Systems and methods for processing payments to trigger release of digital advertising campaigns for display on digital signage devices

• US 10,204,360 B1
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AmZetta Technologies, LLC (American Megatrends International, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Sivertsen, Clas Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanderhorst, Maria V
• Application Number:
  US14/104,996
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1469
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising

Abstract

Certain aspects relate to systems and methods for processing payments to trigger release of digital media content for display on digital signage devices. In certain embodiments, a management server receives a user input about payment remittance information relating to an advertising campaign, which includes media content stored at the management server. The management server then transmits the payment remittance information to an associated financial institution for processing. When the financial institution sends back a confirmation that the payment remittance has been processed, the management server updates the advertising campaign to reflect the confirmation. Upon receiving a request for advertising campaign information relating to the advertising campaign from a signage device, the management server transmits the advertising campaign information to the signage device such that the signage device may confirm the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign information, and display the media content on the signage device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a private network;

a plurality of signage devices within the private network, the plurality of signage being assigned to a group identified by a particular group ID;

at least one individual signage device outside the private network;

a media content payment and delivery server connected to the private network and comprising a deployment module, configured to

receive payment remittance information from a user via a remote computing device, wherein the payment remittance information relates to an advertising campaign comprising media content stored at the media content payment and delivery server designated to be displayed at one or more timeslots, wherein the advertising campaign specifies that the media content is to be displayed at the plurality of signage devices and at the at least one signage device, wherein the payment remittance information specifies a payment for the at least one individual signage device and not for the plurality of signage devices;

transmit the payment remittance information to a financial institution associated with the media content payment and delivery server for processing,

receive confirmation from the financial institution that the payment remittance has been processed,

update the advertising campaign to reflect the confirmation from the financial institution, and

upon receipt of a request for advertising campaign information relating to the advertising campaign, transmit the advertising campaign information to one or more signage devices,

wherein each of the plurality of signage devices comprises a processor, a media player, and a non-volatile memory storing a computer-executable program, wherein the program of each of the plurality of signage devices, when executed by the processor, is configured to

send the request for the advertising campaign information to the media content payment and delivery server;

receive the advertising campaign information from the media content payment and delivery server;

when a confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign has not been received at the each signage device, obtain a first video file of the media content from the media content payment and delivery server over the private network, store the first video file locally at the each signage device, and refrain from displaying the first video file of the media content at the media player;

after receiving the media content, hold the locally stored first video file of the media content without displaying until confirmation of the payment remittance has been received,

when a confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign has been received at the each signage device, transmit the first video file of the media content to the media player and display, at the media player without obtaining the first video file over the private network again, the locally stored first video file of the media content disregard the locally stored first video and display a blank screen in response to not receiving, within a predetermined time, the confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign information,

wherein the at least one individual signage device comprises a processor, a media player, and a non-volatile memory storing a computer-executable program, wherein the at least one individual signage device, when executed by the processor, is configured to,

when a confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign has been received at the at least one individual signage device and has not been received at the plurality of signage devices within the private network, display the media content while the plurality of signage devices refrain from displaying the first video file of the media content at the media player;

wherein the display of the first video file at each of the plurality of the signage devices is simultaneous;

wherein the deployment module identifies deployment information comprising (1) a signage device identification (ID) to identify a specific signage device selected to display the advertising campaign and/or a group ID to identify which group of digital signage devices have been selected to display the advertising campaign;

(2) one or more content IDs identifying the one or more media files to be displayed at selected timeslots of selected signage devices;

(3) time slot information which indicates a date and time when the advertising campaign is to be displayed; and

(4) information relating to payment status of the advertising campaign; and

wherein the deployment module deploys various media files to various timeslots at various signage devices in accordance with the deployment information upon receipt of payment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the payment remittance information comprises at least payment date;

payment amount;

advertising campaign identifier;

signage device identifier;

credit card information;

wire transfer information; and

currency type.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the financial institution associated with the media content payment and delivery server is operatively connected to one or more financial institutions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the advertising campaign information comprises a program list.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the program list comprises advertising campaign information associated with a particular signage device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the program list comprises at least payment status;

links to the media content; and

timeslot information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the confirmation from the financial institution specifies one or more timeslots for which payment has been remitted.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the timeslots identifies a particular time and date at which the media content is to be displayed.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the timeslots are specified for a particular duration.

10. A method of processing digital media content payments, comprising:

receiving, at a media content payment and delivery server comprising a deployment module, payment remittance information from a user via a remote computing device, wherein the payment remittance information relates to an advertising campaign comprising media content stored at the media content payment and delivery server designated to be displayed at one or more timeslots, wherein the advertising campaign specifies that the media content is to be displayed at a plurality of signage devices within a private network and at at least one signage device outside the private network, the plurality of signage being assigned to a group identified by a particular group ID, wherein the payment remittance information specifies a payment for the at least one individual signage device and not for the plurality of signage devices;

transmitting, from the media content payment and delivery server, the payment remittance information to a financial institution associated with the media content payment and delivery server for processing;

receiving, at the media content payment and delivery server, confirmation from the financial institution that the payment remittance has been processed;

updating, at the media content payment and delivery server, the advertising campaign to reflect the confirmation from the financial institution;

receiving, at the media content payment and delivery server, a request for advertising campaign information relating to the advertising campaign from the plurality of signage devices and the at least one signage device; and

in response to the request, transmitting, from the media content payment and delivery-server, the advertising campaign information to the plurality of signage devices and the at least one signage device,

wherein each of the plurality of signage devices is configured to

send the request for the advertising campaign information to the media content payment and delivery server,

receive the advertising campaign information from the media content payment and delivery server,

when a confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign has not been received at the each signage device, obtain a first video file of the media content from the media content payment and delivery server over the network, store the first video file locally at the each signage device, and refrain from displaying the first video file of the media content at the media player,

after receiving the media content, hold the locally stored first video file of the media content without displaying until confirmation of the payment remittance has been received,

when a confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign has been received at the each signage device, transmit the first video file of the media content to the media player and display, at the media player without obtaining the first video file over the private network again, the locally stored first video file of the media content disregard the locally stored first video and display a blank screen in response to not receiving, within a predetermined time, the confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign information,

wherein the at least one individual signage device is configured to;

when a confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign has been received at the at least one individual signage device and has not been received at the plurality of signage devices within the private network, display the media content while the plurality of signage devices refrain from displaying the first video file of the media content at the media player;

wherein the display of the first video file at each of the plurality of the signage devices is simultaneous;

wherein the deployment module identifies deployment information comprising (1) a signage device ID to identify a specific signage device selected to display the advertising campaign and/or a group ID to identify which group of digital signage devices have been selected to display the advertising campaign;

(2) one or more content IDs identifying the one or more media files to be displayed at selected timeslots of selected signage devices;

(3) time slot information which indicates a date and time when the advertising campaign is to be displayed; and

(4) information relating to payment status of the advertising campaign; and

wherein the deployment module deploys various media files to various timeslots at various signage devices in accordance with the deployment information upon receipt of payment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the payment remittance information comprises at least payment date;

payment amount;

advertising campaign identifier;

signage device identifier;

credit card information;

wire transfer information; and

currency type.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the financial institution associated with the media content payment and delivery server is operatively connected to one or more financial institutions.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the advertising campaign information comprises a program list, wherein the program list comprises advertising campaign information associated with a particular signage device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the program list comprises at least payment status;

links to the media content; and

timeslot information.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the confirmation from the financial institution specifies one or more timeslots for which payment has been remitted, wherein each of the timeslots identifies a particular time and date at which the media content is to be displayed.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the timeslots are specified for a particular duration.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable codes, wherein the codes, when executed at a processor of a media content payment and delivery server comprising a deployment module, are configured to

receive payment remittance information from a user via a remote computing device, wherein the payment remittance information relates to an advertising campaign comprising media content stored at the media content payment and delivery server designated to be displayed at one or more timeslots, wherein the advertising campaign specifies that the media content is to be displayed at a plurality of signage devices within a private network and at at least one signage device outside the private network, the plurality of signage being assigned to a group identified by a particular group ID, wherein the payment remittance information specifies a payment for the at least one individual signage device and not for the plurality of signage devices,

transmit the payment remittance information to a financial institution associated with the media content payment and delivery server for processing,

receive confirmation from the financial institution that the payment remittance has been processed,

update the advertising campaign to reflect the confirmation from the financial institution,

receive a request for advertising campaign information relating to the advertising campaign from the plurality of signage devices and the at least one signage device, and

in response to the request, transmit the advertising campaign information to the plurality of signage devices and the at least one signage device,

wherein each of the plurality of signage devices is configured to

send the request for the advertising campaign information to the media content payment and delivery server,

receive the advertising campaign information from the media content payment and delivery server,

when a confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign has not been received at the each signage device, obtain a first video file of the media content from the media content payment and delivery server over a private network, store the first video file locally at the each signage device, and refrain from displaying the first video file of the media content at the media player,

after receiving the media content, hold the locally stored first video file of the media content without displaying until confirmation of the payment remittance has been received,

when a confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign has been received at the each signage device, transmit the first video file of the media content to the media player and display, at the media player without obtaining the first video file over the private network again, the locally stored first video file of the media content disregard the locally stored first video and display a blank screen in response to not receiving, within a predetermined time, the confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign information,

wherein the at least one individual signage device is configured to:

when a confirmation of the payment remittance related to the advertising campaign has been received at the at least one individual signage device and has not been received at the plurality of signage devices within the private network, display the media content while the plurality of signage devices refrain from displaying the first video file of the media content at the media player;

wherein the display of the first video file at each of the plurality of the signage devices is simultaneous,

wherein the deployment module identifies deployment information comprising (1) a signage device ID to identify a specific signage device selected to display the advertising campaign and/or a group ID to identify which group of digital signage devices have been selected to display the advertising campaign;

(2) one or more content IDs identifying the one or more media files to be displayed at selected timeslots of selected signage devices;

(3) time slot information which indicates a date and time when the advertising campaign is to be displayed; and

(4) information relating to payment status of the advertising campaign; and

wherein the deployment module deploys various media files to various timeslots at various signage devices in accordance with the deployment information upon receipt of payment.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the payment remittance information comprises at least payment date;

payment amount;

advertising campaign identifier;

signage device identifier;

credit card information;

wire transfer information; and

currency type.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the financial institution associated with the media content payment and delivery server is operatively connected to one or more financial institutions.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the advertising campaign information comprises a program list, wherein the program list comprises advertising campaign information associated with a particular signage device, wherein the program list comprises at least payment status;

links to the media content; and

timeslot information.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the confirmation from the financial institution specifies one or more timeslots for which payment has been remitted, wherein each of the timeslots identifies a particular time and date at which the media content is to be displayed.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the timeslots are specified for a particular duration.