Information distribution for use in an elevator

• US 7,278,518 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Captivate, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gannett Satellite Information Network Incorporated (Gannett Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Newville, Todd A., Duarte, Shawn W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US10/800,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20060144647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 187391-397, 187/247, 187/414
• US Class Current: 187/396
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2146 located in mass transportation means, e.g. aircraft, train or bus flight-deck installations for entertainment or communications B64D11/0015; arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62; moving wireless networks H04W84/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40

Abstract

A method for displaying an image on a plurality of displays, each if which is in one of a plurality of elevator cabs. The method includes inspecting a playlist having first data leading to first information to be displayed; at least in part on the basis of the first data, retrieving the first information; assembling second data, the second data being representative of the image that includes the first information; and distributing the image to each display.

Claims

1. A method for displaying an image on a plurality of displays, each display being in one of a plurality of elevator cabs, the method comprising:

inspecting a playlist that includes;

category information identifying a plurality of categories of information to be displayed,

a first pointer leading to information classified in a first category,

a second pointer leading to information classified in a second category that differs from the first category, and

first data leading to first information to be displayed;

on the basis of the first data, retrieving the first information;

assembling second data, the second data being representative of the image that includes the first information; and

distributing the image to each display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein inspecting the playlist comprises determining, on the basis of the first data, an address from which the first information is to be retrieved.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein assembling second data comprises merging the first information with second information to be displayed concurrently with the first information.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising selecting the first information to be an advertisement and the second information to be real time general information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a playlist on the basis of demographic information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises a pointer to an internet address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises a pointer to data stored in a local area network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising inspecting third data indicating when the first information is to be displayed, and wherein providing the image to each display comprises providing the image at a time consistent with the third data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising locally caching the first information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein locally caching the information comprises caching the information in a building server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises category information identifying a category to which the first information belongs.

12. A method for displaying an image on a display in an elevator cab, the method comprising:

inspecting a playlist that includes;

category information identifying a plurality of categories of information to be displayed,

a first pointer leading to information classified in a first category,

a second pointer leading to information classified in a second category that differs from the first category, and

first data leading to first information to be displayed; and

on the basis of the first data, retrieving the first information for display in the elevator cab.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising assembling second data, the second data being representative of an image that includes the first information.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending the image to the display.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein sending the image to the display comprises selecting the display from among a plurality of displays in a corresponding plurality of elevator cabs, and sending the image from a building server to the selected display.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein assembling second data comprises merging the first information with second information to be displayed concurrently with the first information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting the first information to be an advertisement and the second information to be real time general information.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein inspecting the playlist comprises determining, on the basis of the first data, an address from which the first information is to be retrieved.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting a playlist on the basis of demographic information.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the first data comprises a pointer to an internet address.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the first data comprises a pointer to data stored in a local area network.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising inspecting scheduling data indicating when the first information is to be displayed, and wherein providing the image to each display comprises providing the image at a time consistent with the scheduling data.

23. The method of claim 12, further comprising locally caching the first information.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein locally caching the information comprises caching the information in a building server.

25. The method of claim 12, wherein the first data comprises category information identifying a category to which the first information belongs.

26. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for displaying an image on a plurality of displays, each display being in one of a plurality of elevator cabs, the software comprising instructions for:

inspecting a playlist that includes;

category information identifying a plurality of categories of information to be displayed,

a first pointer leading to information classified in a first category,

a second pointer leading to information classified in a second category that differs from the first category, and

first data leading to first information to be displayed;

on the basis of the first data, retrieving the first information;

assembling second data, the second data being representative of the image that includes the first information; and

distributing the image to each display.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the instructions for inspecting the playlist comprise instructions for determining, on the basis of the first data, an address from which the first information is to be retrieved.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the software further comprises instruction for inspecting third data indicating when the first information is to be displayed, and wherein instructions for providing the image to each display comprise instructions for providing the image at a time consistent with the third data.

29. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for displaying an image on a display in an elevator cab, the software comprising instructions for:

inspecting a playlist having;

category information identifying a plurality of categories of information to be displayed, and

a first pointer leading to information classified in a first category,

a second pointer leading to information classified in a second category that differs from the first category, and

first data leading to first information to be displayed; and

on the basis of the first data, retrieving the first information for display in the elevator cab.