Information display system with occupancy detector

• US 6,962,240 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2004
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Captivate, LLC
• Original Assignee: Captivate Network Incorporated
• Inventors: Newville, Todd A., DiFranza, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US10/863,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20040222047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 187/247, 187/391, 187/393, 187/396, 187/282, 187/289, 187/397, 187/398
• US Class Current: 187/393
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/34 Details , e.g. call counting devices, data transmission from car to control system, devices giving information to the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 3/00 Applications of devices for indicating or signalling operating conditions of elevators
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 3/008 Displaying information not related to the elevator, e.g. weather, publicity, internet or TV

Abstract

A system for displaying content includes a display visible to viewers present in a viewing zone and an occupancy detector for providing occupancy data indicative of how many viewers are present in the viewing zone. A processing system associates this occupancy data with content provided on the display.

Claims

1. A system for displaying content, the system comprising:

a display visible to viewers present in a viewing zone;

an occupancy detector for providing occupancy data indicative of how many viewers are present in the viewing zone; and

a processing system configured to associate the occupancy data with content provided on the display.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to select, at least in part on the basis of the occupancy data, content to be viewed on the display.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to display content selected at least in part on the basis of the occupancy data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the viewing zone comprises an elevator interior.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the occupancy detector is configured to provide the occupancy data to the processing system.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the occupancy detector is configured to provide the occupancy data to the processing system at periodic intervals.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system comprises a building server in communication with the display.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a building server in communication with the display, and wherein the processing system comprises a production center in communication with the building server.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to compile, at least in part on the basis of the occupancy detector, occupancy statistics representative of the population of viewers in the viewing zone.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system comprises a storage medium containing an occupancy database for storing the occupancy data.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to generate an occupancy history, and to determine a value associated with display of selected content at least in part on the basis of the occupancy history.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to generate a play list at least in part on the basis of the occupancy data.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to estimate, at least in part on the basis of the occupancy data, a number of impressions associated with selected content.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising an occupancy accumulator for receiving occupancy data and extracting there from summarized occupancy.