Passive display unit and system and method of use

• US 7,356,357 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2004
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Modcart Partners, LLC
• Original Assignee: Modstream, Inc.
• Inventors: Keller, Scott, Macdonald, Frederic, Hladecek, Joel, DeCost, Norman, Miffitt, Donald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TU X
• Application Number:
  US10/757,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20040192399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/404.2, 455/411, 455/419, 705/26, 340/854.8, 340/854.9
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A device for displaying messages includes a passive display unit having a display screen, a receiver that receives downloaded information and a processor for processing and storing the downloaded information and providing control to the passive display unit. The display system may include a computer which stores information and a transceiver which downloads and stores the information received from the computer. A method of transmitting and displaying information on the passive display unit is also provided.

Claims

1. A device for displaying information in a retail environment, comprising:

a passive, mobile display unit having a display screen that displays the information without user interaction;

a receiver that receives downloaded information;

a processor for processing and storing the downloaded information received by said receiver and providing control to said passive, mobile display unit to display the downloaded information as the information on said display screen; and

a motion sensor configured to activate said display screen.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said display screen comprises one of a single line, multiple line or graphic display.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said processor comprises memory for storing at least the information.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said receiver includes at least one of an infrared port, radio frequency (RF) port and a cellular port to receive the downloaded information.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein while receiving the downloaded information, said processor one of ceases display operations and activates said display screen when the download is completed, said display screen continues to display the information, and said display screen displays default information loaded in a memory of said display unit until the download is completed.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein after a successful download is received said passive display unit is configured to disregard any erroneous data input and begin displaying the information on said display screen.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an anti-theft device.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said anti-theft device comprises a global positioning system or RF triangulation system configured to determine location.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein said anti-theft device comprises at least one of a sound alarm, light alarm or circuitry for activating a wheel-locking mechanism that is activated when said passive display unit is moved beyond a predetermined range from a central location.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said display screen is one of a plasma display, an organic light emitting diode (LED) display and a LCD display.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said receiver is one of an infrared or radio frequency (RF) receiver.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said receiver comprises said RF receiver and said RF receiver communicates at an effective data rate of about 5,000 to 10,000 bits per second and is sensitive to establish an error-free transmission at a distance of at least 300 yards.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a power module to power said display screen, processor, and receiver.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said power module includes a sleep command to conserve energy and battery life.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein said passive display unit is not activated via a trigger signal.

16. The device according to claim 1 wherein the display unit is configured to display the information as transitioning text regardless of the location of the device within the retail environment.

17. The device according to claim 1 wherein the display unit is configured to randomly display regardless of the location of the device within the retail environment.

18. The device according to claim 1 wherein the device does not include a transmitter.

19. A passive display system for a retail environment, comprising:

a computer that downloads and stores information;

a transceiver that downloads and stores the information received from said computer; and

a passive, mobile display unit that receives the information stored in said transceiver, at any location within the retail environment, and displays the information on a display screen without user interaction, said display unit configured to not include user inputs, configured to not include triggering mechanisms and configured to not be responsive to triggering mechanisms; and

a motion sensor to activate the display screen;

wherein the display unit is configured to randomly display regardless of a location of the device within the retail environment.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said passive, mobile display unit is programmed by said transceiver independent of any location of said passive, mobile display.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein said transceiver is one of a mobile and a fixed transceiver.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said mobile transceiver includes:

an internal receiver that receives the information from said computer;

an infrared transmitter for transmitting the information to the passive display unit;

a processing unit that controls functions of the internal receiver and said infrared transmitter; and

a protected port connector configured to allow initial parameters to be entered, and allow various message buffers to be downloaded into said mobile transceiver.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said processing unit is preprogrammed to at least one of:

(i) separate data and commands structure packets buffering each for proper inclusion and execution;

(ii) assemble the data in form and sequence for download;

(iii) save the information in the event of a power loss or failure;

(iv) store at least two complete unique downloads;

(v) receive, load, and change to alternate operational software on command;

(vi) switch between transmitted message downloads on a time-based command;

(vii) continuously transmit the data on external command;

(viii) adjust the clock time with a received command;

(ix) store and load cap codes with the time-based command; and

(x) store and change frequency with the time-based command.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein said passive, mobile display unit includes a RF receiver, and said transceiver receives the information from said computer;

and

said transceiver comprises an RF transmitter for transmitting the information to said passive, mobile display unit, wherein said transceiver is one of a fixed and mobile transceiver.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein said passive, mobile display unit includes:

an infrared receiving unit that receives the information from said transceiver; and

a processing unit that processes the information from said transceiver.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said processing unit includes an anti-theft unit.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein said display screen is one of (i) a single or multiple line LCD display screen, (ii) a plasma display screen, (iii) a graphical display, (iv) an organic light emitting diode (LED) display and (v) a LCD display.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein:

during the download of the information, said processor one of ceases display operations and activates said display screen when the download is completed, said display screen continues to display the information, and said display screen displays default information loaded in a memory of said display unit until the download is completed; and

after a successful download is received said passive display unit ignores any erroneous data input and begins displaying the information.

29. The device according to claim 19 wherein the display unit is configured to display the information as transitioning text regardless of a location of the device within the retail environment.

30. The device according to claim 19 wherein the device does not include a transmitter.

31. A passive display system, comprising:

a computer which downloads and stores information;

a transceiver which downloads and stores the information received from the computer; and

a passive, mobile display unit which receives the information stored in the transceiver, at any location, and displays the information on a display screen;

wherein the transceiver is one of a mobile and a fixed transceiver;

wherein the mobile transceiver includes;

an internal receiver that receives the information from the computer;

an infrared transmitter for transmitting the information to the passive display unit;

a processing unit that controls functions of the internal paging receiver and the infrared transmitter; and

a protected port connector to allow initial parameters to be entered, and allow various message buffers to be downloaded into the mobile transceiver;

wherein the internal receiver is field programmable and is capable of receiving a minimum of four (4) cap codes.

32. A passive display system for a retail environment, comprising:

a computer that stores and transmits information;

a remote off-site transceiver receiving and transmitting the information received from said computer; and

a passive, mobile display unit that receives the information from said transceiver, and displays the information on a display screen without user interaction, and said display unit configured to not include user inputs, configured to not include triggering mechanisms, and configured to not be responsive to triggering mechanisms; and

a motion sensor to activate the display screen;

wherein the display unit is configured to randomly display regardless of a location of the device within the retail environment.

33. The device according to claim 32 wherein the display unit is configured to display the information as transitioning text regardless of a location of the device within the retail environment.

34. The device according to claim 32 wherein the device does not include a transmitter.

35. A method of transmitting and displaying information on a passive display unit in a retail environment, comprising the steps of:

providing a display unit configured to not include user inputs, configured to not include triggering mechanisms and configured to not be responsive to triggering mechanisms;

activating the display unit using a motion sensor;

downloading information from a computer system to a mobile transceiver unit;

placing the mobile transceiver unit in proximity to the passive display unit;

transmitting the information from the mobile transceiver unit to a receiver in the at least one passive display unit; and

automatically displaying the information on a display screen of the at least one passive display unit,

wherein said step of automatically displaying comprises automatically randomly displaying regardless of a location of the display unit within the retail environment.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of ceasing display operations during the download of the information.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein during the download of information, the display screen continues to display the information.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein during the download of information, the display screen displays default information loaded in memory of the display unit until the download is completed.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising activating the display screen when the download is completed and disregarding erroneous data input.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the downloaded information may be downloaded from one of (i) the internet, (ii) an internet, (iii) a telephone connection, (iv) an email system and (vi) a wireless connection.

41. The device according to claim 35 wherein said step of automatically displaying comprises automatically displaying the information as transitioning text regardless of a location of the display unit within the retail environment.

42. The method according to claim 35 wherein said step of automatically displaying comprises automatically displaying the information as transitioning text.

43. A method of transmitting and displaying information on at least one passive display unit in a retail environment, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one display unit configured to not include user inputs, configured to not include triggering mechanisms and configured to not be responsive to triggering mechanisms;

downloading information to a computer system and receiving the downloaded information to a single transceiver unit;

activating the display unit using a motion sensor;

transmitting the information from the single transceiver unit to a receiver in the at least one passive display unit regardless of a location of the at least one passive display unit within the retail environment; and

automatically displaying the information on a display screen of the at least one passive display unit,

wherein said step of automatically displaying comprises automatically randomly displaying regardless of a location of the display unit within the retail environment.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of ceasing display operations during the download of the information.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the downloaded information may be downloaded from one of (i) the internet, (ii) an internet, (iii) a telephone connection, (iv) an email system and (v) a wireless connection.

46. The method according to claim 43 wherein said step of automatically displaying comprises automatically displaying regardless of a location of the display unit within the retail environment.

47. The method according to claim 43 wherein said step of automatically displaying comprises automatically displaying the information as transitioning text.