DETERMINING BILLBOARD REFRESH RATE BASED ON TRAFFIC FLOW

• US 20090091473A1
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ruthie D. Lyle, Xiaohu S. Yao
• Original Assignee: Ruthie D. Lyle, Xiaohu S. Yao
• Inventors: Lyle, Ruthie D., Yao, Xiaohu S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,800,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/00 Boards, hoardings, pillars, or like structures for notices, placards, posters, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated

Abstract

The present invention relates to the determining of a refresh rate of a dynamic billboard. A system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a system for obtaining traffic flow information; a system for determining the refresh rate per minute of the dynamic billboard based on the traffic flow information, wherein the refresh rate is equal to 60 mph/V, wherein V is equal to an average velocity in miles per hour of vehicles passing the dynamic billboard; a system for determining a percent change in the traffic flow information over a predetermined period of time, and comparing the percent change in the traffic flow information to a predetermined threshold value; and a system for changing a display provided by the dynamic bill board in accordance with the refresh rate only if a magnitude of the percent change in the traffic flow information is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

Claims

1. A system for determining a refresh rate of a dynamic billboard, comprising:

a system for obtaining traffic flow information;

a system for determining the refresh rate per minute of the dynamic billboard based on the traffic flow information, wherein the refresh rate is equal to 60 mph/V, wherein V is equal to an average velocity in miles per hour of vehicles passing the dynamic billboard;

a system for determining a percent change in the traffic flow information over a predetermined period of time, and comparing the percent change in the traffic flow information to a predetermined threshold value; and

a system for changing a display provided by the dynamic bill board in accordance with the refresh rate only if a magnitude of the percent change in the traffic flow information is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamic billboard is selected from the group consisting of a mechanical billboard and a digital billboard.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises an advertisement.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a system for updating the refresh rate of the dynamic billboard based on current traffic flow information.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a system for increasing the refresh rate of the dynamic billboard when traffic slows down in a vicinity of the dynamic billboard.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a system for decreasing the refresh rate of the dynamic billboard when traffic speeds up in a vicinity of the dynamic billboard.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system for obtaining traffic flow information and determining the refresh rate periodically obtains traffic flow information and the refresh rate.

8. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium, which when executed, determines a refresh rate of a dynamic billboard, the computer readable medium comprising program code for:

obtaining traffic flow information;

determining the refresh rate per minute of the dynamic billboard based on the traffic flow information, wherein the refresh rate is equal to 60 mph/V, wherein V is equal to an average velocity in miles per hour of vehicles passing the dynamic billboard;

determining a percent change in the traffic flow information over a predetermined period of time, and comparing the percent change in the traffic flow information to a predetermined threshold value; and

changing a display provided by the dynamic bill board in accordance with the refresh rate only if a magnitude of the percent change in the traffic flow information is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

9. The program product of claim 8, wherein the dynamic billboard is selected from the group consisting of a mechanical billboard and a digital billboard.

10. The program product of claim 8, wherein the display comprises an advertisement.

11. The program product of claim 8, further comprising program code for:

updating the refresh rate of the dynamic billboard based on current traffic flow information.

12. The program product of claim 8, further comprising program code for:

increasing the refresh rate of the dynamic billboard when traffic slows down in a vicinity of the dynamic billboard.

13. The program product of claim 8, further comprising program code for:

decreasing the refresh rate of the dynamic billboard when traffic speeds up in a vicinity of the dynamic billboard.

14. The program product of claim 8, wherein the program code for obtaining traffic flow information and determining the refresh rate periodically obtains traffic flow information and the refresh rate.

15. A method for deploying an application for determining a refresh rate of a dynamic billboard, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

obtain traffic flow information;

determine the refresh rate per minute of the dynamic billboard based on the traffic flow information, wherein the refresh rate is equal to 60 mph/V, wherein V is equal to an average velocity in miles per hour of vehicles passing the dynamic billboard;

determine a percent change in the traffic flow information over a predetermined period of time, and comparing the percent change in the traffic flow information to a predetermined threshold value; and

change a display provided by the dynamic bill board in accordance with the refresh rate only if a magnitude of the percent change in the traffic flow information is greater than the predetermined threshold value.