Advertising method for dynamic billboards

• US 7,098,870 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DHP Media AB
• Original Assignee: Novus Partners LLC
• Inventors: Vaitekunas, Jeffrey J., Wampler, James W., Wampler, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): LESPERANCE, JEAN E
• Application Number:
  US10/174,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20030001796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/1.2, 345/1.3, 345/3.4, 345/204, 345/205, 345/2.1, 715/735, 715/739, 715/744
• US Class Current: 345/2.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• 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

Abstract

A method for billboard advertising is disclosed. An advertising billboard device for use with the present invention comprises a server and a display controller adapted to receive, store, and display dynamic-content from the server. At least one content display unit is in communication with the display controller, wherein the content display unit visually displays the information from the dynamic-content. The advertising billboard display controller may also comprise a timing means, the display controller altering the visual display of the content display unit as a function of the time from the timing means. The display controller may be adapted to receive, store, and display dynamic-content from a plurality of servers, wherein the display controller comprises a heirarchical control scheme, the heirarchical control scheme adapted to select dynamic-content from one server of the plurality of servers for display on the content display unit. The advertising billboard device may also comprise a plurality of display controllers in communication with a plurality of content display units, each display controller from the plurality of display controllers having a type identifier, wherein each of the display controllers selects dynamic-content for display on its content display unit as a function of the type identifier.

Claims

1. A method of billboard advertising comprising the steps of:

a) providing a passive content display unit, wherein said passive content display unit is configured to retain a viewable image when not being actively written to or addressed;

b) providing a display controller, wherein said display controller is configured to provide dynamic-content to said content display unit;

c) providing a plurality of servers, wherein each of said servers is in communication with said display controller, wherein each of said servers stores dynamic-content, wherein each server of said plurality of servers is configured to transmit at least a portion of its stored dynamic-content, wherein said plurality of servers comprises a first server and a second server;

d) using a hierarchy to select one server from said plurality of servers for providing dynamic-content from the selected server by the display controller to the passive content display unit, wherein the hierarchy provides a higher priority to the first server than the second server, wherein the display controller is configured to select dynamic-content transmitted from the first server over dynamic-content transmitted from the second server in accordance with the hierarchy when the first server and second server transmit content that is to be displayed at a same certain time;

e) selecting dynamic content from the selected server; and

f) displaying the selected dynamic-content on said content display unit.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

g) providing a plurality of content display units, each having a display controller;

h) identifying each content display unit of said plurality of content display units with a characteristic; and

i) displaying dynamic-content on each of said plurality of content display units wherein said dynamic-content is different for each said characteristic.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

j) providing a clock indicating a time;

k) storing a plurality of dynamic-contents; and

l) changing the dynamic-content displayed on one said content display unit from a first stored dynamic-content to a second stored dynamic-content at a first time.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

m) providing a camera, said camera in viewing proximity to one of said content display units; and

n) taking a picture of said one content display units with said camera.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said passive content display unit comprises GYRICON.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said passive content display unit comprises E-INK.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchy comprises a heuristic hierarchical control scheme.

8. A method of billboard advertising comprising the steps of:

a) providing a passive content display unit, wherein said passive content display unit is configured to retain a viewable image when not being actively written to or addressed;

b) providing a display controller, wherein said display controller is adapted to receive, store, and provide dynamic-content for said content display unit;

c) providing a plurality of servers, wherein each server of said plurality of servers is adapted to send dynamic-content to said display controller, wherein said plurality of servers comprises a first server and a second server;

d) providing a hierarchy associated with said plurality of servers, wherein the hierarchy defines a prioritization of said plurality of servers, wherein the hierarchy provides a higher priority to the first server than the second server, wherein the display controller is configured to select dynamic-content transmitted from the first server over dynamic-content transmitted from the second server in accordance with the hierarchy when the first server and second server send dynamic-content simultaneously;

e)displaying dynamic-content on said content display unit;

f) providing a clock indicating a time;

g) storing a plurality of dynamic-contents;

h) changing the dynamic-content displayed on one said content display unit from a first stored dynamic-content to a second stored dynamic-content at a first time; and

i) providing a camera, said camera in viewing proximity to said passive content display unit; and

j) taking a picture of said passive content display unit with said camera.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said passive content display unit comprises GYRICON.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said passive content display unit comprises E-INK.

11. A method for billboard advertising comprising the steps of:

a) providing an advertising system, wherein said advertising system comprises;

a plurality of servers, wherein each server of said plurality of servers is operable to transmit dynamic-content to said display controller, wherein said plurality of servers comprises a first server and a second server,

one or more display controllers, wherein said one or more display controllers are adapted to receive, store, and display dynamic-content from said plurality of servers,

one or more passive content display units in communication with one or more display controllers, wherein each of said one or more passive display units is configured to retain a viewable image when not being actively written to or addressed, wherein said one or more passive content display units visually displays the information from said dynamic-content, and

a hierarchy associated with said plurality of servers, wherein the hierarchy defines a prioritization of said plurality of servers, wherein the hierarchy provides a higher priority to the first server than the second server, wherein the one or more display controllers are configured to select dynamic-content transmitted from the first server over dynamic-content transmitted from the second server in accordance with the hierarchy when the first server and second server transmit different dynamic-content;

b) receiving advertising information from an advertiser;

c) communicating said advertising information as dynamic-content from one or more servers of said plurality of servers to said one or more display controllers;

d) displaying said advertising information on a first passive content display unit of said one or more passive content display units; and

e) associating the first content display unit with a type identifier.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein in step D, said displaying step is divided into a plurality of time segments, wherein a first advertisement is displayed during a first time segment and a second advertisement is displayed during a second time segment.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein in step A, a plurality of servers are provided, said method further comprising the steps of:

f) selecting said hierarchy from a plurality of hierarchies.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein in step D, said displaying step is divided into a plurality of time segments, wherein a first advertisement is displayed during a first time segment and a second advertisement is displayed during a second time segment.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said first passive content display unit comprises GYRICON.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said first passive content display unit comprises E-INK.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein in step A, a plurality of servers are provided, said method further comprising the steps of:

f) selecting said hierarchy from a plurality of hierarchies.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

f) placing a global positioning system proximate to the one or more display controllers; and

g) assigning a type identifier based on a location sensed by the global positioning system.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

assigning a type identifier based on a location sensed by a global positioning system, wherein said global positioning system is coupled with said first content display unit.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein said type identifier represents a geographic location.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein a plurality of types of passive content display units are provided, wherein the types of passive content display units comprise one or more of a highway billboard, a moveable vehicle, and a kiosk.