Point of sale audio-visual advertising system

• US 5,134,716 A
• Filed: 02/15/1990
• Issued: 07/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty. Limited (Chevron Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty. Limited (Chevron Corp.)
• Inventors: Craig, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Application Number:
  US07/481,453
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 40/414, 40/442, 40/463, 40/464, 455/66, 455/53, 358/108, 369/20, 369/29, 369/69, 369/70, 381/82, 381/83
• US Class Current: 455/66.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/02 Supplying fuel to vehicles; General disposition of plant in filling stations apparatus for transferring measured quantities of petrol, oil, or the like from storage space to vehicles B67D
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/305 being the ends of optical fibres G09F9/302 takes precedence

Abstract

A point of sale audio-visual advertising system is disclosed which has a central station and a plurality of outstations. The central station is generally located in a shop attached to service or filling stations which sell petroleum products such as gasoline, while the outstations are located at self-service pumps located on the driveway of the service station. The system provides audio-visual advertising material to the purchaser while the tank filling operation is in progress and immediately prior to his entry into the shop area.

Claims

1. A point of sale audio-visual advertising system comprising a central station and plurality of outstations each spaced apart from said central station;

each of said outstations comprising a switch means activatable by a customer, an image reproducing screen, and a loudspeaker means, said screen and loudspeaker means both being connected to a transceiver which is connected to, and activatable by, said switch means; and

said central station comprising a transceiver and a video storage means, whereby on activation of any one of said switch means, the corresponding outstation transceiver transmits an enabling signal to said central station transceiver to, if necessary, commence transmission from same of a video signal;

said video signal being received by those of said outstation transceivers which are activated, the image of said video signal being displayed on the corresponding screen and the sound track of said video signal being reproduced by the corresponding loudspeaker means, wherein the outstation transceiver is disabled by the next subsequent operation of the switch means, and transmits an identifying and disabling signal to said central station, which terminates the signal transmission from the central station transceiver.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the transmission from the central station transceiver is terminated following receipt of disabling signals from all outstations previously activated.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein receipt of a disabling signal from an outstation terminates transmission from the central transceiver to that outstation.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein each of the outstations comprises a gasoline pump and information regarding the volume of gasoline dispensed by the pump is transmitted from the corresponding outstation transceiver to the central station transceiver.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein the amount of money payable by the customer operating said gasoline pump is also transmitted from the corresponding outstation receiver to the central station receiver.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein data transmitted from said outstation is displayed at said central station on a display unit therein.

7. The system according to claim 1 further including a continuous or conventional tape recording means being connected to each said loudspeaker means and being activatable by said switch means.