Determining billboard refresh rate based on traffic flow

• US 7,466,241 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lyle, Ruthie D., Yao, Xiaohu S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeff
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAI, ANNE VIET NGA
• Application Number:
  US11/399,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20070257816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/910, 340/917, 340/990, 340/995.17, 340/995.27, 340/691.6, 705/14, 406/24
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/00 Boards, hoardings, pillars, or like structures for notices, placards, posters, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for determining a refresh rate of a dynamic billboard. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: obtaining traffic flow information; and determining the refresh rate of the dynamic billboard based on the traffic flow information.

Claims

1. A method for determining a refresh rate of a dynamic billboard, comprising:

obtaining traffic flow information;

determining the refresh rate per minute of the dynamic billboard based on the traffic flow information, wherein the refresh rate is equal to 60 mph/V, wherein V is equal to an average velocity in miles per hour of vehicles passing the dynamic billboard;

determining a percent change in the traffic flow information over a predetermined period of time, and comparing the percent change in the traffic flow information to a predetermined threshold value; and

changing a display provided by the dynamic bill board in accordance with the refresh rate only if a magnitude of the percent change in the traffic flow information is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic billboard is selected from the group consisting of a mechanical billboard and a digital billboard.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display comprises an advertisement.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the refresh rate of the dynamic billboard based on current traffic flow information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

increasing the refresh rate of the dynamic billboard when traffic slows down in a vicinity of the dynamic billboard.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

decreasing the refresh rate of the dynamic billboard when traffic speeds up in a vicinity of the dynamic billboard.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining traffic flow information and determining the refresh rate are performed periodically.