Systems for recycling consumer electronic devices

• US 10,032,140 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2013
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• 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: Bowles, Mark Vincent, Librizzi, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): McAtee, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US13/913,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20130275314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,872 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 at kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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: 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

The system enables one to securely recycle an electronic device in a publicly accessible location. In particular, the embodiment described may be used by a mobile phone owner to submit his/her mobile phone for recycling via an electronic kiosk and receive compensation in some form. The compensation might be dispersed via cash, voucher, credit or debit card, or other magnetic or electronic transaction methods.

Claims

1. A system for recycling portable electronic devices, the system comprising:

a plurality of kiosks, wherein each of the plurality of kiosks is positioned in a publicly accessible location, and wherein each of the plurality of kiosks includes

a housing having an input region for placement of an electronic device therein;

at least one connectivity device to connect to the electronic device within the input region, wherein the connectivity device is a cable connector or a wireless connectivity device;

a camera configured to obtain an image of the electronic device within the input region;

a processor in communication with the connectivity device and the camera, wherein the processor is configured to

perform an electrical inspection of the electronic device via the connectivity device,

transfer the image of the electronic device to a human operator for visual evaluation of the electronic device,

determine a compensation value for the electronic device based at least in part on the electrical inspection,

communicate the compensation value to an owner of the electronic device, and

if an acceptance of the compensation value is received from the owner of the electronic device, cause the kiosk to move the electronic device from the input region to a storage receptacle, or

if an acceptance of the compensation value is not received from the owner of the electronic device, cause the kiosk to return the electronic device to the owner; and

a communications component for transmitting communications from the kiosk and receiving communications for the kiosk; and

a kiosk server in communication with each of the plurality of kiosks, the kiosk server communicating with each of the plurality of kiosks through the communication component of each of the plurality of kiosks.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the communications component is a wireless modem.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the communications component is a wired Ethernet connection to the Internet.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the electronic device is at least one of a mobile phone, a GPS receiver, a camera, a printer, a computer, a television and a stereo.

5. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a biometrics server in communication with the kiosk server, the biometrics server configured to conduct fraud detection and fraud prevention activities.

6. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a content server in communication with the kiosk server, the content server configured to store user interface content and advertising for use on each of the plurality of kiosks.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the image to the kiosk server for comparison to a reference image on a database at the kiosk server to determine a cosmetic condition of the electronic device.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the processor determines the compensation value for the electronic device based on an identification of the electronic device and a cosmetic condition of the electronic device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to perform the electrical inspection of the electronic device to evaluate at least one of a battery, screen and memory of the electronic device.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to perform the electrical inspection of the electronic device to determine a functionality of the electronic device.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to perform the electrical inspection of the electronic device to at least partially identify the electronic device.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone, and wherein the processor is further configured to perform the electrical inspection of the electronic device to at least partially identify the make and model of the mobile phone.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to cause the kiosk to lock down the input region and prevent further access to the electronic device by the owner if an acceptance of the compensation value is received from the owner.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

if an acceptance of the compensation value is received from the owner, cause the kiosk to lock down the input region and prevent further access to the electronic device by the owner, and

cause the kiosk to disconnect the connectivity device from the electronic device.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the camera is a first camera, and wherein each of the kiosks further includes a second camera configured to obtain an image of the owner, and wherein the image of the owner is associated with the electronic device to reduce fraudulent sales of electronic devices via the kiosk.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the camera is a first camera, and wherein each of the kiosks further includes:

a second camera configured to obtain an image of the owner; and

a fingerprint reader configured to obtain a fingerprint of the owner, wherein the image and fingerprint of the owner are associated with the electronic device to reduce fraudulent sales of electronic devices via the kiosk.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

obtain identification of the electronic device,

obtain identification of the owner of the electronic device,

associate the identification of the owner with the identification of the electronic device, and

provide the associated identifications to local law enforcement authorities via the communication component.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the camera is a first camera, and wherein each of the kiosks further includes:

a second camera configured to obtain a photograph of the owner of the electronic device, and

a fingerprint reader configured to obtain a fingerprint of the owner of the electronic device, and wherein the processor is further configured to provide the photograph and the fingerprint to local law enforcement authorities via the communication component.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the camera is configured to obtain one or more images of the electronic device, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine one or more dimensions of the electronic device based on the one or more images, and

identify the electronic device based on the one or more dimensions.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the visual evaluation of the electronic device includes grading a cosmetic condition of the electronic device, and wherein the compensation value is based at least in part on the grading of the cosmetic condition.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the kiosks further includes a call button to provide two way communication between the owner of the electronic device and the human operator.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the visual evaluation of the electronic device includes grading a cosmetic condition of the electronic device, and

each of the kiosks further includes a call button to provide two way communication between the owner of the electronic device and the human operator to discuss the grading.