# US 12,182,773 B2 · Secondary market and vending system for devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,182,773 B2 - Document ID: US12182773B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/462,213 - Filed: 2023-09-06 - Published: 2024-07-25 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2008-10-02 - Assignees: ecoATM, LLC - Applicants: ecoATM, LLC - Inventors: Mark Vincent Bowles - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12182773B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/30: Administration of product recycling or disposal - G06Q 30/0237: {at kiosk} - G06Q 30/0278: {Product appraisal} - G07F 7/06: by returnable containers {, i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value}, e.g. bottles - H04M 1/0287: {being disposable or recyclable} - Y02W 30/82: Recycling of waste of electrical or electronic equipment [WEEE] - Y02W 90/00: Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A recycling kiosk for recycling and financial remuneration for submission of a mobile telephone is disclosed herein. The recycling kiosk includes an inspection area with at least one camera and a plurality of electrical connectors in order to perform a visual analysis and an electrical analysis of the mobile telephone for determination of a value of the mobile telephone. The recycling kiosk also includes a processor, a display and a user interface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A kiosk for evaluating an electronic device, the kiosk comprising: a housing; an inspection area within the housing and configured to receive the electronic device from a user; one or more cameras; one or more processors; and memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the kiosk to— prompt the user to position the electronic device in the inspection area in a first orientation in which a display screen of the electronic device faces one of toward or away from a first one of the one or more cameras; obtain a first image of the electronic device, via the first one of the one or more cameras, when the electronic device is positioned in the inspection area in the first orientation; prompt the user to position the electronic device in the inspection area in a second orientation in which the display screen faces the other of toward or away from the first one of the one or more cameras; obtain a second image of the electronic device, via the first one of the one or more cameras or via a second one of the one or more cameras, when the electronic device is positioned in the inspection area in the second orientation; and present an offer to the user to purchase the electronic device for a price, wherein the price is based at least in part on a visual evaluation of the first image and/or the second image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the kiosk to prompt the user, via a user interface, to position the electronic device in the inspection area in the first orientation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the kiosk to prompt the user, via a user interface, to position the electronic device in the inspection area in the second orientation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the kiosk to present the offer to the user via a user interface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the kiosk to obtain the first image and/or the second image via at least one of the one or more processors the first one and/or the second one of the one or more cameras. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the kiosk to receive information about the electronic device via wired and/or wireless connectivity between the kiosk and the electronic device, and wherein the price is based at least in part on the visual evaluation and the received information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The kiosk of claim 6 wherein the received information includes information associated with a condition of a battery of the electronic device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The kiosk of claim 6 wherein the received information includes a make and/or a model of the electronic device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The kiosk of claim 6 wherein the kiosk is configured to receive the information about the electronic device via a WiFi and/or Bluetooth connection between the kiosk and the electronic device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The kiosk of claim 6, further comprising a connector carrier having a plurality of electrical connectors, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the kiosk to— determine a make and/or a model of the electronic device based at least in part on the first image and/or the second image; and identify a given connector of the plurality of electrical connectors, wherein the given connector is configured to form the wired connectivity between the kiosk and the electronic device to receive the information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the kiosk to obtain a make and model of the electronic device based at least in part on the first image and/or the second image, and wherein the visual evaluation includes a comparison of the first image and/or the second image to a reference image of a reference electronic device of the same make and model. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The kiosk of claim 1 wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone. ### Claim 13 A method for purchasing an electronic device, the method comprising: receiving, from a user, the electronic device in an inspection area of a kiosk, whereby the electronic device is positioned in a first orientation, wherein the kiosk includes one or more cameras, and wherein in the first orientation a display screen of the electronic device faces one of toward or away from a first one of the one or more cameras; obtaining, via the first one of one or more cameras of the kiosk, a first image of the electronic device in the first orientation; prompting the user to move the electronic device from the first orientation to a second orientation, different than the first orientation and in which the display screen faces the other of toward or away from the first one of the one or more cameras; obtaining, via the first one of the one or more cameras or a second one of the one or more cameras, a second image of the electronic device in the second orientation; and presenting an offer to the user to purchase the electronic device for a price, wherein the price is based at least in part on a visual evaluation of the first image and/or the second image. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving information about the electronic device via wired and/or wireless connectivity between the kiosk and the electronic device, wherein the price is based at least in part on the visual evaluation and the received information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein receiving the information includes receiving information associated with a condition of a battery of the electronic device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein receiving the information includes receiving information associated with a make and/or a model of the electronic device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein receiving the information includes receiving information via a WiFi and/or Bluetooth connection between the kiosk and the electronic device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: obtaining a make and/or a model of the electronic device based at a least in part on the first image and/or the second image; and identifying an electrical connector based on the make and/or the model, wherein the electrical connector is configured to form the wired connectivity between the kiosk and the electronic device, and wherein receiving the information includes receiving the information via the electrical connector. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising obtaining a make and/or model of the electronic device based at least in part on the first image and/or the second image, wherein the visual evaluation includes identifying damage to the display screen of the electronic device by comparing the first image and/or the second image to a reference image of a reference electronic device of the same make and/or model. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone.