Secure electronic media distribution and presentation system

• US 20070038696A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marlin Software, LLC
• Original Assignee: The Marlin Company (Appspace, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pierce, Richard, Kenna, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,743,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the distribution of electronic media content for distribution to employees of a subscriber. The system includes an electronic display for displaying selected electronic media content that may be selected, modified and/or generated by the subscriber. The system allows for dramatically increased subscriber control of the media content presented as well as for increased security for any confidential media content to be presented on the customer display. The system further provides for individual control of multiple displays that may be located in differing geographic locations while at the same time providing for ease of information management.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting and displaying electronic media from a service provider to a subscriber comprising:

a controller for receiving an electronic media collection;

a display, coupled to said controller, displaying the electronic media collection provided by said controller;

a controller storage, for storing the electronic media collection received by said controller;

a service provider computer coupled to said controller via a network connection, said service provider computer transmitting the electronic media collection to said controller;

a service provider storage coupled to said service provider computer, for storing the electronic media collection transmitted to said controller;

a customer computer, coupled to said service provider computer via a network connection for generating the electronic media collection to be transmitted to said controller;

said electronic media collection selected from the group consisting of;

pre-assembled media content generated and provided by the service provider to the subscriber for selection;

modified pre-assembled media content generated by the subscriber; and

/or

custom generated media content generated for the subscriber;

said subscriber selecting from among said electronic media to generate said electronic media collection.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said electronic media collection comprises a first electronic media collection, the system further comprising a second controller coupled to a second display, said second controller coupled to said service provider computer via a network connection and receiving a second electronic media collection for display on said second display.

3. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a customer server coupled to said controller and to said customer computer.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said electronic media collection comprises confidential media content and/or non-confidential media content, said non-confidential media content stored on said service provider computer storage and said confidential media content stored on said customer storage.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein said electronic media collection includes an address pointing to the location of the non-confidential media content stored on said customer storage.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein when the electronic media collection comprises custom generated media content generated for the subscriber, the custom generated media content is categorized as confidential and non-confidential content, wherein the confidential content is maintained on the customer computer for delivery to said controller and the non-confidential content is maintained on the service provider computer for delivery to said controller.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein said display comprises at least a first and a second frame.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein the first frame is displays media data selected from the group consisting of:

audio, video, text, images, animations, web pages, streaming media data and combinations thereof.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein subscriber sets a sequential order and time limit for each media data to be displayed on said display.

10. The system according to claim 7 wherein said display further comprises a section for display of a subscriber title.

11. The system according to claim 7 wherein said display further comprises a moving ticker message that scrolls across at least a portion of the first frame.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the moving ticker is customized by the subscriber.

13. The system according to claim 7 wherein the second frame is divided into a first portion and a second portion;

said first portion receiving pre-assembled media content; and

said second portion receiving;

pre-assembled media content;

modified pre-assembled media content; and

/or

custom generated media content.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein said second frame further comprises a third portion displaying weather information.

15. The system according to claim 7 wherein the first and second frames comprise a graphical interface for selection of media content to be displayed in each frame.

16. The system according to claim 1 wherein the pre-assembled media content is periodically updated.

17. The system according to claim 1 wherein the network connection is selected from the group consisting of;

the Internet, an intranet, a LAN, a WAN and combinations thereof.

18. The system according to claim 1 wherein said controller periodically queries said service provider computer to determine if an updated electronic media collection is available and if so, said controller downloads the updated electronic media collection and overwrites the exiting electronic media collection stored on said controller storage.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein said service provider computer monitors how often said controller queries and if the controller fails to query within a selected time period alerts the service provider and/or the subscriber.

20. A system for transmitting and displaying electronic media from a service provider to a subscriber comprising:

a controller for receiving an electronic media collection;

a display, coupled to said controller, displaying the electronic media collection provided by said controller;

a service provider computer coupled to said controller via a network connection, said service provider computer transmitting the electronic media collection to said controller;

a service provider storage coupled to said service provider computer, for storing the electronic media collection transmitted to said controller; and

a customer computer having a customer storage and coupled to said service provider computer via a network connection for generating the electronic media collection to be transmitted to said controller;

said electronic media collection including confidential and/or non-confidential media content, the confidential media content stored on said customer storage and the non-confidential media content stored on said service provider storage;

said electronic media collection including the non-confidential media content transmitted from said service provider computer to said controller, said electronic media collection including an address to direct said controller to download the confidential media content from said customer storage.

21. The system according to claim 20 further comprising a controller storage where the electronic media collection received by said controller is stored.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein said controller periodically queries said service provider computer to determine if an updated electronic media collection is available for download to said controller.

23. The system according to claim 20 wherein said electronic media collection is selected from the group consisting of:

pre-assembled media content generated and provided by the service provider to the subscriber for selection;

modified pre-assembled media content generated by the subscriber; and

/or

custom generated media content generated for the subscriber.

24. A method for transmitting and displaying electronic media from a service provider to a subscriber comprising:

coupling a controller via a network connection to a service provider computer;

coupling a display to the controller;

coupling a customer computer to the service provider computer via a network connection;

generating the electronic media collection to be transmitted to said controller, the electronic media collection selected from the group consisting of;

pre-assembled media content generated and provided by the service provider to the subscriber for selection;

modified pre-assembled media content generated by the subscriber; and

/or

custom generated media content generated for the subscriber;

storing the generated electronic media collection in a service provider storage accessible by the service provider computer;

transmitting the electronic media collection from the service provider computer to the controller;

storing the electronic media collection in a controller storage accessible by the controller;

displaying the electronic media collection on the display.

25. The method according to claim 24 further comprising the steps of:

periodically querying the service provider computer to determine if an updated electronic media collection is available and if so;

downloading the updated electronic media collection; and

overwriting the exiting electronic media collection stored on the controller storage.

26. A system for transmitting and displaying electronic media from a service provider to a plurality of subscriber locations comprising:

at least two controllers for receiving first and second electronic media collections respectively;

at least two displays coupled to said at least two controllers respectively, said at least two displays displaying the first and second electronic media collections received by said at least two controllers;

at least two controller storages coupled to said at least two controllers respectively, for storing the first and second electronic media collections received by said at least two controllers;

a service provider computer coupled to said at least two controllers via a network connection, said service provider computer transmitting the first and second electronic media collections to said at least two controllers;

a service provider storage coupled to said service provider computer, for storing the first and second electronic media collections transmitted to said at least two controllers; and

a customer computer, coupled to said service provider computer via a network connection for creating the first and second electronic media collections transmitted to said at least two controllers;

said at least two controllers positioned at different physical locations;

said subscriber generating the first and second electronic media collections sent to each of said at least two controllers respectively.

27. The system according to claim 26 wherein the first and second electronic media collections are selected from the group consisting of:

pre-assembled media content generated and provided by the service provider to the subscriber for selection;

modified pre-assembled media content generated by the subscriber; and

/or

custom generated media content generated for the subscriber.