Secure repair kiosk system and method

摘要

A secure repair kiosk system is provided for receiving items/devices for repair. The secure repair kiosk system includes a kiosk that receives items for repair. The kiosk includes multiple holding slots that each contains a transfer box used as a secure and traceable means for transferring devices to and from a remote repair site. A customer interacts with a user interface of the Kiosk to generate repair drop-off request and gain access to an empty transfer box. An empty particular transfer box is presented to a user during drop-off of the device that will typically accompany the device during transfer to the repair site, during repair of the device, during transfer back to the Kiosk, and delivery to the user. The customer interacts with the user interface of the Kiosk to generate repair pick-off request and gain access to a transfer box that contains that customers repaired device.

主权项

1. A repair kiosk comprising:
a plurality of transfer boxes, each of the plurality of transfer boxes comprising:
an internal compartment for holding an electronic device;a motorized locking mechanism for controlling access to the internal compartment; anda communication device storing a unique serial number; a chassis having an internal cavity, the internal cavity including a plurality of holding slots each for storing one of the plurality of transfer boxes; a pick-up bay providing access to the internal cavity and having a first electronic reader configured to communicate with the communication device to actuate the motorized locking mechanism; a robotic arm configured to move an identified transfer box between a pick-up window and the first slot of the holding slots; a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising an input device and display; and a computing system comprising a processor executing a kiosk application comprising modules executable by the processor and controlling the robotic arm, the kiosk application comprising:
a graphical user interface (GUI) module to operate the GUI and responsive to user input received locally via the GUI to generate a movement instruction, wherein the movement instruction identifies a particular one of the plurality of transfer boxes;a transfer box module configured to control the robotic arm to move the particular transfer box between a corresponding holding slot and the pick-up bay according to the movement instruction and to cause the electronic reader to actuate the motorized locking mechanism when the particular transfer box is in the pick-up bay; anda logging module configured to generate a report including the customer input and send the report to a remote computing system.