Intelligent electronic device recycling terminal

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of intelligent electronic equipment recycling terminal, including cabinet, anti-damage turnover conveying mechanism is equipped in cabinet, rotating visual identification unit, independent sub-compartment storage structure, electric control storage box system, automatic function detection unit.Rotating visual identification unit collects equipment multi-angle image and uploads cloud AI system analysis appearance and damage;Anti-damage turnover conveying mechanism realizes non-free falling type non-destructive conveying by roller clamping and buffer sliding;Independent sub-compartment structure is stored in single sub-compartment, and is physically isolated;Electric control storage box supports maintenance equipment self-service access;Automatic function detection unit completes depth function detection by self-adapting clamp and multi-protocol interface;Cloud AI system fuses appearance and function score, generates credible recycling price in combination with market situation.The application realizes automatic inspection machine, credible valuation, damage prevention conveying, independent storage and environmental protection recycling integration, effectively solves the problems of valuation dispute, conveying damage and environmental protection vacancy in traditional recycling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automated intelligent equipment technology, and specifically relates to an intelligent electronic equipment recycling terminal. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid pace of product upgrades in consumer electronics, a large number of smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices are entering their obsolescence cycle. How to efficiently, reliably, and without damage recycle these devices and achieve resource recycling has become a focus of industry attention. Currently, various automatic mobile phone recycling devices have emerged on the market, but they generally suffer from the following prominent problems in practical applications: First, there is a lack of accurate appearance assessment capabilities. Most existing equipment can only perform simple functional tests, such as screen touch response, camera activation, and speaker operation, but lacks the automatic and accurate ability to identify critical damage to the device's exterior. Specifically, existing equipment struggles to accurately collect and quantify minor scratches, edge dents, casing deformation, lens damage, and oxidation discoloration that significantly impact residual value. Because reliable appearance data is unavailable, recyclers typically resort to the most conservative strategy to uniformly lower prices, severely impacting consumers' willingness to sell and the efficiency of recycling transactions.

[0003] Secondly, some recycling facilities rely excessively on consumers' subjective declarations. In actual use, many recycling terminals require consumers to manually select the condition and functional status of electronic devices on the interface, and the system then generates an estimated price based on this. However, consumers generally lack professional standards for judging condition and are prone to misjudging the condition of equipment due to careless observation or cognitive biases. Furthermore, it cannot be ruled out that a few users deliberately exaggerate the condition or conceal functional defects to obtain higher recycling prices. When subsequent manual verification reveals discrepancies between the actual condition and the declared condition, it often leads to valuation disputes and transaction conflicts, reducing trust in the recycling service and user satisfaction.

[0004] Third, traditional recycling equipment generally uses a free-fall storage structure. After testing, electronic devices are often directly dropped into the centralized recycling bin at the bottom via guide channels or slides. During this process, the equipment is highly susceptible to collisions and impacts with the inner walls of the bin and other recycled equipment, resulting in secondary damage such as screen breakage, new dents on the casing, and loosening of internal components. For equipment that was originally in good condition and had high resale value, this crude transportation and storage method causes unnecessary cosmetic damage and even functional damage, further reducing its resource utilization level.

[0005] Fourth, a large number of old electronic devices lacking direct trade value are excluded from the recycling system, posing environmental risks. Currently, most recycling terminals are only willing to accept devices with some residual value. For those that are too old, severely damaged, have extremely low valuations, or even no residual value, the system often rejects them outright, leaving consumers with no choice but to discard them as ordinary waste. The heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium, as well as harmful chemicals such as brominated flame retardants contained in discarded electronic devices, once they enter landfills or incinerators, will seep into the soil and water sources or release toxic gases, posing a long-term pollution threat to the ecological environment and human health.

[0006] In summary, existing electronic equipment recycling technologies have significant shortcomings in terms of the accuracy of automatic inspection, the reliability of valuation, the protection against damage during transportation, the independence of storage compartments, and the closed-loop nature of environmentally friendly recycling. Therefore, providing an intelligent recycling terminal that can accurately and automatically assess the condition of the device, prevent damage during transportation, achieve independent storage compartments, and fully integrate environmentally friendly recycling with self-service repair services has become a pressing technical problem to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of the above, the present invention provides an intelligent electronic device recycling terminal, which realizes the reliable recycling and reuse of electronic devices through AI automatic machine inspection, multi-angle visual recognition, damage-proof flipping conveying, and independent compartment storage.

[0008] A smart electronic device recycling terminal includes a cabinet, inside which are a damage-resistant flipping conveyor mechanism, a rotary visual recognition unit, an independent compartment storage structure, an electrically controlled storage box system, and an automatic function detection unit. The rotary visual recognition unit collects multi-angle images of the electronic devices and uploads them to a cloud-based AI system to analyze the condition and damage of the devices. The damage-resistant flipping conveyor mechanism transports the electronic devices to the independent compartment storage structure in a non-free-fall manner. The electrically controlled storage box system enables self-service storage and retrieval of repaired equipment. The automatic function detection unit performs functional tests on the electronic devices and uploads the test data to the cloud-based AI system to evaluate the recycling price of the electronic devices.

[0009] Furthermore, the automatic function detection unit includes an adaptive clamp, a multi-protocol communication interface array, an electrical safety detection module, and a core component deep diagnostic module. The adaptive clamp can automatically center and clamp according to the device size. The multi-protocol communication interface array establishes a physical connection with the device through retractable USB-C, Lightning, and Micro-USB interface probes, eliminating the need for manual plugging and unplugging. The electrical safety detection module detects charging current and voltage curves by simulating various fast charging protocols, analyzes battery internal resistance, cycle count, and effective capacity decay, identifies the risk of battery bulging, and scans the contact impedance and signal transmission error rate of the data interface to identify latent contact faults caused by oxidation, water ingress, or mechanical damage. The core component deep diagnostic module injects a dedicated diagnostic command sequence to drive the display screen, touch module, front and rear cameras, speaker, microphone, gyroscope, accelerometer, distance sensor, ambient light sensor, biometric module, etc., into preset working modes one by one, and collects, analyzes, and returns data to achieve item-by-item quantitative detection of the functional integrity of each component.

[0010] Furthermore, the anti-damage flipping conveyor mechanism includes a flipping fixture, a roller clamping assembly, a flipping drive mechanism, and a buffer sliding guide structure. The flipping fixture is provided with roller clamping assemblies on both sides. The roller clamping assemblies are composed of multiple elastically covered rollers arranged along the edge of the equipment, which can automatically adjust the spacing according to the size of the equipment and clamp the edge of the equipment. The flipping drive mechanism drives the entire flipping fixture to rotate around the horizontal axis. During the rotation, the electronic equipment is always supported by the rolling of the rollers. When it is flipped to the preset feeding angle, the equipment slides slowly at a controlled speed along the tangent of the rollers under the action of gravity. It smoothly enters the corresponding independent storage bin entrance below through the buffer sliding guide structure. There is no free fall throughout the process, avoiding collision and impact with any hard objects.

[0011] Furthermore, the rotating visual recognition unit includes a high-resolution camera, a multi-angle ring light source, a rotating clamping mechanism, and an image acquisition trigger control module. The high-resolution camera is mounted on the top of the cabinet via a bracket, covering multiple preset angle positions on all six sides of the device's exterior. It works in conjunction with the rotating clamping mechanism to achieve comprehensive image acquisition of the device's exterior without blind spots. The multi-angle ring light source provides uniform and adjustable color temperature illumination, ensuring sufficient contrast for surface defects such as scratches and cracks in the image. The image acquisition trigger control module is synchronously linked with the controller of the flipping drive mechanism, triggering camera exposure at preset angle intervals to ensure the integrity and consistency of the acquired images.

[0012] Furthermore, the independent storage structure adopts a row-column matrix layout, consisting of multiple physically isolated independent storage compartments. Each independent storage compartment is used to store only a single electronic device, and the compartment is equipped with a flexible cushioning pad. Each independent storage compartment is equipped with an independent compartment door and electronic lock control device, which is linked with the main control unit to realize the compartment assignment management according to the equipment's condition grade, value stratification, or processing method (trading, repair, environmental recycling).

[0013] Furthermore, the electronically controlled storage box system includes multiple independent electronically controlled storage compartments, a QR code reader, a touch interface, and a back-end order management module. Users generate a unique order code via a mobile app, operate collaboratively on the touch interface, and scan the order code at the QR code reader on the cabinet. The back-end order management module automatically allocates and opens the designated electronically controlled storage compartment. Users store the equipment to be repaired in the compartment and close the door to complete self-service repair. After the repair is completed, the repair personnel return the equipment to the corresponding compartment, and the back-end order management module sends a retrieval notification and verification code to the user. The user then uses the verification code to open the compartment door again and retrieve the equipment.

[0014] Furthermore, the terminal also includes an environmentally friendly electronic equipment recycling unit, which is used to receive discarded electronic equipment that has been automatically assessed and determined to have no economic value, thereby realizing the connection between centralized recycling and harmless treatment of electronic waste. The environmentally friendly electronic equipment recycling unit includes a dedicated environmental recycling inlet, a volumetric sensing detection module, and an environmental reward distribution module. After logging into their account through the touch interface, users can put in the discarded equipment. The volumetric sensing detection module will automatically detect the input behavior and distribute points, coupons, or digital reward vouchers to the user's account through the environmental reward distribution module to incentivize environmentally friendly behavior.

[0015] Furthermore, the terminal also includes a main control unit, which serves as the central control and scheduling core of the terminal. It maintains real-time data communication with the cloud-based AI system via a wireless network. The main control unit internally deploys a process scheduling engine, pre-setting multiple task processes, including equipment recycling, maintenance and storage, and environmental recycling. In the equipment recycling process, the main control unit first instructs the automatic function detection unit to start the detection program. After receiving the function detection data, it instructs the anti-damage flipping conveyor to clamp the equipment and start rotating, simultaneously triggering the rotational visual recognition unit to perform synchronous image acquisition. After both image acquisition and function detection are completed, the main control unit packages and uploads the summarized data to the cloud-based AI system, receives the returned valuation results, and pushes them to the interactive interface. If the user confirms the transaction, the main control unit instructs the anti-damage flipping conveyor to perform the unloading action and controls the opening of the corresponding independent storage compartment door, completing the equipment storage. In the maintenance and storage process, the main control unit communicates with the backend order management module to verify the user's identity and order validity. After successful verification, it controls the electronic lock of the designated electrically controlled storage compartment to open and monitors the compartment door status and equipment storage confirmation signal. In the environmental recycling process, the main control unit receives the sensing signals from the volumetric induction detection module. After confirming the input behavior, it instructs the environmental reward distribution module to issue the corresponding reward to the user's account. In addition, the main control unit is also responsible for real-time monitoring of the terminal's operating status, including the status of each sensor, occupancy of storage spaces, network connection status, and abnormal alarm information. It also periodically reports terminal health data to the cloud management platform via wireless network, supporting remote operation and maintenance and fault diagnosis.

[0016] Furthermore, the cloud-based AI system is the core hub connecting terminal image data with backend valuation decisions. Deployed on a cloud server, this system includes an appearance damage analysis engine, a functional status scoring engine, a comprehensive residual value valuation model, and a market price dynamic correction model. The appearance damage analysis engine receives multi-angle high-definition images uploaded by the rotating vision recognition unit and uses a deep learning algorithm based on convolutional neural networks to automatically detect and classify appearance defects such as scratch length and depth, impact area and location, crack direction and number, lens damage degree, shell deformation area, and oxidation discoloration area, and generates a quantitative appearance condition score. The functional status scoring engine receives various functional detection data uploaded by the automatic functional detection module and calculates the functional integrity score according to preset weights. The comprehensive residual value valuation model integrates the appearance condition score and the functional integrity score, combines static parameters such as equipment model, storage capacity, and activation year, and automatically generates a reliable recycling price based on real-time second-hand transaction data captured by the market price dynamic correction model.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages: 1. Improve the credibility of electronic device recycling prices: This invention uses a dual objective identification mechanism of "automatic function detection + AI visual recognition of appearance" to replace subjective human judgment with quantitative data, fundamentally eliminating information asymmetry in valuation and significantly improving the transparency and credibility of recycling pricing.

[0018] 2. Reduce manual re-inspection and transaction disputes: The system of this invention automatically completes in-depth functional examination and quantitative analysis of appearance damage, and outputs a test report with a complete chain of evidence, effectively eliminating disputes caused by user misjudgment or false reporting, and greatly reducing transaction disputes and subsequent manual re-inspection costs.

[0019] 3. Avoid free fall damage to equipment and maintain the stability of the condition of used equipment: The anti-damage flipping conveyor mechanism in this invention realizes non-free fall buffer sliding conveying from the inspection station to the storage bin, completely eliminating the collision, impact and additional damage caused by free fall of traditional recycling equipment, and effectively protecting the original condition of the equipment.

[0020] 4. Improve the recycling rate of high-value electronic equipment: The highly reliable automatic valuation and lossless transportation throughout the entire process of this invention enhance users' trust in the recycling service, which can encourage more users who own high-quality, high-residual-value equipment to complete recycling transactions through the terminal.

[0021] 5. Promote the recycling of electronic devices and reduce electronic waste pollution: The environmentally friendly electronic device recycling unit in this invention incorporates waste electronic devices that were originally excluded from the recycling system into a closed loop of harmless treatment by setting up a dedicated recycling channel and a positive reward mechanism, effectively reducing the pollution of the environment by heavy metals and harmful chemicals, and contributing to the development of a green circular economy.

[0022] 6. Expanding maintenance and storage functions to extend equipment lifespan: The self-service repair and self-service retrieval functions of the electronic storage box system in this invention enable the terminal to also serve as a maintenance logistics node, making it convenient for users to carry out equipment repairs nearby, further extending the service life of electronic equipment and reducing resource consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the intelligent electronic device recycling terminal of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the flipping fixture holding the electronic device in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of the flipping fixture moving the electronic device via the roller assembly in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the controlled sliding process of the electronic device caused by the flipping of the clamp in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the flipping mechanism and the independent storage compartment in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the flipping drive mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To describe the present invention in more detail, the technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides an intelligent electronic device recycling terminal, which has a cabinet-style structure. The front of the cabinet is equipped with a large touch screen, an environmentally friendly recycling inlet, and a testing station door. A high-resolution camera is installed on the top of the cabinet via a bracket. The cabinet contains an automatic function detection unit, a damage-proof flipping conveyor mechanism, an independent compartment storage structure, an electrically controlled storage box area, and a main control unit. The main control unit maintains real-time data communication with the cloud AI system via a wireless network.

[0031] The automatic function testing unit is located in the testing station area inside the terminal. The core component of this unit module is an adaptive clamping system. The clamping base is equipped with a servo motor-driven bidirectional lead screw slide, which can automatically and synchronously center the left and right clamping arms according to the width of the device under test. Each clamping arm has an elastic pad and at least one retractable communication interface probe on its inner side. The probe types include USB-C and Lightning, and their extension and retraction are controlled by an electromagnetic drive device. When the device is placed in the bracket, the clamping unit automatically clamps it into place, and the probe extends and connects to the device's data interface.

[0032] The system establishes communication with the device via the USB protocol and obtains the necessary diagnostic authorization. Subsequently, the automatic function testing unit performs the following tests one by one according to the preset testing program: Charging and Battery Testing: Simulates the negotiation process of fast charging protocols such as PD and QC, performs charging tests with stepped current, and records the charging curve using a high-precision current and voltage acquisition chip; at the same time, it reads data from the battery management system to obtain the battery cycle count, design capacity and current full charge capacity, calculates the health status, and monitors the battery surface temperature distribution during the charging process through an infrared thermal imaging sensor to identify local abnormal temperature rises and provide early warning of bulging risk.

[0033] Screen and Touch Detection: The command device screen sequentially displays pure red, green, blue, white, and black images, along with a checkerboard test pattern. A high-resolution global shutter camera built into the terminal captures images of the screen. These images are then analyzed using grayscale histograms and pixel-level defect detection algorithms to automatically identify dead pixels, bright spots, dark spots, bright lines, color spots, and burn-in artifacts. For touch detection, the system injects virtual touch events or drives an automatic touch probe matrix to simulate multi-touch operations on the screen surface along a preset path. Simultaneously, it monitors the coordinates and pressure values ​​reported by the touch events, calculates the integrity of the touch response area, trajectory linearity, and touch sensitivity, and identifies localized malfunctions or "missing touch" defects.

[0034] Image system inspection: Commands activate the front and rear cameras to capture images of a standard color chart and ISO resolution benchmark placed on the inner wall of the inspection station across the entire focal length. The captured images are analyzed using modulation transfer function algorithms and color deviation calculations to assess lens resolution, color reproduction, and vignetting. Simultaneously, a predetermined frequency of vibration excitation is applied to the optical image stabilization component, and its effectiveness is verified through gyroscope data feedback and image displacement analysis. Focus inspection involves commands driving the focus motor to reciprocate throughout its full stroke, measuring stroke time, step accuracy, and any abnormal noises to identify focus jamming or decreased accuracy.

[0035] Audio system testing: The terminal is equipped with a standard sound source and microphone. The earpiece and speaker sequentially play a sweeping signal from 20Hz to 20kHz, and the high-sensitivity microphone collects and analyzes the sound pressure level frequency response curve and total harmonic distortion. Microphone testing involves emitting a reference sound pressure of 1kHz and 94dB SPL from the standard sound source, calibrating and recording the microphone sensitivity, and simultaneously testing the consistency of each microphone channel. The call noise reduction function is verified by simulating a noisy environment using a dual-channel sound source.

[0036] Sensor and button detection: The device is driven to rotate on multiple axes by a servo turntable, and the output of the gyroscope and accelerometer is collected synchronously. The data is compared with the actual motion parameters of the turntable to calculate the zero bias, scaling factor and linearity error. Distance sensor detection is performed by approaching the device at different distances using a standard baffle. Physical buttons are pressed by a tiny tactile sensor probe to record the button's conduction stroke, contact resistance and rebound force, and to identify button double-clicks or dead keys.

[0037] Wireless communication testing: The inner wall of the terminal testing station is covered with absorbing material to form a quasi-shielded environment; cellular communication is connected to the integrated tester through a coupling antenna to simulate base station signals and test the transmission power and receiving sensitivity of the equipment in each frequency band; Wi-Fi and Bluetooth testing establish a standard test network through a built-in reference router to measure the throughput and packet loss rate of each channel; NFC testing is verified by standard tag reading distance and success rate.

[0038] After all the test data is aggregated, the functional status scoring engine performs weighted calculations according to the preset weight model of each test item (e.g., screen display 15%, touch 10%, battery 15%, imaging system 20%, audio 5%, sensors 5%, wireless communication 15%, buttons and interfaces 5%) to generate a functional integrity score out of 100. It also generates a digitally signed test report with a timestamp and a unique device identifier, which is then uploaded to the cloud.

[0039] After the functional test is completed, the clamps of the automatic functional test unit are released, and the equipment is transferred by a pick-up mechanism to the starting position of the damage-prevention overturning conveyor mechanism, that is, between the open overturning clamps. Figure 2 As shown, the flipping clamp consists of two clamping arms, left and right. Each clamping arm has a set of roller clamping assemblies arranged longitudinally. Each roller clamping assembly includes a rigid mandrel and an elastic material layer (such as polyurethane or silicone) wrapped around the mandrel. The surface hardness is Shore A 40~70 degrees, ensuring sufficient friction while preventing scratches on the equipment casing. The roller assemblies are mounted on the clamping arms via bearings and can rotate freely. The left and right clamping arms are driven by a servo screw mechanism, which can automatically adjust the spacing according to the width of the equipment, so that the elastic layer of the rollers on both sides contacts the edge of the equipment with a set preload.

[0040] The high-resolution camera of the rotating visual recognition unit is positioned above the flip fixture. In this embodiment, in addition to the camera, the rotating visual recognition unit also includes a multi-angle ring light source, a rotating clamping mechanism, and an image acquisition trigger control module. In the detection state, the electronic device is securely clamped onto the flip fixture. The high-resolution camera is mounted on the top of the cabinet via a bracket, facing the working area of ​​the flip fixture. When the system starts the appearance acquisition program, the flip drive mechanism drives the fixture to rotate uniformly around its horizontal axis, causing the electronic device to assume different postures. Simultaneously, driven by a multi-axis gimbal, the high-resolution camera actively adjusts its pitch and yaw angles, coordinating with the rotational movement of the flip fixture. Specifically, when the electronic device rotates to a certain angle with the fixture, the high-resolution camera moves accordingly to a preset angle position, thereby sequentially capturing images of the front, back, top, bottom, left, right, and four corner edges of the device, covering multiple preset angle positions on all six sides of the device's appearance, achieving comprehensive image acquisition without blind spots.

[0041] Throughout the process, the image acquisition trigger control module and the controller of the flipping drive mechanism maintain strict synchronization. This control module emits pulse signals at preset angle intervals when the device rotates to a specific position, precisely triggering the high-resolution camera to perform instantaneous exposure. This ensures accurate and complete image acquisition angles for each frame during dynamic rotation. Simultaneously, multi-angle ring light sources surrounding the shooting area automatically switch illumination strategies based on the material and angle of the current shooting surface during acquisition, providing uniform and adjustable color temperature lighting conditions. This ensures sufficient contrast for surface defects such as scratches and cracks in the images, providing a high-quality image data source for subsequent AI damage analysis.

[0042] The specific collaborative workflow between the image acquisition trigger control module and the flip drive mechanism is as follows: Step 1: After the flipping fixture clamps the equipment, the flipping drive mechanism (a precision turntable composed of a stepper motor and a harmonic reducer) is started, driving the entire clamping assembly and the clamped equipment to rotate at a constant speed around the horizontal axis.

[0043] Step Two: During rotation, the controller of the flip drive mechanism sends pulse signals to the image acquisition trigger control module at preset angle intervals (e.g., every 15°). The trigger control module synchronously controls the high-resolution camera to perform exposure acquisition. When the device rotates 360°, a total of 24 sets of high-definition images are acquired, with each set containing at least 6 angles, totaling more than 144 images, ensuring that there are no blind spots in the six sides of the device and its corner areas.

[0044] Step 3: All images are aggregated in the main control unit and uploaded in real time via gigabit Ethernet to the appearance damage analysis engine of the cloud-based AI trusted pricing system.

[0045] Once the image acquisition is complete and the system confirms that the data has been uploaded completely, the system controls the tilting mechanism to rotate to a preset unloading angle (e.g., making the longitudinal axis of the equipment form an angle of 20-30° with the vertical direction). At this angle, the clamping arm rollers located below the equipment no longer play a major supporting role. Figure 3 As shown, under the influence of gravity, the equipment begins to slowly slide downwards along the tangent of the rollers on the upper clamping arm. Since the rollers can rotate freely, the friction between the equipment and the contact surface is rolling friction, which is minimal and controllable. After sliding out of the tilting clamp along the roller arrangement direction, the equipment enters a buffer sliding guide structure with a curved arc (such as an arc-shaped slide lined with a smooth, low-friction coefficient material). Figure 4 As shown, the material eventually enters the designated independent storage bin below at a low speed, almost stationary. The entire unloading process has no free fall phase, completely avoiding impact and collision.

[0046] like Figure 5As shown, the entire damage-resistant flipping conveyor mechanism is mounted on a mobile platform with linear guide rails (with cable follower on the left side), located directly above the independent storage compartment. The flipping clamp extends laterally outward, and the electronic equipment it holds, driven by the horizontal moving platform, can be precisely positioned above any corresponding compartment in the storage compartment below. When the flipping mechanism rotates to a set angle, the equipment slides downward under gravity, its sliding trajectory perfectly aligned with the entrance of the storage compartment below, achieving smooth entry into the compartment without the need for the equipment to be "thrown" in the air for transfer.

[0047] like Figure 6 As shown, a servo motor is mounted on top of the flipping drive mechanism. Through synchronous pulleys and belts, it drives the large, large-diameter rotating flange in the center. This large ring serves as the rotating carrier for the entire flipping fixture, enabling it to precisely flip around the horizontal axis at angles of 0~180° or even greater. Inside the large ring, one can see very compact guide rails, sliders, and multiple sets of synchronous pulleys and tensioning pulleys. This embedded belt / gear transmission structure perfectly achieves the synchronous opening, clamping, or linked rotation of the "elastically wrapped rollers" on both sides of the fixture. This ensures a flexible fit with the outer contour of the equipment while firmly supporting it during the flipping process until it is buffered and guided into position, ensuring that the electronic equipment "does not fall freely" and "is controlled throughout the entire process."

[0048] The specific implementation of the algorithm in the cloud-based AI system is as follows: The appearance damage analysis engine employs a deep learning-based image instance segmentation and defect detection fusion network. The network's basic framework is either Swin Transformer or ConvNeXt, upon which a feature pyramid network is built for multi-scale feature fusion. The training dataset comprises tens of thousands of multi-angle images of second-hand electronic devices of different models and condition levels, with pixel-level annotations for defects such as scratches, dents, cracks, paint peeling, oxidation, and lens scratches. During the inference phase, the network outputs the category, mask region, area, length, and depth level prediction (based on lighting features) for each defect. The appearance condition score is automatically calculated based on a pre-defined deduction rule library: for example, a certain score is deducted for each visible scratch exceeding 5mm in length on the screen area; and for each scratch exceeding 2mm in area on the border... 2 Significant bumps and scratches will result in a deduction of points. The base score for the deduction rules is updated regularly based on the residual value curve of different models of equipment and the transaction standards of the second-hand market.

[0049] The comprehensive residual value valuation model employs XGBoost or a deep neural network regression model. Input feature vectors include: appearance condition rating, functional integrity rating, device model (Embedding encoding), storage capacity, network type, activation year and month, whether the screen / battery is original (if detectable), and the current benchmark average buyback price for this model in the secondhand market. The model is trained using extensive historical transaction data to output a predicted buyback price. The market price dynamic correction model uses web crawlers or API interfaces to regularly collect price data for the same model from mainstream secondhand trading and recycling platforms. After cleaning and outlier filtering, the benchmark average buyback price parameters are updated to ensure the valuation closely follows market trends.

[0050] The independent storage compartments are located in the lower middle part of the terminal, using a standard rectangular matrix layout. The materials are ABS engineering plastic or sheet metal, with EVA cushioning foam lining the inner walls. Each independent storage compartment has an independent electrically controlled flip-door at its entrance, controlled by an electromagnetic lock. After the anti-damage flipping conveyor completes its unloading action, the equipment enters the designated compartment pre-assigned by the control system via a diversion guide plate. The compartment allocation strategy is implemented by the main control unit: for example, high-value equipment is stored in the "premium compartment" near the top with additional buffering; ordinary-value equipment is stored in the central standard compartment; repair equipment is stored in a specific compartment connected to the electrically controlled storage box system; and equipment awaiting environmental recycling is directly guided to the environmental recycling module.

[0051] The electronically controlled storage locker system features a touchscreen and a QR code scanning window on the front of the terminal. After a user submits a repair request via the app, the backend generates a unique order number and a corresponding QR code. After scanning the QR code at the terminal, the main control unit interacts with the backend order management module via MQTT or HTTP protocol. Upon verifying the order's validity, it controls the electronic lock of the designated electronically controlled storage compartment to open, causing the compartment door to pop open. The compartment is equipped with LED lighting and a positioning sensor; once the device is confirmed to be stored, the door closes. Repair personnel receive a retrieval notification and authorization via the management app, complete the repair, and return the device. The user receives a retrieval notification and can reopen the compartment door to retrieve the device using the retrieval verification code or dynamic QR code generated on the app. The entire storage and retrieval process, including time, operator, and compartment status information, is uploaded to the backend for recording, forming a traceable closed loop.

[0052] The dedicated recycling inlet is located on the lower side of the terminal cabinet, in the form of a drawer or flip-top. The inlet incorporates an infrared through-beam sensor array to detect the size and passage of the object being recycled, preventing the accidental disposal of non-electronic items. Once the recycling is confirmed, a signal is transmitted to the main control unit. The environmental reward distribution module automatically distributes corresponding digital rewards, such as environmental points, coupons from partner e-commerce platforms, or Ant Forest energy, to the user's registered account according to preset rules. The environmental recycling bin is separate from the trading equipment storage bin and is regularly emptied by a professional hazardous waste treatment company, ensuring that discarded electronic equipment enters a standardized, harmless treatment and resource extraction process, preventing it from entering informal dismantling channels.

[0053] This embodiment of the terminal, through the organic integration and coordinated operation of the above-mentioned mechanisms and functional units, achieves a fully automated, intelligent, and reliable closed-loop process from equipment testing, valuation, transaction, transportation to storage, maintenance, and environmental recycling. It comprehensively solves many industry pain points mentioned in the background art, possessing outstanding substantive features and significant progress. The specific user operation process is as follows: Step 1: The user selects the "Equipment Recycling" service on the touch interface, and the terminal testing station door opens automatically.

[0054] Step 2: The user places the electronic device into the designated tray at the testing station according to the direction guided on the screen, and closes the compartment door.

[0055] Step 3: The terminal automatically starts the detection process, and completes automatic function detection and 360° appearance visual acquisition and analysis in sequence.

[0056] Step 4: The cloud-based AI-based trusted pricing system combines the functional test results and appearance analysis results to generate a trusted recycling price and display it on the interactive interface.

[0057] Step 5: If the user accepts the quote, the terminal will activate the loss-proof flipping conveyor mechanism to transport the equipment without damage to the designated storage location in the independent sub-warehouse structure, thus completing the transaction.

[0058] Step Six: If the user selects "Repair Storage", the terminal will guide the user into the operation process of the electronically controlled storage box.

[0059] Step 7: If the equipment is determined to have no economic value, the system will guide the user to put it into the special recycling inlet and issue a reward.

[0060] The above description of the embodiments is provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand and apply the present invention. Those skilled in the art can readily make various modifications to the above embodiments and apply the general principles described herein to other embodiments without creative effort. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and any improvements and modifications made to the present invention by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure thereof should be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A smart electronic device recycling terminal, comprising a cabinet, characterized in that: The cabinet is equipped with a damage-resistant flipping conveyor mechanism, a rotating visual recognition unit, an independent compartment storage structure, an electronically controlled storage box system, and an automatic function detection unit. The rotating visual recognition unit is used to collect multi-angle images of electronic devices and upload them to a cloud AI system to analyze the condition and damage of the devices. The damage-resistant flipping conveyor mechanism is used to transport electronic devices to the independent compartment storage structure in a non-free-fall manner. The electronically controlled storage box system is used to enable self-service storage and retrieval of repaired equipment. The automatic function detection unit is used to perform function tests on electronic devices and upload the test data to the cloud AI system to evaluate the recycling price of the electronic devices.

2. The intelligent electronic device recycling terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic function detection unit includes an adaptive clamp, a multi-protocol communication interface array, an electrical safety detection module, and a core component deep diagnostic module. The adaptive clamp automatically centers and clamps the device according to its size. The multi-protocol communication interface array establishes a physical connection with the device through retractable USB-C, Lightning, and Micro-USB interface probes, eliminating the need for manual plugging and unplugging. The electrical safety detection module detects charging current and voltage curves by simulating various fast charging protocols, analyzes battery internal resistance, cycle count, and effective capacity decay, identifies the risk of battery bulging, and scans the contact impedance and signal transmission error rate of the data interface to identify latent contact faults caused by oxidation, water ingress, or mechanical damage. The core component deep diagnostic module injects a dedicated diagnostic command sequence to drive the display screen, touch module, front and rear cameras, speaker, microphone, gyroscope, accelerometer, distance sensor, ambient light sensor, biometric module, etc., into preset working modes one by one, and collects, analyzes, and returns data to achieve item-by-item quantitative detection of the functional integrity of each component.

3. The intelligent electronic device recycling terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The damage-resistant flipping conveyor includes a flipping fixture, roller clamping components, a flipping drive mechanism, and a buffer sliding guide structure. Roller clamping components are located on both sides of the flipping fixture. Each roller clamping component consists of multiple elastically covered rollers arranged along the edge of the equipment, automatically adjusting their spacing according to the equipment size and clamping the equipment edge. The flipping drive mechanism drives the entire flipping fixture to rotate around a horizontal axis. During rotation, the electronic equipment is constantly supported by the rolling of the rollers. When flipped to a preset unloading angle, the equipment slides slowly at a controlled speed along the tangent of the rollers under gravity, smoothly entering the corresponding independent storage compartment entrance below via the buffer sliding guide structure. There is no free fall throughout the process, preventing collisions or impacts with any hard objects.

4. The intelligent electronic device recycling terminal according to claim 3, characterized in that: The rotating visual recognition unit includes a high-resolution camera, a multi-angle ring light source, a rotating clamping mechanism, and an image acquisition trigger control module. The high-resolution camera is mounted on the top of the cabinet via a bracket, covering multiple preset angle positions on all six sides of the device's exterior. It works in conjunction with the rotating clamping mechanism to achieve comprehensive image acquisition of the device's exterior without blind spots. The multi-angle ring light source provides uniform and adjustable color temperature illumination, ensuring sufficient contrast for surface defects, including scratches and cracks, in the image. The image acquisition trigger control module is synchronized with the controller of the flipping drive mechanism, triggering camera exposure at preset angle intervals to ensure the integrity and consistency of the acquired images.

5. The intelligent electronic device recycling terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The independent storage structure adopts a row-column matrix layout, consisting of multiple physically isolated independent storage compartments. Each independent storage compartment is used to store only a single electronic device, and the compartment is equipped with a flexible cushioning pad. Each independent storage compartment is equipped with an independent compartment door and electronic lock control device, which is linked with the main control unit to realize the compartment assignment management according to the equipment's condition grade, value stratification, or processing method.

6. The intelligent electronic device recycling terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrically controlled storage locker system includes multiple independent electrically controlled storage compartments, a QR code reader, a touch interface, and a back-end order management module. Users generate a unique order code via a mobile app, operate collaboratively on the touch interface, and scan the order code at the QR code reader on the locker. The back-end order management module automatically allocates and opens the designated electrically controlled storage compartment. Users store the equipment to be repaired in the compartment and close the door to complete the self-service repair. After the repair is completed, the repair personnel return the equipment to the corresponding compartment. The back-end order management module sends a retrieval notification and verification code to the user. The user then uses the verification code to open the compartment door again and retrieves the equipment.

7. The intelligent electronic device recycling terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The terminal also includes an environmentally friendly electronic equipment recycling unit, which is used to receive discarded electronic equipment that has been automatically assessed and determined to have no economic value, thereby realizing the connection between centralized recycling and harmless treatment of electronic waste. The environmentally friendly electronic equipment recycling unit includes a dedicated environmental recycling inlet, a volumetric sensing detection module, and an environmental reward distribution module. After logging into their account through the touch interface, users can put in the discarded equipment. The volumetric sensing detection module will automatically detect the input behavior and distribute points, coupons, or digital reward vouchers to the user's account through the environmental reward distribution module to incentivize environmentally friendly behavior.

8. The intelligent electronic device recycling terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The terminal also includes a main control unit, which serves as the central control and scheduling core of the terminal. It maintains real-time data communication with the cloud AI system via a wireless network. The main control unit is equipped with a process scheduling engine, which presets multiple task processes, including equipment recycling, maintenance and storage, and environmental recycling. In the equipment recycling process, the main control unit first instructs the automatic function detection unit to start the detection program. After receiving the function detection data, it instructs the anti-damage flipping conveyor to clamp the equipment and start rotating. At the same time, it triggers the rotation vision recognition unit to perform synchronous image acquisition. After the image acquisition and function detection are completed, the main control unit packages the summarized data and uploads it to the cloud AI system. It then receives the returned valuation result and pushes it to the interactive interface. If the user confirms the transaction, the main control unit instructs the anti-damage flipping conveyor to perform the unloading action and controls the door of the corresponding independent storage compartment to open, completing the equipment storage.

9. The intelligent electronic device recycling terminal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cloud-based AI system is the core hub connecting terminal image data with backend valuation decisions. Deployed on a cloud server, the system includes an appearance damage analysis engine, a functional status scoring engine, a comprehensive residual value valuation model, and a market price dynamic correction model. The appearance damage analysis engine receives multi-angle high-definition images uploaded by the rotating vision recognition unit and uses a deep learning algorithm based on convolutional neural networks to automatically detect and classify appearance defects such as scratch length and depth, impact area and location, crack direction and number, lens damage degree, shell deformation area, and oxidation discoloration area, and generates a quantitative appearance condition score. The functional status scoring engine receives various functional detection data uploaded by the automatic functional detection module and calculates the functional integrity score according to preset weights. The comprehensive residual value valuation model integrates appearance condition rating and functional integrity rating, combines static parameters such as equipment model, storage capacity, and activation period, and dynamically adjusts the model based on real-time captured second-hand transaction data to automatically generate a reliable recycling price.

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