VEHICLE ADVERTISING SYSTEM

• US 20110099075A1
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Graphic Laminating, LLC
• Original Assignee: Graphic Laminating, LLC
• Inventors: Hannon, Micheal N.
• Application Number:
  US12/673,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20110099075A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.68
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 11/30 the display elements being fed one by one from storage place to a display position
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0025 display surface tensioning means
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 17/00 Flags; Banners; Mountings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/048 Advertisement panels on sides, front or back of vehicles

Abstract

A mobile advertising system includes a banner, a first banner anchor and a second banner anchor coupled to a vehicle. The banner is capable of being deployed by being connected at opposing ends to and suspended between the first and second banner anchors. The banner has first and second surfaces on which indicia are imprinted. Both the first and second banner surfaces are visible when the banner is deployed. An invoicing and tracking system may be included that computes an advertising charge based at least in part on a time period during which the banner is deployed and, optionally, a location of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A mobile advertising system comprising:

a banner having first and second surfaces on which indicia are imprinted;

a first banner anchor coupled to a vehicle; and

a second banner anchor coupled to the vehicle;

wherein the banner is capable of being deployed by being connected at opposing ends to and suspended between the first and second banner anchors such that the first and second banner surfaces are visible when the banner is deployed.

2. The mobile advertising system of claim 1 wherein the first banner anchor comprises a front mast and the banner comprises a retractable banner;

and further wherein the banner is fixed to the front mast in a manner that allows the banner to be deployed from the front mast and attached to the second banner anchor.

3. The mobile advertising system of claim 2 wherein the front mast comprises a banner enclosure that encloses substantially an entirety of the banner when the banner is retracted.

4. The mobile advertising system of claim 2 comprising a winch motor operably coupled to a drive assembly, the drive assembly configured to translate motor rotation to deploy or retract the banner from the front mast.

5. The mobile advertising system of claim 4 wherein the retractable banner is rolled onto a spool that is configured to engage and be driven by the drive assembly.

6. The mobile advertising system of claim 2 wherein the rear mast comprises a hem rod that is inserted through a banner hem and is removably coupled to a rear mast base.

7. The mobile advertising system of claim 1 comprising an invoicing system that computes an advertising charge based at least in part on an amount of time the banner is deployed.

8. The mobile advertising system of claim 7 comprising a location tracking system that determines a location of the mobile advertising system and wherein the invoicing system receives location data from a GPS tracking system and computes an advertising charge based at least in part on the location data.

9. The mobile advertising system of claim 8 wherein the location tracking system is adapted to determine whether the mobile advertising system is in motion or is stationary and wherein the invoicing system receives data from the location tracking system corresponding to whether the mobile advertising system is in motion or is stationary and computes the advertising charge based at least in part on whether the mobile advertising system is in motion or is stationary.

10. The mobile advertising system of claim 8 wherein the invoicing system computes the advertising charge based at least in part on one of at least two billing rates associated with one of at least two particular location zones in which the mobile advertising system is located.

11. A method of advertising comprising:

providing a banner capable of being deployed by being connected at opposing ends to and suspended between first and second banner anchors coupled to a vehicle, the banner having a first and second surface on which indicia are imprinted and wherein both the first and second banner surfaces are visible when the banner is deployed;

determining whether the banner is deployed;

accumulating a time period during which the banner is deployed; and

computing an advertising charge based at least in part on the time period during which the banner is deployed.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising the step of determining a location of the vehicle when the banner is deployed and wherein the step of computing an advertising charge is performed based at least in part on the location of the vehicle during the time period in which the banner is deployed.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of computing an advertising charge includes the step of selecting a billing rate from at least two different billing rates wherein each billing rate is associated with one of at least two location zones.

14. The method of claim 11 comprising the step of determining whether the vehicle is in motion and wherein the step of computing an advertising charge includes the step of selecting a billing rate from at least two different billing rates, wherein a first billing rate is selected when the vehicle is in motion and a second billing rate is selected when the vehicle is not in motion.

15. For use with a deployable banner carried by a vehicle, a system for computing an advertising charge for a given advertiser comprising:

a banner sensor that senses if the banner is deployed;

a usage timer that determines a time period during which the banner is deployed based at least in part on data from the banner sensor;

a vehicle location tracker that determines a location of the vehicle during the time period the banner is deployed;

a cost computer that computes advertising charges based at least in part on the vehicle location and time period during which the banner is deployed; and

an invoice generator that accumulates and communicates the computed advertising charges to the advertiser.

16. The system for computing an advertising charge of claim 15 wherein the vehicle location tracker is configured to detect a rate of vehicle motion and wherein the cost computer computes advertising charges based at least in part on a rate of vehicle motion.

17. The system for computing an advertising charge of claim 15 wherein the cost computer computes the advertising charges by selecting a billing rate from at least two billing rates, wherein each billing rate corresponds to a different location zone and by multiplying the selected billing rate by the amount of time period during which the banner was deployed and the vehicle was located within the corresponding location zone.

18. The system for computing an advertising charge of claim 15 wherein the vehicle location tracker comprises a GPS system.