Interactive video display system

• US 5,510,828 A
• Filed: 03/01/1994
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lutterbach, R. Steven, Peter J. Zapf, Smith, Frederick
• Original Assignee: Lutterbach, R. Steven, Peter J. Zapf, Smith, Frederick
• Inventors: Smith, Frederick, Lutterbach, R. Steven, Zapf, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRANT, CHRISTOPHER C
• Application Number:
  US08/203,788
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 348/13, 348/564, 348/563, 348/739, 348/744, 340/825.44, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.17, 340/904, 340/905, 340/901, 345/1, 455/18, 455/66, 455/11.1, 455/54.1, 455/56.1, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 725/138
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• 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 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/002 Special television systems not provided for by H04N7/007 - H04N7/18 still pictures via a television channel H04N1/00098
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

An interactive video display system is disclosed for communicating with local viewers. The system includes a receiver for receiving a modulated signal carrying related audio and video information. A video and audio control is operatively connected to the receiver for receiving the modulated signal and separating the signal into a video signal and an audio signal. A video display monitor is connected to the control for receiving the video signal and displaying the video information carried by the video signal. A radio transmitter is connected to the control for receiving the audio signal and transmitting a radio frequency signal at a select frequency so that the audio information related to the video information can be received by viewers proximate the video display system. An interactive control is operatively associated with the video and audio control for generating instructions to be displayed, the video and audio control combining the received instructions with the received video information prior to transferring the video signal to the video display monitor.

Claims

1. An integrated video display system for communicating with local viewers comprising:

means for receiving a modulated signal carrying related audio and video information;

a video and audio control operatively connected to said receiving means for receiving the modulated signal and separating the signal into a video signal and an audio signal;

a video display monitor connected to said control for receiving the video signal and displaying the video information carried by said video signal;

a radio transmitter connected to said control for receiving the audio signal and transmitting a radio frequency signal at a select frequency so that the audio information related to the video information can be received by users proximate the video display monitor; and

an interactive control operatively associated with said video and audio control for locally generating instructions to be displayed, the locally generated instructions being related to the audio and video information of the received modulated signal, said video and audio control combining the received instructions with the received video information prior to transferring the video signal to the video display monitor,

the receiving means, video and audio control, video display monitor, radio transmitter and interactive control all being operatively associated together as an integral system.

2. The video display system of claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises a television receiver.

3. The video display system of claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises a video tape playing device.

4. The video display system of claim 1 further comprising an enclosure supporting said display monitor and housing said receiving means, said controls and said radio transmitter.

5. The video display system of claim 4 further comprising a stationary post supporting said enclosure at an elevated position.

7. The video display system of claim 1 further comprising an audio sound system operatively associated with said display monitor and connected to said video and audio control for receiving the audio signal and generating audio sounds in response thereto.

8. The video display system of claim 1 further comprising a receiver operatively associated with said interactive control for receiving user responses from a user input device proximate the system.

6. An interactive video display system for communicating with local viewers comprising:

means for receiving a modulated signal carrying related audio and video information;

a video and audio control operatively connected to said receiving means for receiving the modulated signal and separating the signal into a video signal and an audio signal;

a video display monitor connected to said control for receiving the video signal and displaying the video information carried by said video signal;

a radio transmitter connected to said control for receiving the audio signal and transmitting a radio frequency signal at a select frequency so that the audio information related to the video information can be received by users proximate the video display monitor;

an interactive control operatively associated with said video and audio control for generating instructions to be displayed, said video and audio control combining the received instructions with the received video information prior to transferring the video signal to the video display monitor;

an enclosure supporting said display monitor and housing said receiving means, said controls and said radio transmitter; and

a mobile vehicle and a lift supporting the enclosure on the vehicle.

9. An interactive video display system for communicating with local viewers comprising:

means for receiving a modulated signal carrying related audio and video information;

a video and audio control operatively connected to said receiving means for receiving the modulated signal and separating the signal into a video signal and a audio signal;

a video display monitor connected to said control for receiving the video signal and displaying the video information carried by said video signal;

a radio transmitter connected to said control for receiving the audio signal and transmitting a radio frequency signal at a selected frequency so that the audio information related to the video information can be received by users proximate the video display monitor; and

an interactive control operatively associated with said video and audio control for generating instructions to be displayed, said video and audio control combining the received instructions with the received video information prior to transferring the video signal to the video display monitor; and

a receiver operatively associated with said interactive control for receiving user responses from a user input device proximate the system,

wherein said interactive control comprises an interactive marketing system including means for generating a series of statements to be displayed on the display system and means for receiving and storing responses to said statements received from said receiver.

10. An interactive video display system for communicating with local viewers comprising:

means for receiving a modulated signal carrying related audio and video information;

a video and audio control operatively connected to said receiving means for receiving the modulated signal and separating the signal into a video signal and an audio signal;

a video display monitor connected to said control for receiving the video signal and displaying the video information carried by said video signal;

a radio transmitter connected to said control for receiving the audio signal and transmitting a radio frequency signal at a select frequency so that the audio information related to the video information can be received by users proximate the video display monitor;

an interactive control operatively associated with said video and audio control for generating instructions to be displayed, said video and audio control combining the received instructions with the received video information prior to transferring the video signal to the video display monitor; and

a video camera mounted proximate said display system and connected to said video and audio control for developing a video camera signal representing images proximate said display system.

11. The video display system of claim 10 further comprising a television transmitter connected to said video and audio control for transmitting a signal including video information from said camera.

12. The video display system of claim 10 wherein said video and audio control includes means for displaying images from said video camera with received video information on said display monitor.

23. The video display system of claim 11 wherein said video and audio control includes means for displaying images from said video camera with received video information on said display monitor.

13. An interactive video display system for communicating with local viewers comprising:

an enclosure;

means in said enclosure for receiving a modulated signal carrying related audio and video information;

a video and audio control operatively connected to said receiving means for receiving the modulated signal and separating the signal into a video signal and an audio signal;

a video display monitor supported on said enclosure and connected to said control for receiving the video signal and displaying the video information carried by said video signal;

a radio transmitter in said enclosure connected to said control for receiving the audio signal and transmitting a radio frequency signal at a select frequency so that the audio information related to the video information can be received by users proximate the video display system; and

an interactive control operatively associated with said video and audio control for generating instructions to be displayed, said video and audio control combining the received instructions with the received video information prior to transferring the video signal to the video display monitor.

14. The video display system of claim 13 wherein said receiving means comprises a television receiver.

15. The video display system of claim 13 wherein said receiving means comprises a video tape playing device.

16. The video display system of claim 13 further comprising a stationary post supporting said enclosure at an elevated position.

17. The video display system of claim 13 further comprising a mobile vehicle and a lift supporting the enclosure on the vehicle.

18. The video display system of claim 13 further comprising an audio sound system operatively associated with said display system and connected to said video and audio control for receiving the audio signal and generating audio sounds in response thereto.

19. The video display system of claim 13 further comprising a receiver operatively associated with said interactive control for receiving user responses from a user input device proximate the system.

20. The video display system of claim 19 wherein said interactive control comprises an interactive marketing system including means for generating a series of statements to be displayed on the display system and means for receiving and storing responses to said statements received from said receiver.

21. The video display system of claim 13 further comprising a video camera mounted proximate said display system and connected to said video and audio control for developing a video camera signal representing images proximate said display system.

22. The video display system of claim 21 further comprising a television transmitter connected to said video and audio control for transmitting a signal including video information from said camera.