Kiosk for evaluating and purchasing used electronic devices

Abstract

Providing a consumer-operated kiosk SOLUTION: Various embodiments of kiosks for purchasing and / or recycling mobile phones and other mobile electronic devices from users are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the kiosk is relatively small (e.g., less than 0.75 cubic feet) and / or is configured to be mounted to other kiosks or other suitable mounting structures in a publicly accessible area. The kiosk can include an inspection area having a transparent plate through which the mobile electronic device can be viewed by a camera in the kiosk. The transparent plate may be movable (e.g., tiltable) in order to direct the mobile electronic device to one or more boxes below the inspection area. The kiosk can also include one or more deflectors configured to direct the mobile electronic device to the selected box.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 088,377 (Attorney Docket No. 111220-8061.US00), filed October 6, 2020, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 070,207 (Attorney Docket No. 111220-8060.US00), filed August 25, 2020, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to consumer-operated kiosks for evaluating and purchasing mobile phones and other mobile electronic devices from users. [Background technology]

[0003] There are more mobile phones in use today than there are people on the planet. The rapid growth of mobile phones is due, in part, to the rapid pace at which they are evolving. Due to the rapid pace of development, a relatively high percentage of mobile phones are replaced each year as consumers continually upgrade and acquire the latest features or better operating plans. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the United States alone discards as many as 370 million mobile phones, PDAs, tablets, and other electronic devices each year. Millions of other old or broken mobile phones are simply tossed in junk drawers or otherwise stored until a suitable disposal solution arises.

[0004] Although many mobile phone retailers and stores now offer mobile phone trade-in or buy-back programs, many old phones still end up in landfills or are improperly broken down 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 materials can seep from the landfills where they are broken down into groundwater and contaminate the soil, with potentially harmful consequences for humans and the environment. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] Detailed Description The following disclosure describes various embodiments of systems and methods that allow users to sell, deposit, and / or recycle mobile phones and other electronic devices. In some embodiments, the systems described herein include a kiosk having a housing and a door assembly mounted to the housing. The housing can include an inspection area configured to accept mobile phones or other electronic devices to be sold and / or recycled. In some embodiments, the inspection area can include a transparent plate onto which the mobile phone is placed, screen-down. A camera positioned within the housing is configured to be directed through the transparent plate toward the inspection area and capture images of the mobile device's screen and identification information displayed thereon. By way of example, the identification information can include make, model, serial number, International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, and / or other information used to uniquely identify the mobile phone. In some embodiments, the kiosk and associated system can be configured to verify whether the mobile phone is the same mobile phone that was previously appraised at another kiosk, appraised using a mobile application, or otherwise appraised, and, if such identification is confirmed, provide the user with an offer to purchase the mobile phone. If the user agrees to sell or recycle the phone, the transparent platen tilts, directing the phone toward a storage unit (e.g., a bin) within the kiosk. In some embodiments, the kiosk can further include a movable deflector or other structure configured to selectively direct / redirect the phone from the transparent platen to one of a plurality of storage units. In some embodiments, the kiosk can have an overall volume of less than 1 cubic foot, and in some embodiments, less than 0.75 cubic feet. Thus, one benefit of some embodiments of the kiosks disclosed herein is that the kiosks occupy very little space and, therefore, can be used in many environments where the space required to accommodate a larger kiosk may be lacking.In some applications, the kiosks disclosed herein can be mounted to other kiosks, walls, or other structures, which can facilitate further flexibility for arranging the kiosks.

[0006] The kiosks described herein can be used to facilitate the final step of a recycling / sale transaction, in which a user sells their used electronic device. Initial steps (e.g., device evaluation, determination of an offer price, etc.) may be performed, for example, by a mobile application on the user's device. In some cases, a user can obtain an offer to purchase their electronic device (e.g., a guaranteed offer to purchase) from their home and then use one of the kiosks described herein to deliver the electronic device and / or receive payment. As explained above, the kiosks can be relatively small, which can result in lower overhead costs for retailers than traditional recycling kiosks, which can be much larger. The present invention provides, for example, the following items. (Item 1) 1. A consumer-operated kiosk for receiving an electronic device from a user, the kiosk comprising: an enclosure having a volume of less than 2 cubic feet, said enclosure having an opening in a wall thereof; an inspection area within the housing and accessible through the opening, the inspection area configured to receive the electronic device from the user; and an access door configured to selectively block the opening to close access to the inspection area from outside the enclosure; a test plate in the inspection area, the test plate configured to support the electronic device in the inspection area; and a first deflection plate positioned at least partially below the test plate within the housing; and a second deflector plate positioned at least partially below the first deflector plate; a storage box positioned at least partially below the second deflector plate; and Equipped with the test plate is configured to be tilted and drop the electronic device toward the first deflection plate; the first deflector is configured to redirect the electronic device downward; The kiosk, wherein the second deflector is configured to redirect the electronic device toward the storage bin. (Item 2) Item 10. The kiosk of item 1, further comprising a camera within the housing and having a field of view that includes the inspection plate, the camera configured to capture images and / or video of the electronic device while the electronic device is positioned on the inspection plate. (Item 3) Item 3. The kiosk of item 2, wherein the camera is mounted on an interior side wall of the housing and aligned at a non-vertical angle. (Item 4) Item 4. The kiosk according to item 3, wherein the angle between the side wall and the alignment of the camera is between 10° and 35°. (Item 5) Item 3. The kiosk of item 2, wherein the inspection plate is at least partially transparent, and the camera is positioned below the inspection plate to view the electronic device through the inspection plate. (Item 6) Item 10. The kiosk of item 1, wherein the inspection plate is configured to tilt about a rotation axis that is not parallel to the front wall of the housing. (Item 7) Item 7. The kiosk of item 6, wherein the axis of rotation of the test plate is perpendicular to the front wall of the housing. (Item 8) Item 1, the kiosk further comprising a third deflector positioned at least partially below the first deflector and configured to redirect the electronic device from the first deflector toward the second deflector. (Item 9) Item 9. The kiosk of item 8, wherein the third deflection plate is positioned directly below the inspection plate. (Item 10) The storage box is a first storage box, the kiosk further comprises a second storage bin positioned adjacent to the first storage bin within the housing; the second deflector plate is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position; In the first position, the second deflector directs the electronic device toward the first storage bin; In the second position, the second deflector directs the electronic device toward the second storage bin. A kiosk as described in item 1. (Item 11) Item 1, wherein the enclosure has a volume of less than 0.75 cubic feet. (Item 12) The storage box is a first sidewall; a second side wall opposite and facing the first side wall; a first set of flexible fingers extending from the first sidewall toward the second sidewall; and Equipped with The flexible finger includes: flexes when contacted by an electronic device dropped into the box; reducing the likelihood that an electronic device passing through the storage box will land on the side of the electronic device Item 1. The kiosk of claim 1, configured to: (Item 13) Item 13. The kiosk of item 12, wherein the storage box includes a second set of flexible fingers extending from the second side wall toward the first side wall. (Item 14) 1. A consumer-operated kiosk for receiving an electronic device from a user, the kiosk comprising: a housing having an inspection area therein; a test plate in the inspection area, the test plate configured to support the electronic device in the inspection area; and a deflection plate positioned at least partially within the housing below the test plate; a first storage box positioned at least partially below the deflector plate; a second storage bin positioned adjacent to the first storage bin and at least partially below the deflector plate; a processor operatively connected to the test plate and the deflection plate, the processor comprising: tilting the test plate and directing the electronic device toward the deflection plate; The deflection plate, a first position in which the deflector directs the electronic device toward the first storage bin; a second position in which the deflector directs the electronic device toward the second storage box; a processor configured to execute computer readable instructions to move the image between A kiosk equipped with (Item 15) Item 15. The kiosk of item 14, wherein the processor is configured to detect when the first storage bin is filled with electronic devices, and the processor moves the deflector to the second position when the first storage bin is full. (Item 16) Item 15. The kiosk of item 14, further comprising an access door configured to selectively open and close access to the inspection area from outside the kiosk, the processor operably connected to the access door, and the processor configured to open the access door if a user rejects an offer to purchase the electronic device during a transaction at the kiosk. (Item 17) 1. A method of processing an electronic device using a consumer action kiosk, the method comprising: providing a user with an estimated price of the electronic device via a software application executing on a processor of the mobile device; identifying a target kiosk location and communicating said location to said user via said software application; receiving the electronic device on a testing plate within an testing area of ​​the target kiosk, the target kiosk having an interior volume of less than 2 cubic feet; tilting the test plate and moving the electronic device toward a deflector plate within the kiosk; redirecting the electronic device toward a storage bin within the kiosk using the deflector; A method comprising: (Item 18) Item 18. The method of item 17, further comprising moving the deflector to direct the electronic device into one of a first storage bin or a second storage bin. (Item 19) Item 18. The method of item 17, further comprising visually inspecting the electronic device through the inspection plate using a camera mounted on an interior wall of the kiosk, the camera being mounted at an angle of 10° to 35° relative to the interior wall. (Item 20) Item 18. The method of item 17, further comprising paying out a reward to the user. (Item 21) Item 18. The method of item 17, further comprising using one or more flexible fingers extending from one or more interior walls of the storage box to land the electronic device on a front side of a back side of the electronic device at the bottom of the storage box. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a top, front, right side isometric view of a consumer action kiosk for receiving / purchasing a mobile electronic device from a user, configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0008] [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a top, front, left side isometric view of the consumer action kiosk of FIG. 1A.

[0009] [Figure 1C] FIG. 1C is a front view of the consumer action kiosk of FIG. 1A.

[0010] [Figure 1D] FIG. 1D is a right side view of the consumer action kiosk of FIG. 1A.

[0011] [Figure 1E] FIG. 1E is a top, front, left side isometric view of the consumer actions kiosk of FIG. 1A with the kiosk door in an open position in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0012] [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A is a top, front, left side isometric view of the consumer action kiosk of FIG. 1A with an electronic device positioned within the inspection area of ​​the kiosk in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0013] [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a front view of the kiosk of FIG. 1A with the kiosk door removed for purposes of illustrating the check plate in a first (eg, check) position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0014] [Figure 2C] FIG. 2C is an enlarged top, front, right side isometric view of a test board assembly of the kiosk of FIG. 1A, configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0015] [Figure 2D] 2D is a front view of the kiosk of FIG. 1A with the kiosk door removed, the inspection plate in a second (e.g., box-loading) position, and the lower loading plate in a first (e.g., vertical) position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0016] [Figure 2E] 2E is a front view of the kiosk of FIG. 1A with the kiosk door removed, the inspection plate in a second position, and the lower mounting plate in a second (eg, tilted) position in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0017] [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A is a top, front, left side isometric view of a storage box configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0018] [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a left side view of the storage box of FIG. 3A.

[0019] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating various components associated with the kiosk of FIG. 1A configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0020] [Figure 5] FIG. 5 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.

[0021] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a process performed by a user of the kiosk of FIG. 1A in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0022] [Figure 7] FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a suitable computing environment for implementing various aspects of the present technology.

[0023] [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating various components typically incorporated within computing systems and other devices on which the present technology may be implemented.

[0024] [Figure 9] FIG. 9 illustrates a user interface presented by an application running on an evaluating or target device according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0025] [Figure 10] FIG. 10 illustrates a series of user interfaces presented to a user when the user wishes to sell a target device, in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0026] [Figure 11A] 11A-11D show a series of user interfaces associated with applications running on an evaluating device to guide a user in evaluating a target device, according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 11B] 11A-11D show a series of user interfaces associated with applications running on an evaluating device to guide a user in evaluating a target device, according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 11C] 11A-11D show a series of user interfaces associated with applications running on an evaluating device to guide a user in evaluating a target device, according to some embodiments of the present technology. [Figure 11D] 11A-11D show a series of user interfaces associated with applications running on an evaluating device to guide a user in evaluating a target device, according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0027] [Figure 12] FIG. 12 illustrates a series of user interfaces displaying guaranteed prices and various payment options in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0028] [Figure 13] FIG. 13 shows a user interface displaying a test of a target device that includes touchscreen functionality, according to some embodiments of the present technology.

[0029] [Figure 14]FIG. 14 shows a user interface displaying a test of a microphone of a target device in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0030] [Figure 15] FIG. 15 illustrates a user interface displaying a test of a target device's global positioning system (GPS), in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0031] [Figure 16] FIG. 16 shows a user interface displaying a test of a target device's display in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0032] [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a high-level flow diagram of a routine for generating a guaranteed value for a target device (e.g., a cell phone, tablet computer, thumb drive, television, SLR, etc.) for recycling, in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0033] [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a flow diagram of a routine for remotely evaluating a target device for recycling, in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology.

[0034] [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of a mobile application displayed on an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0035] [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a flow diagram illustrating a process performed by the kiosk of FIG. 1A in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] Certain details are set forth in the following description and in Figures 1A-8 to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the present technology. 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, network systems, and the like, are not shown or described in detail in the following disclosure to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of various embodiments of the present technology. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present technology can be practiced without one or more of the details set forth herein, or with other structures, methods, components, and the like.

[0037] The terminology used below is to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even as it is used in conjunction with the detailed description of certain examples of embodiments of the present technology. Indeed, certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restrictive manner will be so clearly and specifically defined in this detailed description section.

[0038] The accompanying figures depict embodiments of the present technology and are not intended to limit its scope. Details of components may be abstracted in the figures to omit details such as the location 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 present invention. Many of the details, dimensions, angles, and other features shown in the figures are merely illustrative of specific embodiments of the present technology. Thus, other embodiments may have other details, dimensions, angles, and features without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, those skilled in the art will understand that further embodiments of the present technology may be practiced without some of the details described below. In the figures, the same reference numbers identify the same, or at least generally similar, elements. To facilitate discussion of any particular element, the most significant digit(s) of any reference number refers to the figure in which that element is first introduced. For example, element 102 is first introduced and discussed with reference to FIG. 1A.

[0039] 1A is a right side isometric view of a consumer action kiosk 100 for purchasing mobile phones and other electronic devices from users, configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. Kiosk 100 includes an enclosure or housing 102 having a door assembly 104. Door assembly 104 may include a door 106 that may be operably coupled to housing 102 with one or more hinges 107 or other connection mechanisms. In the illustrated embodiment, door assembly 104 is shaped and / or otherwise configured to resemble a mobile phone or other electronic device. In other embodiments, door assembly 104 may have other configurations.

[0040] The door assembly 104 may include a display screen 108. The display screen 108 may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) or light-emitting diode (LED) display screen, a projection display (such as a head-up display or head-mounted device), or the like for providing information, prompts, etc. to a user. In some embodiments, the display screen 108 may include visual features 109a-c (e.g., images, icons, animations, and / or other graphical and / or textual features) configured to resemble a mobile phone home screen. For example, the visual features 109a-c may resemble application icons, widget icons, and / or other icons commonly found on a mobile phone display. Some or all of these visual features 109a-c may be used as advertisements, information sources, and / or prompts and other user interfaces configured to facilitate transactions at the kiosk 100. For example, one or more of the visual features 109a-c may include information for purchasing a used or new mobile phone or other electronic device via the kiosk 100. Such information may include, for example, one or more website pages, links, scannable codes (e.g., QR codes, bar codes, etc.), or other information configured to assist a user in purchasing a new electronic device. In some embodiments, one or more of visual features 109a-c is a graphical user interface (GUI) including a touch screen for receiving user input and responses to displayed prompts to facilitate use of kiosk 100 to sell mobile phones.

[0041] 1A and 1B , kiosk 100 may include one or more user interfaces on one or both of door assembly 104 and housing 102 to provide instructions and other information to a user and / or receive user input and other information from a user. For example, kiosk 100 may include one or more cameras 110 a-b positioned and configured to capture images of a user of kiosk 100, the user's identification, and / or other objects external to kiosk 100. In some embodiments, first camera 110 a is positioned near a bottom portion of kiosk 100 and second camera 110 b is positioned near a top portion of kiosk 100. One or both of cameras 110 a-b may have a wide-angle lens and / or a resolution of 1 megapixel (MP), 2 MP, 5 MP, 10 MP, or greater. The kiosk 100 may also include a fingerprint scanning device or reader 111 or other biometric interface configured to collect biometric data (e.g., a thumbprint) from the user. The first camera 110a may have a field of view that includes the user and the fingerprint scanning device 111 to verify that the user is the person who touches the fingerprint scanning device when prompted.

[0042] In some embodiments, kiosk 100 further includes a speaker 113 configured to provide audible feedback, prompts, and / or instructions to a user of kiosk 100. Kiosk 100 may include a card reader configured to read an ID card, credit card, and / or other electronic card provided by a user. Kiosk 100 may also include a label outlet 115. In some embodiments, label outlet 115 is configured to dispense a receipt (e.g., from an associated printer) in addition to or instead of a label. In some embodiments, kiosk 100 is configured to display a barcode, QR code, alphanumeric code, or other image that a user may scan or otherwise record to serve as a receipt for a transaction at kiosk 100. Kiosk 100 may include a payment (e.g., cash, voucher, gift certificate, etc.) dispenser configured to provide a reward to a user on their mobile phone upon completion of a transaction with kiosk 100. In some embodiments, kiosk 100 is configured to provide a user with confirmation of an electronic funds transfer or other virtual payment. The kiosk may include additional features 117a-c that may resemble features of a mobile phone (e.g., buttons, plugs, or other features). These features 117a-c may be decorative, or in some embodiments, one or more of features 117a-c are cameras, buttons, scanning devices, lights, or other devices and / or structures configured to allow a user and / or technician to interact with kiosk 100. In some embodiments, kiosk 100 may include a keyboard or keypad for receiving user input. As described above, camera 110a-b, fingerprint scanning device 111, display screen 108, speaker 113, and one or more of features 117a-c may be sized, positioned, and / or otherwise configured to resemble features of a mobile phone.For example, the camera 110a and / or fingerprint reader 111 can be positioned and sized to resemble a home button on a cell phone (e.g., the camera 110a and / or fingerprint reader 111 can be positioned near the center of the bottom portion of the door 106). The kiosk 100 can include an inspection area access door 112. The access door 112 is configured to prevent unauthorized access to the inspection area of ​​the housing 102, as described below with reference to FIG. 1E. The access door 112 can be pivotally or otherwise movably mounted to the door assembly 104 or to the housing 102. The access door 112 can be formed, for example, from various types of plastic (e.g., polyethylene, polycarbonate, etc.), glass, etc., which can be transparent, opaque, or solid. The housing 102, door 104, and / or other components can be manufactured, for example, from sheet metal, plastic panels, etc., and / or other suitable materials in a conventional manner. In embodiments in which the access door 112 is transparent or translucent, the light passed through the access door into the housing 102 may be sufficient to enable visual crack detection using one or more cameras within the kiosk 100 without necessarily requiring additional interior lighting.

[0043] 1A-1B, kiosk 100 may further include, for example, a speaker and / or headphone jack for audibly communicating information to a user, one or more lights for visually communicating signals or other information to a user, a handset or microphone for receiving verbal input from a user, a card reader (e.g., a credit / debit card reader, a loyalty card reader, etc.), and other user input and / or output devices. In addition, kiosk 100 may also include a barcode reader (e.g., for reading a barcode displayed on a mobile device), a QR Code reader (e.g., for reading a QR displayed on a mobile device), a parcel or bag dispenser (e.g., a shipping parcel dispenser), a digital signature pad, etc. For example, kiosk 100 may include a barcode reader (e.g., a laser or optical reader) pointed externally of the kiosk for scanning a barcode on a mobile phone. The kiosk 100 (e.g., its processor) can be configured to open the access door 112 in response to scanning a barcode on the mobile phone, after which a camera or other optical device inside the kiosk 100 reads the barcode again when the mobile phone is inside the kiosk 100. In some embodiments, the kiosk 100 includes one or more motion or proximity sensors configured to detect when a person approaches the kiosk 100. The kiosk 100 can be configured to activate the display 108 and / or other components of the kiosk 100 in response to detecting the approach of a potential user. The user interface devices described above are representative of such devices that may be included with some embodiments of 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. Thus, embodiments of the kiosk 100 are not limited to the types or arrangements of user interface devices described above.

[0044] 1C and 1D are front and right side views, respectively, of kiosk 100 configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology. As described above, the overall size of kiosk 100 can be less than about 2 cubic feet, less than about 1 cubic foot, less than about 0.9 cubic feet, less than about 0.75 cubic feet, and / or less than about 0.6 cubic feet. In some embodiments, kiosk 100 has an overall size of between about 0.6 cubic feet and about 1 cubic foot and / or between about 0.7 cubic feet and about 0.8 cubic feet. By way of example only, in some embodiments, kiosk 100 can have a width W1 of between about 5 inches and about 12 inches or between about 8 inches and about 9 inches, a depth D1 of between about 4 inches and about 12 inches or between 7 inches and about 9 inches, and an overall height H1 of between about 12 inches and about 24 inches or between about 16 inches and about 21 inches. In some embodiments, width W1 is approximately 8.5 inches, depth D1 is approximately 8 inches, and / or height H1 is approximately 19 inches. One advantage of kiosk 100 having a relatively small overall size is that kiosk 100 may be accessible mounted on other structures, including, but not limited to, other kiosks, walls, countertops, and / or other structures. In some embodiments, kiosk 100 may be positioned behind a counter in a retail setting and operated by a store clerk or other retail associate. The foregoing dimensions are only some examples, and in other embodiments, kiosks constructed in accordance with the present disclosure may have other dimensions without departing from the present disclosure.

[0045] 1E is a left side isometric view of kiosk 100 with door assembly 104 in an open configuration. As shown, door assembly 104 (e.g., door 106) can be pivotally coupled to housing 102 via one or more hinges 114. Hinge 114 can be positioned at or near a top edge portion of door assembly 104 so that the door assembly swings outward and upward when opened. In other embodiments, hinge 114 can be positioned on a lateral side or bottom end portion of door assembly 104.

[0046] The door assembly 104 may include an access motor 116 operably associated with the access door 112 and configured to move the access door 112 between an open configuration and a closed configuration. More specifically, the access motor 116 may be an electric motor having one or more gears, pulleys, linear actuators, and / or other mechanisms configured to operably slide and / or tilt the access door 112 between the open and closed configurations. In the illustrated embodiment, the access motor 116 is mounted directly or indirectly to the door 106, for example, adjacent the access door 112. In other embodiments, the access motor 116 may be mounted directly or indirectly to the enclosure 102.

[0047] 1E , housing 102 can include inspection area 120 configured to receive a mobile phone or other electronic device from a user when access door 112 is in the open configuration. Inspection area 120 can include an inspection plate 122 and / or other structure configured to support a user's electronic device when the electronic device is positioned within inspection area 120. Inspection plate 122 can be transparent and formed from glass, plexiglass, a polymer, and / or some other suitable material or combination of materials. Inspection plate 122, access door 112, and inspection area 120 can be sized to accommodate a single electronic device (e.g., a mobile phone, a tablet, etc.). In some embodiments, inspection plate 122, access door 112, and inspection area 120 can be sized to accommodate more than one electronic device at a time. For example, inspection plate 122 can be large enough to accommodate two, three, four, five, ten, or more electronic devices placed screen-side down on inspection plate 122 simultaneously.

[0048] As described above, kiosk 100 can include a camera 124 mounted to a sidewall or other portion of housing 102 and pointed toward inspection area 120. For example, camera 124 can be mounted below inspection plate 122 and pointed upward toward inspection plate 122 and inspection area 120. The field of view of camera 124 can include part or all of inspection plate 122 and / or any devices positioned thereon. In some embodiments, kiosk 100 includes one or more additional cameras pointed toward inspection area 120. The additional cameras can be positioned above and / or below inspection plate 122 within housing 102. In some embodiments, kiosk 100 (e.g., its processor) is configured to alert a user if the mobile phone on inspection plate 122 is too large (e.g., some foldable mobile phones) to lay flat on plate 122 and / or cannot reach a storage bin within the kiosk. The alert may include a recommendation to take the mobile phone to a larger kiosk (e.g., a kiosk operated by ecoATM, LLC) for processing at another location, the location of which may be communicated to the user via email, text, or other communication to the user and / or the display 108 of the kiosk 100.

[0049] In some embodiments, camera 124 can be used to capture an image of a user's ID positioned on inspection plate 122. For example, in some embodiments, kiosk 100 may not include a card reader. In some such embodiments, kiosk 100 may be configured to prompt the user to place their ID on the inspection plate so that camera 124 can capture an image of the ID to verify the user's identity (e.g., to comply with secondhand goods laws and / or otherwise associate the user with a transaction at kiosk 100).

[0050] In addition to the aforementioned features, the kiosk 100 can further include one or more removable boxes 130a, b positioned within a lower portion of the housing 102 and configured to receive electronic devices from the inspection area 120. While two boxes 130a-b are illustrated, more boxes (e.g., three, four, five, six, or more boxes) can be used. In some embodiments, the boxes 130a-b are positioned within a structure separate from (e.g., below or beside) the housing 102. One or more directing structures can be positioned within the housing 102 and configured to direct electronic devices from the inspection plate 122 into one of the boxes 130a-b. For example, the housing 102 can include an upper deflection member or plate 134 positioned at least in part between the inspection plate 122 and the boxes 130a, b. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper deflector 134 is shaped (e.g., curved) and positioned (e.g., fixedly positioned) to direct or redirect electronic devices downward from the test plate 122 toward the boxes 130 a, b. In some embodiments, the housing 102 can also include a movable lower deflector 136 positioned between the upper deflector 134 and the boxes 130 a-b. As described in more detail below, the lower deflector 136 can be configured to selectively direct or redirect electronic devices from the upper deflector 134 to one of the boxes 130 a-b. In some embodiments, the housing 102 can additionally include an intermediate deflector 138 positioned toward an upper portion of the lower deflector 136 and a lower portion of the upper deflector 134. Also, as described below, the intermediate deflector 136 can be configured to direct electronic devices from the upper deflector 134 toward the lower deflector 136. The deflectors 134, 136, 138 can be operably coupled directly or indirectly to the housing 102 (eg, to a side wall or top wall thereof).As described in more detail below, in operation, one or more of the deflection plates 134, 136, 138 can be configured to rotate, tilt, translate, or otherwise move relative to one or more of the other deflection plates 134, 136, 138 to selectively direct mobile phones and other electronic devices from the test plate 122 into one of the boxes 130a, b.

[0051] 2A-2E are a series of diagrams of kiosk 100 and its subsystems at various stages of a transaction at kiosk 100. For example, FIG. 2A is a left side isometric view of kiosk 100 with access door 112 (FIGS. 1A and 1B) in an open position. Referring initially to this figure, a user can interact with kiosk 100 (e.g., via display screen 108 or other user interface) to initiate a transaction. For example, kiosk 100 can prompt the user to enter a unique code or other information (e.g., via display 108) obtained by the user in a previous transaction. Such a previous transaction can include, for example, a transaction in which a user obtained a trade-in price estimate for a target electronic device (e.g., mobile phone 240) that the user wishes to sell, for example, via use of a mobile application running on phone 240 or another mobile device, and / or via inspection of phone 240 at another consumer-operated phone valuation kiosk. Exemplary mobile applications are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 10,475,002, filed October 1, 2015, U.S. Patent No. 10,438,174, filed October 1, 2015, and U.S. Patent Application No. 14 / 934,134, filed November 5, 2015, and U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 070,207, filed August 25, 2020, and Appendix A, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and made a part of this application. After entry of the unique code and / or other information, the access door 112 is opened (e.g., lowered) so that the user may insert the electronic device 240 into the inspection area 120.

[0052] 2B is a front view of the housing 102 with the door assembly 104 removed and the electronic device 240 positioned on the top surface of the inspection plate 122. The kiosk 100 can prompt the user to place the electronic device 240 screen-side down on the inspection plate 122 so that the camera 124 can view the screen of the electronic device 240 (e.g., through the inspection plate 122). The camera 124 can be aligned at a non-zero angle A1 away from a sidewall 142 (e.g., a vertical sidewall) of the housing 102 to which the camera 124 is mounted. Aligning the camera 124 at a non-zero angle A1 relative to the sidewall 142 can allow the camera 124 to be positioned closer to the sidewall 242 while still viewing all or most of the inspection plate 122. In some embodiments, the angle A1 between the alignment of the sidewall 242 and the camera 124 is between about 5° and 45°, between about 10° and 35°, and / or between about 15° and 25°. In some embodiments, the angle A1 between the alignment of the sidewall 242 and the camera 124 is about 15°.

[0053] The camera 124 can be used to visually inspect the electronic device 240 by capturing images and / or video of the electronic device 240 as it is positioned on the inspection plate 122. For example, in some embodiments, the user is prompted to load a “settings” or other page on the electronic device 240 that displays a unique identifier associated with the electronic device 240 (e.g., an IMEI number or MEID or equivalent, a hardware Media Access Control address (MAC address), a model number and / or a serial number, etc.). The camera 124 can capture an image of the unique identifier. The unique identifier can be verified by the kiosk’s processor and / or by a remote server / operator via optical character recognition (OCR) or other suitable method to confirm the identity of the electronic device 240 (i.e., verifying that the electronic device 240 is the same device previously appraised to obtain a trade-in estimate). In some embodiments, the kiosk 100 includes one or more cable connectors for connecting to a mobile phone to access and record the IMEI or other unique identifier from the phone. The one or more connectors may be, for example, on a connector carousel structure.

[0054] In some embodiments, the time on the clock captured in the image of the electronic device 240 is compared to real time to verify that the electronic device 240 is operational and that the image displayed on the screen of the electronic device 240 is an authentic image of the unique identifier and not a duplicate image from another electronic device. In some embodiments, the camera 124 captures a video or series of images of the screen of the electronic device 240 to capture the passage of time on the clock displayed on the screen of the electronic device 240. In some embodiments, the kiosk 100 includes a mechanism configured to physically contact (e.g., "touch") and move along the screen of the electronic device 240 to move or scroll the image on the screen. Potential examples of such devices are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Nos. 13 / 658,825, filed October 24, 2012, 13 / 733,984, filed January 4, 2014, and 15 / 091,487, filed April 5, 2016, which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.

[0055] In response to verifying the identity of the electronic device, the kiosk 100 may offer a reward to the user, for example, in the form of cash, a voucher, a gift card, an electronic credit to a user account, a receipt for tax purposes, and / or some other form or forms of reward. For example, in some embodiments, the user may obtain cash via a cash outlet, obtain a redeemable voucher via a voucher outlet, or the user may provide input (e.g., a unique code) via the display 108 identifying a user account (e.g., a bank account, a credit card account, etc.) to receive an electronic funds transfer. In some instances, the reward offer may be an offer to recycle the electronic device 240 without further monetary compensation. In some embodiments, the kiosk 100 is configured to provide a contingent offer for a reward in instances where the unique identifier is unreadable or otherwise inaccessible and / or the electronic device 240 is unpowered. In such cases, the user may be requested to provide contact information to enable a reward payment later when the price of the electronic device 240 is confirmed, for example, by a remote operator. If the user accepts the reward offer, the kiosk 100 may reserve the electronic device 240 (e.g., in one of the boxes 130a, b), as described below.

[0056] 2B and 2C together, the housing 102 can include an inspection plate assembly 244. The inspection plate assembly 244 can be configured to transport the electronic device 240 toward the bins 130a-b in response to a user's acceptance of an offer price or other reward. The inspection plate assembly 244 can include an inspection plate 122 and a pivot shaft 246. The inspection plate 122 can be mounted to the housing 102 via the pivot shaft 246 and configured to rotate about the pivot shaft 246 (e.g., an axis of rotation) between an inspection position (e.g., a horizontal configuration as illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2C) and a bin-depositing position (e.g., an inclined configuration as illustrated in FIGS. 2D-2E). In some embodiments, the pivot shaft 246 is non-parallel to the front wall of the kiosk 100 and / or perpendicular to the front wall of the kiosk 100. The inspection plate assembly 244 can also include a motor 247 (e.g., an electric stepper motor) or other actuator configured to rotate the inspection plate 122 between the inspection position and the bin-loading position. For example, a gear 248 can be fixedly attached to the drive shaft of the motor 247 and operably engaged with teeth 252 (e.g., a quadrant gear) on the tilt mechanism 250, which is in turn fixedly attached to or otherwise operably coupled to the inspection plate 122. In operation, the motor 247 rotates the gear 248 in a first direction, driving the quadrant gear 250 (and inspection plate 122) downward toward the bin-loading position, and the motor 247 rotates the gear 248 in the opposite direction, driving the quadrant gear 250 (and inspection plate 122) back upward toward the inspection position. In other embodiments, the motor 247 can rotate the inspection plate 122 via other structures, such as, for example, a belt and pulley, a linear actuator, a solenoid, or other suitable components and structures.

[0057] 2D and 2E, kiosk 100 begins the bin-deposit process by tilting inspection plate 122 and sliding electronic device 240 off inspection plate 122. As explained above, this tilt / movement can be driven by motor 247. As it moves away from inspection plate 122, electronic device 240 first contacts upper deflector plate 134, as illustrated by the first device position shown in dashed lines in both FIGS. 2D and 2E. As electronic device 240 advances toward bins 130a-b, lower deflector plate 136 can direct electronic device 240 toward either first bin 130a or second bin 130b. For example, referring first to FIG. 2D , the lower deflector plate 136 can be positioned in a first orientation or position (e.g., a vertical or near-vertical position) to direct the electronic device 240 toward the first box 130a (as shown by the electronic device 240 shown in solid lines in FIG. 2D ). In the first position, the lower deflector plate 136 can be oriented such that it blocks a path from the test plate 122 to the second box 130b, thereby deflecting the electronic device 240 toward the first box 130a. Referring next to FIG. 2E , the lower deflector plate 136 can be moved from the first position of FIG. 2D to a second position in which the lower deflector plate 136 is tilted or angled toward the first box 130a. In this position, the lower deflector plate 136 directs the electronic device 240 toward the second box 130b. In some embodiments, the lower deflector plate 136 can be pivotally mounted to the housing 102 by a pivot shaft 256, which facilitates rotation of the lower deflector plate 136 between the first and second positions. The kiosk 100 can include a deflector plate motor 137 configured to drive the deflector plate 136. The deflector plate motor 257 can be an electric motor (e.g., a stepper motor) or other suitable mechanism for moving the deflector plate 136. The motor 137 can be configured to drive a belt 259, chain, or other linkage configured to engage the pivot shaft 256 or other portions of the lower deflector plate 136.In some embodiments, the deflector motor 257 is mounted to or otherwise connected to the wall of the kiosk 100 .

[0058] In some embodiments, the free end portion 258 of the lower deflector 136 (e.g., the upper end portion of the lower deflector 136 opposite the pivot shaft 256) is positioned below the intermediate ramp plate 138 when the lower deflector 136 is in the second position. This allows the electronic device 240 to pass between the lower deflector 136 and the upper deflector plate 134 and into the second bin 130b when the lower deflector 136 is in the second configuration. The kiosk 100 can be configured to selectively fill one of the bins 130a, b before the other of the bins 130a, b by using the lower deflector 136 and directing the electronic device toward the desired bin, as described above. For example, a processor of the kiosk 100 (e.g., processor 402 described below with reference to FIG. 4) is configured to move the lower deflector 136. In some embodiments, the kiosk is configured to direct electronic devices toward specific bins based on the characteristics of the electronic device. For example, kiosk 100 may be configured to direct all iOS® devices to one bin and all Android® devices to another bin. In some embodiments, kiosk 100 is configured to direct lower-priced devices to one bin and higher-priced devices to another bin. For example, devices with recycle / trade-in prices below a threshold amount (e.g., below $20, below $40, etc.) may be directed (e.g., via lower deflector 136) to first bin 130a, while devices with prices above the threshold price may be directed to second bin 130b.

[0059] 3A and 3B are isometric and side views, respectively, of a box 130 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. The box 130 may be identical to, or at least generally similar to, the boxes 130a-b described above. The box 130 may include a handle 362 (e.g., on the front side of the box 130) so that the box 130 can be easily manually placed in and / or removed from the kiosk 100. The box 130 may also include one or more structures or features configured to increase the likelihood that an electronic device dropped into the box 130 will land on its respective screen side or back side. Arranging the electronic devices in such a manner can increase the number of electronic devices that can fit inside the box 130. For example, referring to FIG. 3A, the box 130 may include one or more fingers 364 extending from one or more opposing side walls of the box 130 into the interior of the box 130. The fingers 364 may be elongated members (e.g., cylindrical members) constructed from a resilient material, such as rubber, polymer, and / or some other resilient material or combination of materials, and may be configured to flex when contacted by an electronic device dropped into the box 130. The fingers 364 may be arranged in various patterns. For example, with reference to FIG. 3B , the fingers 364 may be arranged in one or more vertical rows, columns, or other patterns. In some embodiments, the fingers 364 are arranged in staggered rows that extend inward in a cantilevered manner from opposite sides of the box 130. Extending the fingers 364 from opposite sides of the box 130 may reduce the likelihood of an electronic device passing through the box 130 landing on a side of the electronic device because the fingers 364 alternately rotate the electronic device toward and away from each of the opposite sides of the box 130 as the electronic device moves toward the bottom end of the box 130.

[0060] 4 provides a schematic diagram of the architecture of a kiosk 100 configured in accordance with an embodiment 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 herein in accordance with computer-readable instructions stored on a system memory 406. The processor 402 may be any logical 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 within an electronic device, or may be distributed across multiple devices. The processor 402 is connected to the memory 406 and may be internally coupled to other hardware devices and high-speed peripherals, for example, through the use of a bus (e.g., a USB 3.0 hub 424, a PCI Express, or a Serial ATA bus, etc.). Processor 402 may include, by way of example, a standard personal computer (PC) (e.g., a Dell® OptiPlex® 7010 PC) or other type of embedded computer running any suitable operating system, such as Windows® (e.g., the Windows® 8 Pro operating system), Linux®, Android®, iOS®, or an embedded real-time operating system. In some embodiments, processor 402 may be a small form factor PC with an integrated hard disk drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD) and a universal serial bus (USB) or other port for communicating with other components of kiosk 100. In other embodiments, processor 402 may include a microprocessor with a stand-alone motherboard that interfaces with a separate HDD.Memory 406 may include, for example, read-only memory (ROM) and random-access memory (RAM), or other storage devices such as a disk drive or SSD, that store executable applications, test software, databases, and / or other software required to control kiosk components, process electronic device information and data (e.g., to evaluate device make, model, condition, price, etc.), communicate and exchange data and information with remote computers and other devices, etc. Program modules, such as an operating system, one or more application programs, other programs or modules, and program data, may be stored in system memory 406. Memory 406 may also include a web browser for enabling kiosk 100 to access and exchange data with websites via the Internet.

[0061] The processor 402 can provide information and instructions to the kiosk user via the display screen 108 and / or the audio system (e.g., speakers) 420. The processor 402 can also receive user input, for example, via a touchscreen associated with the display screen 108 and / or, in some embodiments, a keypad 414 with physical keys, and / or a microphone 416. Additionally, the processor 402 can receive personal identification and / or biometric information associated with the user via an ID reader (e.g., a driver's license reader / scanning device), one or more of the external cameras 110a-b, and / or a fingerprint reader 111. In some embodiments, the processor 402 can also receive information (such as user identification and / or account information) via a card reader 412 (e.g., a debit, credit, or loyalty card reader with a suitable magnetic stripe reader, optical reader, etc.). The processor 402 may also control the operation of the dispenser 115 (eg, a dispenser configured to provide a label, a reward (eg, cash), and / or a receipt or voucher to a user).

[0062] Processor 402 can also control the operation of electronic, optical, and electromechanical systems kiosk 100 includes to electrically, visually, and / or physically analyze electronic devices installed within kiosk 100 for purchase or recycling. Such systems can include one or more internal cameras (e.g., camera 124) for visually inspecting electronic devices, e.g., to ascertain unique identifiers and / or model IDs, and (optionally) one or more electrical connectors 474 (e.g., USB connectors) for powering and conducting electronic inspections, e.g., for mobile phones and other electronic devices. Processor 402 can also be operably connected to connector carrier 478 to control the dispensing of connectors 474, and to motors 116 and 247 to control the movement of access door 112 and inspection plate 122, respectively, as described in detail above. Kiosk 100 further includes a number of mechanical components 422 that are electronically operated to perform various functions of kiosk 100 during operation. Mechanical components 422 may include, for example, inspection area access door 112 (FIG. 1A). Kiosk 100 further includes power 404, which may include battery power and / or utility power for operation of various electrical components associated with kiosk operation.

[0063] In the illustrated embodiment, kiosk 100 further includes a network connection 417 (e.g., a wired connection such as an Ethernet port, a cable modem, a FireWire cable, a Lightning connector, a USB port, etc.) suitable for communication with any manner of processing device (including a remote processing device), e.g., via communication link 408, and a wireless transceiver 413 (e.g., including a Wi-Fi access point, a Bluetooth transceiver, a near field communication (NFC) device, a wireless modem or cellular radio utilizing GSM, CDMA, 3G, 4G, and / or 5G technology, etc.) suitable for communication with any manner of processing device (including a remote processing device) via communication link 408 and / or directly, e.g., via a wireless peer-to-peer connection. For example, wireless transceiver 413 can facilitate wireless communication with an electronic device such as mobile device 440 (e.g., electronic device 240), e.g., for wireless assessment of the mobile device, e.g., via a mobile application loaded on the device. Such communication with the mobile device 440 can occur when the device is in proximity to the kiosk 100 (e.g., within or near the inspection area 120) or when the device 440 is remote from the kiosk 100. In other embodiments, the kiosk 100 can include other components and features that may differ from those described above, and / or one or more of the components and features described above may be omitted.

[0064] In the illustrated embodiment, electronic device 440 is depicted as a handheld device, e.g., electronic device 240. However, in other embodiments, electronic device 440 may be, for example, other handheld devices, PDAs, MP3 players, tablets, notebook and laptop computers, e-readers, cameras, desktop computers, televisions, DVRs, game consoles, Google® Glass, etc. TM, smartwatches, etc. By way of example only, in the illustrated embodiment, electronic device 440 may include one or more features, applications, and / or other elements commonly found in smartphones and other known mobile devices. For example, electronic device 440 may include a CPU and / or a graphics processing unit (GPU) 434 for executing computer-readable instructions stored on memory 436. In addition, electronic device 440 may include an internal power source or battery 432, a dock connector 446, a USB port 448, a camera 441, and / or well-known input devices including, for example, a touchscreen 442, a keypad, etc. In many embodiments, electronic device 440 may also include speakers 444 for two-way communication and audio playback. In addition to the aforementioned features, electronic device 440 may include an operating system (OS) 431 and / or a device wireless transceiver, which may include, for example, one or more antennas 438 for wirelessly communicating with other electronic devices, websites, and kiosk 100. Such communication may be performed, for example, via communications link 408 (which may include the Internet, a public or private intranet, a local or extended Wi-Fi network, a cellular base station, a plain old telephone system (POTS), etc.), direct wireless communication, etc.

[0065] 5 is a schematic diagram of a suitable network environment for implementing various aspects of an electronic device recycling system 500 configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology. In the illustrated embodiment, multiple kiosks 100 (individually identified as kiosks 100a-100n) can exchange information with one or more remote computers (e.g., one or more server computers 504) via communication links 408. Communication links 408 can include a publicly available network (e.g., the Internet with a web interface), although private communication links such as an intranet or other network can also be used. Also, in various embodiments, individual kiosks 100 can be connected to a host computer (not shown) that facilitates the exchange of information between kiosks 100 and remote computers, other kiosks, mobile devices, etc.

[0066] The server computer 504 can perform many or all of the functions for receiving, routing, and storing electronic messages, such as web pages, audio signals, and electronic images, necessary to implement the various electronic transactions described herein. For example, the server computer 504 can retrieve and exchange web pages and other content with one or more associated databases 506. In some embodiments, the databases 506 can include information related to mobile phones and / or other consumer electronic devices. Such information can include, for example, make, model, serial number, IMEI number, mobile operator plan information, pricing information, owner information, etc. In various embodiments, the server computer 504 also can include a server engine 508, a web page management component 510, a content management component 512, and a database management component 514. The server engine 508 can perform basic processing and operating system-level tasks associated with the various technologies described herein. The web page management component 510 can handle the creation and / or display and / or routing of web or other display pages. The content management component 512 can handle many of the functions associated with the routines described herein. The database management component 514 can perform various storage, retrieval, and query tasks associated with the database 506, which can store various information and data such as animations, graphics, visual and audio signals, and the like.

[0067] In the illustrated embodiment, kiosk 100 can also be operably connected to a number of other remote devices and systems via communications link 408. For example, kiosk 100 can be operably connected to a number of user devices 518 (e.g., personal computers, laptops, handheld devices, etc.) having associated browsers 520. Similarly, as described above, kiosk 100 can each include wireless communication equipment for exchanging digital information with wireless-enabled electronic devices, such as electronic device 440 (e.g., electronic device 240). kiosk 100 and / or server computer 504 can also be operably connected to a series of remote computers for obtaining data and / or exchanging information with necessary service providers, financial institutions, device manufacturers, government agencies, etc. For example, the kiosk 100 and the server computer 504 may be operatively connected to one or more mobile phone carriers 522, one or more device manufacturers 524 (e.g., mobile phone manufacturers), one or more electronic payment or financial institutions 528, 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 526. The financial institutions 528 may include any 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.

[0068] In addition to the foregoing, kiosk 100 and server computer 504 can be operatively connected to a resale marketplace 530 and / or a kiosk operator 532. Resale marketplace 530 represents a system of remote computers and / or service providers associated with the resale of consumer electronic devices through both electronic and brick-and-mortar channels. Such entities and facilities can be associated, for example, with online auctions for reselling used electronic devices and establishing market prices for such devices. Kiosk operator 532 can be a central computer or system of computers for controlling all manner of operation of the network of kiosks 100. Such operation can include, for example, kiosk maintenance (e.g., remote testing of kiosk functionality, downloading operating software and updates, etc.), inspections (e.g., periodic replenishment of cash and other consumables), remote monitoring and promotion of performance, etc. Additionally, kiosk operator 532 may further include one or more display screens operably connected to receive images from one or more cameras (e.g., one or more of cameras 110a-b and 124) located on each of kiosks 100. This remote viewing capability allows operator personnel to verify user identification in real time during a transaction and / or make other visual observations at kiosk 100. This may include remote evaluation of images of the electronic device by the remote operator to rate the physical condition of the device.

[0069] The kiosks 100 described herein can be used in transactions where a user first receives an offer (e.g., a guaranteed offer) to purchase the electronic device prior to visiting the kiosk 100. For example, the user may download a mobile application used to evaluate the electronic device and provide an offer to purchase the electronic device. The mobile application may be downloaded to the electronic device to be evaluated or to a separate electronic device. Some such mobile applications are described in Appendix A, attached hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. In some cases, the electronic device is evaluated at a separate kiosk, where the user is offered a purchase price. The user may then bring the electronic device to the kiosk 100 described herein after receiving the guaranteed offer. The kiosk 100 can be used to verify that the electronic device is the same device for which the guaranteed offer was provided. In some embodiments, the kiosk 100 does not perform any further evaluation of the electronic device other than the verification described above.

[0070] 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process 600 for interacting with kiosk 100 to sell an electronic device, according to an embodiment of the present technology. Process 600 can begin by a user obtaining an initial estimated price for an electronic device the user wishes to sell (block 602). The price can be, for example, a trade-in price, a sale price, and / or a deductible price for tax purposes. In some embodiments, the user can obtain an initial quote by running a mobile application on the device the user wishes to sell and / or by having the device appraised by another consumer-operated kiosk configured to appraise and price electronic devices (e.g., mobile phones). In some embodiments, the user is prompted to obtain an initial estimated price for the electronic device after first viewing kiosk 100 (e.g., in a retail or other public environment).

[0071] 7-18 illustrate exemplary systems and methods for implementing steps for obtaining an initial estimated price for an electronic device that a user desires to sell. For example, FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a suitable computing environment 700 for implementing various aspects of the present technology. The environment 700 includes a first electronic device (e.g., an evaluating device 710) and a second electronic device (e.g., a target electronic device or mobile phone 240). In the illustrated embodiment, the evaluating device 710 is depicted as a handheld computing device such as a smartphone or other mobile phone. However, in other embodiments, the evaluating device 710 can be any manner of electronic device. For example, the evaluator device 710 may be any of a variety of devices, including, but not limited to, larger consumer electronic devices such as tablets, handheld gaming devices, media players, mobile phones of all styles, smartphones, handheld devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), MP3 or other digital music players, tablets, notebook, ultrabook, and laptop computers, e-readers, cameras of all types, GPS devices, set-top boxes and other media players, VoIP phones, universal remote controls, speakers, headphones, wearable computers, desktop computers, televisions, projectors, DVRs, game consoles, Blu-ray Disc® players, printers, network attached storage devices, and Google® Glass TM , smartwatches (e.g., Apple Watch) TM , Moto Android Wear such as 360 (registered trademark) TM device, or Pebble Steel TMThe device may be a mobile phone, a watch, a fitness band, a thumb drive, a smaller electronic device such as a wireless hands-free device, an unmanned aerial vehicle, etc. Although many embodiments of the present technology are described herein in the context of a mobile phone, aspects of the present technology are not limited to mobile phones and apply generally to other consumer electronic devices. Such devices include, by way of non-limiting examples, desktop computers, televisions, game consoles, etc.

[0072] In one embodiment, the evaluating device 710 may execute a software application to assist in the evaluation of the target device 240. For example, the evaluating device 710 may have a camera 750 and a flashlight 770 and may use the camera and flashlight to take pictures and record videos of the target device 240. The evaluating device 710 may provide instructions to the user through a speaker 760 and / or display 715 of the evaluating device 710 to instruct the user on how to position the target device 240 relative to the camera 750 and / or flashlight 770, as described in more detail below. The flashlight may be the flash used in taking pictures or may include the flashlight functionality of the device.

[0073] In some embodiments, both the evaluating device 710 and the target device 240 may be running one or more applications. The one or more applications may communicate with each other, such that the evaluating device 710 and the target device 240 function in a server-client relationship to determine a price for the target device 240. For example, an application executed by the target device 240 may provide information about the target device 240 to the application executed by the evaluating device 710. The information may include, but is not limited to, the make and model of the target device 240, the operating system version of the target device 240, memory / storage capacity, the service provider for the target device 240, the IMEI number of the target device 240, the network capabilities of the target device 240 (e.g., 4G, 5G, etc.), etc.

[0074] In some embodiments, the target device 240 includes a communication interface (e.g., a connector port 722 and / or a wireless transceiver (not shown)), and the evaluating device 710 likewise includes a communication interface (e.g., a connector port 718 and / or a wireless transceiver (not shown)). In this embodiment, the evaluating device 710 can be electrically connected to the target device 240 via a wireless connection 730 between the respective device transceivers, such as a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth network or a near-field communication (NFC) link, or via a wired connection 740, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB), Ethernet, or Lightning cable connected between the device connector ports 718 and 722. The evaluating device 710 can execute special software configured to evaluate the target device 240. The evaluating device 710 and the target device 240 can be connected via a USB cable. The display screen 715 of the evaluator device 710 may display information such as text information 712 indicating that the evaluator device 710 has identified the target device 240, an image 714 representing the target device 240, and / or icons or buttons 716 that allow the user to select various options or actions, such as confirming the correct identification of the target device 240, pricing the target device 240, saving the target device 240 to a list of devices, etc.

[0075] As described in detail below, the technology enables the evaluating device 710 to obtain information from the target device 240 via a wireless connection 730 and / or a wired connection 740, evaluate the obtained information, and facilitate recycling and / or other processing of the target device 240. The term “processing” is used herein for ease of reference and generally refers to any manner of services and operations that may be performed on, with, or otherwise in connection with a target device. Such services and operations may include, for example, selling, reselling, recycling, upcycling, donating, exchanging, identifying, appraising, pricing, auctioning, decommissioning, transferring data from or to, reconfiguring, refurbishing, etc., of mobile phones and other target devices. The term “recycling” is used herein for ease of reference and generally refers to selling, buying, reselling, exchanging, donating, and / or receiving a target device. For example, an owner may choose to sell their used target device, which can be recycled for resale, reconditioning, repair, recovery of recoverable components, environmentally friendly disposal, etc.

[0076] 8 is a block diagram illustrating some of the components 800 typically incorporated within computing systems and other devices on which the present technology may be implemented. In the illustrated embodiment, the evaluating device 710 includes a processing component 830 that controls the operation of the evaluating device 710 according to computer-readable instructions stored in memory 840. The processing component 830 may be any logical processing unit, such as one or more central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. The processing component 830 may be a single processing unit or multiple processing units within the evaluating device, or may be distributed across multiple devices. Aspects of the present technology may be embodied in special-purpose computing devices or data processors specifically programmed, configured, or constructed to execute one or more of the computer-executable instructions described in detail herein. Aspects of the present technology can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where functions or modules are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or the Internet. In a distributed computing environment, modules can be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0077] The processing component 830 is connected to memory 840, which may include a combination of temporary and / or permanent storage, and both read-only memory (ROM) and writeable memory (e.g., random access memory or RAM), writeable non-volatile memory such as flash memory or other solid-state memory, hard drives, removable media, magnetic or optically readable disks, nanotechnology memory, biological memory, etc. As used herein, memory does not include the transient propagating signals themselves. The memory 840 includes data storage devices containing programs, software, and information, such as an operating system 842, application programs 844, and data 846. The operating system of the evaluating device 710 may include, for example, Windows®, Linux®, Android®, iOS®, and / or an embedded real-time operating system. The application programs 844 and data 846 may include software and databases configured to control components of the evaluating device 710, process information and data of the target device 240 (e.g., to evaluate device make, model, condition, price, etc.), communicate and exchange data and information with remote computers and other devices, etc.

[0078] The evaluating device 710 may include an input component 810 that receives input from user interactions and provides the input to the processor 830, typically conveyed by a hardware controller that interprets raw signals received from the input device and communicates the information to the processor 830 using known communication protocols. Examples of the input component 810 include a keyboard (with physical or virtual keys), a pointing device (such as a mouse, joystick, dial, or eye-tracking device), a touchscreen 812 that detects contact events when touched by a user, a microphone 814 that receives audio input, and a camera 816 for still photo and / or video capture. The evaluating device 710 may also include various other input components 810, such as a GPS or other location-determining sensor, a motion sensor, a wearable input device with an accelerometer (e.g., a wearable glove-type input device), a biometric sensor (e.g., a fingerprint sensor), an optical sensor, a card reader (e.g., a magnetic stripe reader or memory card reader), etc.

[0079] The processor 830 may also be connected, for example, directly or via a hardware controller, to one or more various output components 820. The output device may include a display 715 on which text and graphics are displayed. The display 715 may be, for example, an LCD, LED, or OLED display screen (such as a desktop computer screen, a handheld device screen, or a television screen), an E-ink display, a projection display (such as a heads-up display device), and / or a display integrated with a touchscreen 812 that serves as an input device and an output device that provides graphical and textual visual feedback to a user. The output device may also include a speaker 824 for playing audio signals, a haptic feedback device for tactile output such as vibration, etc. In some implementations, the speaker 824 and microphone 814 are implemented by a combined audio input / output device.

[0080] In the illustrated embodiment, the evaluating device 710 further includes one or more communications components 850. The communications components may include, for example, a wireless transceiver 852 (e.g., one or more of a Wi-Fi transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, an NFC device, a wireless modem or cellular radio utilizing GSM, CDMA, 3G, and / or 4G technology, etc.) and / or a wired network connection 718 (e.g., one or more of an Ethernet port, a cable modem, a FireWire cable, a Lightning connector, a USB port, etc.). The communications component 850 is suitable for communication between the evaluating device 710 and other local and / or remote computing devices, e.g., the target device 240, directly via a wired or wireless peer-to-peer connection and / or indirectly via communications link 870 (which may include the Internet, a public or private intranet, a local or extended Wi-Fi network, a cellular base station, a plain old telephone system (POTS), etc.). For example, the wireless transceiver 852 of the evaluating device 710 can be connected to the wireless transceiver 882 (e.g., antenna 438) of the target device 240 via the wireless connection 730, and / or the wired connector 740 of the evaluating device 710 can be connected to the wired connector 722 (e.g., port 722) of the target device 240 via the wired connection 740. The evaluating device 710 further includes power 860, which may include battery power and / or utility power for operation of various electrical components associated with the evaluating device 710.

[0081] Unless otherwise described, the structure and operation of the various components shown in FIG. 8 are of conventional design. As a result, such components need not be described in further detail herein, as they will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. In other embodiments, the evaluating device 710 and / or the target device 240 may include other features that may differ from those described above. In still further embodiments, the evaluating device 710 and / or the target device 240 may include more or fewer features similar to those described above.

[0082] 9 shows a user interface presented by an application running on an evaluating or target device according to some embodiments of the present technology. User interface 900 presents several buttons 910, 920, 930, 940 to the user.

[0083] When a user selects button 910, an application running on the device determines that the user wishes to sell the device displaying user interface 900. When a user selects button 920, the application determines that the user wishes to sell another device, for example, target device 240 of Figure 7, and uses the device displaying user interface 900 as evaluator device 710 of Figure 7.

[0084] When the user selects button 930, the application displays to the user previous offers received for various devices that the user has previously offered for sale. The user may have an account with an entity (e.g., ecoATM). The user can log in to that account and retrieve previous offers. When the user selects button 940, the application provides the user with additional information about the transaction on the user's device (e.g., terms of service, privacy notice, recycling policy, etc.).

[0085] FIG. 10 shows a series of user interfaces presented to a user when the user wishes to sell a target device, according to some embodiments of the present technology. When the user selects button 910 of FIG. 9, an application running on the device determines that the user has a single device that the user wishes to sell. In step 1000, the application provides the user with information prompting the user to acquire a second device, such as evaluator device 710 of FIG. 7, to obtain a more precise estimate. The application provides two buttons 1010 and 1020. If the user wishes to proceed with a single device, the user can select button 1010, in which case the application will provide the user with a rough estimate. If the user selects button 1020, the user can return to user interface 900 of FIG. 9 and can select button 920 of FIG. 9.

[0086] If the user wishes to proceed with a single device, the application can collect information about the device by querying the user or automatically. For example, in step 1030, the application asks the user to specify the type of device: iPhone®, Samsung, Huawei, Dell, Lenovo, etc. In step 1040, the application presents the user with options 1042, 1044 (only two are labeled for brevity) for selecting the device's manufacturer. In step 1050, the application presents the user with options 1052, 1054 (only two are labeled for brevity) for selecting the mobile operator / telecommunications service provider.

[0087] In step 1060, the application presents the user with options 1062, 1064 (only two are labeled for brevity) for selecting the memory capacity of the device. The application can also query the user if the target device 240 is currently under contract or is a business phone.

[0088] In step 1070, the application presents several questions 1072, 1074 (only two are labeled for brevity) to prompt the user to describe the condition of the device, such as whether there are any cracks in the front glass, cracks in the back glass, display problems, broken buttons, broken cameras, etc. If in step 1070 the user indicates that the device is in new condition, for example, by not selecting the "Yes" button 1076 for any of the questions, the application may request the user to provide additional information about the device, as described in Figure 11 below.

[0089] Additionally, the application can automatically gather information about the target device 240, thus shortening user-UI interaction by obtaining parameters directly from the target device 240. To determine whether the device is an Android® or Apple device, the application can determine the operating system (OS) of the target device 240. If the operating system is iOS, the application can determine that the target device 240 is an Apple device. If the operating system is Android®, the application can query the device manufacturer regarding the type of device, such as Samsung, Google, HTC, etc.

[0090] To determine the make, model, memory capacity, and / or mobile carrier information of the target device 240, the application can obtain information from the target device 240 and present the determined make, model, memory capacity, and / or mobile carrier information for the user to review.

[0091] To test the target device 240's ability to connect via a wireless network, the application can request the user's permission to automatically dial a number or send a text message. If the call is successfully placed and / or the text is successfully sent, the application can determine that the target device 240 has network capabilities.

[0092] To test whether the target device 240 has logged out of the user's personal account, such as Gmail and / or iCloud, the application can attempt to automatically access the user's personal account. If the login attempt is unsuccessful, the application can determine that the user has successfully logged out of the user's personal account.

[0093] In step 1080, based on the information the user provides to the application, the application provides the user with a price estimate 1082 for the device. However, in this case, the price estimate 1082 is not a guarantee of the lowest price the user will receive once the user submits the device for inspection and / or sale. The price estimate 1082 may be reduced once the user submits the device (e.g., the user brings the device to a physical kiosk, mails the device to an evaluation entity, submits the device to a physical store, etc.).

[0094] Finally, in step 1090, the application can present an alternative offer to the user. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the offer could be to trade in the device for an upgraded device and receive a discount on the upgraded device. The discount could be higher than the price quote 1082 received in step 1080. The offer could include rideshare (e.g., Uber or Lyft) rides, various accessories that can be exchanged for the device, credits for accessories, or credits for unrelated services such as gift cards, points, mileage credits, etc. For example, an employer could offer a trade-in for an employee's device in exchange for carbon credits that the employer can apply for. Alternatively, the employer could reimburse the employee for the trade-in device.

[0095] 11A-11D show a series of user interfaces associated with an application running on the evaluating device to guide a user in evaluating a target device, according to some embodiments of the present technology. The application running on the evaluating device 710 can vary the steps of the evaluation of the target device 240, as illustrated in FIGS. 11A-11D, depending on the type of target device 240 being evaluated, the type of damage disclosed by the user, etc.

[0096] 11A shows the display of the evaluator device 710 of FIG. 7 showing the initial steps in evaluating the target device 240. A display element 1100 can show all of the steps required to complete the evaluation of the target device 240. The image of the current step 1110 can be highlighted to draw the user's attention, while the images of the remaining steps 1120, 1130, 1140, 1150 can be presented to appear less visible, such as by dimming them.

[0097] An application running on the evaluator device 710 can instruct the user via audio, text, image, video, or other similar means to log out of the user's personal account stored in the target device 240 and display an application on the target device 240 verifying that the user has logged out of the user's personal account. The user's personal account may include iCloud, Google, Dropbox, etc. The application, such as Settings, can verify that the user has logged out of the user's personal account. Additionally, the evaluator device 710 can instruct the user via audio, text, image, video, or other similar means to point the camera 750 of FIG. 7 of the evaluator device 710 at the display of the target device 240 and record the display created by the verification application, such as Settings.

[0098] Additionally, an application running on the evaluating device 710 can request the user to factory reset the target device 240. To verify that the target device 240 has undergone or is undergoing a factory reset process, the camera 750 of the evaluating device 710 can record the progress or completion of the factory reset being completed on the target device.

[0099] The evaluator device 710 can record a photo (and / or video) of the target device 240 and generate an indication, such as a clicking sound, that the photo was recorded. The evaluator device 710 can perform optical character recognition (OCR) and determine from the recorded image whether the user has logged out of their personal account.

[0100] Additionally, the evaluating device 710 may provide a help button 1160. When the user selects button 1160, the evaluating device 710 may provide the user with more detailed instructions, provide a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs), and / or provide technical support contact information.

[0101] 11B , the evaluating device 710 can prompt the user to display a unique identifier 1190 of the target device 240, such as a primary and secondary International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) for devices with multiple subscriber identity modules (SIMs), a unique device identity (UDI), a media access control (MAC) address, a Bluetooth MAC address, a WiFi MAC address, a universally unique identifier (UUID), an Internet Protocol (IP) address (ipvc4 / 6), the target device's phone number, the target device's model and serial number, etc. To obtain the unique identifier 1190, e.g., the IMEI, the user can also dial *#06# on the target device 240 to display the unique identifier. The evaluating device 710 can perform OCR on the unique identifier 1190.

[0102] 11B , the evaluating device 710 can also request information about the capacity 1170 and mobile carrier 1180 of the target device 240. The evaluating device 710 can obtain a unique identifier 1190 from a previously installed application, such as an application installed by the phone manufacturer. To prevent a user from photographing the IMEI of a damaged target device 240, then taking a video of the undamaged device and attempting to sell the damaged target device 240, the application running on the evaluating device 710 can instruct the user to keep the evaluating device 710 focused on the target device 240 at all times. If the app detects that the evaluating device 710 is not always (or substantially always) focused on the target device 240, it can present an error message to the user (e.g., as an audio alert (e.g., a beep), a visual alert (e.g., a flashing / blinking light), etc.).

[0103] An application running on the evaluator device 710 can instruct the user via audio, text, image, video, or other similar means how to display information containing the unique identifier 1190, capacity 1170, and mobile carrier 1180 on the display of the target device 240. For example, the evaluator device 710 can communicate to the user to go to settings, select the "General" button, and then select "Advanced" to obtain the needed information.

[0104] An application running on the evaluator device 710 can prompt the user to record a picture of the target device 240 showing the required information. The evaluator device 710 can generate an indication, such as a sound, that the picture is being recorded. Once the picture is recorded, the evaluator device 710 can use OCR to obtain the required information from the picture.

[0105] As described herein, the evaluating device 710 obtains a unique identifier for the target device 240. In some embodiments, the evaluating device 710 determines whether the target device 240 has been previously evaluated based on the unique identifier 1190. In response to determining that the target device 240 has been previously evaluated, the evaluating device 710 retrieves data describing the target device 240 from a database.

[0106] Once the evaluating device 710 obtains the unique identifier 1190, the evaluating device 710 can determine whether the unique identifier 1190 has been previously evaluated, such as if a user has attempted to scan the target device 240 multiple times. If the unique identifier 1190 has been previously evaluated, the evaluating device 710 can pre-populate the device information using previously stored information such as the IMEI number, storage capacity, etc. Additionally, once the evaluating device 710 has the unique identifier 1190, the evaluating device 710 can automatically gather some information. For example, the evaluating device 710 can query a wireless telecommunications provider database to obtain additional information about the device, such as technical specifications, age, number of resales, etc.

[0107] 11C, the evaluating device 710 can instruct the user to turn off the screen of the target device 240 prior to proceeding to the final three steps 1130, 1140, and 1150. The reason for turning off the screen of the target device 240 is to increase the visibility of any screen imperfections (e.g., cracks) on the target device 240 in the steps described in FIG. 11D. Once the user has turned off the display screen, the user can communicate to the evaluating device 710 to move to the final three steps 1130, 1140, and 1150 by selecting button 1125.

[0108] FIG. 11D shows the remaining steps required to evaluate the target device 240. In these three steps 1130, 1140, and 1150, an application running on the evaluating device 710 prompts the user via audio, text, image, video, or other similar means to take several photographs of the target device 240, such as three photographs of the target device 240 as shown in FIG. 11D. A guide 1105 displayed on the evaluating device 710 indicates how to position the target device 240 within the evaluating device's 710 camera field of view. The guide 1105 can be any color and / or shape, such as a green rounded rectangle, a red rounded rectangle with a dashed line, or the like. In some embodiments, no guide is displayed. The photographs can be of approximately three-quarters of a view of the left side of the target device 240, a three-quarters view of the right side of the target device 240, and a view from the front. Additional photographs, such as from the back and / or side, can also be taken. In one embodiment, steps 1130, 1140, 1150 can be performed once for the display side of the target device 240 and once for the back side of the target device 240. For example, during evaluation, the evaluating device 710 can ask the user to position the target device 240 to take a picture of the back side of the target device 240, since most devices today have glass backsides.

[0109] In some embodiments, the remote operator detects that a second device has replaced the target device 240 by analyzing the video. In response to detecting that a second device has replaced the target device 240, the acquired physical properties are determined to be inaccurate. For example, while a user is positioning the target device 240 to take a photograph, the evaluating device 710 can record video of the user's actions without the user's knowledge. The reason the evaluating device 710 records video without the user's knowledge is to prevent the user from replacing the target device 240 with another device (sometimes referred to as a "second device") that is in better condition than the target device 240. While the user is recording the video, the remote operator can receive the video in real time and detect whether the user has replaced the target device 240 with a device in better condition. If the remote operator detects a replacement, the remote operator can instruct the evaluating device 710 to stop the evaluation and generate a notification to the user that the evaluation has been stopped. In some embodiments, the detection that a second device has replaced the target device is performed using an artificial intelligence module. For example, a remote operator may be an artificial intelligence module trained to detect device replacement. The artificial intelligence module may also be trained to detect screen and / or device imperfections (e.g., cracks) that may not otherwise be visible in a photographic format from a recorded video.

[0110] The artificial intelligence module is implemented using components shown and described in more detail with reference to Figures 7-8. For example, the artificial intelligence module can be implemented on the evaluating device 710 using instructions programmed into memory 840 shown and described in more detail with reference to Figure 8. Similarly, embodiments of the artificial intelligence module can include different and / or additional components or can be connected in different ways. The artificial intelligence module is sometimes referred to as a machine learning module.

[0111] In some embodiments, the artificial intelligence module includes a feature extraction module, implemented using components shown and described in more detail with reference to FIG. 8 . The feature extraction module extracts feature vectors from the recorded video. The feature extraction module reduces redundancy in the input data, e.g., repeated data values, and converts the input data into a reduced set of features. The feature vectors contain relevant information from the input data such that the nature of the target device under evaluation or data value thresholds of interest can be identified by the artificial intelligence module using this reduced representation. In some exemplary embodiments, the following dimensionality reduction techniques are used by the feature extraction module: independent component analysis, isomap, kernel PCA, latent semantic analysis, partial least squares, principal component analysis, multifactor dimensionality reduction, nonlinear dimensionality reduction, multilinear principal component analysis, multilinear subspace learning, positive semidefinite embedding, autoencoder, and deep feature synthesis.

[0112] In an alternative embodiment, the artificial intelligence module performs deep learning (also known as deep structured learning or layered learning) directly on the input data to learn data representations, as opposed to using task-specific algorithms. In deep learning, no explicit feature extraction is performed; features are implicitly extracted by the artificial intelligence module. For example, the artificial intelligence module can use a cascade of multiple layers of nonlinear processing units for implicit feature extraction and transformation. Each successive layer uses the output from the previous layer as input. The artificial intelligence module can therefore learn in supervised (e.g., classification) and / or unsupervised (e.g., pattern analysis) modes. The artificial intelligence module can learn multiple levels of representations corresponding to different levels of abstraction, where the different levels form a hierarchy of concepts. In this way, the artificial intelligence module can be configured to distinguish features of interest from background features.

[0113] In some embodiments, an artificial intelligence module, for example in the form of a convolutional neural network (CNN), generates output directly from input data, without the need for feature extraction. The output is provided to the evaluation device 710. A CNN is a type of feedforward artificial neural network whose connectivity patterns between neurons are inspired by the organization of the visual cortex. Individual cortical neurons respond to stimuli within a limited region of space known as a receptive field. The receptive fields of different neurons partially overlap, so that they tile the visual field. The response of an individual neuron to stimuli within its receptive field can be mathematically approximated by a convolution operation. A CNN is a variant of a multilayer perceptron that is based on biological processes and designed to use minimal preprocessing.

[0114] In some embodiments, an artificial intelligence module is trained based on training data to correlate feature vectors with expected outputs in the training data. The training data includes a positive training set of features determined to have the desired property and, in some embodiments, a negative training set of features lacking the property. Machine learning techniques are used to train the artificial intelligence module, which, when applied to the feature vector, output an indication of whether the feature vector has the associated desired property or properties, such as the probability that the feature vector has an estimate of a particular Boolean or scalar property. The artificial intelligence module can further apply dimensionality reduction (e.g., via linear discriminant analysis (LDA), principal component analysis (PCA), or the like) to reduce the amount of data in the feature vector to a smaller, more representative set of data.

[0115] Supervised machine learning is used to train the artificial intelligence module, and feature vectors from the positive and negative training sets can serve as inputs. In some embodiments, different machine learning techniques are used, such as linear support vector machines (linear SVMs), boosting for other algorithms (e.g., AdaBoost), logistic regression, naive Bayes, memory-based learning, random forests, bagged trees, decision trees, boosted trees, boosted stumps, neural networks, and CNNs. In some exemplary embodiments, a validation set is formed from additional features other than those in the training data that have already been determined to have or lack the property. The artificial intelligence module can apply the trained machine learning model to the features in the validation set and quantify the accuracy of the machine learning model. Common metrics applied in accuracy measurement include precision and recall, where precision refers to the number of results that the artificial intelligence module correctly predicts out of the total number of predictions it makes, and recall is the number of results that the artificial intelligence module correctly predicts out of the total number of features that had the desired property. In some embodiments, the artificial intelligence module is iteratively retrained until a stopping condition occurs, such as an accuracy measurement indication that the artificial intelligence module is sufficiently accurate or the number of training rounds performed.

[0116] 11A-11D, once the user has positioned the device according to the instructions, the user can select button 1135 and the evaluating device 710 can indicate that a picture has been taken, for example, by generating a clicking sound, even though the evaluating device 710 is recording video. The reason for indicating that a picture has been taken is to lead the user to think that the app is recording a picture, and therefore lead users who wish to replace the target device 240 to be less careful when replacing the device.

[0117] 7 on the target device 240 so that any damage on the target device 240 will reflect the flashlight, causing highlighting and allowing it to be detected as a crack on the target device 240. In one embodiment, an application running on the evaluating device 710 may check whether the target device 240 has a white frame around its display. If the target device 240 does have a white frame, the application may perform steps 1130, 1140, 1150 twice, once with the flashlight 770 on and once with the flashlight 770 off.

[0118] If the evaluating device 710 determines that the target device 240 has a white or gray edge or backside, the evaluating device 710 may choose not to turn on the flashlight because a flashlight can help highlight and / or detect the cracked glass when the glass is on a black sub-surface, such as an LCD. However, when the cracked glass is on a white or gray surface, the evaluating device 710 may detect a drop shadow on the white or gray surface. In that case, turning on the flashlight can illuminate them and remove them, thereby preventing the detection of the drop shadow. As a result, the evaluating device 710 may request the user to take two photographs of a single side of the target device 240, such as the front or backside of the target device 240. The first photograph can be taken with the flashlight, and the second photograph can be taken without the flashlight.

[0119] Steps 1110, 1120, 1130, 1140, and 1150 can be repeated multiple times independently of each other. For example, step 1110 can be repeated three or four times, while steps 1130, 1140, and 1150 are repeated twice. The number of photographs taken and the number of videos taken can vary depending on the information provided by the user and the information detected in the recorded photographs and videos. For example, if the remote operator detects a potential crack in the front of the screen based on a video of the front of the screen, the remote operator can request additional video recordings of the front of the screen under different lighting conditions.

[0120] As described herein, the evaluating device 710 can be, for example, a laptop or desktop, and a user can receive a quote for the target device 240 using a web browser running on the evaluating device 710. The evaluating device 710 can request the user's permission to turn on the evaluating device's 710 camera 750. If the user approves, the browser instructs the user to move the target device 240 through various positions so that the fixed camera 750 can record video for analysis by a remote operator, such as an AI. In this scenario, the user can optionally hold a flashlight (e.g., the flash of a working phone) located on the screen 714 of the evaluating device 710 facing the user so that the camera 750 can better record any cracks in the target device 240.

[0121] 12 illustrates a series of user interfaces displaying a guaranteed price and various payment options, according to some embodiments of the present technology. After performing an evaluation of the target device 240, an application running on the evaluator device 710 can offer the user a guaranteed price 1200. If the user rejects the guaranteed price 1200, the application running on the evaluator device 710 can present the user with an option to explain the reason behind the offered price, such as a crack being detected in the target device 240. If the user accepts the guaranteed price 1200, in step 1210, the application can offer the user store credits, such as store points, gift cards, a better quality device, device accessories, credits for unrelated services such as Uber or Lyft rides, points, mileage credits, etc.

[0122] In step 1220, the application may present the user with options 1230, 1240, 1250 for how to receive payment. Because the guaranteed price 1200 is not an exact estimate, none of the options 1230, 1240, 1250 require further investigation of the target device 240.

[0123] If the user selects option 1230, the user can take the target device 240 to a store or kiosk (e.g., kiosk 100) and receive a cash payment. The device at the kiosk or store can read the IMEI of the device 240 electronically or via OCR. The device at the kiosk or store can make the payment to the user without having to make any further inquiries. As a result, the device at the kiosk or store need not include any rating capabilities and can be an inexpensive device that verifies the IMEI and identification and makes the payment to the customer.

[0124] If the user selects option 1240, the user can print a label and ship the target device 240 to a store or kiosk. The cost of shipping can be deducted from the guaranteed price 1200. If the user selects a third option 1250, the user can receive a shipping box with a shipping label. The cost of the box and shipping label can also be deducted from the guaranteed price 1200. Alternatively, the user can come pick up the target device 240 for a small fee and bring the target device 240 to a store or kiosk. GrubHub TM , Uber TM , or Lyft TM Payment for the target device 240 may be received from a third party, such as a driver.

[0125] A user can enhance the evaluation of the target device 240 by testing the target device's 240 touchscreen functionality, display quality, Wi-Fi, camera, microphone, GPS, etc. To test additional functionality, an application running on the evaluating device 710 can display a code, such as a QR code. The application running on the evaluating device 710 can instruct the user via audio, video, text, image, or other similar means to point the target device's 240 camera at the code.

[0126] Once the target device 240 scans the code, the target device 240 can execute instructions to test the target device's 240 touchscreen functionality, display quality, network access such as data, Wi-Fi, camera, microphone, GPS, etc. The instructions can be provided to the target device 240 through an application installed on the target device 240, or can be provided to the target device 240 when the target device 240 visits a specified web page.

[0127] 13 shows a user interface displaying a test of a target device 240, including touchscreen functionality, in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology. The user can run the test if the user selects "Sell this phone" 910 in FIG. 9 or "Sell another phone" 920 in FIG. 9.

[0128] If the user selects "Sell this phone" and completes the self-assessment, for example, if the evaluating device 710 of FIG. 13 determines the make and model of the target device 240 of FIG. 7, the evaluating device 710 can select to run the tests described in FIGS. 13-16 based on the make and model of the target device 240. For example, if the target device 240 is a more expensive device, such as an iPhone® 11 Pro Max, the evaluating device 710 can run the tests of FIGS. 13-16. If the target device 240 is a less expensive device, such as an iPhone® 5, the evaluating device 710 can skip the tests of FIGS. 13-16.

[0129] If the user selects "Sell Another Phone" 920, the evaluator device 710 can perform the tests of Figures 13-16, and applications on the evaluator device 710 and the target device 240 can communicate with each other to determine the final price 1200. The target device 240 can report its condition, and using that data, the evaluator device 710 can determine the final price.

[0130] To run a test on the target device 240, in one embodiment, the evaluator device can require the user to download a test application to the target device 240, where the test application is configured to run the test. In other embodiments, to streamline the process and not require the user to download a separate application, the evaluator device 240 can display a QR code on its screen and require the target device 240 to point its camera at the QR code. When the target device 240 detects the QR code, the target device 240 can invoke a web browser and allow the user to view a website. The website, via HTML5 and Javascript, can run one or more of the tests in Figures 13-16 via the target device 240's browser.

[0131] The evaluating device 710 can perform the tests of FIGS. 13-16 either before or after providing quote 1082 of FIG. 10 or quote 1200 of FIG. 12. For example, if the evaluating device 710 performs the tests of FIGS. 13-16 before providing quote 1082, the evaluating device 710 can offer the highest price to the user. In another example, the evaluating device 710 can provide quotes 1082, 1200 and perform the tests of FIGS. 13-16 only after the user rejects the quote. After the user rejects the quote, the evaluating device 710 can attempt to win the user back by offering the opportunity for a higher quote, such as by asking, "Would you like another $10?" If the user indicates that they do not want a higher quote, the evaluating device 710 can perform the tests of FIGS. 13-16.

[0132] To test the network access of the target device 240, the target device 240 can be requested to access a particular web page 1300. If the target device 240 successfully accesses the web page 1300, this is an indication that the target device 240 has functioning network access. To test the camera of the target device 240, the target device 240 scans a QR code, which may initiate testing of other functionality of the target device 240.

[0133] To test touchscreen functionality, the target device 240 may display a square 1310 that may move horizontally and vertically across the screen 1320. At each location of the square 1310, the target device 240 may request the user to select the square 1310. The target device 240 may determine whether a selection is detected and whether the selection matches the location of the square 1310. If the selection matches the location of the square 1310 for all locations of the square 1310 across the screen 1320, the target device 240 may determine that the touchscreen functionality is working.

[0134] 14 shows a user interface displaying a test of a microphone of a target device 240 in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology. The target device 240 or the evaluator device 710 can instruct the user on how to test the microphone via audio, video, text, images, or other similar means. For example, the target device 240 can provide buttons 1400 to start the test and record audio, and a button 1400 to stop the test. The target device 240 can display a visualization 1410 of the recorded audio.

[0135] 15 shows a user interface displaying a test of the GPS of the target device 240, in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology. The target device 240 can test the GPS by using the GPS to determine the location of the target device 240 and communicating the location of the target device 240 to the user via audio, video, text, image, or other similar means. For example, the target device 240 can display the detected location 1500 of the target device 240 on a map. The target device 240 can request confirmation from the user, such as using buttons 1510, 1520 or audio communication.

[0136] 16 shows a user interface displaying a test of a display of a target device 240, according to some embodiments of the present technology. The target device 240 may display colors such as red, blue, and green on a display screen 1600 of the target device 240. The target device 240 may present a query to the user via audio, video, text, image, or other similar means, such as, "Do you see any pixels, elements, or spots in the area where the color is cycling that are not shifting color?" The user may respond to the query using buttons 1610, 1620 or by using audio communication.

[0137] 17 is a high-level flow diagram of a routine 1700 for generating a guaranteed value of a target device 240 (e.g., a mobile phone, tablet computer, thumb drive, television, SLR, etc.) for recycling in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology. In various embodiments, an app running on an evaluator device such as a mobile phone or computer (e.g., evaluator device 710 of FIG. 7 ) and / or another processing device operatively connectable to the app, such as a remote computer (e.g., a server), can perform some or all of the routine 1700. In some cases, for example, a user who owns a target device 240 (e.g., a game console, laptop, etc.) may want to know what the target device 240 is worth so that the user can decide whether to sell it. Routine 1700 of FIG. 17 allows a user to use another electronic device (e.g., evaluator device 710) to quickly obtain the current price for the target device 240 without requiring the user to bring the target device 240 to a recycling kiosk 100, a retail store, or another location, and without requiring the user to manually provide information about the target device 240 and its configuration.

[0138] In various embodiments, routine 1700 and other flow routines described in detail herein can be implemented by an evaluating device 710 running an app that can obtain information about a connected target device 240. The target device 240 may be one of a variety of consumer electronic devices (e.g., smartphones, computers, televisions, game consoles, home automation devices, etc.), such as used mobile telecommunications devices, including handheld devices of all types, having wired and / or wireless communication capabilities. In some embodiments, a user may download and install apps from an app store or other software repository (e.g., Apple® Appstore) associated with the device manufacturer or a third party. TM , Google Play TM Store, Amazon(R) AppstoreTM The app may be downloaded to the evaluator device 710 from a mobile device (e.g., a network adapter), a website, a kiosk such as kiosk 100 (e.g., sideloading the app via a wired or wireless data connection), a removable memory device such as an SD flash card or USB drive, etc. In other embodiments, the app is loaded onto the evaluator device 710 before it is first acquired by the user (e.g., pre-installed by the device manufacturer, wireless service carrier, or device vendor).

[0139] In block 1702, the evaluating device 710 may obtain technical characteristics associated with the target device 240. The technical characteristics may include the make and model of the device, the computing capabilities of the device, the memory capacity of the device, the mobile phone carrier providing the data, and / or cellular connectivity to the device, etc.

[0140] In block 1704, the evaluating device 710 may obtain physical properties associated with the target device 240. The physical properties may include wear and tear of the target device 240. To obtain the physical properties, the evaluating device 710 may instruct a user of the target device 240 to position the target device 240 in a number of predetermined positions, such as the front, back, side, top, bottom, and three-quarters views from the left side of the front, and / or top, bottom, and three-quarters views from the left side of the back of the target device 240.

[0141] While capturing the physical properties of the target device 240, the evaluating device 710 can indicate to the user that it has captured an image of each of the multiple predetermined locations. The indication can include a click, an audio commentary that a photo has been taken, or a visual display that a photo has been captured. Additionally, the evaluating device 710 can record video of the handling of the target device 240 while it is positioned at the multiple predetermined locations without informing the user that the video is being recorded. By not informing the user that the video is being recorded, a fraudulent user, for example, who wants to exchange the target device 240 for a second device in better conditions, may be less careful and exchange the device during the photo capture. However, because the evaluating device 710 is recording the video, the evaluating device 710 can record the exchange of devices.

[0142] In block 1706, the evaluating device 710 may generate a condition metric value for the target device 240 by evaluating the acquired information of the physical properties and analyzing the video. The condition metric value may indicate the wear and tear of the target device 240. The condition metric value may be a numeric value indicating the condition of the target device 240 on a predetermined scale, such as a scale of 1 to 100, where 100 indicates new condition and 1 indicates that replacement is needed. The condition metric value may be a vector or matrix indicating the condition of the device with respect to various factors. For example, the condition metric value may be a vector (50, 10, 70...), where the first entry indicates the condition of the screen, the second entry indicates the condition of the battery, the third entry indicates the memory capacity of the device, etc. The condition metric value for generating the condition metric value for the target device 240 may also be a scalar value representing a weighted sum of the vector entries.

[0143] To determine wear and tear on the target device 240, the evaluating device 710 can activate its flashlight to illuminate the target device 240 prior to or while the target device 240 is positioned at a plurality of predetermined locations. The flashlight can cause highlights or flashes of light to appear on cracks on the surface of the target device 240. The evaluating device 710 can detect the highlights or flashes that appear on the surface of the target device 240.

[0144] The video analysis can be performed by a remote operator, such as an AI. The AI ​​can detect inaccurate determination of wear and tear on the target device 240 by detecting from the video whether a second device has replaced the target device 240. If the AI ​​detects a replacement in the device, the AI ​​can alert a user and / or system administrator that a replacement has been detected.

[0145] In block 1708, based on the generated condition metric value, the evaluator device 710 can determine a guaranteed price for the target device 240, as described herein. In block 1710, the evaluator device 710 can present the guaranteed price for the target device 240 to the user.

[0146] The evaluating device 710 can determine whether the target device 240 has been previously evaluated, such as by determining whether the unique device identifier has been previously evaluated by the system. In response to determining that the target device 240 has been previously evaluated, the evaluating device 710 can retrieve the characteristics of the target device 240 from a database and can populate the technical and physical characteristics from the data contained within the database.

[0147] FIG. 17 and the following flow diagrams are representative and may not show all functions or exchanges of data; instead, they provide an understanding of the commands and data exchanged under the present system. Those skilled in the art will recognize that some functions or exchanges of commands and data may be repeated, varied, omitted, or supplemented, and that other (less significant) aspects not shown may be readily implemented. Those skilled in the art will understand that the blocks shown in FIG. 17 and each of the flow diagrams discussed below may be altered in various ways. For example, while processes or blocks are presented in a given order, alternative implementations may perform the routines in a different order, and some processes or blocks may be rearranged, deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and / or modified to provide alternative or subcombinations. Each of these processes or blocks may be implemented in a variety of different ways. Also, while processes or blocks are at times shown as being performed sequentially, these processes or blocks may instead be performed or implemented in parallel, or may be performed at different times. 17 and other flow diagrams are of a type known in the art and, as such, may include sequences of operations that need not be described herein. Those skilled in the art will be able to create source code and / or microcode, program logic arrays, or otherwise implement the embodiments disclosed herein based on the flow diagrams and detailed description provided herein.

[0148] In various embodiments, all or a portion of routine 1700 and the routines of the other flow diagrams herein can be implemented by a consumer or another user (such as a retail employee) operating one or more of the electronic devices and systems described above. For example, in some embodiments, routine 1700 and other routines disclosed herein can be implemented by a mobile device, such as the evaluating device 710 described above with reference to FIG. 7. For example, in some instances, an app can be executed on one or more evaluating devices 710 and / or on one or more target devices 240. Thus, descriptions of routine 1700 and other routines disclosed herein may refer synonymously to routines, apps, evaluating devices 710, target devices 240, and / or kiosks 100 that perform operations, with the understanding that any of the above devices, systems, and resources may perform all or a portion of the operations.

[0149] Although various embodiments of the present technology are described herein using mobile phones and other handheld devices as examples of electronic devices, the technology generally applies to any type of electronic device. For example, in some embodiments, an app can be installed and / or run on a larger evaluator device 710 and / or target device 240, such as a laptop or tower computer, to implement all or a portion of routine 1700. For example, the app can inventory the laptop or desktop computer and provide the user with a confirmation code as a receipt that the user can print out and bring to a kiosk or associated retailer or point of sale (or send with the computer via, for example, a courier, postal, or parcel delivery service). The code can identify the target device 240 and represent an agreed-upon price determined according to an appraisal performed by the app based on information obtained from the target device 240 and any user-provided supplemental information. In some embodiments, the app and / or receipt can indicate any element that the user requires independent verification (e.g., an undamaged screen glass) to receive the agreed-upon price for the target device 240. The user may then bring the target device 240 to a retail store or point of sale (or, for example, to kiosk 100 for viewing by a remote kiosk operator) so that its condition may be independently verified, after which the user may deposit the target device 240. The user may then receive a price upon verified receipt of the target device 240, such as cash, credit, or a card, such as a gift card, issued by the retailer or kiosk 100.

[0150] FIG. 18 is a flow diagram of a routine 1800 for remotely evaluating a target device 240 for recycling, in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology. In various embodiments, the kiosk 100 and / or another processing device operatively connectable to the kiosk 100, such as a remote server, can perform some or all of the routine 1800. In some embodiments, the routine 1800 can be performed in conjunction with the routine 1700 of FIG. 17 performed by the evaluating device 710, which may be remote from the kiosk 100. For example, the kiosk 100 and / or the remote server can provide software (e.g., an app described above) to be installed on the evaluating device 710, and the kiosk and / or server can then remotely receive information about the target device 240 via the app installed on the evaluating device 710, use the information, provide an offer price for the target device 240, and record the offer price so that when a user brings the target device 240 to the kiosk 100, the user may recycle the target device 240 at the quoted offer price.

[0151] At block 1802, the routine 1800 provides the app described above for installation on the evaluator device 710. The routine 1800 may provide the app by various means, such as from the kiosk 100 (e.g., sideloading the app via a wired or wireless data connection), through a website (e.g., a website associated with the kiosk operator), or from a software repository operated by the device manufacturer or a third party (e.g., the Apple® Appstore TM , Google Play TM Store, Amazon(R) Appstore TM The app may be provided to the evaluating device 710 from a storage device (e.g., a USB flash card), via a removable memory device such as an SD flash card or USB drive, by being pre-installed on the evaluating device 710 by the device manufacturer, wireless service carrier, or device vendor, etc.

[0152] At block 1804, the routine 1800 receives information about the target device 240 and / or the user via an app on the evaluating device 710. The information may include, for example, a device identifier such as a serial number, IMEI number, or hardware address; device manufacturer and / or model name, number, or code; data describing device configuration, characteristics, and / or capabilities; owner information such as name, driver's license number, and / or account identifier; and the like. For example, a user may download and run an app on the evaluating device 710 to obtain such information about the target device 240, and the app can store the information about the target device 240 and / or transmit the information to, for example, a remote server computer. In various embodiments, the routine 1800 can access the stored or transmitted information, such as by receiving the information at a server computer.

[0153] At block 1806, the routine 1800 records one or more identifiers of the target device 240 (and / or the evaluating device 710) and / or the user. In some embodiments, the routine 1800 utilizes an identifier associated with the target device 240 that was included in the information the routine 1800 received at block 1804. Examples of such target device 240 identifiers include the IMEI of a cell phone, the model and / or serial number of a laptop computer, a unique wireless identifier of the target device 240 such as a Wi-Fi interface MAC address, a product barcode, a USB vendor ID and device ID (and release number) code, etc. The identifier may also be a sequentially or randomly assigned code, such as by generating a derived code such as a unique hash (e.g., based on the information received at block 1804) and / or a globally unique identifier (GUID) for the target device 240 and / or the user. In some embodiments, the routine 1800 may generate the identifier after pricing the target device 240, such that the identifier reflects the pricing. User-associated identifiers may include, for example, a driver's license number, account credentials such as a username and password, etc. Routine 1800 may record the identifier in a registry database that indexes the identifier to, for example, the evaluator device 710 on which the app is installed, target devices that the system has priced (e.g., remotely via the app), and / or target devices that kiosk 100 has previously evaluated. The database may, for example, be one or more of a database associated with a server computer, may be stored in a cloud storage facility, may be distributed among kiosks 100, etc.

[0154] At block 1808, the routine 1800 values ​​the target device 240 based on the information. For example, the routine 1800 can compare the received target device 240 information to a database of prices, such as a lookup table, pricing model, or other data structure, containing prices for various target devices on a server (e.g., a server computer) that may be located remotely from the evaluator device 710 and / or the target device 240. The routine 1800 can, for example, use the identifier to determine the make and model of the target device 240, and use the make and model of the target device 240 (e.g., along with information about the condition of the target device 240) to determine a price to offer for the device based on the data in the database or pricing model. In some embodiments, the routine 1800 can determine an offer price that allows a user to receive the price in exchange for recycling the target device 240 at the kiosk 100. In some embodiments, the routine 1800 may determine an offer price for the target device 240 contingent on an assessment of the visual condition of the target device 240 by the evaluator device 710 or by the kiosk 100. In some embodiments, the routine 1800 may determine an offer price, including a range of prices, based on the likely outcomes of such an assessment. In some cases, the target device 240 may not have any market value. In various embodiments, the price data is updated continuously or periodically.

[0155] At block 1810, the routine 1800 sends an offer price quote for the target device 240 to the evaluator device 710. In some embodiments, the routine 1800 sends the offer price quote from a server to an app running on the evaluator device 710. At block 1812, the routine 1800 associates the quoted price with the identified target device 240 (and / or the evaluator device 710) and / or the user. For example, the routine 1800 can store information about the price quote, the target device 240, and / or the user in a database and / or in one or more data structures maintained by an app on the evaluator device 710, by the kiosk 100, and / or other aspects of the technology. In some embodiments, the routine 1800 can associate the price with a unique identifier, such as a hash value generated based on the user, the device identification, the app, and / or the time and amount of the price itself, etc. For example, the routine 1800 can associate a numeric or alphanumeric identifier code with an offer price for the target device 240, provide the code to the user, and inform the user that they can enter the code into the kiosk 100 until a certain time to receive the offer price for the device. For example, the routine 1800 can display the code on the screen 715 of the evaluator device 710 and / or send the user an email or text message containing the code. The routine 1800 can store the price and identifier in a data structure on the evaluator device 710 (e.g., in a table maintained by an app) and / or remotely from the evaluator device 710 (e.g., in a data structure maintained on one or more of the kiosk 100, a server computer, a cloud storage facility, etc.), which can transmit them between various computing and / or storage facilities. In some embodiments, the routine 1800 transmits the identifier to a server computer when the kiosk 100 receives the identifier so that the kiosk 100 can look up the identifier and retrieve the associated price for the target device 240 .After block 1812, the routine 1800 ends.

[0156] 6 , in some embodiments, after the user obtains an estimated value for the device, process 600 continues by the user identifying a target kiosk (e.g., a kiosk in the user's vicinity) where the user may complete a trade-in, sale, donation, or other transaction associated with the device (block 604). In some embodiments, the target kiosk is the kiosk closest to the user at the time the user is searching for a kiosk. The user may identify the closest kiosk, for example, by use of a mobile application that provides directions to the nearest kiosk. An exemplary interface or display page 1900 of such a mobile application is illustrated in FIG. 19 . In the illustrated embodiment, the display page 1900 includes a map 1902 of nearby kiosks 1904. In other embodiments, a suitable display page may include a list of locations (e.g., a list of addresses) and / or other graphical and / or textual descriptions of one or more nearby kiosks 1904, including the nearest kiosk (e.g., target kiosk 1906). The kiosks 1904, 1906 may be identical to, or at least generally similar in structure and function to, the kiosk 100 described herein. The display page 1900 may be displayed, for example, on the user's electronic device on which the price was previously estimated or on another electronic device (e.g., the evaluator device 710).

[0157] After the user identifies and navigates to the target kiosk, process 600 continues by the user initiating a transaction with the target kiosk (hereinafter referred to as “kiosk 100” for easy reference) (block 606). Initiating a transaction with kiosk 100 may include interacting with one or more of the kiosk's user interfaces described above. For example, the user may be requested to place a mobile phone that the user wishes to sell or otherwise recycle into kiosk 100 (e.g., on inspection board 122 in the kiosk's inspection area) via access door 112 (FIG. 1A) (block 608). In some embodiments, kiosk 100 presents the user with a label to attach to the mobile phone (e.g., via label exit 115). For example, the label may identify the phone using a unique identifier from a previous analysis performed via the mobile application, as described above. After the device is placed within the inspection area, the access door 112 closes (e.g., to close access to the inspection area from outside the kiosk 100), and the kiosk 100 evaluates the electronic device, for example, as described above with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. In response to evaluating the electronic device (e.g., to confirm the device's identity, condition, and / or price), the kiosk 100 can offer the user a price for the device (e.g., via the display 108 (FIG. 1A)). As described above, if the kiosk 100 is able to confirm the device's identity and condition, the price offered to the user may be a price previously estimated for the device, for example, through use of a mobile application. The user then decides whether to accept the price (decision block 610). If the user accepts the price, the kiosk 100 can dispense payment (e.g., cash, coupon, voucher, code, etc.) to the user, or the kiosk 100 can implement or otherwise initiate an electronic payment to the user's account, for example (block 614). Payment collection can, in some embodiments, be performed while the user is at the kiosk 100 .For example, the user may collect cash, a voucher, a receipt, and / or other forms of payment directly from kiosk 100. In some embodiments, payment is provided via electronic funds transfer and / or at a later date (e.g., following inspection of the electronic device by a remote evaluator). If the user rejects the offer, access door 112 (FIG. 1A) opens and the user retrieves the electronic device from kiosk 100 (block 612).

[0158] In some embodiments, kiosk 100 is configured to accept electronic devices for which no previous quote has been provided or obtained. For example, in the context of process 600 described above in FIG. 6, a user may approach kiosk 100 and begin the process at block 606 without previously obtaining a quote for the electronic device. The user may insert one or more electronic devices into the kiosk (decision block 608), and the kiosk may proceed to verify the make, model, or other characteristics of the device. For example, kiosk 100 may determine the make and model of the device via observation of an IMEI number or other identifier on the display screen of the electronic device. Kiosk 100 may offer a preset price or other offer for the electronic device (e.g., an offer to recycle the device). This offer may be lower than what would have been offered if the user were to obtain a valuation of the device before approaching kiosk 100.

[0159] In some embodiments, kiosk 100 can include one or more lockers or other storage containers configured to store new and / or used electronic devices for purchase. The lockers can be integrated into kiosk 100, attached to kiosk 100, or positioned near kiosk 100 at a deployment point. A user may pre-purchase an electronic device at kiosk 100 or purchase an electronic device. U.S. Patent Application Nos. 62 / 950,075, filed December 18, 2019, and 16 / 788,169, filed February 11, 2020 (each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety and forms part of this disclosure) discuss kiosks with associated lockers and other structures configured to sell and / or repair electronic devices for sale.

[0160] 20 is a flowchart illustrating a process 2000 for purchasing, recycling, and / or donating a mobile device that may be implemented by kiosk 100 and / or other systems described herein in accordance with embodiments of the present technology. Process 2000 may include receiving device information (block 2002). The device information may include one or more unique identifiers associated with the electronic device (e.g., an IMEI number, a unique code, and / or other unique identifiers). As described above, kiosk 100 may include one or more cameras (e.g., camera 124) configured to capture a unique identifier on a screen of the electronic device when the electronic device is positioned within inspection area 120 of kiosk 100. In some embodiments, the unique identifier may be provided by a user via one or more user interfaces of the kiosk (e.g., a touchscreen, keypad, or other interface). In some embodiments, process 2000 also includes receiving user information (block 2004). For example, receiving user information may include scanning the user's driver's license or other ID (e.g., via a card reader) and / or taking a photograph of the user (e.g., via cameras 110a-b), recording video, or otherwise recording information about the user.

[0161] After receiving the device and / or user information, the kiosk 100 opens the access door 112 (block 2006), so that the user can place the electronic device within the inspection area of ​​the kiosk 100 (block 2008). In some embodiments, the kiosk 100 is configured to open the access door 112 only after receiving the device information. In some configurations, the kiosk 100 closes the access door 112 after receiving the electronic device within the inspection area (block 2010). The kiosk 100 can be configured to verify device identification. In some embodiments, the access door 112 remains open while the kiosk 100 verifies the device identification and does not close until the user accepts the offer to pay for / recycle the electronic device. The device identification can be verified, for example, via one or more cameras (e.g., camera 124 (FIG. 2B)) (block 2012). For example, the kiosk may capture one or more images or videos of the screen of the electronic device to capture the IMEI number or other unique identification of the electronic device (e.g., from a settings page). OCR and / or other techniques may be used to automatically process the images / video and identify the unique identification of the electronic device.

[0162] The kiosk can be configured to provide the user with an offer in exchange for the electronic device (block 2014). The offer can include an offer for monetary payment for the device, for example, via cash, electronic payment, a voucher for trade-in value toward a new device, etc. In some embodiments where the device has little or no resale value, the kiosk can offer to recycle the device responsibly and provide the user with tax documentation, for example, so that the user may receive a tax credit for recycling the device. The kiosk 100 determines whether the user accepts the offer (block 2016). Confirmation of the user's decision can be obtained, for example, via user interaction with one or more touchscreens, buttons, or other user interfaces presented on the display 108 of the kiosk 100. If the user rejects the offer, the kiosk 100 can open the access door 112 and allow the user to remove the electronic device from the inspection area (block 2018). Conversely, if the user accepts the offer, the kiosk 100 may provide a reward that matches a previously provided offer as described above (block 2012). The reward may be provided immediately. In other embodiments, the kiosk communicates to the user that the reward will be provided at a later date (e.g., subject to device identification and / or condition verification by a remote operator). In some embodiments where the access door 112 remains open until acceptance of the offer, the kiosk 100 may reconfirm the identity of the electronic device when the access door 112 closes. The kiosk 100 also transfers the electronic device to one of the bins 130a, b after the user accepts the offer (block 2014), and the process is complete.

[0163] The foregoing description of electronic device recycling system 500 illustrates only one possible network system suitable for implementing the various techniques described herein. Thus, those skilled in the art will understand that other systems consistent with the present technology may omit one or more of the equipment described with reference to FIG. 5 or may include one or more additional equipment not described in detail in FIG. 5.

[0164] While specific circuitry is described above, those skilled in the art will recognize that microprocessor-based systems can also be used if any logical decisions are configured in software. The foregoing discussion of Figures 4 and 5 provides a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in which the present technology can be implemented. Although not required, aspects of the present 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, a wireless device, or a personal computer. Those skilled in the art will understand that aspects of the present technology can be practiced with other communications, data processing, or computer system configurations, including Internet appliances, handheld devices (including personal digital assistants (PDAs)), wearable computers, all types of cellular or mobile phones (including voice-over-IP (VoIP) phones), dumb terminals, media players, gaming devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics devices, set-top boxes, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Indeed, the terms "computer," "server," "host," "host system," and the like are generally used interchangeably herein to refer to any of the above devices and systems, and any data processor.

[0165] As an alternative to retailer trade-in or buy-back programs, as discussed above, consumers can recycle and / or sell their used mobile phones using self-service kiosks located in shopping malls, retail stores, or other publicly accessible areas. While many embodiments of the present technology are described herein in the context of mobile phones, aspects of the present technology are not limited to mobile phones and apply generally to other consumer electronic devices. Such devices include, by way of non-limiting examples, mobile phones of all styles, smartphones, handheld devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), MP3 or other digital music players, tablets, notebook, ultrabook, and laptop computers, e-readers, cameras of all types, GPS devices, set-top boxes, universal remote controls, wearable computers, and the like. In some embodiments, kiosk 100 can also recycle and / or sell larger consumer electronic devices such as desktop computers, televisions, game consoles, and devices such as Google® Glass. TM , smartwatches (e.g., Apple Watch) TM Android Wear, such as Moto 360 (registered trademark) TM device, or Pebble Steel TMIt is envisioned that kiosk 100 may facilitate the sale and / or otherwise disposal of smaller electronic devices, such as electronic watches. Embodiments of kiosk 100 and various features thereof are at least generally similar in structure and function to the following patents and patent applications, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: 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; 10,127,647; 10,055,7 98, 9,885,672, 9,881,284, 8,200,533, 8,195,511, and 7,881,965, U.S. Patent Application Nos. 17 / 445,799, 17 / 445,178, 17 / 445,158, 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 / 534,741, 15 / 057, No. 707, No. 14 / 967,183, No. 14 / 966,346, No. 14 / 964,963, No. 14 / 663,331, No. 1 No. 4 / 660,768, No. 14 / 598,469, No. 14 / 568,051, No. 14 / 498,763, No. 13 / 794,8 No. 16, No. 13 / 794,814, No. 13 / 753,539, No. 13 / 733,984, No. 13 / 705,252, No. 13 No. / 693,032, No. 13 / 658,828, No. 13 / 658,825, No. 13 / 492,835, No. 13 / 113,49 7, 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,No. 072, No. 62 / 091,426, No. 62 / 090,855, No. 62 / 076,437, No. 62 / 073,847, No. 62 / 073,840, No. 62 / No. 059,132, No. 62 / 059,129, No. 61 / 607,572, No. 61 / 607,548, No. 61 / 607,001, No. 61 / 606,997, The present invention may be similar to the systems, methods, and corresponding features described in US Pat. Nos. 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 patents and patent applications listed in the foregoing sentence and any other patents or patent applications identified herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0166] Aspects of the present invention can be embodied in a special purpose computer or data processor that is specifically programmed, configured, or constructed to execute one or more of the computer-executable instructions described in detail herein. While aspects of the present technology, such as certain functions, are described as being implemented exclusively on a single device, the technology can also be practiced in a distributed environment where functions or modules are shared among heterogeneous processing devices linked through a communications network, such as a local area network (LAN), a 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.

[0167] Aspects of the present technology may be stored or distributed on tangible computer-readable media, including magnetic or optically readable computer disks, wired or pre-programmed chips (e.g., EEPROM semiconductor chips), nanotechnology memories, biological memories, 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 time on signals propagated on a propagation medium (e.g., electromagnetic waves, acoustic waves, etc.), via the Internet or other networks (including wireless networks), or they may be provided over any analog or digital network (packet-switched, circuit-switched, or other).

[0168] References to features, advantages, or similar language throughout the foregoing description do not imply that all of the features and advantages that can be realized using the present technology should or are present in any single embodiment of the present invention. Rather, language referring to features and advantages is understood to mean that the specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present technology. Thus, discussions of features and advantages and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

[0169] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the present technology may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Those skilled in the 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 cases, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the present technology.

[0170] Any patents and applications and other references mentioned above, including any that may be listed in accompanying applications, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, except for any disclaimer or rejection of subject matter, and except to the extent that the incorporated material is inconsistent with the express disclosure herein, in which case the language of the present disclosure shall control. Aspects of the present invention can be modified, where necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide still further implementations of the present invention.

[0171] (Example) Some aspects of this technology are described in the following examples. 1. A consumer-operated kiosk for receiving an electronic device from a user, the kiosk comprising: an enclosure having a volume of less than 2 cubic feet, the enclosure having an opening in a wall thereof; an inspection area within the housing and accessible through the opening, the inspection area configured to receive the electronic device from a user; and an access door configured to selectively block the opening to close access to the inspection area from outside the enclosure; a test plate within the test area, the test plate configured to support an electronic device within the test area; a first deflection plate positioned at least partially below the test plate within the housing; a second deflector plate positioned at least partially below the first deflector plate; a storage box positioned at least partially below the second deflector plate; and Equipped with the test plate is configured to be tilted and drop the electronic device toward the first deflection plate; the first deflector is configured to redirect the electronic device downward; The second deflector is configured to redirect the electronic device toward the storage bin, the kiosk. 2. The kiosk of Example 1, further comprising a camera within the housing and having a field of view that includes the test plate, the camera configured to capture images and / or video of the electronic device while the electronic device is positioned on the test plate. 3. A kiosk as described in Example 2, wherein the camera is mounted on an interior side wall of the enclosure and aligned at a non-vertical angle. 4. The kiosk described in Example 3, wherein the angle between the side wall and the camera alignment is between 10° and 35°. 5. The kiosk of any of Examples 2-4, wherein the inspection plate is at least partially transparent, and the camera is positioned below the inspection plate to view the electronic device through the inspection plate. 6. A kiosk described in any of Examples 1-5, wherein the test plate is configured to tilt about an axis of rotation that is non-parallel to the front wall of the housing. 7. The kiosk of example 6, wherein the axis of rotation of the test plate is perpendicular to the front wall of the housing. 8. A kiosk as described in any of Examples 1-7, further comprising a third deflector positioned at least partially below the first deflector and configured to redirect the electronic device from the first deflector toward the second deflector. 9. The kiosk of example 8, wherein the third deflector plate is positioned directly below the test plate. 10. The storage box is the first storage box, The kiosk further includes a second storage bin positioned adjacent to the first storage bin within the housing; the second deflector plate is configured to rotate between a first position and a second position; In the first position, the second deflector directs the electronic device toward the first storage bin; In the second position, the second deflector directs the electronic device toward the second storage bin. The kiosk of any of Examples 1-9. 11. The kiosk of any of Examples 1-10, wherein the enclosure has a volume of less than 0.75 cubic feet. 12.Storage box: a first sidewall; a second side wall opposite and facing the first side wall; a first set of flexible fingers extending from the first sidewall toward the second sidewall; Equipped with The flexible finger When contacted by an electronic device dropped into the box, it bends and Reduces the likelihood that an electronic device passing through the storage box will land on the side of the electronic device The kiosk of any one of Examples 1-11, configured as follows: 13. The kiosk of example 12, wherein the storage box includes a second set of flexible fingers extending from the second side wall toward the first side wall. 14. A consumer-operated kiosk for receiving an electronic device from a user, the kiosk comprising: a housing having an inspection area therein; a test plate within the test area, the test plate configured to support an electronic device within the test area; a deflection plate positioned at least partially below the test plate within the housing; a first storage box positioned at least partially below the deflector plate; a second storage bin positioned adjacent to the first storage bin and at least partially below the deflector plate; a processor operatively connected to the test plate and the deflection plate, the processor comprising: tilting the test plate to direct the electronic device toward the deflection plate; The deflector plate, a first position in which the deflector directs the electronic device toward the first storage bin; a second position in which the deflector directs the electronic device toward the second storage box; a processor configured to execute computer readable instructions to move the image between A kiosk equipped with 15. The kiosk of example 14, wherein the processor is configured to detect when the first storage bin is filled with electronic devices, and the processor moves the deflector to the second position when the first storage bin is full. 16. A kiosk as described in Examples 14 or 15, further comprising an access door configured to selectively open and close access to the inspection area from outside the kiosk, the processor being operably connected to the access door, the processor being configured to cause the access door to open if the user rejects an offer to purchase the electronic device during a transaction at the kiosk. 17. A method of processing an electronic device using a consumer action kiosk, comprising: providing a user with an estimated price of the electronic device via a software application executing on a processor of the mobile device; identifying a target kiosk location and communicating the location to a user via a software application; receiving the electronic device on a testing board within a testing area of ​​a target kiosk, the target kiosk having an interior volume of less than 2 cubic feet; tilting the test plate and moving the electronic device toward a deflector plate within the kiosk; Using deflectors to redirect the electronic device towards a storage bin within the kiosk; A method comprising: 18. The method of example 17, further comprising moving a deflector to direct the electronic device into one of the first storage bin or the second storage bin. 19. The method of example 17 or 18, further comprising visually inspecting the electronic device through the inspection plate using a camera mounted on an interior wall of the kiosk, the camera being mounted at an angle of 10° to 35° relative to the interior wall. 20. The method of any of Examples 17-19, further comprising paying out a reward to the user. 21. The method of any of Examples 17-20, further comprising using one or more flexible fingers extending from one or more interior walls of the storage box to land the electronic device on the front side of the back side of the electronic device at the bottom of the storage box. conclusion

[0172] The above detailed description of examples and embodiments of the present invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. Specific examples of the present invention are described above for illustrative purposes, but, as those skilled in the art will recognize, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. 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 subcombinations. Each of these processes or blocks may be implemented in a variety of different ways. Also, while processes are sometimes described as being performed sequentially, these processes may instead be performed or implemented in parallel, or performed at different times.

[0173] The teachings of the present technology provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. Elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further implementations of the present invention. Some alternative implementations of the present invention may include additional elements to those implementations described above, or may include fewer elements. Furthermore, any specific numbers described herein are examples only, and alternative implementations may employ different values ​​or ranges.

[0174] While the above description describes various embodiments and contemplated best modes of the present invention, regardless of the degree of detail in the above text, the present invention can be practiced in many ways. While the details of the system may vary significantly in its specific implementation, it is still encompassed by the present disclosure. As described above, specific terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the present invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology has been redefined herein to be limited to any specific characteristic, feature, or aspect of the invention with which the 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 herein unless the Detailed Description section above explicitly defines such terms. Therefore, the actual scope of the present invention encompasses not only the disclosed examples, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under the claims.

[0175] From the foregoing, it should be understood that, although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of various embodiments of the present invention. For example, kiosk 100 may not include screen 108. In some such embodiments, a user may interact with the kiosk via a mobile application installed on the user's electronic device. Furthermore, while various advantages associated with certain embodiments of the present invention have been described above in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments necessarily need to exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.

[0176] Although certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, Applicant contemplates various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms, and accordingly, Applicant reserves the right to pursue additional claims after filing this application and to pursue such additional claim forms in either this application or any continuing application.

Claims

[Claim 1] The invention described in this specification.

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