SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CHECKOUT AND RETURN OF PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES FROM A KIOSK

• US 20150363749A1
• Filed: 06/16/2014
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: JAVA Connections, LLC
• Original Assignee: JAVA Connections, LLC
• Inventors: Buscher, Matthew, Ruttenberg, Jonathan, Aspenwall, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/305,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20150363749A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0021 Access to services on a time-basis
• 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: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10

Abstract

A method includes receiving a previously dispensed portable electronic device from a user by a vending kiosk. In addition, the method includes storing the received portable electronic device in the vending kiosk. The method further includes determining an elapsed time between a time that the portable electronic device was previously dispensed and a time of receiving the portable electronic device, and when the elapsed time is less than a threshold, displaying a return user interface for indicating a problem with the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a previously dispensed portable electronic device from a user by a vending kiosk;

storing the received portable electronic device in the vending kiosk;

determining an elapsed time between a time that the portable electronic device was previously dispensed and a time of receiving the portable electronic device; and

when the elapsed time is less than a threshold, displaying a return user interface for indicating a problem with the portable electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dispensing the stored portable electronic device in response to a user demand, the user demand associated with a verified user credential.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving an indication of a problem with the portable electronic device, sending an electronic notification to an administrator of the vending kiosk.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

based on the received indication of a problem, blocking the portable electronic device from future dispensing until the portable electronic device has been serviced.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining images of the user while receiving the portable electronic device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein obtaining images of the user further comprises:

obtaining images of the user for a duration of time that begins prior to receiving the portable electronic device and that continues until after receiving the portable electronic device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing each obtained image to a file with a name constructed from a timestamp of a time at which the file was stored

8. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processing device configured to;

receive a previously dispensed portable electronic device from a user;

store the received portable electronic device;

determine an elapsed time between a time that the portable electronic device was previously dispensed and a time of receiving the portable electronic device; and

when the elapsed time is less than a threshold, display a return user interface for indicating a problem with the portable electronic device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:

dispense the stored portable electronic device in response to a user demand, the user demand associated with a verified user credential.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:

in response to receiving an indication of a problem with the portable electronic device, send an electronic notification to an administrator of the vending kiosk.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:

based on the received indication of a problem, block the portable electronic device from future dispensing until the portable electronic device has been serviced.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:

obtain images of the user while receiving the portable electronic device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:

obtain images of the user for a duration of time that begins prior to receiving the portable electronic device and that continues until after receiving the portable electronic device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to:

store each obtained image to a file with a name constructed from a timestamp of a time at which the file was stored

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to:

receive a previously dispensed portable electronic device from a user;

store the received portable electronic device;

determine an elapsed time between a time that the portable electronic device was previously dispensed and a time of receiving the portable electronic device; and

when the elapsed time is less than a threshold, display a return user interface for indicating a problem with the portable electronic device.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to:

dispense the stored portable electronic device in response to a user demand, the user demand associated with a verified user credential.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to:

in response to receiving an indication of a problem with the portable electronic device, send an electronic notification to an administrator of the vending kiosk.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to:

based on the received indication of a problem, block the portable electronic device from future dispensing until the portable electronic device has been serviced.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to:

obtain images of the user for a duration of time that begins prior to receiving the portable electronic device and that continues until after receiving the portable electronic device.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to:

store each obtained image to a file with a name constructed from a timestamp of a time at which the file was stored