Elevator information and advertising delivery system

• US 20020066621A1
• Filed: 12/06/2001
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Elevator Channel, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Elevator Channel, Inc.
• Inventors: Wilson, Thomas, Thomas, William G. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,578,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 187/391
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 3/008 Displaying information not related to the elevator, e.g. weather, publicity, internet or TV

Abstract

An apparatus and method for delivering advertising messages to occupants of an elevator cab includes a network mainframe server located remotely from the elevator cab. The apparatus further includes an individual processing unit (IPU) located at the elevator cab and in communication with the network mainframe server over a telephone line configured for transmitting a digital data signal. The IPU includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a monitor electrically connected to the CPU. In a particular embodiment, the IPU further includes an infrared camera for detecting the number of occupants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed. The network mainframe server transmits the advertising messages to the CPU of the IPU over the telephone line. The advertising messages are stored on the CPU and displayed to the occupants of the elevator cab on the monitor of the IPU.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivering advertising messages to occupants of an elevator cab, the apparatus comprising

a network mainframe server located remotely from the elevator cab;

and

an individual processing unit (IPU) located at the elevator cab and in communication with the network mainframe server over a telephone line configured for transmitting a digital data signal, the IPU comprising

a central processing unit (CPU) for storing pre-recorded advertising messages and for replaying the pre-recorded advertising messages to the occupants of the elevator cab; and

a monitor electrically connected to the CPU for displaying the advertising messages to the occupants of the elevator cab.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the IPU further comprises an infrared camera electrically connected to the CPU for detecting the number of occupants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed on the monitor.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the infrared camera is optically connected to the CPU by a fiber optic cable.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the IPU further comprises a speaker electrically connected to the CPU and wherein the advertising messages comprise audio/video files transmitted to the IPU from the network mainframe server.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the telephone line comprises terminals located in the elevator cab and wherein the CPU is connected to the terminals of the telephone line by an xDSL data line.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the terminals of the telephone line are further connected to an emergency phone located on a control panel in the elevator cab.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a power source electrically connected to the CPU for providing power to the IPU.

8. An apparatus for delivering advertising messages to occupants of an elevator cab, the apparatus comprising

a network mainframe server located remotely from the elevator cab;

and

an individual processing unit (IPU) located at the elevator cab and in communication with the network mainframe server comprising

a monitor located for displaying the advertising messages to the occupants of the elevator cab; and

an infrared camera electrically connected to the network mainframe server for detecting the number of occupants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed on the monitor.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the IPU further comprises a central processing unit (CPU) for storing pre-recorded advertising messages and for replaying the pre-recorded advertising messages to the occupants of the elevator cab.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the infrared camera is optically connected to the CPU by a fiber optic cable.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the IPU further comprises a speaker electrically connected to the CPU and wherein the advertising messages comprise audio/video files transmitted to the IPU from the network mainframe server.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the telephone line comprises terminals located in the elevator cab and wherein the CPU is connected to the terminals of the telephone line by an xDSL data line.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the terminals of the telephone line are further connected to an emergency phone located on a control panel in the elevator cab.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising a power source electrically connected to the CPU for providing power to the IPU.

16. The method according to claim 15 comprising the further steps of providing an infrared camera connected to the CPU of the IPU;

and

detecting the number of occupants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed on the monitor of the IPU.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the CPU is connected to the telephone line by an xDSL data line and the advertising messages are audio/video files transmitted from the network mainframe server to the CPU of the IPU.

18. The method of claim 16 comprising the further steps of using the infrared camera, taking a snapshot of the interior of the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed to the occupants of the elevator cab;

providing the snapshot to motion detection software on the CPU to determine a passenger count.

19. The method of claim 18 comprising the further steps of

providing the passenger count to a billing database on the CPU;

downloading the billing database from the CPU to the network mainframe server;

generating a billing report with an accurate passenger count of the number of pants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the infrared camera is optically connected to the by a fiber optic cable.

15. A method of displaying advertising messages to occupants of an elevator cab comprising the steps of

providing a network mainframe server located remotely from the elevator cab;

providing an individual processing unit (IPU) located at the elevator cab and in communication with the network mainframe server, the IPU comprising a central processing unit (CPU) and a monitor electrically connected to the CPU;

transmitting the advertising messages from the network mainframe server to the CPU of the IPU over a telephone line;

storing the advertising messages on the CPU of the IPU; and

displaying the advertising messages to the occupants of the elevator cab on the monitor of the IPU.