Elevator information and advertising delivery system

• US 6,578,675 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2001
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Elevator Channel, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Elevator Channel, LLC
• Inventors: Wilson, Thomas, Thomas, William G. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US10/010,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20020066621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 187/391, 187/393, 187/396, 187/414, 187/247, 187/380, 187/381, 187/382
• US Class Current: 187/391
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 3/008 Displaying information not related to the elevator, e.g. weather, publicity, internet or TV

Abstract

An apparatus and method for delivering advertising messages to occupants of an elevator cab includes a network mainframe server located remotely from the elevator cab. The apparatus further includes an individual processing unit (IPU) located at the elevator cab and in communication with the network mainframe server over a telephone line configured for transmitting a digital data signal. The IPU includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a monitor electrically connected to the CPU. In a particular embodiment, the IPU further includes an infrared camera for detecting the number of occupants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed. The network mainframe server transmits the advertising messages to the CPU of the IPU over the telephone line. The advertising messages are stored on the CPU and displayed to the occupants of the elevator cab on the monitor of the IPU.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivering advertising messages to occupants of an elevator cab, the apparatus comprising

a network mainframe server located remotely from the elevator cab;

and

an individual processing unit (IPU) located at the elevator cab and in communication with the network mainframe server over a telephone line configured for transmitting a data signal, the IPU comprising

a central processing unit (CPU) for storing pre-recorded advertising messages and for replaying the pre-recorded advertising messages to the occupants of the of the elevator cab;

a monitor connected to the CPU for displaying the advertising messages to the occupants of the elevator cab; and

an infrared camera connected to the CPU and provided with infrared imaging software for determining the actual number of occupants exposed to each of the advertising messages displayed on the monitor without identifying the occupants of the elevator cab.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the infrared camera is optically connected to the CPU by a fiber optic cable.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the IPU further comprises a speaker electrically connected to the CPU and wherein the advertising messages comprise audio/video files transmitted to the IPU from the network mainframe server.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the telephone line comprises terminals located in the elevator cab and wherein the CPU is connected to the terminals of the telephone line by an xDSL data line.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the terminals of the telephone line are further connected to an emergency phone located on a control panel in the elevator cab.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a power source electrically connected to the CPU for providing power to the IPU.

7. An apparatus for delivering advertising messages to occupants of an elevator cab, the apparatus comprising

a network mainframe server located remotely from the elevator cab;

and

an individual processing unit (IPU) located at the elevator cab and in communication with the network mainframe server, the IPU comprising

a monitor located for displaying the advertising messages to the occupants of the elevator cab; and

an infrared camera connected to the network mainframe server and provided with infrared imaging software for detecting the actual number of occupants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed on the monitor without identifying the occupants of the elevator cab.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the IPU further comprises a central processing unit (CPU) for storing pre-recorded advertising messages and for replaying the pre-recorded advertising messages to the occupants of the elevator cab.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the infrared camera is optically connected to the CPU by a fiber optic cable.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the IPU further comprises a speaker electrically connected to the CPU and wherein the advertising messages comprise audio/video files transmitted to the IPU from the network mainframe server.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a telephone line having terminals located in the elevator cab and wherein the CPU is connected to the terminals of the telephone line by an xDSL data line.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the terminals of the telephone line are further connected to an emergency phone located on a control panel in the elevator cab.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a power source electrically connected to the CPU for providing power to the IPU.

14. A method of displaying advertising messages to occupants of an elevator cab comprising the steps of

providing a network mainframe server located remotely from the elevator cab;

providing an individual processing unit (IPU) located at the elevator cab and in communication with the network mainframe server, the IPU comprising a central processing unit (CPU) and a monitor connected to the CPU;

transmitting the advertising messages from the network mainframe server to the CPU of the IPU;

storing the advertising messages on the CPU of the IPU;

displaying the advertising messages to the occupants of the elevator cab on the monitor of the IPU;

providing an infrared camera connected to the CPU of the IPU; and

using infrared imaging software, detecting the actual number of occupants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed on the monitor of the IPU without identifying the occupants of the elevator cab.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the CPU is connected to a telephone line by an xDSL data line and the advertising messages are audio/video files transmitted from the network mainframe server to the CPU of the IPU.

16. The method of claim 14 comprising the further steps of

using the infrared camera, taking a snapshot of the interior of the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed to the occupants of the elevator cab;

providing the snapshot to motion detection software on the CPU to determine a passenger count.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising the further steps of

providing the passenger count to a billing database on the CPU;

downloading the billing database from the CPU to the network mainframe server; and

generating a billing report with an accurate passenger count of the number of occupants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the infrared camera is optically connected to the CPU by a fiber optic cable.