SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ATTRACTING, SURVEYING, AND MARKETING TO CONSUMERS

• US 20080060004A1
• Filed: 05/16/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Space Needle Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: Space Needle Holding Corporation
• Inventors: Nelson, Dean, Bacarella, Mary
• Granted Patent: US 7,546,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

One method of the present invention includes displaying an interactive map to a consumer and recording interactions with the consumer, recording the interactions, analyzing the recordings, and acting on the analysis. The interactive map is provided at a tourist attraction or other location, and includes maps, images, cameras, and other information about the area surrounding the attraction, as well as information about other attractions, that is useful and/or interesting to a consumer. The interactive media include remote-controlled cameras, touch screen monitors, joysticks, and various other controls. Recording the interactions of the consumers includes recording touches, page views, clicks, session lengths, itineraries selected, and other interactions. Analyzing includes analyzing to find consumer preferences among locations presented. Acting on the results of the analyses includes contacting and forming networks with entities in the area surrounding the tourist hub or remote locations, including contacting and forming networks with other tourist hubs.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing the appeal of a view-based tourist destination comprising:

displaying at least one video image of a viewable area surrounding the destination, the at least one video image captured by one or more video capture devices located proximate the destination; and

enabling a tourist to interactively alter the video image by controlling the video capture device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting to said tourist further information related to the viewable area surrounding the destination.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying includes:

providing control of an interactive camera to the consumer;

displaying an image captured by the camera to the consumer;

and wherein recording includes recording interactions between the camera and the consumer.

3. A method comprising:

displaying an interactive map to a consumer;

recording interactions between the map and the consumer;

analyzing the recorded interactions;

acting on the analysis.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein displaying includes displaying an interactive map having at least one activatable icon that, when activated, displays content related to a location represented by the at least one icon.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the content includes content provided by an entity at the location represented by the icon.