Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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KIOSK FOR EVALUATING AND PURCHASING USED
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS INCORPORATED BY
REFERENCE
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No.
63/066,794, filed August 17, 2020, the entirety of which is incorporated by
reference
herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure is generally related to consumer operated kiosks
for
purchasing mobile phones and other mobile electronic devices from users.
BACKGROUND
[0003] There are more mobile phones in use now than there are people on the
planet.
The rapid growth of mobile phones is due in part to the rapid pace at which
they evolve.
Because of the rapid pace of development, a relatively high percentage of
mobile
phones are replaced every year as consumers continually upgrade to obtain the
latest
features or a better operating plan. According to the U.S. Environmental
Protection
Agency, the U.S. alone disposes of over 370 million mobile phones, PDAs,
tablets, and
other electronic devices every year. Millions of other outdated or broken
mobile phones
are simply tossed into junk drawers or otherwise kept until a suitable
disposal solution
arises.
[0004] Although many mobile phone retailers and cell carrier stores now offer
mobile
phone trade-in or buyback programs, many old phones still end up in landfills
or are
improperly disassembled and disposed of in developing countries.
Unfortunately,
mobile phones and similar devices typically contain substances that can be
harmful to
the environment, such as arsenic, lithium, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury and
zinc. If
not properly disposed of, these toxic substances can seep into groundwater
from
decomposing landfills and contaminate the soil with potentiality harmful
consequences
for humans and the environment.
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[0005] As an alternative to retailer trade-in or buyback programs, consumers
can
recycle and/or sell their used mobile phones using self-service kiosks located
in malls,
retail stores, or other publicly accessible areas. Such kiosks are operated by
ecoATM,
LLC, the assignee of the present application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Figure 1 is an isometric view of a consumer operated kiosk for
purchasing
mobile electronic devices from users, configured in accordance with
embodiments of
the present technology.
[0007] Figures 2A-2C are a series of enlarged isometric views illustrating
structures
and functions associated with an inspection area of the kiosk of Figure 1,
configured in
accordance with embodiments of the present technology.
[0008] Figures 3A-3C are right front, left front, and left rear isometric
views,
respectively, of the inspection area of Figures 2A-2C with a housing and other
exterior
structures removed to better illustrate internal components associated with
the
inspection area, and Figure 3D is a front view of an inspection area light
mount,
configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology.
[0009] Figure 4A is a right rear isometric view of a mobile device inspection
tray
assembly configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology,
and
Figure 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating a wireless charger mounted to
the
inspection tray assembly in accordance with embodiments of the present
technology.
[0010] Figures 5A-5G are a series of front views of the kiosk inspection area
illustrating operation of a mobile device flipping apparatus configured in
accordance
with embodiments of the present technology.
[0011] Figures 6A-6C are a series of front views illustrating operation of
a mobile
device flipping apparatus configured in accordance with other embodiments of
the
present technology.
[0012] Figures 7A-7C are a series of cross-sectional side views of the kiosk
of Figure
1 illustrating three stages of operation of the inspection tray, in accordance
with
embodiments of the present technology.
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[0013] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating various components
associated
with the kiosk of Figure 1 configured in accordance with embodiments of the
present
technology.
[0014] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a suitable network environment for
implementing various aspects of an electronic device recycling system
configured in
accordance with embodiments of the present technology.
[0015] Figure 10A is a right rear isometric view of a mobile device inspection
tray
assembly configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology,
and
Figure 10B is a partially schematic cross-sectional end view of the mobile
device
inspection tray assembly of Figure 10A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The following disclosure describes various embodiments of systems and
methods that enable users to sell or recycle mobile phones and other
electronic devices.
In some embodiments, the systems described herein include a kiosk having an
apparatus that can turn a mobile device over in an inspection area. As
described in
greater detail below, the apparatus (which is referred to herein as a
"flipping apparatus")
enables the kiosk to visually inspect and evaluate the front side of a mobile
phone with
one or more cameras positioned above the phone, and then use the same one or
more
cameras to visually inspect and evaluate the back side of the mobile phone
after it has
been flipped. In contrast to the kiosks disclosed herein, some mobile phone
recycling
kiosks visually inspect mobile phones by placing them on a transparent plate
positioned
between at least one camera positioned above the transparent plate and at
least one
camera positioned below the transparent plate. The upper camera visually
inspects the
front side of the mobile phone and the lower camera visually inspects the back
side of
the mobile phone through the transparent plate. Accordingly, one benefit of
some
embodiments of the kiosks disclosed herein is that the mobile device flipping
apparatus
eliminates the need to position cameras both above and below a mobile device
for
visual inspection. Eliminating the lower camera and associated hardware can
reduce
the size and cost of the kiosk.
[0017] Certain details are set forth in the following description and in
Figures 1-10B
to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the present
technology.
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In other instances, well-known structures, materials, operations and/or
systems often
associated with smartphones and other handheld mobile electronic devices,
consumer
electronic devices, computer hardware, software, and network systems, etc. are
not
shown or described in detail in the following disclosure to avoid
unnecessarily obscuring
the description of the various embodiments of the present technology. Those of
ordinary skill in the art will recognize, however, that the present technology
can be
practiced without one or more of the details set forth herein, or with other
structures,
methods, components, and so forth.
[0018] The terminology used below is to be interpreted in its broadest
reasonable
manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed
description of certain
examples of embodiments of the technology. Indeed, certain terms may even be
emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any
restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this
Detailed
Description section.
[0019] The accompanying Figures depict embodiments of the present technology
and are not intended to be limiting of its scope. Component details may be
abstracted
in the Figures to exclude details such as position of components and certain
precise
connections between such components when such details are unnecessary for a
complete understanding of how to make and use the invention. Many of the
details,
dimensions, angles and other features shown in the Figures are merely
illustrative of
particular embodiments of the present technology. Accordingly, other
embodiments
can have other details, dimensions, angles and features without departing from
the spirit
or scope of the present disclosure. In addition, those of ordinary skill in
the art will
appreciate that further embodiments of the present technology can be practiced
without
several of the details described below. In the Figures, identical reference
numbers
identify identical, or at least generally similar, elements. To facilitate the
discussion of
any particular element, the most significant digit or digits of any reference
number refers
to the Figure in which that element is first introduced. For example, element
110 is first
introduced and discussed with reference to Figure 1.
[0020] Figure 1 is an isometric view of a consumer operated kiosk 100 for
purchasing
mobile phones and other electronic devices from users, configured in
accordance with
embodiments of the present technology. The kiosk 100 includes an enclosure or
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housing 102 that supports a display screen 104 positioned above an inspection
area
access door 112. The access door 112 can be formed from, e.g., one or more
polymers
(e.g., polyethylene, polycarbonate, etc.), glass, etc. that can be
transparent, opaque or
solid. The housing 102 can be manufactured from, for example, sheet metal,
plastic
panels, etc. in a conventional manner. By way of example only, in some
embodiments,
the kiosk 100 can have a width W of from about 7 inches to about 14 inches, or
from
about 8 inches to about 9 inches; a depth D of from about 12 inches to about
18 inches,
or from 14 inches to about 15 inches; and an overall height H of from about 3
feet to
about 5 feet, or about 4 feet. The foregoing dimensions are but one example;
in other
embodiments, kiosks configured in accordance with the present disclosure can
have
other dimensions without departing from the present disclosure.
[0021] A plurality of user interface devices are provided on a front portion
of the
housing 102 for providing instructions and other information to users, and/or
for
receiving user inputs and other information from users. For example, in some
embodiments, the display screen 104 can include a liquid crystal display
(LCD), a light
emitting diode (LED) display screen, an organic LED (OLED) display screen, an
e-ink
display, a projected display (such as a heads-up display or a head-mounted
device),
and the like, for providing information, prompts, etc. to users. In some
embodiments,
the display screen 104 can be a display screen from a computing device, such
as a
tablet or a tablet computer (e.g., a Microsoft Surface Pro Tablet, an Apple
iPade,
etc.). The display screen 104 can also display graphical user interfaces
(GUIs),
including touchscreens, for receiving user input and responses to displayed
prompts.
In addition or alternatively, the kiosk 100 can include a separate keyboard or
keypad for
receiving user inputs. The kiosk 100 can also include an ID reader or scanner
108 (e.g.,
a driver's license scanner), a fingerprint scanner 118, and one or more
external cameras
106 (e.g., digital still and/or video cameras). The kiosk 100 can additionally
include
output devices such as a label printer (e.g., a barcode label printer) having
an outlet
116, a payment (e.g., cash, voucher, coupon, etc.) dispenser having an outlet
110,
and/or a receipt dispenser having an outlet 114. Although not identified in
Figure 1, the
kiosk 100 can further include, e.g., a speaker and/or a headphone jack for
audibly
communicating information to users, one or more lights for visually
communicating
signals or other information to users, a handset or microphone for receiving
verbal input
from the user, a card reader (e.g., a credit/debit card reader, loyalty card
reader, etc.),
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as well as other user input and/or output devices. Additionally, the kiosk 100
can also
include a barcode reader (for reading, e.g., a barcode displayed on a mobile
device), a
OR code reader (for reading, e.g., a OR displayed on a mobile device), a
package or
bag dispenser (e.g., a shipping package dispenser), a digital signature pad,
etc. The
user interface devices described above are representative of such devices that
can be
included with some embodiments the kiosk 100. Depending on the particular use
case
or commercial application, other embodiments of the kiosks disclosed herein
can
include other devices, or one or more of the above devices may be omitted.
Accordingly, embodiments of the kiosk 100 are not limited to the type or
arrangement
of user interface devices described above.
[0022] Figures 2A-20 are a series of enlarged isometric views illustrating
structures
and functions associated with an inspection area 216 of the kiosk 100.
Referring first
to Figure 2A, in some embodiments, a user wishing to sell a used electronic
device
(e.g., a mobile phone 210) via the kiosk 100 would first approach the kiosk
100 and
follow prompts displayed on the display screen 104. Such prompts, for example,
may
ask the user what type of phone they wish to sell, who the carrier is, etc. To
begin the
process, the access door 112 (Figure 1) retracts upwardly behind the display
screen
104 to expose the inspection area 216. The inspection area 216 includes an
inspection
tray 212 having a shelf 218. The user is instructed (via, e.g., prompts on the
display
screen 104) to position the mobile device 210 on the shelf 218 in the
inspection area
216 as shown in Figure 2A. In some embodiments, the mobile phone 210 is
positioned
on the inspection tray 212 so that a display of the mobile phone 210 (e.g., an
LCD, an
LED display, etc.) is facing outwardly toward the user with an electrical
connector
receptacle on the mobile phone 210 facing downwardly toward the shelf 218. As
described in greater detail below, by positioning the mobile phone 210 on the
shelf 218
in this manner, the user can simultaneously connect the mobile phone 210 to an
appropriate electrical connector (not shown) protruding outwardly from the
shelf 218.
The appropriate electrical connector can be selected by the kiosk 100 in
response to,
for example, user responses to questions regarding the type of phone presented
on the
display screen 104. In some embodiments, the user may be instructed (via,
e.g.,
prompts on the display screen 104) to remove any cases, stickers, or other
accessories
from the mobile phone 210 prior to placing the mobile phone 210 in the
inspection area
216. After the user has properly positioned the mobile phone 210 on the
inspection tray
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212 and the phone is powered up, the user can interact with the mobile phone
210 (via,
e.g., the touch screen of the mobile phone 210) in response to prompts
displayed on
the display screen 104. As described in greater detail below, these
interactions can
cause the mobile phone 210 to display information about the phone (e.g., model
identification, serial number, etc.) that can be captured by a camera (not
shown) in the
inspection area 216 and used by the kiosk to facilitate the phone inspection
process,
provide a price quote, etc.
[0023] In some embodiments, the kiosk 100 can also include a wireless charger
222
positioned in relatively close proximity to the mobile phone 210 when the
phone is
positioned on the inspection tray 212 as shown in Figure 2A. For example, in
the
illustrated embodiment the wireless charger 222 is mounted to the backside of
the
inspection tray 212. The wireless charger 222 can be, for example, a "Qi
wireless
charger" that functions in accordance with the Qi open interface standard that
defines
wireless power transfer using inductive charging over distances of up to,
e.g., about 1.6
inches. In operation, the wireless charger 222 can provide a quick charge to
the mobile
phone 210 if it is placed on the inspection tray 212 without power.
Additionally, as
described in greater detail below, in operation the wireless charger 222
receives certain
information about the mobile phone (e.g., make, model, a unique 32-bit
identifier
associated with the phone, Qi standard, etc.) as part of the charging process.
This
information can be transmitted to the kiosk processor and used to, for
example, identify
the correct electrical connector (e.g., a USB-C or Lightning connector) to
present to the
user on the inspection tray shelf 218. This information can also be used to
determine
the appropriate User Interface (UI) flow/instructions to display to the user
via the display
screen 104 for the phone purchase process. Additionally, by identifying the
unique ID
of the mobile phone 210 and monitoring the device ID during the kiosk
transaction, the
wireless charger 222 enables the kiosk 100 to determine if the user attempts
to switch
the mobile phone 210 with another mobile phone (e.g., another mobile phone of
the
same model but of lesser value) at any time during the transaction. If so, the
kiosk 100
can stop the transaction, display a warning to the user, and/or take other
steps to
prevent the user from committing fraud by pricing one phone but actually
selling the
kiosk a different phone of, e.g., lesser value.
[0024] Turning next to Figure 2B, the inspection tray 212 has been rotated
rearwardly
from the angled position of Figure 2A into a horizontal position so that the
mobile phone
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210 is facing upwardly in the inspection area 216. Although, in some
embodiments, the
access door 112 (Figure 1) would normally be closed during this stage of kiosk
operation, the access door 112 is not shown in Figure 2B (or Figure 20) to
better
illustrate operation of the inspection tray 212 and the inspection area 216.
With the
mobile phone 210 in this position, the kiosk 100 can perform an electrical
inspection of
the mobile phone 210 via, e.g., the electrical connector (not shown) to
identify the phone
and further evaluate the condition of the phone, as well as specific component
and
operating parameters such as memory, carrier, etc. For
example, in some
embodiments, the kiosk 100 (e.g., a kiosk CPU or other processing device) can
query
the mobile phone 210 (by using, e.g., an operating system API) to obtain
characteristic
information about the mobile phone 210, which can include device
identification, make,
model, and/or configuration. In other embodiments, the characteristic
information can
further include device functionality, including hardware/software
configuration, charging
capability, memory capacity, etc. Information necessary to identify and/or
evaluate a
mobile device such as the mobile phone 210 can include, for example, a unique
identifier (e.g., an IMEI number or an MEID or equivalent number of a mobile
phone, a
hardware media access control address (MAC address) of a networkable device,
or a
model number and serial number of the electronic device), information
describing the
device manufacturer (e.g., a manufacturer name or ID code), model,
characteristics and
capabilities (e.g., CPU type and speed, storage capacity (SRAM, DRAM, disk,
etc.)),
wireless carrier, radio bands (frequency ranges and encodings such as CDMA,
GSM,
LTE, etc.), color and/or condition, and so on. In other embodiments, the
electrical
analysis can include evaluating the condition and/or functionality of the
charging circuit
of the electronic device. In some embodiments, the wireless charger 222
(Figure 2A)
and/or the electrical connector can be used to evaluate the charging circuit
of the mobile
phone 210. For example, in some embodiments, the kiosk 100 can measure the
amount of charge current that the charging circuit draws (via, e.g., the
wireless charger
222 and/or the electrical connector), and the kiosk 100 can use the
corresponding
current measurement signal to determine whether the charging circuit is
functional or
damaged. In some embodiments, the kiosk 100 can perform the electrical
analysis
using one or more of the methods and/or systems described in detail in the
patents and
patent applications identified herein and incorporated herein by reference in
their
entireties.
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[0025] Although the embodiments described above include establishing an
electrical
connection between the mobile phone 210 and the kiosk 100 via an electrical
connector,
in other embodiments the kiosk 100 can establish a wireless connection with
the mobile
phone 210 to facilitate performing all or a portion of the phone evaluation
and purchase
steps described herein. For example, in some embodiments the kiosk 100 can
include
a wireless radio transceiver that is accessible by user devices (e.g., the
mobile phone
210). The kiosk 100 can establish a wireless connection with the mobile phone
210 by
providing connection instructions and/or authentication information for the
user to enter
via the mobile phone 210 and/or via the display screen 104. For example, the
kiosk
100 can direct the user to make the mobile phone's Bluetooth connection
discoverable,
and/or can provide a Bluetooth pairing code that the user can type or
otherwise enter
on the screen of the phone 210 or on the touchscreen of the kiosk 100. As
another
example, the kiosk 100 can provide a Wi-Fi network name and/or password that
when
selected and/or entered on the user's phone 210 enables the user to wirelessly
connect
the device to the indicated Wi-Fi network. In other embodiments, establishing
the
connection can include providing a visual code or image (e.g., a OR code) for
the user
to scan using the mobile phone 210, such that scanning the code or image
prompts the
phone to connect to the kiosk's wireless network (e.g., upon user
confirmation). In some
embodiments, establishing the connection can include allowing a particular
wireless
device to join or use the wireless network or make a wireless connection. For
example,
when the kiosk 100 detects the mobile phone 210 and determines that the device
is
registered for access or otherwise recognized, the kiosk 100 automatically
connects to
the mobile phone 210 without requiring further user authentication. In
other
embodiments, the user can load a mobile app onto the mobile phone 210, and the
app
can evaluate the electronic device and facilitate wireless communication
between the
mobile phone 210 and the kiosk 100 to facilitate phone evaluation and purchase
by the
kiosk 100. Various systems and methods for establishing a wireless connection
between the kiosk 100 and a mobile phone or other electronic device of a user
are
described in at least some of the patents and/or patent applications
incorporated herein
by reference in their entireties. In other embodiments, wireless connections
between
the kiosk 100 and mobile phones and other electronic devices can be
established using
other suitable means known in the art.
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[0026] In addition to performing an electrical inspection, the kiosk 100
also performs
a visual inspection of the mobile phone 210 using one or more cameras (not
shown)
positioned in the inspection area 216. In some embodiments, the visual
inspection can
include a 3D visual analysis (of, e.g., the shape and/or size of the phone) to
confirm the
identification of the mobile phone 210 (e.g., make and model) and/or to
evaluate or
assess the condition and/or function of the mobile phone 210 and/or its
various
components and systems. For example, in some embodiments, the one or more
cameras can obtain images of the mobile phone 210 (e.g., of the front side,
the back
side, one or more of the lateral sides, the top side and/or the bottom side)
under one or
more lighting conditions, and the kiosk 100 can use visual inspection and/or
recognition
software to analyze the images of the mobile phone 210. In some embodiments,
the
visual inspection and recognition software can analyze the images to determine
the
borders of the phone 210 and the corresponding external dimensions of the
phone 210.
The external dimensions can be utilized to determine a subset of possible
mobile
phones from a master database of mobile phones stored in memory of the kiosk
100 or
stored in a remote database accessible to the kiosk 100 via a network
connection. In
some embodiments, the visual inspection and recognition software can then use
a set
of secondary and/or tertiary features of the phone 210 as shown on the images
to further
distinguish the device. These secondary and tertiary features can include the
placement and size of the display, placements and size of the keyboard, unique
buttons,
placement of ports, and other distinguishing features.
[0027] In some embodiments, the inspection tray 212 can be colored (e.g.,
colored
green) so that the technique of chroma key compositing, or chroma keying
(sometimes
referred to as green screening if used with a green screen), can be used to,
e.g., remove
the inspection tray 212 from images of the mobile phone 210 obtained by the
one or
more cameras positioned in the inspection area 216. Chroma keying the images
can
provide better definition of the phone's physical features and enable the
kiosk processor
to better determine the size (e.g., width, height and curvature) of the mobile
phone 210
based on the images. As described in greater detail below, in other
embodiments,
rather than being green (or some other opaque color) the inspection tray 212
can be
configured as a light table to enable the images to provide a more accurate
silhouette
of the mobile phone 210 for visual analysis of, e.g., phone dimensions, shape,
etc.
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[0028] The visual analysis can also include an inspection of the mobile phone
210
for cracks or other damage to the display screen (LCD), as well as cracks off
of the
display screen. For example, in some embodiments, the visual inspection and
recognition software can subtract an image of the display screen and/or other
portions
of the mobile phone 210 obtained by the one or more kiosk cameras from an
image of
an undamaged phone of the same make and model obtained from a database, e.g. a
remote database. The result of the subtraction can identify, e.g., damaged
pixels,
cracks in the screen, broken or missing parts, and/or low, medium or high
wear. In
some embodiments, the display of the phone 210 can be illuminated for the
images,
and in other embodiments the display may be "off" or otherwise not
illuminated. In some
embodiments, the visual inspection can include performing optical character
recognition
(OCR) to identify printed or displayed patterns, codes, and/or text, and
comparing
characteristics of the patterns, codes, and/or text (e.g., layout, size, font,
color, etc.) to
templates to determine the presence of one or more device identifiers such as
model
number, serial number, IMEI number, etc. For example, in some embodiments the
kiosk 100 can prompt or instruct the user to dial "*#06#" on the mobile phone
210 (via,
e.g., the display screen of the mobile phone 210), which can bring up
information about
the mobile phone 210, such as the IMEI number. Some mobile phones include a
unique
identifier (e.g., an IMEI number) that is printed or otherwise formed on the
phone's
Subscriber Identification Module (also known as a "SIM" card) holder or tray.
In some
embodiments, the kiosk 100 can instruct the user to extract the SIM card tray
from their
phone and position the SIM card tray on the inspection tray 212 so that the
kiosk can
perform OCR of the I MEI number on the SIM card tray. Further, in some
embodiments
the inspection tray 212 can include a designated area or a small tray
configured to hold
the SIM card tray so that the kiosk camera can obtain an image of the IMEI
number for
OCR. In some mobile phones (e.g., older iPhonese and Samsung phones), the
IMEI
number may be printed or otherwise formed on the back side of the phone (the
side
opposite the display screen). In some embodiments, the kiosk may prompt the
user to
place such a phone on the inspection tray 212 with the back side facing
outward so that
the kiosk camera can obtain an image of the IMEI number printed on the back
side for
OCR by the kiosk software. In some embodiments, if the kiosk 100 is unable to
identify
the device identifier(s) using OCR, the kiosk 100 can present an electrical
connector to
the user and prompt the user to connect the electrical connector to the mobile
phone
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210 as described above with reference to Figure 2A. In these embodiments, the
kiosk
100 can obtain one or more device identifiers via the electrical connector as
described
above. As described in greater detail below, the visual inspection can be
performed
with one or more cameras and the kiosk 100 can perform the visual analysis
using one
or more of the methods and/or systems described in detail in the patents and
patent
applications identified herein and incorporated herein by reference in their
entireties. In
some embodiments, other known methods of detecting damage to the display
screen
and other parts of the mobile phone 210 can be used, and in yet other
embodiments,
one or more of the visual inspections described above may be omitted.
[0029] As described in greater detail below, in one aspect of the illustrated
embodiment, the inspection area 216 includes an apparatus configured to flip
the mobile
phone 210 when the inspection tray 212 is in the position shown in Figure 2B
so that
the front side of the phone (which can also be referred to as a front surface
or front face
of the mobile phone 210 that includes, e.g., the display screen) is facing
downwardly
toward the inspection tray 212. This enables the kiosk 100 to perform a visual
inspection of the back side of the mobile phone using the same imaging systems
(e.g.,
camera systems, lighting systems, etc.) that were used to inspect the front
side of the
mobile phone 210. This feature eliminates the need to place the mobile phone
210 on
a transparent surface and provide cameras below the transparent surface to
visually
inspect the back side (which can also be referred to as a back surface or back
face of
the mobile phone) of the mobile phone 210. In addition to saving cost, this
feature can
also save space and reduce the size of the kiosk 100.
[0030] In some embodiments, the kiosk 100 can include a security feature that
can
detects if a user reaches into the inspection area 216 at an inappropriate
time. For
example, the security feature can detect if the user reaches into the
inspection area 216
when the inspection tray 212 is in the position shown in Figure 2B to, e.g.,
remove the
mobile phone 210 and/or switch it for another phone. In some embodiments, the
security feature can include a break-beam sensor system having an emitter 220a
(e.g.,
infrared (IR) emitter, a laser beam emitter, etc.) mounted to a sidewall
portion of the
inspection area 216 just inside the access door opening, and a corresponding
sensor
220b (e.g., an IR receiver, laser receiver, etc.) mounted to an opposite
sidewall portion
on the other side of the opening to detect the beam emitted by the emitter
220a. If the
user extends their hand/arm through the access door opening, it will break the
beam
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emitted by the emitter 220a, and the break of the beam will be sensed by the
sensor
220b. The sensor 220b can be configured to send a corresponding signal to the
kiosk
processor, and the kiosk 100 can respond by stopping the transaction,
displaying a
warning to the user via the display 104, etc. In other embodiments, an
internal camera
positioned in the inspection area can be used by the kiosk 100 to detect if
the user
reaches into the inspection area 216 when the inspection tray is in the
position shown
in Figure 2B.
[0031] After the mobile phone 210 has been fully evaluated and the kiosk 100
has
determined a purchase price, the purchase price can be offered to the user via
the
display screen 104. If the user accepts the purchase price offer, the access
door 112
remains closed and the purchase transaction proceeds. For example, in some
embodiments the user may be prompted to place his or her identification (e.g.,
a driver's
license) in the ID scanner 108 and provide a thumbprint via the fingerprint
reader 118
(Figure 1). As a fraud prevention measure, the kiosk 100 can be configured to
transmit
an image of the driver's license to a remote computer screen, and an operator
at the
remote computer can visually compare the picture (and/or other information) on
the
driver's license to the person standing in front of the kiosk 100 as viewed by
one or
more of the cameras 106 (Figure 1) to confirm that the person attempting to
sell the
mobile phone 210 is in fact the person identified by the driver's license. In
some
embodiments, one or more of the cameras 106 can be movable to facilitate
viewing of
kiosk users, as well as other individuals in the proximity of the kiosk 100.
Additionally,
the user's fingerprint can be checked against records of known fraud
perpetrators. If
either of these checks indicate that the person selling the phone presents a
fraud risk,
the transaction can be declined and the mobile phone 210 returned to the user.
[0032] Once the user's identity has been verified, the inspection tray 212
rotates
further rearwardly from the horizontal position shown in Figure 2B to the
angled position
shown in Figure 20 so that the mobile phone 210 can slide off of the
inspection tray 212
and into a storage bin (not shown). (Although the access door 112 would
normally be
closed during this stage of operation, the access door 112 is omitted from
Figure 20 for
purposes of illustrative clarity.) The kiosk 100 can then provide payment of
the purchase
price to the user. In some embodiments, payment can be made in the form of
cash
dispensed from the payment outlet 110. In other embodiments, the user can
receive
remuneration for the mobile phone 210 in various other useful ways. For
example, the
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user can be paid via a redeemable cash voucher, a coupon, an e-certificate, a
prepaid
card, etc. that is dispensed from the kiosk 100; or via a gift code,
redeemable voucher,
coupon, e-certificate, etc., that is sent to the user via email, text, or
other form of
electronic message. Additionally, in some embodiments the user can be paid via
a
wired or wireless monetary (e.g., cash) deposit to an electronic account
(e.g., a bank
account, credit account, loyalty account, online commerce account, mobile
wallet, etc.)
via, e.g., PayPal, Venmo, etc., or with Bitcoin, etc.
[0033] Alternatively, if the user declines the purchase price offer, or if
the user's
identity cannot be verified or the kiosk 100 otherwise determines that the
transaction
presents a fraud risk, the transaction can be declined and the mobile phone
210
returned to the user. More specifically, the inspection tray 212 rotates
forwardly to the
position illustrated in Figure 2A and the access door 112 opens so that the
user can
retrieve the mobile phone 210 from the kiosk 100.
[0034] Figures 3A-30 are right front, left front, and left rear isometric
views,
respectively, of the inspection area 216 with a number of external structures
omitted to
better illustrate certain operative components associated with the inspection
area 216,
and Figure 3D is a front view of a light mount 332 that is used in the
inspection area
216. Referring first to Figure 3A, the inspection area 216 includes a camera
325
mounted above and directed downwardly toward the inspection tray 212. In some
embodiments, the camera 325 can be configured to obtain still pictures and/or
video
images of mobile phones positioned on the inspection tray 212. In some
embodiments,
the camera 325 can include or be combined with one or more magnification
tools,
scanners, and/or other imaging components (e.g., other cameras) to view,
photograph,
and/or otherwise visually evaluate the mobile phone from multiple
perspectives.
Additionally, in some embodiments, the camera 325 can be movable to facilitate
device
visual inspection. In addition to the camera 325, the inspection area 216 can
also
include one or more lights directed toward the inspection tray 212 to
facilitate the visual
inspection of the mobile phone. For example, the inspection area can include a
pair of
lights 338a, b mounted in suitable bezels on a backplate 356. Similarly, as
shown in
Figure 3D, the inspection area 216 can also include a plurality of lights 358a-
c carried
in suitable bezels on a light mount 332 that, as shown in Figure 3A, is
mounted generally
above the pusher member 322 toward the right side of the inspection area 216.
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[0035] As noted above, in some embodiments, the inspection tray 212 can be
configured as a light table. For example, the inspection tray 212 (or at least
an
inspection surface portion 368 of the inspection tray 212 upon which the
mobile phone
is placed) can be made from a translucent (e.g., semitransparent) material,
such as a
translucent glass or plastic. In other embodiments, the inspection surface
portion 368
can be made from a transparent material, such as transparent glass or plastic.
By way
of example only, in some embodiments the thickness of the inspection surface
portion
368 (which can also be referred to as an inspection plate portion 368 and the
like) can
be from about 0.08 inch to about 0.25 inch, or about 0.12 inch. In such
embodiments,
the kiosk 100 can also include one or more lights 366a and 366b mounted to the
kiosk
chassis (or other adjacent kiosk structure) below the inspection area 216 and
positioned
to project light upwardly through the inspection tray 212 during visual
inspection of, e.g.,
the mobile phone 210 (Figure 2B). The lights 366a, b can include, for example,
light
emitting diodes (LEDs; such as white LEDs), fluorescent lights, incandescent
lights, IR
light, etc. Configuring the inspection tray 212 as a light table during visual
evaluation of
mobile phones can enhance the contrast and silhouette of the device as
depicted in
images of the device captured by the camera 325. This can facilitate more
accurate
evaluation of the size, shape, external features, etc. of the phone by the
kiosk
processor. Additionally, it is contemplated that in some embodiments the kiosk
100 can
also include one or more UV light sources that can be positioned to project UV
light on
mobile phones in the inspection area 216 to clean the phones.
[0036] In the illustrated embodiment, the inspection area 216 further
includes a
pusher member 322 (which can also be referred to as a "member 322," "pusher
322,"
etc.) operably positioned toward a right side of the inspection tray 212, and
a ramp
member 324 (which can also be referred to as a "member 324," "ramp 324," etc.)
operably positioned toward a left side of the inspection tray 212. As
described in greater
detail below, in operation the pusher member 322 and the ramp member 324
cooperate
to flip a mobile phone placed on the inspection tray 212 over from one side to
the other
side, such as from an upward-facing position to a downward-facing position.
The ramp
member 324 is pivotally mounted to a chassis (or other adjacent mounting
structure;
not shown) by means of a pivot shaft 334. In the illustrated embodiment, the
ramp
member 324 includes a generally smooth, curved (e.g., radiused) concave
surface 327
facing toward the pusher member 322. In other embodiments, the surface 327 can
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have other shapes and/or contours. For example, in some embodiments, the
surface
327 and/or portions thereof can be flat, convex, etc. In some embodiments, a
lower
portion of the ramp member 324 can include a mirror 326 that enables the
camera 325
to capture an image of the adjacent side of the mobile phone (not shown)
positioned on
the inspection tray 212. In the illustrated embodiment, the inspection tray
212 is
pivotally mounted (via, e.g., bearings) to the chassis (or other adjacent
support
structure; not shown) by means of a pivot shaft 336 that is fixedly attached
to the
inspection tray 212 and enables the inspection tray 212 to pivot between the
positions
shown in Figures 2A-20.
[0037] Turning next to Figure 3B, a first pulley 346 is fixedly attached to a
left end
portion of the pivot shaft 336. The first pulley 346 is operably connected to
a second
pulley 342 by means of a drive belt 344 (e.g., a toothed rubber drive belt).
The second
pulley 342 is in turn fixedly attached to a drive shaft of a motor 340 (e.g.,
a stepper
motor), which is mounted to a lower portion of the backplate 356. Accordingly,
operation
of the motor 340 (by, e.g., a kiosk controller; not shown) rotates the first
pulley 346 by
means of the second pulley 342 and the drive belt 344. Rotation of the first
pulley 346
rotates the pivot shaft 336, which in turn rotates the inspection tray 212. In
this manner,
operation of the motor 340 can be used to rotate the inspection tray 212
between the
three positions illustrated in Figures 2A-20.
[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, the pusher member 322 includes a short
vertical
surface 378 extending upwardly adjacent to the upper surface of the inspection
tray
212, and an angled surface 380 that extends upwardly and away from the
vertical
surface 378 at an angle. The pusher member 322 extends forwardly from a base
360.
In some embodiments, the base 360 is slidably mounted on upper and lower guide
shafts 328a and 328b, respectively. More specifically, in the illustrated
embodiment,
the base 360 includes two cylindrical bores 376a and 376b (Figure 30), and the
guide
shafts 328a, b can be cylindrical shafts that are slidably received in the
corresponding
bores 376a, b, respectively. The base 360 is movably coupled to a drive screw
330 by
means of a threaded coupling 364 (e.g., a drive nut). An opposite end portion
of the
drive screw 330 is fixedly attached to a first pulley 350. As shown in Figure
3B, the first
pulley 350 is operably coupled to a second pulley 348 by means of a drive belt
352
(e.g., a toothed rubber drive belt). The second pulley 348 is fixedly attached
to a drive
shaft of an electric motor 354 (e.g., a stepper motor) that is mounted to the
aft surface
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of the backplate 356. In operation, the kiosk controller (not shown) can
operate the
motor 354 to rotate the second pulley 348 and, in turn, drive the first pulley
350 to rotate
the drive screw 330. Rotation of the drive screw 330 in a first direction
causes the
pusher member 322 to move across the inspection tray 212 on the guide shafts
328a,
b toward the ramp member 324. Conversely, rotation of the drive screw 330 in
the
opposite direction causes the pusher member 322 to move away from the ramp
member
324 and return to its starting position on the opposite side of the inspection
tray 212.
[0039] As shown in Figure 3C, the base 360 of the pusher member 322 includes a
contact surface 370. In operation, as the pusher member 322 approaches the
ramp
member 324, the contact surface 370 contacts a contact feature 372 (e.g., a
cylindrical
pin) that extends rearwardly from a lower portion of the ramp member 324. As
the
pusher member 322 continues moving toward the ramp member 324 (i.e., from left
to
right in Figure 3C), the contact surface 370 drives the contact feature 372 to
the right,
thereby causing the ramp member 324 to rotate counterclockwise about the pivot
shaft
334 (Figure 3B) as viewed from Figure 3C, which is equivalent to rotating in
the
clockwise direction about the pivot shaft 334 in Figure 3B. When the pusher
member
322 moves away from the ramp member 324, a return spring (not shown) and/or
another biasing member operably coupled to the ramp member 324 causes the ramp
member 324 to rotate back to its original position.
[0040] Figure 4A is a right rear isometric view of an inspection tray assembly
470
configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the inspection tray assembly 470 includes the inspection tray 212
and an
electrical connector carrier assembly 478 which is mounted to the underside of
the
inspection tray 212 and moves with the inspection tray 212 as it pivots
between the
three positions illustrated in Figures 2A-2C discussed above. The connector
carrier
assembly 478 includes an electric motor 476 (e.g., a stepper motor) operably
coupled
to a camshaft (not shown). The camshaft includes a plurality of lobes that are
each
operably positioned to move a corresponding one of a plurality of mobile
device
electrical connectors 474a-c (e.g., USB connectors, Android and iOS
connectors, etc.)
positioned in or near an opening 475 in the shelf 218 of the inspection tray
212. In
operation, a kiosk controller (not shown) can activate the motor 476, which in
turn
rotates the camshaft so that one of the lobes selectively drives the desired
electrical
connector (e.g., 474b) outwardly through the opening 475, while the other
electrical
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connectors (e.g., 474a and 474c) remain back in the opening 475. With the
desired
electrical connector 474 in this position, the user can easily connect their
mobile phone
to the correct connector when placing their mobile phone on the shelf 218 as
illustrated
above with reference to Figure 2A. As shown in Figure 4A, the camshaft
configuration
of the carrier assembly 478 enables the electrical connectors 474a-c to be
compactly
arranged on the inspection tray 212. In some embodiments, the correct
electrical
connector is selected based on the make and model of phone that the user has
identified via the display screen 104 (Figure 1) that they wish to sell. Once
the mobile
phone has been electrically inspected via the selected connector, the motor
476 can
rotate the camshaft to drive the selected connector back through the opening
to
disengage the connector from the mobile phone. This enables the mobile phone
to be
flipped over as described in detail below.
[0041] As noted above with reference to Figure 2A, in some embodiments the
kiosk
100 includes a wireless charger 222 (e.g., a "Qi charger") mounted (via, e.g.,
a plurality
of screws or other fasteners) to the backside of the inspection tray 212. The
wireless
charger 222 is positioned so that a charging pad 480 of the charger 222 is
relatively
close (e.g., within less than 1.6 inches) from mobile phones placed on the
frontside
(inspection surface) of the inspection tray 212 so that the phones can be
effectively
charged. In some embodiments, the wireless charger 222 can be a wireless
charger
provided by STMicroelectronics of Coppell, Texas, USA. In other embodiments,
other
wireless chargers can be used.
[0042] Figure 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating a mounting arrangement of
the
wireless charger 222 configured in accordance with embodiments of the present
technology. In the illustrated embodiment, the wireless charger 222 is
electrically
connected to a kiosk processor 402 (via, e.g., a serial port) and receives
power from a
kiosk power supply 404. In operation, when the charger 222 is powered on, it
wirelessly
provides power to the mobile phone 210, and the phone 210 responds by
providing a
one-way communication to the wireless charger 222. This communication can
include
specific information about the phone, including, for example, a Wireless Power
ID
packet that can provide the device manufacturer (e.g., Apple , Samsung , TO,
etc.),
a unique identifier associated with the phone, such as a unique 32-bit
identifier, etc. As
described herein, the kiosk processor 402 can use this information to guide
and facilitate
the phone intake and/or purchasing transaction, as well as other useful
purposes.
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[0043] Figures 5A-5G are a series of front views of the inspection area 216
illustrating
various stages of operation of the flipping apparatus 320 in accordance with
embodiments of the present technology. In these Figures, a front portion of
the
inspection tray 212 has been omitted to better illustrate the operation of the
flipping
apparatus components. In the illustrated embodiment, the mobile phone 210 can
have
a front surface 585a (including, e.g., a display screen), a back surface 585b,
a left side
surface 586a (which can be referred to as a first side surface 586a) extending
between
the front surface 585a and the back surface 585b, and a right side surface
586b (which
can be referred to as a second side surface 586b) extending between the front
surface
585a and the back surface 585b opposite the first side surface 586a. The
mobile phone
210 can also have a bottom side surface 587 (which can also be referred to as
a third
side surface 587) extending between the front surface 585a and the back
surface 585b,
and between the first side surface 586a and the second side surface 586b; and
a top
side surface (which can also be referred to as a fourth side surface; not
shown in Figures
5A-5G) extending between the front surface 585a and the back surface 585b, and
between the first side surface 586a and the second side surface 586b, opposite
the
third side surface 587. For ease of reference, the first side surface 586a and
directly
adjacent portions of the front surface 585a and the back surface 585b (and any
corners
or edges therebetween) can be collectively referred to herein as a left or
first side portion
589a of the mobile phone 210, and the second side surface 586b and directly
adjacent
portions of the front surface 585a and the back surface 585b (and any corners
or edges
therebetween) can be collectively referred to herein as a right or second side
portion
589b of the mobile phone 210. Similarly, the third side surface 587 and
directly adjacent
portions of the front surface 585a and the back surface 585b (and any corners
or edges
therebetween) can be collectively referred to herein as a bottom or third side
portion
591 of the mobile phone 210, and the fourth side surface (not shown) and
directly
adjacent portions of the front surface 585a and the back surface 585b (and any
corners
or edges therebetween) can be collectively referred to herein as a fourth side
portion.
[0044] Starting in Figure 5A, the mobile phone 210 is positioned on the
inspection
tray 212 with the front surface 585a (e.g., the display screen) facing
upwardly as shown
by the arrow F. By way of example, this position can correspond to the mobile
phone
210 undergoing electrical and visual inspection as shown in Figure 2B. For
example,
the mobile phone 210 can undergo an electrical inspection and evaluation using
the
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appropriate electrical connector 474a-c (Figure 4A), and the front surface
585a of the
mobile phone 210 can be visually inspected and evaluated via the camera 325 as
described above. Additionally, the sides of the mobile phone 210 (e.g., the
first side
surface 586a and the second side surface 586b) can be evaluated via the camera
325
by use of one or more mirrors. For example, the mirror 326 (Figure 3A)
positioned on
the lower portion of the ramp member 324 and proximate the inspection tray 212
can
enable the camera 325 to obtain an image of the first side surface 586a of the
mobile
phone 210, and a mirror 362 (Figure 3B) positioned toward a lower portion of
the pusher
member 322 and proximate the inspection tray 212 can enable the camera 325 to
obtain
an image of the second side surface 586b of the mobile phone 210. Once the
mobile
phone 210 has been electrically evaluated, the electrical connector 474 is
disengaged
from the mobile phone 210 as described above with reference to Figure 4A. Once
the
electrical connector 474 has been disengaged and the front surface 585a and/or
the
side surfaces 586a, b of the mobile phone 210 have been visually evaluated
and/or
imaged as needed, the mobile phone 210 can be flipped (i.e., turned over) so
that the
back surface 585b of the mobile phone 210 can be visually inspected via the
camera
325. In some embodiments, the inspection area 216 can include one mirror
(e.g., the
mirror 326 (Figure 3A) or the mirror 362 (Figure 3B)), and the one mirror can
be used
to obtain an image of a corresponding side surface of the mobile phone 210
(e.g., the
first side surface 586a or the second side surface 586b) before the mobile
phone 210
is flipped, and then the same one mirror can be used to obtain an image of the
opposite
side surface of the mobile phone 210 after the mobile phone 210 has been
flipped.
[0045] Referring next to Figure 5B, before beginning the flipping process, the
camera
325 verifies that there is a mobile phone (or other electronic device)
positioned on the
inspection tray 212 and that the phone is not too large to flip. After
confirming this, the
flipping process begins by the pusher member 322 moving from right to left as
shown
by the arrow Dl. As the pusher member 322 moves in this direction, the
vertical surface
378 contacts at least a portion of the second side portion 589b of the mobile
phone 210
and pushes the first side portion 589a against the lower portion of the curved
surface
327 of the ramp member 324. This causes the first side portion 589a to slide
upwardly
against the curved surface 327, and the second side portion 586b to slide from
right to
left across the upper surface of the inspection tray 212. If at any point the
mobile phone
210 becomes jammed (as indicated by, e.g., an over-current draw of the motor
354;
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Figure 3B), the pusher member 322 reverses direction, returns to the starting
position,
and then the process repeats. If the mobile phone 210 cannot be flipped after
a preset
number of tries, the user can be informed via the display screen 104 (Figure
1) and the
phone can be returned to the user.
[0046] As shown in Figure 50, continued movement of the pusher member 322 from
right to left as indicated by the arrow D2 causes the mobile phone 210 to move
into an
almost vertical orientation, leaning against the ramp member 324 with the
second side
portion 589b supported on the upper surface of the inspection tray 212. The
reader will
recall from the discussion of Figure 30 above, that as the pusher member 322
continues
moving into the left-most position shown in Figure 5D, it interacts with the
ramp member
324 (e.g., via the contact surface 370 and contact feature 372 shown in Figure
30) and
causes the ramp member 324 to rotate clockwise about the pivot shaft 334
through an
arc R1 as shown in Figure 5D. In some embodiments, the arc can be from 5
degrees
to about 25 degrees, or about 10 degrees. Rotating the ramp member 324 in this
manner moves the mobile phone 210 past the over-center position, causing it to
fall
onto the angled surface 380 of the pusher member 322, as shown in Figure 5E.
In this
position, the mobile phone 210 is laying on the angled surface 380 with the
front surface
585a (e.g., the display screen) facing the angled surface 380.
[0047] Turning next to Figure 5F, the ramp member 324 returns through an arc
R2
to its original position as the pusher member 322 moves from left to right as
indicated
by the arrow D4. As the pusher member 322 moves to the right, the first side
portion
589a of the mobile phone 210 slides downwardly along the angled surface 380
such
that when the pusher member 322 arrives back in its original position, the
mobile phone
210 is lying flat on the inspection tray 212 with the front surface 585a now
pointing
downwardly as indicated by the arrow F. In this position, the mobile phone 210
can be
visually inspected by means of the camera 325 to determine whether, for
example, there
is any damage to the back surface 585b of the mobile phone. Such damage could
include, for example, cracks, gouges, damage to the phone camera, etc.
Additionally,
as discussed above in reference to Figure 2B, on some mobile phones the I MEI
number
is printed or otherwise formed on the back surface 585b of the mobile phone.
In some
embodiments, the kiosk 100 can visually inspect such phones (using, e.g., OCR)
to
read or otherwise obtain the I MEI number off the back surface 585b of the
mobile phone
once the phone has been flipped to the position shown in Figure 5G. In some
situations,
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the second side surface 586b of the mobile phone 210 may be positioned
against, or
otherwise too close, to the mirror 326 (Figure 3A) at the lower portion of the
ramp
member 324 and, as a result, the camera 325 may not be able to obtain a
satisfactory
image of the second side surface 586b. For such situations, the kiosk can
include one
more vibrators 590 (e.g., an electromechanical vibrator) that, in response to
a control
signal from the kiosk processor 402, vibrates the inspection tray 212 to
thereby cause
the mobile phone 210 to move away from the mirror 326 so that the camera 325
can
obtain a suitable image of the second side surface 586b. Additionally, in some
embodiments, the inspection tray 212 may be positioned at a slight angle
sloping
downwardly away from the ramp member 324 to facilitate the foregoing movement
of
the phone 210 in response to vibration of the inspection tray 212.
[0048] Figures 6A-60 are a series of front views illustrating various stages
of
operation of a flipping apparatus 320a configured in accordance with another
embodiment of the present technology. Many of the components and features of
the
flipping apparatus 320a are at least generally similar in structure and
function to the
flipping apparatus 320 described in detail above. In one aspect of this
embodiment,
however, the flipping apparatus 320a is configured to flip the mobile phone
210 over
without requiring any "tipping" movement of the ramp member 324, such that the
ramp
member 324 can be fixed or otherwise stationary. For example, in some
embodiments
a portion of the upper surface of the inspection tray 212 may be curved or
slanted
upwardly toward the base of the ramp member 324, as illustrated by an angled
surface
portion 690 (which can also be referred to as a ramp feature 690). As shown in
Figure
6A, as the pusher member 322 moves from right to left, the first side portion
589a of the
mobile phone 210 first slides up the ramp feature 690 and then up the curved
surface
327 of the ramp member 324. As shown in Figure 6B, as the pusher member 322
continues pushing the second side portion 589b of the mobile phone 210 to the
left, the
second side portion 589b moves up the ramp feature 690 and further into the
recess
formed by the concave curved surface 327. As a result, the mobile phone 210 is
now
in an over-center position, which causes the mobile phone 210 to fall to the
right and
onto the angled surface 380 of the pusher member 322, without any necessary
"nudging" or pushing by the ramp member 324. As shown in Figure 60, as the
pusher
member 322 moves to the right toward its starting position, the side portions
589a and
589b of the mobile phone 210 slide down the angled surface 380 and the ramp
feature
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690, respectively, so that the mobile phone 210 is ultimately resting face
down on the
upper surface of the inspection tray 212. Accordingly, the embodiment
described above
with reference to Figures 6A-60 provides a method of flipping the mobile phone
210
without requiring the ramp member 324 to rotate or otherwise move.
[0049] While various embodiments of flipping apparatus have been described
herein,
it is contemplated that other flipping apparatuses configured in accordance
with the
present technology can also be provided to flip mobile phones and other mobile
devices.
For example, with reference to Figures 6A-60, it is contemplated that the ramp
member
324 could be configured with a concaved curved surface similar to the curved
surface
327, but with an upper portion that extends further to the right in Figure 6A
relative to
the base of the ramp member 324. By configuring the upper portion of the
curved
surface 327 to extend more in this direction, it is contemplated that mobile
phones and
other mobile devices can be moved to an over-center position using a pusher
member
at least generally similar to the pusher member 322 described above without
the need
for the ramp member 324 to move or otherwise impart any tipping action to the
mobile
phone 210.
[0050] Although the pusher member 322 is positioned to the right of the ramp
member 324 in the illustrated embodiments of Figures 5A-60, it will be
understood that,
in other embodiments, the relative positions can be reversed and the pusher
member
322 can be positioned to the left of the ramp member 324. In some such
embodiments,
the structures and functions of the pusher member 322 and the ramp member 324
can
be generally the same as, but the mirror image of, what is shown in Figures 5A-
60.
Similarly, although in the embodiments of Figures 5A-60, the mobile phone 210
is
positioned so that the ramp member 324 and the pusher member 322 act against
the
respective first and second side portions 589a, b of the phone 210, in other
embodiments, the mobile phone 210 can be positioned between the pusher member
322 and the ramp member 324 in other orientations. For example, in some
embodiments, the mobile phone 210 can be rotated 90 degrees relative to the
position
shown in, e.g., Figure 5A and positioned lengthwise between the pusher member
322
and the ramp member 324 so that the pusher member 322 and the ramp member 324
act against the third side portion 591 and the fourth side portion of the
phone 210 to flip
the phone over as described above. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not
limited
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to any particular positional arrangement of the components of the flipping
apparatus
320 and/or the mobile phone 210 unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
[0051] As described above, in some embodiments, the pusher member 322
translates across the upper surface of the inspection tray 212 to push the
mobile phone
210 against the ramp member 324 while the ramp member remains stationary. In
other
embodiments, however, it is contemplated that the pusher member 322 can remain
stationary (at least initially) and the ramp member 324 (or a suitable
embodiment
thereof) can translate across the upper surface of the inspection tray 212 to
push the
phone 210 against the pusher member 322 and cause the phone 210 to flip over
as
depicted in Figures 5A-5E. At this point, it may still be necessary to move
the ramp
member 322 as shown in Figures 5F and 5G to position the phone 210 in the
final face-
down position shown in Figure 5F. In some embodiments, the flipping apparatus
320
described in detail above can be used to flip more than mobile phones and
other
handheld electronic devices. For example, in some embodiments the flipping
apparatus
320 can be used to flip a user's identification card (e.g., a driver's license
or other ID
card). In these embodiments, the user would place their ID card face out on
the
inspection tray 212 when the tray is in the position shown in Figure 2A, and
then the
inspection tray 212 would rotate back to the position shown in Figure 2B. In
this
position, the inspection area camera 325 (see, e.g., Figure 5A) would capture
an image
of the face (front side) of the ID card, and then the flipping apparatus 320
would flip the
ID card over in the manner described above with reference to Figures 5A-5G so
that
the camera 325 can capture an image of the backside of the ID card. The images
of
the ID card can then be stored in a database and associated with a mobile
phone the
user sells. Additionally, the identification information can be read off the
ID card image
(via, e.g., OCR, etc.) and checked against a database of potentially
fraudulent sellers
as a means of fraud prevention. The images can also be transferred to a remote
computer for display to a remote operator who can compare the information on
the ID
card (e.g., person's age, height, weight, etc.) to the images of the user
obtained via the
external camera 106 (Figure 1) to verify the identity of the user. In such
embodiments
where the user's ID card or other form of identification is verified via the
inspection area
camera 325 as described above, the ID scanner 108 (Figure 1) may not be
necessary
and could potentially be omitted.
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[0052] Figures 7A-70 are a series of cross-sectional side views of the kiosk
100
illustrating three stages of processing of a mobile device (e.g., the mobile
phone 210)
in accordance with embodiments of the present technology. As the reader will
observe,
Figures 7A-70 correspond to Figures 2A-20, respectively, described above.
Turning
first to Figure 7A, this view illustrates the mobile phone 210 positioned on
the inspection
tray 212 and engaged with the appropriate electrical connector 474 (Figure
4A). In
some embodiments, the wireless charger 222 can provide a quick charge to the
mobile
phone 210 if it is placed on the inspection tray 212 without power.
Additionally (and
even if the mobile phone 210 is charged when it is placed on the inspection
tray 212),
the mobile phone 210 responds to receiving power from the wireless charger 222
by
providing information about the phone to the wireless charger 222. This
information
can be transmitted to the kiosk processor 402 (Figure 4B) and can include a
Wireless
Power ID packet that can be used to determine, e.g., make, model, a unique 32-
bit
identifier associated with the phone, etc. The kiosk processor 402 can use
this
information to, for example, determine the appropriate electrical connector
(e.g., a USB-
C or Lightning connector) to present to the user on the inspection tray shelf
218. The
phone identification information can also be used to determine the appropriate
questions/prompts, etc. to display to the user via the display screen 104 for
the phone
inspection/purchase process. For example, if the mobile phone 210 is an Apple
product, the display screen 104 can provide instructions for the user to log
out of their
iCloud account so that the phone can be purchased by the kiosk 100.
Additionally, in
some embodiments the unique phone identification information received from the
mobile phone 210 via the wireless charger 222 can be used to track downstream
processing of the mobile phone, thereby alleviating the need to have the user
apply an
identifying label or sticker (e.g., a barcode sticker) to the phone for
tracking purposes.
[0053] With the mobile phone 210 in the position shown in Figure 7A, the user
can
interact with the user interface on the kiosk display screen 104 (by, e.g.,
responding to
prompts) and/or the user can also interact with the mobile phone 210 in
response to
prompts displayed on the display screen 104. By way of example, the user can
interact
with the mobile phone touchscreen display to bring up an "about" page using
the
phone's "settings" menu. The about page can display various types of
information about
the phone, which the kiosk 100 can capture via the camera 325 and process
using, e.g.,
optical character recognition (OCR) software. Such information can include,
for
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example, the model, serial number, operating system/operating system version,
IMEI
number, IP address, MAC addresses, carrier, memory configuration, user
information,
cloud lock status, etc. In some embodiments, this information can be used by
the kiosk
100 to determine an estimated quote or a range of quotes (e.g., a high quote
and a low
quote) for the mobile phone 210 and present the estimated quote to the user.
If the
user is not interested in the estimated price and no longer wishes to proceed
with the
transaction, they can simply retrieve their mobile phone 210 from the kiosk
100. If the
user decides to proceed with the transaction, the user may be asked to adhere
a label
with a unique code (e.g., a barcode) dispensed from the outlet 116 (Figure 1)
to the
back of the mobile phone 210 for tracking purposes, and then place the phone
back on
the inspection tray 212.
[0054] Turning next to Figure 7B, if the user decides to proceed with the
transaction,
the inspection area access door 112 closes and the inspection tray 212 rotates
to the
horizontal position. In this position, the mobile phone 210 can be
electrically and/or
visually inspected as described above. For example, as described above, in
some
embodiments, this includes a visual inspection of the front side of the mobile
phone 210
followed by a visual inspection of the back side after the phone has been
flipped using
the flipping apparatus 320 described in detail above. As discussed above, the
lights
366a, b can facilitate the visual inspection in those embodiments in which the
inspection
tray 212 is configured as a light table. Once the kiosk 100 has completed the
electrical
and visual inspection and evaluation of the mobile phone 210, the kiosk 100
determines
whether the evaluation is sufficient to determine a price for the mobile phone
210. The
determination can include, for example, whether the evaluation of the phone's
type and
condition is sufficient to determine a price to offer for the phone or whether
the phone
could be in a range of possible prices. For example, to determine a price for
the mobile
phone 210, the kiosk 100 may use information about the make and model of the
phone
or one or more unique identifiers of the phone to look up a current price for
the device
in a database or pricing model. The database or pricing model can be, for
example, a
local lookup table of common devices and/or a remotely hosted database or web
service
to which the kiosk 100 can transmit information about the electronic device
and receive
a current market value or offer price for the electronic device. After a
purchase price
has been determined, the user may be presented with the offer price via the
display
screen 104.
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[0055] If the user accepts the offer price, the kiosk 100 can verify the
user's identity
and/or perform other fraud prevention measures as described above with
reference to
Figurer 2B. Once these steps have been satisfactorily completed, the
inspection tray
212 rotates further aft as shown in Figure 70 causing the mobile phone 210 to
slide off
of the aft portion of the inspection tray 212 and into a chute 792 leading to
a storage bin
794. It will be noted that the forward portion of the inspection tray 212
includes a skirt
796 that blocks users from reaching under the inspection tray 212 and into the
storage
bin 794 when the access door 112 is open and the inspection tray 212 is in the
position
shown in Figure 7B. Once the phone has been received in the bin 794, the kiosk
100
can provide payment of the purchase price to the user. In some embodiments,
payment
can be made in the form of cash dispensed from the payment outlet 110. In
other
embodiments, the user can receive remuneration for their mobile phone 210 in
various
other ways. For example, the user can be paid via a redeemable cash voucher, a
coupon (e.g., a coupon for purchasing another mobile phone), an e-certificate,
gift code,
a prepaid card, etc. that is dispensed from the kiosk 100; or the kiosk 100
can implement
payment via a gift code, redeemable voucher, coupon, e-certificate, etc., that
is sent to
the user via email, text, or other form of electronic message. Additionally,
in some
embodiments the kiosk 100 can implement payment to the user via a wired or
wireless
monetary deposit via the kiosk 100 to an electronic account (e.g., a bank
account, a
credit account, a loyalty account, an online commerce account, mobile wallet,
etc.) via,
e.g., PayPal, Venmo, etc., or with Bitcoin, etc.
[0056] In other embodiments, the price offered to the user for the mobile
phone 210
can be a price quote or a range of price quotes. For example, in some
embodiments
the kiosk 100 can provide the user with a range of price quotes for the mobile
phone
210, with the final price paid for the phone depending on the outcome of a
subsequent
evaluation of the mobile phone 210 by a human operator at a remote facility.
The
highest price quote may be based on the human inspection confirming that the
phone
210 is in the same condition that was determined by the kiosk 100, whereas a
lower
price quote may be based on the human inspection determining that the phone
210 is
in worse condition (e.g., more damaged) than was initially determined by the
kiosk 100.
In such embodiments, if the user wishes to proceed with the sales transaction
based on
the quoted price (or prices), the kiosk 100 receives the mobile phone 210 but
user is
not paid for the phone immediately by the kiosk 100. Instead, after the kiosk
operator
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has retrieved the mobile phone 210 from the kiosk 100 and the phone has
undergone
a human inspection to confirm condition, then the user can be paid the final
price based
on condition (e.g., the high quote or the low quote) by, e.g., a mailed check,
or by any
number of different methods of electronic payment including, e.g., sending of
an e-
certificate, gift code, coupon, redeemable voucher, etc. via email, text or
other form of
electronic message, or via a wired or wireless monetary deposit to an
electronic account
(e.g., a bank account, a credit account, a loyalty account, an online commerce
account,
mobile wallet, etc.).
[0057] Although only one storage bin (i.e., the storage bin 794) is shown in
Figures
7A-70, in some embodiments the kiosk 100 can include two or more storage bins
for
storing mobile phones of different types and/or for storing phones that may
require
different types of post-receipt processing. For example, in some embodiments
the
storage bin 794 can be a first storage bin used to store mobile phones that
will be
collected from the kiosk and undergo a normal processing procedure for resale,
and the
kiosk 100 can include a second storage bin (not shown) that receives mobile
phones
that may require some type of special processing or evaluation. Placing phones
this
second type of phone in a second storage bin enables a human operator to
quickly
access such phones if needed for evaluation, reporting, etc. By way of
example, to
implement a second storage bin the chute 792 can include two outlet paths and
a
deflector (not shown) or similar device to direct mobile phones into the
appropriate
storage bin.
[0058] As those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, the foregoing
processes are
but some examples of ways in which the kiosk 100 can be used to purchase,
recycle or
otherwise process consumer electronic devices such as mobile phones.
Additionally, it
should be understood that the configuration of the kiosk 100 described above
is but one
example of a suitable mobile device evaluation, purchasing, and/or recycling
system
that can be used with embodiments of the present technology. Accordingly,
other
embodiments of the present technology can use other systems without departing
from
the present disclosure. Although the foregoing examples are described in the
context
of mobile phones, it should be understood that kiosk 100 and various
embodiments
thereof can also be used in a similar manner for recycling virtually any
consumer
electronic device, such as MP3 players, tablet computers, laptop computers, e-
readers,
PDAs, Googlee GlassTM, smartwatches, and other portable or wearable devices,
as
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well as other relatively non-portable electronic devices such as desktop
computers,
printers, televisions, DVRs, devices for playing games, entertainment or other
digital
media on CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray, etc. Moreover, although the foregoing examples
are
described in the context of use by a consumer, the kiosk 100 in various
embodiments
thereof can similarly be used by others, such as a store clerk, to assist
consumers in
recycling, selling, exchanging, etc. their electronic devices.
[0059] Figure 8 provides a schematic representation of an architecture of the
kiosk
100 in accordance with embodiments of the present technology. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the kiosk 100 includes a suitable processor or central processing
unit
(CPU) 402 that controls operation of the kiosk 100 as described above in
accordance
with computer-readable instructions stored on system memory 806. The processor
402
may be any logic processing unit, such as one or more CPUs, digital signal
processors
(DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. The processor
402 may
be a single processing unit or multiple processing units in an electronic
device or
distributed across multiple devices. The processor 402 is connected to the
memory
806 and may be coupled to other hardware devices and high-speed peripherals
internally, for example, with the use of a bus (e.g., a USB 3.0 hub 824, a PCI
Express
or Serial ATA bus, etc.). The processor 402 can include, by way of example, a
standard
personal computer (PC) (e.g., a Dell Optiplexe 7010PC; a Microsoft Surface
Pro
tablet, etc.); or other type of embedded computers running any suitable
operating
system, such as Windows (e.g., Windows 8 Pro operating system), Linux ,
AndroidTM, iOSO, or an embedded real-time operating system. In some
embodiments,
the processor 402 can be a small form factor PC with integrated hard disk
drive (HDD)
or solid-state drive (SSD) and universal serial bus (USB) or other ports to
communicate
with other components of the kiosk 100. In other embodiments, the processor
402 can
include a microprocessor with a standalone motherboard that interfaces with a
separate
HDD. The memory 806 can include read-only memory (ROM) and random access
memory (RAM) or other storage devices, such as disk drives or SSDs, that store
the
executable applications, test software, databases, and/or other software
required to, for
example, control kiosk components, process electronic device information and
data (to,
e.g., evaluate device make, model, condition, pricing, etc.), and communicate
and
exchange data and information with remote computers and other devices, etc.
Program
modules can be stored in the system memory 806, such as an operating system,
one
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or more application programs, other programs or modules and program data. The
memory 806 may also include a web browser for permitting kiosk 100 to access
and
exchange data with web sites over the Internet.
[0060] The processor 402 can provide information and instructions to kiosk
users via
the display screen 104 and/or an audio system (e.g., a speaker) 820. The
processor
402 can also receive user inputs via, e.g., a touchscreen associated with the
display
screen 104 and/or, in some embodiments, a keypad 814 with physical keys,
and/or a
microphone 816. Additionally, the processor 402 can receive personal
identification
and/or biometric information associated with users via the ID reader 112
(e.g., a driver's
license reader/scanner), one or more of the external cameras 106, and/or the
fingerprint
reader 214. In some embodiments, the processor 402 can also receive
information
(such as user identification and/or account information) via a card reader 818
(e.g., a
debit, credit, or loyalty card reader having, e.g., a suitable magnetic stripe
reader, optical
reader, etc.). The processor 402 can also control operation of the label
dispenser 116
and systems for providing remuneration to users, such as the payment (e.g.,
cash)
dispenser 110 and/or a receipt or voucher printer and an associated dispenser
114.
[0061] The processor 402 can also control operation of the electronic,
optical, and
electromechanical systems the kiosk 100 includes for electrically, visually
and/or
physically analyzing electronic devices placed in the kiosk 100 for purchase
or recycling.
Such systems can include: one or more internal cameras (e.g., the camera 325)
for
visually inspecting electronic devices for, e.g., determining external
dimensions and/or
determining condition, such as whether and to what extent the LCD display of
the mobile
phone may be cracked; and the electrical connectors 474a-c (e.g., USB
connectors)
for, e.g., powering up mobile phones and other electronic devices and
performing
electronic inspections. The processor 402 can also be operably connected to
the
connector carrier 478 to control dispensing of the connectors 474a-c, and to
the motors
340 and 354 to control movement of the inspection tray 212 and the pusher
member
322, respectively, as described in detail above. The kiosk 100 further
includes a
plurality of mechanical components 822 that are electronically actuated for
carrying out
the various functions of the kiosk 100 during operation. The mechanical
components
822 can include, for example, the inspection area access door 112 (Figure 1A).
The
kiosk 100 further includes power 404, which can include battery power and/or
facility
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power for operation of the various electrical components associated with kiosk
operation.
[0062] In the illustrated embodiment, the kiosk 100 further includes a
network
connection 812 (e.g., a wired connection, such as an Ethernet port, cable
modem,
FireWire cable, Lightning connector, USB port, etc.) suitable for
communication with,
e.g., all manner of processing devices (including remote processing devices)
via a
communication link 808, and a wireless transceiver 813 (e.g., including a Wi-
Fi access
point; Bluetooth transceiver; near-field communication (NFC) device; wireless
modem
or cellular radio utilizing GSM, CDMA, 3G, 4G and/or 5G technologies; etc.)
suitable for
communication with, e.g., all manner of processing devices (including remote
processing devices) via the communication link 808 and/or directly via, e.g.,
a wireless
peer-to-peer connection. For example, the wireless transceiver 813 can
facilitate
wireless communication with electronic devices, such as a mobile device 810
(e.g., the
mobile phone 210) for, e.g., wireless evaluation of the mobile device via,
e.g., a mobile
application loaded on the device. Such communication with the mobile device
810 can
occur when the device is in the proximity of the kiosk 100 (e.g., in or near
the inspection
area 216) or when the device is remote from the kiosk. In other embodiments,
the kiosk
100 can include other components and features that may be different from those
described above, and/or one or more of the components and features described
above
may be omitted.
[0063] In the illustrated embodiment, the electronic device 810 is depicted
as a
handheld device, e.g., the mobile phone 210. In other embodiments, however,
the
electronic device 810 can be other types of electronic devices including, for
example,
other handheld devices; PDAs; MP3 players; tablet, notebook and laptop
computers; e-
readers; cameras; desktop computers; TVs; DVRs; game consoles; Googlee
GlassTM;
smartwatches; etc. By way of example only, in the illustrated embodiment the
electronic
device 810 can include one or more features, applications and/or other
elements
commonly found in smartphones and other known mobile devices. For example, the
electronic device 810 can include a CPU and/or a graphics processing unit
(GPU) 834
for executing computer readable instructions stored on memory 836. In
addition, the
electronic device 810 can include an internal power source or battery 832, a
dock
connector 846, a USB port 848, a camera 840, and/or well-known input devices,
including, for example, a touchscreen 842, a keypad, etc. In many embodiments,
the
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electronic device 810 can also include a speaker 844 for two-way communication
and
audio playback. In addition to the foregoing features, the electronic device
810 can
include an operating system (OS) 831 and/or a device wireless transceiver that
may
include one or more antennas 838 for wirelessly communicating with, for
example, other
electronic devices, websites, and the kiosk 100. Such communication can be
performed
via, e.g., the communication link 808 (which can include the Internet, a
public or private
intranet, a local or extended Wi-Fi network, cell towers, the plain old
telephone system
(POTS), etc.), direct wireless communication, etc.
[0064] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a suitable network environment for
implementing various aspects of an electronic device recycling system 900
configured
in accordance with embodiments of the present technology. In the
illustrated
embodiment, a plurality of the kiosks 100 (identified individually as kiosks
100a-100n)
can exchange information with one or more remote computers (e.g., one or more
server
computers 904) via the communication link 808. Although the communication link
808
can include a publicly available network (e.g., the Internet with a web
interface), a
private communication link, such as an intranet or other network can also be
used.
Moreover, in various embodiments the individual kiosks 100 can be connected to
a host
computer (not shown) that facilitates the exchange of information between the
kiosks
100 and remote computers, other kiosks, mobile devices, etc.
[0065] The server computer 904 can perform many or all of the functions for
receiving, routing and storing of electronic messages, such as webpages, audio
signals
and electronic images necessary to implement the various electronic
transactions
described herein. For example, the server computer 904 can retrieve and
exchange
web pages and other content with an associated database or databases 906. In
some
embodiments, the database 906 can include information related to mobile phones
and/or other consumer electronic devices. Such information can include, for
example,
make, model, serial number, International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI)
number,
carrier plan information, pricing information, owner information, etc. In
various
embodiments the server computer 904 can also include a server engine 908, a
web
page management component 910, a content management component 912, and a
database management component 914. The server engine 908 can perform the basic
processing and operating system level tasks associated with the various
technologies
described herein. The webpage management component 910 can handle creation
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and/or display and/or routing of web or other display pages. The content
management
component 912 can handle many of the functions associated with the routines
described herein. The database management component 914 can perform various
storage, retrieval and query tasks associated with the database 906, and can
store
various information and data such as animation, graphics, visual and audio
signals, etc.
[0066] In the illustrated embodiment, the kiosks 100 can also be operably
connected
to a plurality of other remote devices and systems via the communication link
808. For
example, the kiosks 100 can be operably connected to a plurality of user
devices 918
(e.g., personal computers, laptops, handheld devices, etc.) having associated
browsers
920. Similarly, as described above the kiosks 100 can each include wireless
communication facilities for exchanging digital information with wireless-
enabled
electronic devices, such as the electronic device 810 (e.g. the mobile phone
210). The
kiosks 100 and/or the server computer 904 are also operably connectable to a
series of
remote computers for obtaining data and/or exchanging information with
necessary
service providers, financial institutions, device manufactures, authorities,
government
agencies, etc. For example, the kiosks 100 and the server computer 904 can be
operably connected to one or more cell carriers 922, one or more device
manufacturers
924 (e.g., mobile phone manufacturers), one or more electronic payment or
financial
institutions 928, one or more databases (e.g., the GSMA IMEI Database, etc.),
and one
or more computers and/or other remotely located or shared resources associated
with
cloud computing 926. The financial institutions 928 can include all manner of
entity
associated with conducting financial transactions, including banks,
credit/debit card
facilities, online commerce facilities, online payment systems, virtual cash
systems,
money transfer systems, etc.
[0067] In addition to the foregoing, the kiosks 100 and the server computer
904 can
also be operably connected to a resale marketplace 930 and a kiosk operator
932. The
resale marketplace 930 represents a system of remote computers and/or services
providers associated with the reselling of consumer electronic devices through
both
electronic and brick and mortar channels. Such entities and facilities can be
associated
with, for example, online auctions for reselling used electronic devices as
well as for
establishing market prices for such devices. The kiosk operator 932 can be a
central
computer or system of computers for controlling all manner of operation of the
network
of kiosks 100. Such operations can include, for example, remote monitoring and
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facilitating of kiosk maintenance (e.g., remote testing of kiosk
functionality, downloading
operational software and updates, etc.), servicing (e.g., periodic
replenishing of cash
and other consumables), performance, etc. In addition, the kiosk operator 932
can
further include one or more display screens operably connected to receive
images from
one or more cameras located at each of the kiosks 100 (e.g., one or more of
the
cameras 106 and 325). This remote viewing capability enables operator
personnel to
verify user identification and/or make other visual observations at the kiosks
100 in real-
time during transactions. This can include remote evaluation of images of an
electronic
device, e.g., the mobile phone 210, by remote operator personnel to grade the
physical
condition of the device and/or to confirm that the kiosk's inspection of the
device for
make, model, condition, and/or purchase price was accurate. The images can
include,
e.g., images of the front side (including the display screen), the back side,
the left/right
lateral sides, the top side and/or the bottom side of the device. In some
embodiments,
for example, the kiosk 100 performs the visual and/or electrical inspection
described
above, and some or all of the results of the inspection are transmitted to the
kiosk
operator 932 via the communications link 808 along with images of the device.
The
kiosk operator 932 can then evaluate the images as described above and
transmit a
confirmation of the kiosk's estimated purchase price to the kiosk 100 or, if
the remote
evaluator disagrees with the estimated price, transmit a different price to
the kiosk 100
to offer the user. In some embodiments, such remote evaluation of a device by
remote
personnel may only be conducted for certain mobile devices, such as those
having
estimated purchase prices above a preset amount.
[0068] The foregoing description of the electronic device recycling system 900
illustrates but one possible network system suitable for implementing the
various
technologies described herein. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art
will
appreciate that other systems consistent with the present technology can omit
one or
more of the facilities described in reference to Figure 9 or can include one
or more
additional facilities not described in detail in Figure 9.
[0069] Although specific circuitry is described above, those of ordinary
skill in the art
will recognize that a microprocessor-based system could also be used where any
logical
decisions are configured in software. The foregoing discussions of Figures 8
and 9
provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in
which the
present technology can be implemented. Although not required, aspects of the
present
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technology are described in the general context of computer-executable
instructions,
such as routines executed by a general-purpose data processing device, e.g., a
server
computer, wireless device or personal computer. Those skilled in the relevant
art will
appreciate that aspects of the present technology can be practiced with other
communications, data processing, or computer system configurations, including:
Internet appliances, hand-held devices (including personal digital assistants
(PDAs)),
wearable computers, all manner of cellular or mobile phones (including Voice
over IP
(VolP) phones), dumb terminals, media players, gaming devices, multi-processor
systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, set-top
boxes,
network PCs, mini-computers, mainframe computers, and the like. Indeed, the
terms
"computer," "server," "host," "host system," and the like are generally used
interchangeably herein, and refer to any of the above devices and systems, as
well as
any data processor.
[0070] Figure 10A is a right rear isometric view of a mobile device inspection
tray
assembly 1070 that can be used with the kiosk 100 and various embodiments
thereof
in place of the inspection tray assembly 470 described above with reference to
Figures
4A and 4B, in accordance with embodiments of the present technology. Figure
10B is
a partially schematic cross-sectional end view of an inspection tray 1012 from
the
inspection tray assembly 1070 of Figure 10A. Referring to Figures 10A and 10B
together, the inspection tray assembly 1070 is at least generally similar in
structure and
function to the inspection tray assembly 470 described above. For example, in
the
illustrated embodiment, the inspection tray assembly 1070 includes an
inspection tray
1012 that, except as noted below, is configured to move and otherwise operate
in the
same manner as the inspection tray 212 described above with reference to,
e.g.,
Figures 2A-20. Additionally, the connector carrier assembly 478 can be mounted
to
the underside of the inspection tray 1012 and configured to operate in the
same manner,
or at least generally the same manner, as described above with reference to
Figure 4A.
In one aspect of the illustrated embodiment, however, the inspection tray 1012
includes
an inspection plate 1071 mounted on an upper surface 1 01 5 of an inspection
tray base
1014. In some embodiments, the inspection tray base 1014 can have the same
structural configuration, or at least approximately the same structural
configuration, as
the inspection tray 212 described above. The inspection plate 1071 can be
attached or
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otherwise secured to the upper surface 1 01 5 of the inspection tray base 1014
via, e.g.,
one or more mechanical fasteners, adhesives, and/or other suitable means.
[0071] In some embodiments, the inspection plate 1071 can be formed from a
transparent material, such as glass, plastic, etc. In other embodiments, the
inspection
plate 1071 can be formed from a translucent or semi-transparent material, such
as a
translucent glass, plastic, etc. In some embodiments the inspection tray 1012
can
further include one or more lights (e.g., one or more rows of lights) mounted
to the
inspection tray base 1012 and/or the inspection plate 1071 and operably
positioned to
project light inwardly through one or more lateral side surfaces 1074a-d of
the inspection
plate 1071. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the inspection tray
1012
includes a plurality of lights 1072a-d (e.g., a plurality of light strips,
such as LED light
strips with a plurality of individual LED light sources) mounted to the
respective side
surfaces 1074a-d (e.g., the periphery) of the inspection plate 1071 and
positioned to
project light inwardly and at least partially through the inspection plate
1071. In other
embodiments, one or more of the lights 1072a-d or embodiments thereof can be
mounted to an adjacent structure in the inspection area 216 (Figures 2A-20) so
that the
lights 1072a-d are positioned directly adjacent (or at least approximately
adjacent) to
one or more of the side surfaces 1074a-d as shown in Figure 10B when the
inspection
tray 1012 is in, e.g., the horizontal position shown in Figure 2B. As noted
above, in
some embodiments, the lights 1072a-d can include LEDs. In other embodiments,
other
types of light sources, such as fluorescent lights, incandescent lights, IR
light, etc. can
be used. In operation, the lights 1072a-d can receive power from a kiosk power
source
and/or a battery 1082, and can be configured to be illuminated only when
needed for
device evaluation (e.g., only when the inspection base structure 1012 is in
the positions
shown in Figure 2A and/or 2B). In other embodiments, the lights 1072a-d can be
illuminated at all times that the kiosk 100 is operable and/or in use.
[0072] As shown in Figure 10B, the inspection plate 1071 can have an upper
surface
1076 configured to receive an electronic device, such as the mobile device
210. In
some embodiments, the upper surface 1076 or a portion of the upper surface
1076 can
be etched, or at least partially etched, frosted, and/or patterned, etc.,
(shown
schematically in Figure 10B) to reduce glare from the lights 1072a-d and/or to
uniformly,
or at least approximately uniformly, illuminate an object (e.g., the mobile
phone 210)
positioned on the upper surface 1076 of the inspection plate 1071. In some
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embodiments, the upper surface 1076 of the inspection plate 1071 can be etched
via a
chemical solution, sandblasting, and/or other suitable process or technique to
form the,
etching, frosting, and/or patterning, etc. In some embodiments, one or more
portions
of the upper surface 1076 can be untreated (e.g., not, etched, frosted,
patterned, etc.).
For example, in some embodiments, the upper surface 1076 can include one or
more
unetched features (e.g., circles or round areas, such as four round areas)
positioned
within a field of view of the camera 325 (Figures 3A and 3B), such that the
camera 325
can be calibrated based at least in part on imaging the unetched features.
[0073] Referring to Figure 10B, in some embodiments, a bottom surface or
bottom
surface portion 1078 of the inspection plate 1071 can be covered by a
reflective material
1080. The reflective material 1080 can be positioned at least partially
between the
inspection plate 1071 and the inspection tray base 1014 and configured to
reflect light
from the lights 1072a-d upwardly toward the upper surface 1076 as shown by
arrows
L1 in Figure 10B. The light reflected by the reflective material 1080 can be
incident on
the upper surface 1076 and can help illuminate the mobile device 210, e.g., as
shown
by arrows L2 in Figure 10B which, in some embodiments, can enhance the
contrast
and/or silhouette of the mobile device 210 as described previously. In
some
embodiments, the reflective material 1080 can be a sheet of white paper, a
sheet of
plastic, a thin sheet of metallic material, or any other suitable material. In
some
embodiments, the wireless charger 222 can be mounted to the underside of the
inspection tray base 1014. In such embodiments, the reflective material 1080
can also
be a non-conductive material, such that the reflective material 1080 does not
reduce or
prevent the mobile device 210 from interacting (e.g., charging, transmitting
information,
etc.) with the wireless charger 222. The lighted inspection plate 1071 and/or
the
inspection tray 1012 described herein are not limited to use with the kiosk
100 or limited
to use as inspection surfaces that rotate. Indeed, in other embodiments, the
inspection
tray 1012 and/or the inspection plate 1071 can be configured to translate,
remain
stationary, etc. Moreover, although the inspection plate 1071 is mounted to
the
inspection tray base 1014 in the embodiments of Figures 10A and 10B, it is
contemplated that, in other embodiments, the inspection plate 1071 and various
embodiments thereof can be mounted to other support structures, or the
inspection
plate 1071 can be self-supporting. Further, although the inspection plate 1071
can be
used in, for example, the kiosk 100 described above, it will be understood
that the
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inspection plate 1071 and various embodiments thereof can also be used in
virtually
any type of mobile phone or electronic device recycling kiosk or other system
to facilitate
visual inspection of mobile phones and other devices. Examples of such other
kiosks
are described in, e.g., one or more of the patents and/or patent applications
incorporated by reference herein. In some embodiments, for example, the
inspection
plate 1071 can be mounted to support structures that are configured to move or
translate horizontally, vertically, diagonally, linearly, and/or
curvilinearly, etc., or that are
stationary or fixed.
[0074] The following patents and patent applications are incorporated herein
by
reference in their entireties: U.S. Patent Nos.: 10,860,990; 10,853,873;
10,572,946;
10,475,002; 10,445,708; 10,438,174; 10,417,615; 10,401,411; 10,269,110;
10,157,427; 10,127,647; 10,055,798; 9,885,672; 9,881,284; 8,200,533;
8,195,511; and
7,881,965; U.S. Patent Application Nos.: 17/445,083, 17/445,082, 17/125,994,
16/794,009; 16/788,169; 16/788,153; 16/719,699; 16/794,009; 16/601,492;
16/575,090; 16/575,003; 16/556,104; 16/556,018; 16/534,741; 16/357,041;
16/195,785; 15/977,729; 15/901,526; 15/855,320; 15/672,157; 15/641,145;
15/630,460; 15/214,791; 15/091,487; 15/057,707; 14/967,183; 14/966,346;
14/964,963; 14/934,134; 14/663,331; 14/660,768; 14/598,469; 14/568,051;
14/498,763; 13/794,816; 13/794,814; 13/753,539; 13/733,984; 13/705,252;
13/693,032; 13/658,828; 13/658,825; 13/492,835; 13/113,497; and U.S.
Provisional
Application Nos. 63/220,890, 63/220,381, 63/127,148, 63/116,020; 63/116,007;
63/088,377; 63/070,207; 63/066,794; 62/950,075; 62/807,165; 62/807,153;
62/804,714; 62/782,947; 62/782,302; 62/332,736; 62/221,510; 62/202,330;
62/169,072; 62/091,426; 62/090,855; 62/076,437; 62/073,847; 62/073,840;
62/059,132; 62/059,129; 61/607,572; 61/607,548; 61/607,001; 61/606,997;
61/595,154; 61/593,358; 61/583,232; 61/570,309; 61/551,410; 61/472,611;
61/347,635; 61/183,510; and 61/102,304. All the patents and patent
applications listed
in the preceding sentence and any other patents or patent applications
identified herein
are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
[0075] Aspects of the invention can be embodied in a special purpose computer
or
data processor that is specifically programmed, configured, or constructed to
perform
one or more of the computer-executable instructions explained in detail
herein. While
aspects of the present technology, such as certain functions, are described as
being
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performed exclusively on a single device, the present technology can also be
practiced
in distributed environments where functions or modules are shared among
disparate
processing devices, which are linked through a communications network, such as
a
Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or the Internet. In a
distributed
computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote
memory storage devices.
[0076] Aspects of the present technology may be stored or distributed on
tangible
computer-readable media, including magnetically or optically readable computer
discs,
hard-wired or preprogrammed chips (e.g., EEPROM semiconductor chips),
nanotechnology memory, biological memory, or other data storage media.
Alternatively, computer implemented instructions, data structures, screen
displays, and
other data under aspects of the present technology may be distributed over the
Internet
or over other networks (including wireless networks), on a propagated signal
on a
propagation medium (e.g., an electromagnetic wave(s), a sound wave, etc.) over
a
period of time, or they may be provided on any analog or digital network
(packet
switched, circuit switched, or other scheme).
[0077] References throughout the foregoing description to features,
advantages, or
similar language do not imply that all of the features and advantages that may
be
realized with the present technology should be or are in any single embodiment
of the
invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is
understood to
mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in
connection with
an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present
technology. Thus,
discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout
this
specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.
Reference
throughout this specification to relative terms such as, for example,
"generally,"
"approximately," and "about" are used herein to mean the stated value plus or
minus
10%, unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
[0078] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of
the
present technology may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more
embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the present
technology
can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of
a
particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages
may be
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recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments
of the
present technology.
[0079] Any patents and applications and other references noted above,
including any
that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by
reference
in the entirety, except for any subject matter disclaimers or disavowals, and
except to
the extent that the incorporated material is inconsistent with the express
disclosure
herein, in which case the language in this disclosure controls. Aspects of the
invention
can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts
of the
various references described above to provide yet further implementations of
the
invention.
[0080] The above Detailed Description of examples and embodiments of the
invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the
precise form
disclosed above. While specific examples for the invention are described above
for
illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within
the scope of
the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For
example, while
processes are presented in a given order, alternative implementations may
perform
routines having steps, or employ systems having blocks, in a different order,
and some
processes or blocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or
modified to provide alternative or sub-combinations. Each of these processes
or blocks
may be implemented in a variety of different ways. Also, while processes are
at times
described as being performed in series, these processes may instead be
performed or
implemented in parallel or performed at different times.
[0081] The teachings of the present technology provided herein can be applied
to
other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements and
acts of
the various examples described above can be combined to provide further
implementations of the invention. Some alternative implementations of the
invention
may include not only additional elements to those implementations noted above,
but
also may include fewer elements. Further any specific numbers noted herein are
only
examples: alternative implementations may employ differing values or ranges.
[0082] While the above description describes various embodiments of the
invention
and the best mode contemplated, regardless how detailed the above text, the
invention
can be practiced in many ways. Details of the system may vary considerably in
its
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specific implementation, while still being encompassed by the present
disclosure. As
noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features or
aspects
of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being
redefined
herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects
of the
invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms
used in the
following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the
specific examples
disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section
explicitly
defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses
not
only the disclosed examples, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or
implementing
the invention under the claims.
[0083] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of
the
invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that
various
modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the
various
embodiments of the invention. Further, while various advantages associated
with
certain embodiments of the invention have been described above in the context
of those
embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all
embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope
of the
invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited, except as by the
appended claims.
[0084] Although certain aspects of the invention are presented below in
certain claim
forms, the applicant contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any
number
of claim forms. Accordingly, the applicant reserves the right to pursue
additional claims
after filing this application to pursue such additional claim forms, in either
this application
or in a continuing application.
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