Floor display system with interactive features

• US 6,982,649 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Collin Peel
• Original Assignee: Intellimats LLC (Intellimat, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Duston, Dwight P., Kokonaski, William, Walker, J. Thomas, Blum, Bradley J., Whalen, Barry H., Thibodeau, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/438,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20040001002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/691.6, 340/572.1, 340/573.1, 340/5.8, 340/332, 340/540, 340/541, 340/565, 340/567, 235/375, 235/380, 235/381, 404/46, 404/63, 405/41, 405/60, 434/81, 434/1, 434/112, 434/247, 434/308, 434/365, 434/389, 434/428, 482/1, 362/802, 362/276, 362/811, 705/14
• US Class Current: 340/815.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 23/22 Devices or implements resting on the floor for removing mud, dirt, or dust from footwear built-in gratings, e.g. foot-scrapers, E04F19/10
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 23/266 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19617 Surveillance camera constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/20 with colour-mixing effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/228 Ground signs, i.e. display signs fixed on the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a floor display system with interactive features. The floor display system may be arranged in a public place, and be configured to display electronically modifiable arbitrary content, such as advertising or other informational content. The floor display system may be configured to detect an indication of the presence or activity of a person in the vicinity, and upon detecting the indication, perform a corresponding action in response, such as generating a predetermined display or audio output.

Claims

1. A floor display system, comprising:

an electronic display device associated with and in a plane substantially parallel to a floor;

wherein the electronic display device is configurable to display an electronically modifiable verbal message.

2. The floor display system of claim 1, further comprising an audio device configurable to output electronically modifiable arbitrary audio content.

3. The floor display system of claim 1, further comprising a detection mechanism configured to detect an indication associated with a presence or activity of a person, and to cause the floor display system to perform a corresponding action in response.

4. The floor display system of claim 3, wherein the detection mechanism comprises a sound-sensing device.

5. The floor display of claim 4, wherein the sound-sensing device includes an omni-directional microphone.

6. The floor display of claim 4, wherein the sound-sensing device includes a directional microphone.

7. The floor display system of claim 3, wherein the detection mechanism comprises a motion-detection device.

8. The floor display of claim 7, wherein the motion-detection device uses active motion detection.

9. The floor display of claim 7, wherein the motion-detection device uses passive motion detection.

10. The floor display of claim 8, wherein the active motion detection includes using a device that radiates energy in combination with a device that detects the radiated energy.

11. The floor display system of claim 9, wherein the passive motion detection includes detecting infrared energy.

12. The floor display system of claim 3, wherein the action is generating a predetermined display.

13. The floor display system of claim 3, wherein the action is generating a predetermined audio output.

14. The floor display system of claim 3, wherein the detection mechanism comprises a contact-less input device configured to receive identity information from an identity device.

15. The floor display system of claim 14, wherein the identity device is a contact-less device.

16. The floor display system of claim 15, wherein said contact-less device is a smart card.

17. The floor display system of claim 14, wherein the floor display system is configured to generate a customized display relating to a specific person corresponding to the identity information.

18. The floor display system of claim 14, wherein the contact-less input device is configured to receive information from a trip ticket corresponding to at least one item within a commercial establishment.

19. The floor display system of claim 18, wherein the floor display system is configured to display a location of the at least one item within the commercial establishment.

20. The floor display system of claim 3, wherein the detection mechanism comprises a mobile-phone-detection device.

21. The floor display system of claim 20, wherein the detection mechanism includes a near-field RF detector.

22. The floor display system of claim 3, wherein the detection mechanism comprises a security device for detecting items within a commercial establishment to be protected from theft.

23. The floor display system of claim 22, wherein the security device comprises an antenna configured to detect an item tagged with a recognition device.

24. The floor display system of claim 3, wherein the detection mechanism comprises a contact input device configured to receive identity information from an identity device.

25. The floor display system of claim 24, wherein said identity device is a contact device.

26. The floor display system of claim 25, wherein said contact device is a smart card.

27. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device is configured to be repeatedly traversed by foot and wheeled traffic.

28. The floor display system of claim 27, further including at least one inclined surface to facilitate traversal of the electronic display device by the foot and wheeled traffic.

29. The floor display system of claim 27, further including inclined surfaces around an entire perimeter of the electronic display device, to facilitate traversal of the electronic display device by the foot and wheeled traffic.

30. The floor display system of claim 27, further including a two-part structure joinable along edges thereof to form a composite structure having inclined surfaces around its entire perimeter, to facilitate traversal of the composite structure by the foot and wheeled traffic.

31. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device forms a dynamic portion of a display that is combined with a static portion of the display.

32. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein the floor display system is included in a network.

33. The floor display system of claim 32, wherein the floor display system is wirelessly coupled to the network.

34. The floor display system of claim 33, wherein the wireless coupling uses an ultra-wide-band mode of transmission.

35. The floor display system of claim 32, wherein the floor display system has a wired connection to the network.

36. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device includes at least one of electronic ink, electronic paper, liquid crystal, light-emitting polymers, light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, an electroluminescent display, a plasma display, a field emission display, a ferroelectric display, a fiber optic display, a holographic display, a micro-mechanical component, and a pixel.

37. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein the floor display system is powered by mechanical energy derived from traffic traversing a floor covering of the floor display system.

38. The floor display of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device is capable of displaying at least alphanumeric data and graphic images, either separately or in combination, and either static or moving, or both static and moving.

39. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein the floor display system is coupled to an identification system including a reading device configured to obtain identity information from an identity device by physical application of the identity device to the reading device, and wherein the floor display system is configured to generate a customized display relating to a specific person corresponding to the identity information.

40. The floor display system of claim 39, wherein the identity device is a smart card.

41. The floor display system of claim 1, further comprising a data input/output device configured to receive specific user input and generate a corresponding output.

42. The floor display system of claim 41, wherein the data input/output device includes a speech recognition device.

43. The floor display system of claim 41, wherein the data input/output device includes a keyboard.

44. The floor display system of claim 41, wherein the data input/output device includes a printer.

45. The floor display system of claim 41, wherein the corresponding output is a location of an item entered by a user.

46. The floor display system of claim 41, wherein the corresponding output is a coupon for an item entered by a user.

47. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device includes liquid crystal.

48. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device includes a light-emitting polymer.

49. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device includes an organic light-emitting diode.

50. The floor display system of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device includes a pixel.

52. The floor display system of claim 43, wherein the floor covering comprises a white or silver color.

51. A floor display system, comprising:

a floor covering; and

an image projection device configured to project electronically modifiable arbitrary image content onto the floor covering from a distance;

wherein the image projection device is movably attached to a guidance member to enable positioning of the image projection device in a desired location relative to the floor covering.

53. A floor display system, comprising:

a floor covering; and

an image projection device configured to project electronically modifiable arbitrary image content onto the floor covering from a distance;

wherein the image projection device is configured to be automatically aligned with the floor covering.

54. A floor display system, comprising:

a floor covering; and

an image projection device configured to project electronically modifiable arbitrary image content onto the floor covering from a distance;

wherein the image projection device is located in a recess in a floor, and the floor covering is arranged over the recess.

55. The floor display system of claim 54, wherein the floor covering comprises a transmissive medium.

56. An electronic display device associated with a floor, a display surface of the display device lying in a plane substantially adjacent and parallel to the floor, the surface facing upwardly from the floor, wherein the electronic display device is coupled to a controller capable of generating a changing verbal message on the display surface.

57. The electronic display device of claim 56, wherein the display device may be wirelessly coupled to the controller.

58. The electronic display device of claim 56, wherein the controller may be coupled to a network.

59. The electronic display device of claim 56, wherein the controller is associated with a detection mechanism to detect an indication of a presence or activity of a person, and is configured to cause the display device to generate a display in response to the indication.

60. An electronic display device associated with and in a plane substantially parallel to a floor, wherein the electronic display device is configurable to display an electronically modifiable verbal message.

61. An electronic display device associated with and in a plane substantially parallel to a floor, wherein the electronic display device is configurable to display both changing verbal content and changing graphical content.

62. A floor display system, comprising:

a targeted surface associated with a floor, the targeted surface being suitable for displaying an image projected thereon; and

an image projection device configured to project electronically modifiable alphanumeric content onto the targeted surface from a distance;

wherein the image projection device is movably attached to a guidance member to enable positioning of the image projection device in a desired location relative to the targeted surface associated with the floor.

63. The floor display system of claim 62, wherein the image projection device projects the image onto the targeted surface from above the surface.

64. The floor display system of claim 62, wherein said targeted surface is substantially parallel to a superior surface of the floor.

65. The floor display system of claim 62, wherein said targeted surface is substantially parallel to and slightly above a superior surface of the floor.

66. The floor display system of claim 62, wherein the targeted surface comprises a white or silver color.

67. A floor display system, comprising:

a targeted surface associated with a floor, the targeted surface being suitable for displaying an image projected thereon; and

an image projection device configured to project electronically modifiable alphanumeric content onto the targeted surface from a distance;

wherein the image projection device is configured to be automatically aligned with the targeted surface associated with the floor.

68. A floor display system, comprising:

a targeted surface associated with a floor, the targeted surface being suitable for displaying an image projected thereon; and

an image projection device configured to project electronically modifiable image content promoting a product that is for sale, the image content being projected onto the targeted surface in a proximity of the product being promoted;

wherein the image projection device projects the image onto the targeted surface from below the surface.

69. The floor display system of claim 68, wherein said targeted surface is substantially parallel to a superior surface of the floor.

70. A floor display system comprising an electronic display device associated with and in a plane substantially parallel to a floor, the floor display system being associated with a data device wherein said data device communicates data in response to user input, the user input comprising one of alphanumeric data or speech.

71. The floor display system of claim 70 wherein said data being communicated is one of a coupon, an advertisement, or a location of an item.

72. A floor display system, comprising an electronic display device associated with and in a plane substantially parallel to a floor, wherein said electronic display device is modifiable by a computer to display a first verbal image that is electronically changeable in place to a second verbal image different from the first.

73. The floor display system of claim 72, further comprising a detection mechanism configured to detect an indication associated with a presence or activity of a person, and to cause the floor display system to perform a corresponding action in response.

74. The floor display system of claim 72, wherein the electronic display device includes at least one of electronic ink, electronic paper, liquid crystal, light-emitting polymers, light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, an electroluminescent display, a plasma display, a field emission display, a ferroelectric display, a fiber optic display, a holographic display, a micro-mechanical component, and a pixel.

75. A floor covering having an electronic display associated therewith and arranged to face upwardly from the floor for viewing through a transparent protective cover, wherein the electronic display is capable of displaying an electronically changeable verbal message.

76. The floor covering of claim 75, wherein the electronic display includes at least one of electronic ink, electronic paper, liquid crystal, light-emitting polymers, light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes, an electroluminescent display, a plasma display, a field emission display, a ferroelectric display, a fiber optic display, a holographic display , a micro-mechanical component, and a pixel.