# US 2023/0274346 A1 · Kiosks for evaluating and purchasing used electronic devices and related technology > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0274346 A1 - Document ID: US20230274346A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/051,512 - Filed: 2022-10-31 - Published: 2023-08-31 - Earliest claimed: 2008-10-02 - Assignees: ecoATM, LLC - Applicants: ecoATM, LLC - Inventors: Mark Vincent Bowles; Thomas L. Tullie; Eric Rosser - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230274346A1 ## CPC - G06Q 30/08: Auctions - G06K 7/10861: {sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels (postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48)} - G06K 19/0776: {the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker} - G06Q 10/30: Administration of product recycling or disposal - G06Q 20/18: involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals - G06Q 30/0237: {at kiosk} - G06Q 30/0278: {Product appraisal} - G06Q 30/0283: Price estimation or determination - G06T 7/0002: {Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection} - 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} - H04M 1/24: Arrangements for testing - G06V 2201/02: Recognising information on displays, dials, clocks - 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 - Y02W 90/10: Bio-packaging, e.g. packing containers made from renewable resources or bio-plastics - 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 - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - 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) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A process for a pre-acquisition auction for recycled electronic devices is disclosed herein. A plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices are established with each of the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices established for a recycled electronic device in a predetermined condition, and each of the pre-acquisition purchase prices established by a winning bid from a bidder of a plurality of bidders for a recycled electronic device. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A computer-implemented method for recycling an electronic device, the method comprising: establishing a plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices, each of the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices established for a recycled electronic device in a predetermined condition, each of the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices established by a winning bid from a bidder of a plurality of bidders for the recycled electronic device; receiving, from at least one camera positioned within a kiosk, an image of an electronic device positioned in an inspection area of the kiosk; inspecting the image of the electronic device; determining an identity and/or a condition of the electronic device based at least in part on the inspection of the image; selecting one of the pre-acquisition purchase prices from the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices for the electronic device based at least in part on the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device; and offering the selected pre-acquisition purchase price to a user for the electronic device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein establishing the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices is performed by one or more computers remote from the kiosk. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein at least one of (1) receiving, from the at least one camera positioned within the kiosk, the image of the electronic device, (2) inspecting the image of the electronic device, (3) determining the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device based at least in part on the inspection of the image, or (4) selecting one of the pre-acquisition purchase prices from the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices for the electronic device based at least in part on the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device is performed by a processor associated with the kiosk. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the electronic device is positioned in the inspection area in a first orientation, and wherein the method further comprises prompting the user, via a display screen of the kiosk, to move the electronic device from the first orientation to a second orientation, different than the first orientation. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The computer-implemented method of claim 24 wherein the electronic device includes a display screen, wherein the electronic device is positioned in the inspection area with the display screen facing a first direction, and wherein the method further comprises prompting the user to reposition the electronic device in the inspection area so that the display screen faces a second direction, opposite to the first direction. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the electronic device has a front side including a display screen and a back side opposite the front side, and wherein the method further comprises prompting the user, via the kiosk, to position the electronic device on the back side in the inspection area. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein receiving the image includes receiving the image at a location remote from the kiosk for inspection. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The computer-implemented method of claim 27 wherein receiving the image of includes receiving the image at a location remote from the kiosk for inspection by a remote operator. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising receiving data from an electrical inspection of the electronic device at a location remote from the kiosk, wherein the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device is determined based at least in part on the data from the electrical inspection. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The computer-implemented method of claim 29 wherein receiving the data at the location remote from the kiosk includes receiving the data at the location remote from the kiosk for inspection by a remote operator. ### Claim 31 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising: receiving an acceptance of the offered purchase price from the user; and in response to receiving the acceptance, causing the kiosk to move the electronic device from the inspection area to a storage bin of the kiosk. ### Claim 32 A computer-implemented method for recycling an electronic device, the method comprising: establishing a plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices for a plurality of recycled electronic devices; receiving, from at least one camera positioned within a kiosk, an image of an electronic device positioned in an inspection area of the kiosk; determining an identity and/or a condition of the electronic device based at least in part on the image; selecting a purchase price for the electronic device from the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices based at least in part on the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device; and offering the purchase price to a user for the electronic device. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32 wherein establishing the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices is performed by one or more computers remote from the kiosk. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32 wherein at least one of (1) receiving, from the at least one camera positioned within the kiosk, the image of the electronic device, (2) determining the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device based at least in part on the image, or (3) selecting a purchase price for the electronic device from the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices based at least in part on the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device is performed by a processor associated with the kiosk. ### Claim 35 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32 wherein selecting a purchase price for the electronic device from the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices based at least in part on the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device is performed by one more computers remote from the kiosk and communicatively coupled thereto. ### Claim 36 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32 wherein offering the purchase price to the user includes offering the purchase price to the user via the kiosk. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32 wherein establishing a plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices for a plurality of recycled electronic devices includes conducting a pre-acquisition auction to establish a winning bid for each of the plurality of recycled electronic devices. ### Claim 38 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32 wherein establishing a plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices includes establishing a plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices for a plurality of recycled electronic devices in different states of condition. ### Claim 39 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32: wherein receiving the image of the electronic device includes receiving an image of a display screen of the electronic device, and wherein determining the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device includes determining the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device based at least in part on an inspection of the image of the display screen. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The computer-implemented method of claim 39 wherein the inspection of the image is performed, at least in part, by a processor associated with the kiosk. ### Claim 41 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32: wherein receiving the image of the electronic device includes receiving an image of a display screen of the electronic device, wherein the method further comprises inspecting the image of the display screen to determine a condition of the display screen, and wherein selecting a purchase price for the electronic device from the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices includes selecting a purchase price based at least in part on the condition of the display screen. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The computer-implemented method of claim 41 wherein inspecting the image includes inspecting the image at a location remote from the kiosk. ### Claim 43 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32: wherein receiving the image of the electronic device includes receiving an image of a display screen of the electronic device with the display screen powered on, wherein the method further comprises inspecting the image of the display screen to determine a condition of the display screen, and wherein selecting a purchase price for the electronic device from the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices includes selecting a purchase price based at least in part on the condition of the display screen. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The computer-implemented method of claim 43 wherein inspecting the image includes inspecting the image at a location remote from the kiosk. ### Claim 45 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32: wherein receiving the image of the electronic device includes receiving an image of an about page displayed on a display screen of the electronic device, and wherein determining the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device includes determining the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device based at least in part on information obtained from the about page. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The computer-implemented method of claim 45 wherein determining the identity and/or the condition of the electronic device includes inspecting the image of the about page at a location remote from the kiosk. ### Claim 47 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32: wherein receiving the image of the electronic device includes receiving an image of an about page of the electronic device displayed on a display screen of the electronic device, wherein the method further comprises inspecting the image of the about page to determine at least one of a make, model or unique number associated with the electronic device, and wherein selecting a purchase price for the electronic device from the plurality of pre-acquisition purchase prices includes selecting the purchase price based at least in part on at least one of the make, model or unique number associated with the electronic device. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The computer-implemented method of claim 47 wherein inspecting the image of the about page includes inspecting the image of the about page at a location remote from the kiosk. ### Claim 49 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32 wherein the kiosk further includes an access door that provides access to the inspection area, and a storage bin; wherein receiving, from the at least one camera positioned within the kiosk, the image of the electronic device includes receiving, from the at least one camera, an image of the electronic device taken with the access door closed; and wherein the method further comprises: receiving, via a display screen of the kiosk, an acceptance or a rejection of the offered purchase price from the user; and if the user accepts the offered purchase price, moving the electronic device from the inspection area into the storage bin, or if the user rejects the offered purchase price, opening the access door to enable the user to retrieve the electronic device. ### Claim 50 (depends on 32) The computer-implemented method of claim 32 wherein the electronic device is positioned in the inspection area in a first orientation, and wherein the method further comprises prompting the user, via the kiosk, to move the electronic device from the first orientation to a second orientation, different from the first orientation.