Advertising compliance monitoring system

• US 20050095573A1
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GOLIATH Solutions LLC (Osa Acquisition, LLC)
• Inventors: Overhultz, Gary L., Mead, Robert W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,021,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/365
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure

Abstract

An advertising compliance monitoring system is provided that includes a tag affixed to a sign or marketing material or shopper ID card, the tag communicating with a reader on a periodic basis. The tag includes a memory for storing tag data, a transmitter and a receiver. The tag uses sleep modes to conserve power. The tag transmits tag data to a reader in response to an interrogation request, or automatically on a periodic basis. The tag data includes an identification number used to identify the tag associated with a particular sign, price, marketing material or shopper, status data (e.g., delivered, displayed), and time and date information. This data is processed by a central server to determine compliance with and/or exposure to a particular advertising program.

Claims

1. A method for remotely monitoring compliance with an advertising program without human intervention by determining the presence of a plurality of signs each at a predetermined location at a plurality of facilities, comprising:

associating RF means with a sign to be displayed for advertising purposes for wirelessly sending data related to the sign;

locating RF receiving means remotely from the signs for receiving the sign data; and

analyzing the sign data to determine the identity of the signs and whether the signs are timely and properly located at the various facilities and thereby in compliance with the advertising program.

2. A system for remotely monitoring compliance with an advertising program without human intervention by determining the presence of a plurality of signs each at a predetermined location at a plurality of facilities, comprising:

RF means associated with each sign to be displayed for advertising purposes for wirelessly sending data related to the sign;

RF receiving means remotely located from the signs for receiving the sign data; and

means for directly or indirectly receiving the sign data and analyzing the sign data to determine the identity of the signs and whether the signs are timely and properly located at the various facilities and thereby in compliance with the advertising program.

3. A method for remotely monitoring compliance with an advertising program without human intervention by determining the presence of a plurality of signs at predetermined locations at a plurality of facilities, comprising:

associating RF means with each sign to be displayed for advertising purposes for wirelessly sending data related to the sign;

locating receiving means remotely from the signs for receiving the sign data and wherein the sign data includes an identifier

providing analyzing means for directly or indirectly receiving the sign data and for analyzing the sign data to determine the identity of the signs and whether the signs are timely and properly

located at the various facilities and thereby in compliance with the advertising program.

4. A system for remotely monitoring compliance with an advertising program without human intervention by determining the presence of a plurality of signs at a predetermined location at a plurality of facilities, comprising:

RF means associated with a sign to be displayed for advertising purposes for wirelessly sending data related to the sign;

receiving means remotely located from the signs for receiving the sign data and wherein the sign data includes a sign identifier;

analyzing means for directly or indirectly receiving the sign data and for analyzing

the sign data to determine the identity of the signs and whether the signs are timely and properly located at the various facilities and thereby in compliance with the advertising program.

5. A system for remotely monitoring compliance with an advertising program without human intervention by determining the presence of a plurality of signs at a predetermined location at a plurality of facilities, comprising:

An RF contact tag associated with a sign being displayed for advertising purposes for wirelessly sending data related to the sign;

RF receiving means located at each facility for receiving the sign data;

a computer directly or indirectly receiving the sign data and for analyzing the sign data to determine the identity of the signs and whether the signs are timely and properly located at the various facilities and thereby in compliance with the advertising program.

6. A method for remotely monitoring compliance with an advertising program without human intervention by determining the presence of a plurality of signs at a predetermined location at a plurality of facilities, comprising:

associating an RF contact tag with a sign to be displayed for advertising purposes for wirelessly sending data related to the sign;

locating RF receiving means at each facility for receiving the sign data;

providing a computer for directly or indirectly receiving the sign data and for analyzing the sign data to determine the identity of the signs and whether the signs are timely and properly located at the various facilities and thereby in compliance with the advertising program.

7. A method for remotely monitoring by RF, without human intervention, compliance with an advertising program comprising signs to be located at a plurality of different facilities by determining the presence of one or more advertising signs at a plurality of predetermined locations, with at least one sign at each facility in the program, comprising:

associating a tag with each advertising sign, the sign being displayed for advertising purposes, and the tag being adapted for RF communication;

locating at least one RF reader at each facility for receiving tag data from each tag within range of the reader where the received tag data indicates the identity of and presence of the tag and its corresponding sign in a particular one of the predetermined locations at a facility in the program; and

means for directly or indirectly receiving tag data from each tag at the facility and for transmitting the tag data to a computer that receives and analyzes the tag data from the plurality of different facilities to determine the identity of each sign and whether each sign is timely and properly located in each facility and thereby which advertising signs and facilities are in compliance with the advertising program.

8. An RF system for remotely monitoring, without human intervention, compliance with an advertising program comprising signs to be located at a plurality of different facilities by determining the presence of one or more advertising signs at a plurality of predetermined locations, with at least one sign at each facility in the program, comprising:

a tag associated with each advertising sign, the sign being displayed for advertising purposes, and the tag being adapted for RF communication;

at least one RF reader at each facility for receiving tag data from each tag within range of the reader where the received tag data indicates the identity of and presence of the tag and its corresponding sign in a particular one of the predetermined locations at a facility in the program; and

means for directly or indirectly receiving tag data from each tag at the facility and for transmitting the tag data to a remotely located computer that receives and analyzes the tag data from the plurality of different facilities to determine the identity of each sign and whether each sign is timely and properly located in each facility and thereby which advertising signs and facilities are in compliance with the advertising program.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer determines whether the sign is in a specific location in accordance with the specific advertising program.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said tag is intended to be inconspicuously associated with said sign and provides no indicia of the advertising message.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the sign is selected from the group consisting of marketing materials, displays, coupon dispensers, signage, display racks, floor mats, counter mats, containers, promotional hardware, seasonal promotions, and products.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the tag includes a memory for storing tag data, a transmitter and a receiver.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the tag is a passive tag.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the passive tag is used to determine the specific location of the sign.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the tag is a contact tag and said contact tag determines the specific location of the sign.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the contact tag determines whether the sign is present via physical contact with the sign.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the tag autonomously transmits tag data on a periodic basis.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer communicates with the reader via a wireless link.

19. The system of claim 8, wherein the reader communicates with the tag via an RF link.

20. The system of claim 8, wherein each reader and/or hub includes a data management module capable of reading tag data from different types of tags.

21. The system of claim 8, wherein the data management module converts tag data into a standard data stream and transmits the standard data stream to the computer.

22. The system of claim 8, wherein the reader includes a data management module that is interchangeable.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein each interchangeable data management module is adapted for receiving tag data from a specific type of tag.

24. The system of claim 8, wherein the tag is a passive tag that receives energy from a close proximity external source.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the contact tag and the sign include sign identification indicia which is RF transmitted.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the sign identification indicia is selected from the group consisting of magnetic ink, and notch indicia.

27. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer determines whether the sign is in a specific location during predetermined time periods in accordance with the advertising program.

28. A method of remotely monitoring, without human intervention, compliance with an advertising program by determining the presence of a plurality of advertising signs at predetermined locations at a number of separate facilities where the signs are to be placed, comprising:

associating an RF capable tag with each sign, the tag storing a tag identifier;

using an RF reader at each facility to receive tag data from each tag within range of the reader;

determining from the received tag data the identity of and presence of the tag and its corresponding advertising sign associated with the tag in a particular location at one of the facilities in the program;

locating a hub for directly or indirectly receiving tag data from the tag; and

receiving and analyzing the tag data from each hub at a location remote from at least one facility to determine the identity of each sign and whether each sign is timely and properly located and the facility where the tag is located and thereby whether each sign and each facility are in compliance with the advertising program.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein a computer remotely located from all facilities in the program receives and analyzes the tag data.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising detecting whether the sign is moved from the specified location.

31. The method of claim 28, further including selecting the tag from the group consisting of a contact tag, a passive tag, and an active tag.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

grouping a plurality of signs in a predetermined area of a store;

associating a tag with each sign; and

using at least one reader to receive signals from each of the tags.

33. The method of claim 28, further including generating a signal when the tag is moved from a predetermined location.

34. A method for automatically monitoring compliance with an advertising program using advertising signs by determining the presence of at least one advertising sign within a facility, comprising:

providing at least one advertising sign bearing advertising indicia, said sign being arranged to be located within the facility for display within the facility;

coupling an RF tag to said sign for wirelessly sending tag data associated with said sign;

providing a receiver located remotely from said sign for receiving said tag data from said RF tag; and

coupling a computer means to said receiver for analyzing said tag data to determine if said sign is located within the facility and providing information indicative of that determination.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein a computer remotely located from all facilities in the program receives and analyzes the tag data.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising detecting whether the sign is moved from the specified location.

37. The method of claim 34, further including selecting the tag from the group consisting of a contact tag, a passive tag, and an active tag.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

grouping a plurality of signs in a predetermined area of a store;

associating a tag with each sign; and

using at least one reader to receive signals from each of the tags.

39. The method of claim 34, further including generating a signal when the tag is moved from a predetermined location.

40. A system for automatically monitoring compliance with an advertising program using advertising signs by determining the presence of at least one advertising sign within a facility, comprising:

at least one advertising sign bearing advertising indicia, said sign being arranged to be located within a facility for display within the facility;

an RF tag coupled to said sign for wirelessly sending tag data associated with said sign;

a receiver located remotely from said sign for receiving said tag data from said RF tag; and

computer means coupled to said receiver for analyzing said tag data to determine if said sign is located within the facility and providing information indicative of that determination.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said tag is intended to be inconspicuously associated with said sign and provides no indicia of the advertising message.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the sign is selected from the group consisting of marketing materials, displays, coupon dispensers, signage, display racks, floor mats, counter mats, containers, promotional hardware, seasonal promotions, and products.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the tag includes a memory for storing tag data, a transmitter and a receiver.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein the tag is a passive tag.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein the passive tag is used to determine the specific location of the sign.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein the tag is a contact tag and said contact tag determines the specific location of the sign.

47. The system of claim 40, wherein the contact tag determines whether the sign is present via physical contact with the sign.

48. The system of claim 40, wherein the tag autonomously transmits tag data on a periodic basis.

49. The system of claim 40, wherein the computer communicates with the reader via a wireless link.

50. The system of claim 40, wherein the tag is a passive tag that receives energy from a close proximity external source.

51. The system of claim 46, wherein the contact tag and the sign include sign identification indicia which is RF transmitted.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the sign identification indicia is selected from the group consisting of magnetic ink, and notch indicia.