Secondary market and vending system for devices

• US 9,904,911 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2013
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Mincarelli, Jan P
• Application Number:
  US13/862,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20130226679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,781 Days
• Field of Search: 705 11
• 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: 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: 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 at least one camera and a plurality of electrical connectors in order to perform a visual analysis and an electrical analysis of the mobile telephone for determination of a value of the mobile telephone. The recycling kiosk also includes a processor, a display and a user interface.

Claims

1. A kiosk comprising:

a housing having an inspection area and a storage receptacle therein;

a connector dispenser carrying a plurality of cable-type electrical connectors operably associated with the inspection area;

a user interface; and

a processor in communication with the connector dispenser, wherein the processor is configured;

to obtain information from a mobile phone via a given electrical connector of the plurality of electrical connectors while the mobile phone is within the inspection area,

to cause the inspection area to move into a locked-down state while the mobile phone is within the inspection area,

to cause mechanical disconnection of the given electrical connector from the mobile phone while the mobile phone is within the inspection area and while the inspection area is in the locked-down state,

to present, to a user of the kiosk via the user interface, an offer to purchase the mobile phone for a price based at least partially on the obtained information,

to receive an acceptance of the offer from the user, and

to cause the mobile phone to move into the storage receptacle after receiving the acceptance.

4. The kiosk according to claim 1 wherein:

the mobile phone includes a battery; and

the processor is configured to perform an electrical inspection of the mobile phone via the given electrical connector to determine a status of the battery.

5. The kiosk according to claim 1 wherein the information includes a make and model of the mobile phone.

6. The kiosk according to claim 1 wherein the given electrical connector is a USB connector.

11. The kiosk according to claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to contact a phone carrier for the mobile phone to authenticate the mobile phone.

12. The kiosk according to claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to contact a phone carrier for the mobile phone to collect ownership information for the mobile phone.

13. The kiosk according to claim 1 further comprising a cash dispenser configured to dispense cash to the user in exchange for the mobile phone.

14. The kiosk according to claim 1 wherein the processor is configured:

to identify the mobile phone while the mobile phone is within the inspection area; and

to select the given electrical connector from the plurality of electrical connectors based at least partially on a result of identifying the mobile phone.

15. The kiosk according to claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to cause mechanical connection of the given electrical connector to the mobile phone while the mobile phone is within the inspection area.

16. The kiosk according to claim 1 wherein:

the mobile phone includes a screen; and

the processor is configured to perform an electrical inspection of the mobile phone via the given electrical connector to determine a status of the screen.

17. The kiosk according to claim 1 wherein:

the mobile phone includes a memory component; and

the processor is configured to perform an electrical inspection of the mobile phone via the given electrical connector to determine a status of the memory component.

2. A method comprising:

receiving, at a kiosk, a mobile phone from a user of the kiosk, wherein the kiosk includes a user interface, an inspection area, a storage receptacle operably associated with the inspection area, and a connector dispenser operably associated with the inspection area, and wherein the connector dispenser carries a plurality of cable-type electrical connectors;

instructing the use, via the user interface, to connect the mobile phone to a given electrical connector of the plurality of electrical connectors,

obtaining, by computer, information from the mobile phone via the given electrical connector;

causing, by computer, the inspection area to move into a locked-down state while the mobile phone is within the inspection area;

causing, by computer, mechanical disconnection of the given electrical connector from the mobile phone while the mobile phone is within the inspection area and while the inspection area is in the locked-down state;

presenting, to the user via the user interface, an offer to purchase the mobile phone for a price based at least partially on the obtained information;

receiving an acceptance of the offer from the user; and

causing, by computer, the mobile phone to move into the storage receptacle after receiving the acceptance.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising contacting, by computer, a phone carrier for the mobile phone to authenticate the mobile phone.

7. The method according to claim 2 wherein:

the mobile phone includes a battery; and

the method further comprises performing, by computer, an electrical inspection of the mobile phone via the given electrical connector to determine a status of the battery.

8. The method according to claim 2 further comprising contacting, by computer, a phone carrier for the mobile phone to collect ownership information for the mobile phone.

9. The method according to claim 2 further comprising dispensing, at the kiosk, cash to the user after receiving the acceptance.

10. The method according to claim 2 wherein obtaining the information includes obtaining a make and model of the mobile phone.

18. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

identifying, by computer, the mobile phone while the mobile phone is within the inspection area; and

selecting, by computer, the given electrical connector from the plurality of electrical connectors based at least partially on a result of identifying the mobile phone.

19. The method according to claim 2 wherein:

the mobile phone includes a screen; and

the method further comprises performing, by computer, an electrical inspection of the mobile phone via the given electrical connector to determine a status of the screen.

20. The method according to claim 2 wherein:

the mobile phone includes a memory component; and

the method further comprises performing, by computer, an electrical inspection of the mobile phone via the given electrical connector to determine a status of the memory component.