling kiosk;

powering up the mobile phone;

inputting a term on the mobile phone, the term comprising a plurality of characters, the term displayed on the LCD screen of the mobile phone;

inspecting an image of the LCD screen of the mobile phone obtained by at least one camera disposed in the inspection area utilizing an optical character recognition program of the recycling kiosk to determine if the LCD screen of the mobile phone has any defects and to define an analyzed mobile phone; and

determining a value for the analyzed mobile phone.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the term is a telephone number.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the term is a word.

9. The method according to claim 6 wherein inputting the term comprises inputting a number on the keypad of the mobile phone.

11. The method according to claim 6 wherein the recycling kiosk further comprises:

a housing;

a user interface on an exterior surface of the housing for the user to input information;

a plurality of electrical connectors, at least one electrical connector of the plurality of electrical connectors capable of connecting to the mobile phone placed within the inspection area;

at least one electrical connector dispensing device for dispensing one electrical connector of the plurality of electrical connectors to the inspection area;

a processor within the housing and in communication with the at least one camera, each of the plurality of electrical connectors and the user interface, the processor configured to identify the brand and model number of the mobile phone based on at least one of the information from the user and the images from the at least one camera, the processor configured to determine the at least one electrical connector to dispense to the inspection area, the processor configured to perform a visual analysis of the display of the mobile phone, the processor configured to perform an electrical analysis of the mobile phone, and the processor configured to determine a financial remuneration value for the mobile phone.

12. A method for analysis of a mobile phone and financial remuneration to a user for submission of the mobile phone, the method comprising:

positioning a mobile phone in an inspection area of a recycling kiosk;

powering up the mobile phone;

displaying a known image on a LCD screen of the mobile phone;

comparing the known image on the LCD screen of the mobile phone with a stored duplicate of the known image stored on the recycling kiosk to determine any defects in the LCD screen of the mobile phone and to define an analyzed mobile phone; and

determining a value for the analyzed mobile phone.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the known image is a start-up image for the carrier of the mobile phone.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein the known image is an image of a national park.

15. The method according to claim 12 further comprising performing an electrical analysis of the mobile phone.

16. The method according to claim 12 wherein the recycling kiosk further comprises:

a housing;

a user interface on an exterior surface of the housing for the user to input information;

a plurality of electrical connectors, at least one electrical connector of the plurality of electrical connectors capable of connecting to the mobile phone placed within the inspection area;

an electrical connector dispensing device for dispensing one electrical connector of the plurality of electrical connectors to the inspection area;

a processor within the housing and in communication with the at least one camera, each of the plurality of electrical connectors and the user interface, the processor configured to identify the brand and model number of the mobile phone based on at least one of the information from the user and the images from the at least one camera, the processor configured to determine the at least one electrical connector to dispense to the inspection area, the processor configured to perform a visual analysis of the display of the mobile phone, the processor configured to perform an electrical analysis of the mobile phone, and the processor configured to determine a financial remuneration value for the mobile phone.