Digital communication system with security features

• US 7,728,712 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Onestop Media Group Inc. (The Jim Pattison Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Onestop Media Group Inc. (The Jim Pattison Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gagnon, Stephane Yvan, Kilpatrick, Andrew, Girgis, Michael, Fraser, Daniel Joseph, Neiman, Jake, Melamed, Dmitri, Gadsby, Ian Robert, Findlay, Jeffrey David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis R
• Application Number:
  US11/556,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20070226762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.01, 340/541, 340/577, 340/7.1, 340/7.2, 340/7.58, 340/7.59, 340/7.61, 340/7.62, 340/311.2, 340/7.46, 340/7.48, 340/7.5, 340/7.51, 340/7.53, 340/7.54, 340/7.55, 340/7.56, 340/7.57
• US Class Current: 340/7.48
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/814 comprising emergency warnings arrangements specially adapted for emergency or urgency in broadcast systems H04H20/59; arrangements for providing alarms, notifications, alerts to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics

Abstract

A digital communication system is disclosed, that allows a display of override content to interrupt a display of ongoing content on one or more display units. Ongoing content, such as advertisements, news, entertainment, or other relevant information, is provided on the display units until an urgent or security-related alert is required, and display of override content becomes necessary. Override content can include information relevant to the security of a passenger or passer-by viewing the display. Override content can relate to security threats such as accidents, major delays, fire, missing children, terrorist activity, or other content deemed adequately pertinent to warrant interrupting the display of ongoing content.

Claims

1. A digital communication system for distributing ongoing content and override content to a plurality of display units, the system comprising:

at least one display unit divided into two or more regions, each of said regions being capable of displaying a different input signal or stream carrying ongoing or override content; and

an override controller for receiving an override control signal and for retrieving override content from an override media source; and

a content distribution controller for controlling ongoing content for dissemination to the display units; and

for overriding, on receipt of the override control signal from the override controller, at least one of the input signals or streams carrying ongoing content with an input signal or stream carrying override content;

wherein at least one region of the at least one display unit is for displaying ongoing content directed to advertising, while a second region is for displaying ongoing content not directed to advertising;

wherein the override content is displayed only on the at least one region of the display unit for displaying ongoing content not directed to advertising.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said ongoing content not directed to advertising comprises news, entertainment, location information, or transit-related information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the override controller is configured to receive the override signal from a security authority.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the security authority comprises a police department;

a fire department;

a weather authority;

an anti-terrorism authority;

a building manager;

or a transit authority.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the override controller is configured to receive the override signal from a security device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the security device comprises a fire alarm, a motion detector, a surveillance camera, or an intrusion alarm.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the override content comprises security information.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the ongoing content comprises static visual content, animated visual content, audio content, or a combination thereof.

9. A method of providing security alert information in a digital communication system for distribution to a plurality of display units, the method comprising:

displaying at least two different input signals or streams carrying ongoing content on at least two regions of a plurality of display units;

receiving an override control signal;

retrieving override content containing security alert information in response to the override control signal;

formatting and transmitting override content to at least one of the regions of the display units to interrupt the signal or stream carrying ongoing content wherein at least one region of each of the display units is displaying ongoing content directed to advertising, and at least one other region is displaying ongoing content not directed to advertising; and

the override content is transmitted only to the at least one other region of the display units that is displaying ongoing content not directed to advertising.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein receiving an override signal comprises receiving a signal from a security authority.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein receiving an override signal comprises receiving an override signal from a security device.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the security alert information is provided to passengers in a transit network, the network having the digital communication system and the plurality of display units being mounted within the network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying at least two input signal or streams carrying ongoing content comprises:

displaying at least one signal or stream carrying ongoing content directed to advertising and displaying at least a second input signal or stream carrying ongoing content not directed to advertising.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein formatting and transmitting override content to at least one region of the display units to interrupt ongoing content comprises:

interrupting the ongoing content not directed to advertising.