US 2016/0092849 A1 - Methods And Systems For Pricing And Performing Other Processes Associated With Recycling Mobile Phones And Other Electronic Devices - The Lens - Free & Open Patent and Scholarly Search

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US 2016/0092849 A1

Methods And Systems For Pricing And Performing Other Processes Associated With Recycling Mobile Phones And Other Electronic Devices

Published: Mar 31, 2016
Earliest Priority: Sep 26 2014
Family: 2
Cited Works: 0
Cited by: 12
Cites: 0
Additional Info: Full text

Abstract

The present disclosure describes various embodiments of methods and systems for developing pricing and performing other processes associated with recycling mobile phones, other consumer electronic devices, and/or other goods and services. In some embodiments, the methods and systems disclosed herein can be employed by a user-operated kiosk to determine a price to offer the user for a mobile phone or other electronic device that cannot be sufficiently identified by the kiosk. In some embodiments, the price can be an adjusted price, such as a weighted average price.

Claims

A method performed by a computing device for recycling electronic devices, the method comprising:
receiving an electronic device from a user at a kiosk, wherein the device is of a type that has associated therewith a preset price;

evaluating the device with the kiosk to identify the device type;

when the kiosk has sufficiently identified the device type, automatically offering the user the preset price for the device; and

when the kiosk has insufficiently identified the device type, automatically offering the user an average price, different from the preset price, for the device.
The method of claim 1 wherein the average price is a weighted average price.
The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a weighted average price for the device, wherein the average price is the weighted average price.
The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a group that the electronic device belongs to, wherein the group includes a plurality of different electronic devices having similar features; and

generating the average price based on the group.
The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a visual group that the electronic device belongs to, wherein the visual group includes a plurality of different electronic devices having visually similar features; and

generating the average price based on the visual group.
The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining an electrical group that the electronic device belongs to, wherein the electrical group includes a plurality of different electronic devices having electrically similar features; and

generating the average price based on the electrical group.
The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating the electronic device with the kiosk includes evaluating the device based at least partially on a visual analysis of at least a portion of the device, and wherein the method further comprises determining a probability that the evaluation based on the visual analysis identified a unique device type, wherein offering the user an average price for the electronic device includes offering the user the average price when the probability is below a threshold.
The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating the electronic device with the kiosk includes evaluating the device based at least partially on an electrical analysis of the device, and wherein the method further comprises determining a probability that the evaluation based on the electrical analysis identified a unique device type, wherein offering the user an average price for the electronic device includes offering the user the average price when the probability is below a threshold.
The method of claim 1 wherein the device is a particular model manufactured by a particular maker, wherein evaluating the device with the kiosk includes attempting to identify at least one of the model or maker with the kiosk, and wherein offering the user an average price for the electronic device includes offering the user the average price when the kiosk is unable to identify at least one of the model or maker.
The method of claim 1 wherein the device is a particular model of mobile phone manufactured by a particular maker, wherein evaluating the device with the kiosk includes attempting to identify at least one of the model or maker with the kiosk, and wherein offering the user an average price for the electronic device includes offering the user the average price when the kiosk is unable to identify at least one of the model or maker.
The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an electronic device from a user includes receiving a laptop computer, and wherein evaluating the device with the kiosk includes evaluating the laptop computer.
A method performed by a computing device for purchasing electronic devices with a user operated kiosk, the method comprising:
receiving an electronic device from a user at the kiosk;

inspecting the electronic device with the kiosk;

based on the inspection, determining a group that the electronic device belongs to, wherein the group includes a plurality of different electronic devices having similar features;

determining an adjusted price based on the group; and

offering the user the adjusted price for the electronic device.
The method of claim 12:
wherein the group of similar electronic devices is comprised of at least a first quantity of a first type of electronic device and a second quantity of a second type of electronic device, and

wherein determining an adjusted price includes generating a weighted price based at least in part on the first and second quantities.
The method of claim 12:
wherein the group of similar electronic devices is comprised of at least a first quantity of a first type of electronic device and a second quantity of a second type of electronic device,

wherein the first type of electronic device has a first price and the second type of electronic device has a second price, and

wherein determining the adjusted price includes generating a weighted price based at least in part on the first and second quantities and the first and second prices.
The method of claim 12:
wherein the group of similar electronic devices is comprised of at least a first quantity of a first type of electronic device and a second quantity of a second type of electronic device,

wherein the first type of electronic device has a first price and the second type of electronic device has a second price, and

wherein determining the adjusted price includes determining a weighted average price according to the following formula:
WAP=∑($×Qty)D1+($×Qty)D2+…($×Qty)Dn∑QtyD1+QtyD2+…QtyDn
where $_D1is the first price, $_D2is the second price, $_Dnis a price of an n^thelectronic device in the group, Qty_D1is the first quantity, Qty_D2is the second quantity, and Qty_Dnis a quantity of the n^thelectronic device in the group.
The method of claim 12 wherein the kiosk is one of a plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks, and wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a first quantity of a first type of electronic device via the plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks;

receiving a second quantity of a second type of electronic device via the plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks; and

determining the adjusted price based at least in part on the first and second quantities.
The method of claim 12 wherein the kiosk is one of a plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks, and wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a first quantity of a first type of electronic device via the plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks in a preset period of time;

receiving a second quantity of a second type of electronic device via the plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks in the preset period of time; and

determining the adjusted price based at least in part on the first and second quantities.
The method of claim 12 wherein the kiosk is one of a plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks, and wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a first quantity of a first type of electronic device via the plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks;

paying a first price to individually purchase each of the first type of electronic device in the first quantity;

receiving a second quantity of a second type of electronic device via the plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks; and

paying a second price to individually purchase each of the second type of electronic device in the second quantity, wherein determining the adjusted price includes determining a weighted average price based at least in part on the first and second quantities and the first and second prices.
A method performed by a computing device for purchasing used electronic devices, the method comprising:
receiving an electronic device at a user-operated kiosk, the kiosk including at least one imaging component;

obtaining visual information about the electronic device by use of the imaging component;

at least partially identifying the electronic device based at least in part on the visual information;

determining an accuracy of the at least partial identification of the electronic device;

when the accuracy of the at least partial identification is above a preselected threshold, offering to purchase the electronic device for a device-specific price; and

when the accuracy of the at least partial identification is below the preselected threshold, offering to purchase the electronic device for a weighted average price.
The method of claim 19 wherein the kiosk further includes at least one electrical connector, and wherein the method further comprises:
obtaining electrical information about the electronic device by use of the electrical connector, wherein at least partially identifying the electronic device includes at least partially identifying the electronic device based at least in part on the visual information and the electrical information.
The method of claim 19 wherein the electronic device is of a type that belongs to a group of different electronic device types previously purchased by a plurality of kiosks, wherein each of the different electronic device types has an individual price, and wherein the weighted average price is based at least in part on the individual prices of the different electronic device types in the group.
The method of claim 19 wherein the electronic device is of a type that belongs to a group of different electronic device types previously purchased by a plurality of kiosks, and wherein the weighted average price is based at least in part on the individual quantities of the different electronic device types previously purchased by the plurality of kiosks.
The method of claim 19 wherein the electronic device is of a type that belongs to a group of different electronic device types previously purchased by a plurality of kiosks, wherein each of the different electronic device types has an individual price, and wherein the weighted average price is based at least in part on the individual quantities of the different electronic device types previously purchased by the plurality of kiosks and the individual prices of the different electronic device types in the group.
A computer readable storage medium storing instructions configured to, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations for purchasing electronic devices from users, the operations comprising:
receiving an electronic device from a user;

inspecting the electronic device;

based on the inspection, determining a group that the electronic device belongs to, wherein the group includes a plurality of different electronic devices having similar features;

determining an average price based on the group; and

offering the user the average price for the electronic device.
The computer readable storage medium of claim 24:
wherein inspecting the electronic device includes at least one of visually inspecting or electrically inspecting the electronic device;

wherein the group of similar electronic devices is comprised of at least a first quantity of a first type of electronic device and a second quantity of a second type of electronic device,

wherein the first type of electronic device has a first price and the second type of electronic device has a second price, and

wherein determining the average price includes generating a weighted average price based at least in part on the first and second quantities and the first and second prices.
The computer readable storage medium of claim 24:
wherein the group of similar electronic devices is comprised of at least a first quantity of a first type of electronic device and a second quantity of a second type of electronic device,

wherein the first type of electronic device has a first price and the second type of electronic device has a second price, and

wherein determining the average price includes determining a weighted average price according to the following formula:
WAP=∑($×Qty)D1+($×Qty)D2+…($×Qty)Dn∑QtyD1+QtyD2+…QtyDn
where $_D1is the first price, $_D2is the second price, $_Dnis a price of an n^thelectronic device in the group, Qty_D1is the first quantity, Qty_D2is the second quantity, and Qty_Dnis a quantity of the n^thelectronic device in the group.
The computer readable storage medium of claim 24 wherein the kiosk is one of a plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks, and wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving a first quantity of a first type of electronic device via the plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks;

receiving a second quantity of a second type of electronic device via the plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks; and

determining the average price based at least in part on the first and second quantities.
The computer readable storage medium of claim 24 wherein the kiosk is one of a plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks, and wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving a first quantity of a first type of electronic device via the plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks;

paying a first price to individually purchase each of the first type of electronic device in the first quantity;

receiving a second quantity of a second type of electronic device via the plurality of electronic device recycling kiosks; and

paying a second price to individually purchase each of the second type of electronic device in the second quantity, wherein determining the average price includes determining a weighted average price based at least in part on the first and second quantities and the first and second prices.
A system for purchasing electronic devices from consumers, the system comprising:
an inspection area for receiving electronic devices;

an imaging component operably disposed in relation to the inspection area to visually inspect electronic devices received therein;

a processing device operably connected to the imaging component; and

a computer-readable medium that contains computer-executable instructions configured to cause the processing device to operate the system according to a method that comprises:
receiving an electronic device in the inspection area;

obtaining visual information about the electronic device by use of the imaging component;

at least partially identifying the electronic device based at least in part on the visual information;

determining a level of confidence in the identification of the electronic device;

when the level of confidence is above a threshold, offering to purchase the electronic device for a set price; and

when the level of confidence is below the threshold, offering to purchase the electronic device for a weighted average price.
The system of claim 29 wherein the method further comprises:
determining a group that the electronic device belongs to based at least in part on the visual information, wherein the group includes a plurality of different electronic devices having similar features; and

generating the weighted average price based on the group.
The system of claim 29 wherein the method further comprises:
determining a group of similar electronic devices that the electronic device belongs to based at least in part on the visual information, wherein the group of similar electronic devices is comprised of at least a first quantity of a first type of electronic device and a second quantity of a second type of electronic device, wherein the first type of electronic device has a first price and the second type of electronic device has a second price, and

generating the weighted average price based at least in part on the first and second quantities and the first and second prices.
The system of claim 29, further comprising an electrical connector operably connected to the processing device and configured to be temporarily connected to the electronic device, wherein the method further comprises obtaining electrical information about the electronic device via the electrical connector, wherein at least partially identifying the electronic device includes at least partially identifying the electronic device based at least in part on the visual information and the electrical information.
The system of claim 29 wherein the inspection area is configured to receive mobile phones, and wherein the system further comprises a consumer operated kiosk, wherein at least the inspection area and the imaging component are operably contained within the kiosk.
The system of claim 29 wherein the inspection area is configured to receive computing devices, and wherein the system further comprises a consumer operated kiosk, wherein at least the inspection area and the imaging component are operably contained within the kiosk.
The system of claim 29 further comprising a countertop-mounted machine, wherein at least the imaging component and the processing device are operably coupled to the countertop machine.

Owners (US)

Ecoatm Inc (Dec 19 2014)
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Applicants

Ecoatm Inc
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Inventors

Cirannek Vanessa
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Ploetner Jeffrey
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CPC Classifications

G06Q10/30
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G06K9/6201
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G06Q30/0278
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H04N5/225
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Y02W30/826
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IPC Classifications

G06Q10/00
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G06K9/62
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G06Q20/18
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G06Q30/02
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G06Q30/06
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H04N5/225
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Document History

Publication: Mar 31, 2016
US 2016/0092849 A1
Application: Sep 26, 2014
US 201414498763 A
Priority: Sep 26, 2014
US 201414498763 A

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