Method of informational advertising in restrooms

• US 20040150526A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Javier Roberto De La Garza
• Original Assignee: Javier Roberto De La Garza
• Inventors: De La Garza, Javier Roberto
• Application Number:
  US10/345,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150526A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address

Abstract

Whenever individuals use a public restroom—whether they are shopping, dining, dancing, or attending a sporting/cultural event—they must physically stop, relax, and wait. It is an opportune time to target them with specific informational advertising. A method of providing informational messages to users of public restrooms comprises the steps of: providing a broadcasting device in a public restroom; providing a sensor to determine use of a portion of the public restroom proximate to the user; connecting the broadcasting device to a computer provided to convey a broadcast signal containing the message to the broadcasting device; and, providing and storing the informational message in the computer for subsequent dissemination to the broadcast device when the restroom is determined to be in use by the sensor. In a preferred aspect of the above method an internet connection to the computer is provided to facilitate updating the informational messages disseminated from the computer to the broadcasting device.

Claims

1. ) A method of providing informational messages to users of public restrooms comprising the steps of:

providing a broadcasting device in a public restroom;

providing a sensor to determine use of a portion of the public restroom proximate to the user;

connecting the broadcasting device to a computer provided to convey a broadcast signal containing the message to the broadcasting device; and

,

providing and storing the informational message in the computer for subsequent dissemination to the broadcast device when the restroom is determined to be in use by the sensor.

2. ) A method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of providing an internet connection to the computer to facilitate updating the informational messages disseminated from the computer to the broadcasting device.

3. ) A method as in claim 2 wherein the computer comprises a server and wherein there are multiple sensors and broadcasting devices, and wherein each broadcasting device comprises audio speakers and a video monitor.

4. ) A method as in claim 3 wherein there are multiple informational messages of different durations and wherein the server is programmed to deliver a message of a predetermined duration to a particular broadcasting device in a public restroom based on an anticipated duration of use of the particular location in the restroom.

5. ) A method as in claim 3 wherein there are multiple servers individually positioned at different types of establishments and wherein the informational message at a particular server is configured to be of interest to a user at the particular type of establishment at which it is broadcast.

6. ) A method as in claim 5 wherein the informational message is targeted to be of interest to the user of a particular restroom at a particular time.

8. ) A method as in claim 6 wherein the informational message comprises building and location information.

9. ) A method as in claim 4 wherein one of the broadcasting devices comprises a video projector.

10. ) A method as in claim 4 wherein one of the broadcasting devices comprises a flat screen monitor having a protective display cover comprising a transparent viewing portion surrounded by a metal frame, and wherein the sensor is housed within the frame.

7. ) A method as in 5 wherein the informational message comprises informational advertising.

11. ) A method as in claim 7 further comprising the preliminary step of entering into rental agreements with owners of public restrooms, and the subsequent step of selling advertising spots within the informational messages to interested businesses.