Secure electronic media distribution and presentation system

• US 8,826,168 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marlin Software, LLC
• Original Assignee: The Marlin Company (Appspace, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kenna, Frank III, Pierce, Richard George
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US12/723,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20100175017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/229, 705/7.11, 705/14.52, 705/14.68, 370/429, 348/207.1, 348/211.1, 348/552, 235/375, 235/462.01, 715/205, 715/764, 715/774, 726/26
• US Class Current: 715/774
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the distribution of electronic media content for distribution to employees of a subscriber. The system includes an electronic display for displaying selected electronic media content that may be selected, modified and/or generated by the subscriber. The system allows for dramatically increased subscriber control of the media content presented as well as for increased security for any confidential media content to be presented on the customer display. The system further provides for individual control of multiple displays that may be located in differing geographic locations while at the same time providing for ease of information management.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting and displaying electronic media comprising:

a controller for receiving an electronic media collection;

a display, coupled to said controller, displaying the electronic media collection provided by said controller;

a service provider computer coupled to said controller via a network connection to periodically update said controller;

a customer computer having a customer storage and coupled to said controller for generating the electronic media collection transmitted to said controller;

said electronic media collection including media content stored on said customer storage and selected from the group consisting of;

pre-assembled media content generated and provided by the service provider computer to the customer computer;

modified pre-assembled media content generated by the customer computer; and

/or

custom generated media content generated for the customer computer;

wherein electronic media content is selected by said customer computer to generate said electronic media collection for presentation on said display.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the pre-assembled media content is periodically updated.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said display comprises at least a first and a second frame.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the first frame is displays media data selected from the group consisting of:

audio, video, text, images, animations, web pages, streaming media data and combinations thereof.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein subscriber sets a sequential order and time limit for each media data to be displayed on said display.

6. The system according to claim 3 wherein said display further comprises a section for display of a subscriber title.

7. The system according to claim 3 wherein said display further comprises a moving ticker message that scrolls across at least a portion of the first frame.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein the moving ticker is customized by the subscriber.

9. The system according to claim 3 wherein said second frame further comprises a third portion displaying weather information.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein said display comprises at least two displays.

11. A system for transmitting and displaying electronic media from a service provider to a subscriber comprising:

a controller having a controller storage;

a display coupled to said controller, said display displaying an electronic media collection,

said display including at least a first and a second frame where the first frame displays media data selected from the group consisting of;

audio, video, text, images, animations, web pages, streaming media data and combinations thereof and a sequential order for each media data to be displayed on said display is selectable;

a service provider computer coupled to said controller via a network connection;

a customer computer, coupled to said service provider computer via a network connection;

said electronic media collection selected from the group consisting of;

pre-assembled media content generated and provided by the service provider computer to the customer computer; and

/or

modified pre-assembled media content generated by the customer computer; and

/or

custom generated media content generated for the customer computer

wherein electronic media content is selected by said customer computer to generate said electronic media collection for presentation on said display.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the storage on said controller comprises cache memory location.

13. The system according to claim 11 wherein when the electronic media collection comprises custom generated media content generated for the subscriber, the custom generated media content is categorized as confidential and non-confidential content, wherein the confidential content is maintained on the customer computer for delivery to said controller and the non-confidential content is maintained on the service provider computer for delivery to said controller.

14. The system according to claim 11 wherein said display further comprises a moving ticker message that scrolls across at least a portion of the first frame.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the moving ticker is customizable by the subscriber.

16. The system according to claim 11 wherein the second frame is divided into a first portion and a second portion;

said first portion receiving pre-assembled media content; and

said second portion receiving;

pre-assembled media content; and

/or

modified pre-assembled media content; and

/or

custom generated media content.

17. The system according to claim 11 wherein said second frame further comprises a third portion displaying weather information.

18. The system according to claim 11 wherein the first and second frames comprise a graphical interface for selection of media content to be displayed in each frame.

19. The system according to claim 11 wherein said electronic media collection is saved on said controller storage.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein said controller periodically queries said service provider computer to determine if an updated electronic media collection is available and if so, said controller downloads the updated electronic media collection.