Hierarchical systems, apparatus and methods for displaying context-aware content

• US 9,996,854 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aerva Incorporated (Watchfire Signs, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Aerva Incorporated (Watchfire Signs, LLC)
• Inventors: Crow, David, Manandhar, Sanjay
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Vincent M
• Application Number:
  US13/930,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20150154633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

The invention provides in some aspects a system for display of context-aware content that includes a server storing context-sensitive data, a player that is persistently or, at least intermittently, coupled to the server, and that is likewise coupled to a plurality of output devices—such as, for example, electronic shelf labels, personal digital assistants, mobile phones, and LCD, LED or other fixed displays. The player responds to the context of each of the plurality of output devices by obtaining from the server data germane to that context, storing that data or content germane to that context generated from that data, and driving that content to that output device for presentation thereon, wherein the player concurrently drives different content to at least two of said output devices.

Claims

1. A system for display of context-aware content, comprising:

A. a server that stores context-sensitive data,

B. a plurality of players that are at least intermittently coupled to the server and to a plurality of output devices, each said output device having a respective context, each said player being equipped to (i) obtain from the server and store data germane to respective contexts of the output devices to which that player is coupled, (ii) render that obtained data to a form suitable for display on one or more of those output devices, and (iii) drive that obtained data to one or more of those output devices directly or indirectly through one or more other players;

C. a first one of the players responding to a first context of a first output device by

i) obtaining from the server first data or content germane to the first context,

ii) storing the first data or content germane to the first context generated from the first data,

iii) rendering the first data or content to a form suitable for display on the first output device, and

iv) driving that rendered data or content to the first output device for presentation thereon;

D. the first player responding to a second context of a second output device by

i) obtaining from the server second data or content germane to the second context,

ii) storing the second data or content germane to the second context generated from the second data, and

iii) driving the second data or content to the second output device via one or more others of the plurality of players concurrently with driving rendered first data or content to the first output device,

wherein the first data or content differs from the second data or content.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein data includes any of static media files, dynamic media and raw data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the context includes any of an identity of a said output device, an identity of an owner of a said output device, an absolute location of a said output device, a time at that location in absolute or relative terms, a relative location of a said output device, a type of a said output device, one or more properties of a said output device, an environment in which a said output device is disposed.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the player senses a said context of a said output device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the output devices transmits to the player a signal indicative of the context of that output device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein

A. the server stores presentation rules for the context-sensitive data, and

B. the player drives content germane to a context of a said output device as function of those presentation rules.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the presentation rules include any of time-based rules and location-based rules.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the output devices include any of electronic shelf labels, personal digital assistants, mobile phones, and LCD, LED or other fixed displays.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is coupled to the player via a persistent connection.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the player discards data germane to a said output device upon discontinuance of at least intermittent coupling with that device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein

the first one of the plurality of players is at least intermittently coupled to the server and to a set of output devices,

wherein the first player discards data germane to each of a subset of said output devices upon discontinuance of at least intermittent coupling with that device, and wherein a second one of the players which comes into contact with a said player in that subset responds to a context of that output device by:

i) obtaining from the server data germane to that context,

ii) storing that data or content germane to that context generated from that data,

iii) rendering that data or content to a form suitable for display on that output device, and

iv) driving that rendered data or content to that output device for presentation thereon, wherein the player concurrently drives different rendered data or content to at least two of said output devices.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the set of output devices comprises a plurality of electronic shelf labels.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the set of output devices additionally comprises any of personal digital assistants, mobile phones, and LCD, LED or other fixed displays.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the subset of output devices comprises a plurality of electronic shelf labels.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the subset of output devices additionally comprises any of personal digital assistants, mobile phones, and LCD, LED or other fixed displays.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein rendering includes converting data or content from a first format in which it is received from the server to a second format suitable for display on that output device.

17. A system for display of context-aware content, comprising:

A. a server that stores context-sensitive data,

B. a plurality of players that is are at least intermittently coupled to the server and to a plurality of output devices, each said output device having a respective context, each said player being equipped to (i) obtain from the server and store data germane to respective contexts of the output devices to which that player is coupled, (ii) render that obtained data to a form suitable for display on one or more of those output devices, and (iii) drive that obtained data to one or more of the output devices directly or indirectly through one or more other players,

C. a first such player that is at least intermittently coupled to the server and to a set of output devices at a first time, the first player responding to a first context of a first output device to which it is at least intermittently coupled by obtaining from the server first data or content germane to the first context, storing the first data or content germane to the first context generated from the first data, rendering the first data or content to a form suitable for display on the first output device, and driving that rendered data or content to the first output device for presentation thereon, wherein the first player responds to a second context of a second output device to which it is at least intermittently coupled by obtaining from the server second data or content germane to the second context, storing the second data or content germane to the second context generated from the second data, and driving the second data or content to the second output device via one or more others of the plurality of players concurrently with driving rendered data or content to the first output device, wherein the first data or content differs from the second data or content, and wherein the first player discards data germane to a said output device upon discontinuance of at least intermittent coupling with that device,

D. second such player that is at least intermittently coupled with a subset of the output devices at a second time subsequent to the first time and that is at least intermittently coupled to the server, the second player responding to a context of each of the output devices to which it is at least intermittently coupled by obtaining from the server data germane to those contexts, storing that data or content germane to those contexts generated from that data, optionally rendering that data or content to a form suitable for display on one or more of the subset of output devices, and driving that data or content or that rendered data or content to one or more of the subset of output devices for presentation thereon, wherein the second player concurrently drives different data or content to at least two of said subset of output devices to which it is at least intermittently coupled, and wherein the second player discards data germane to a said output device upon discontinuance of at least intermittent coupling with that device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the set of output devices comprises a plurality of electronic shelf labels.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the set of output devices additionally comprises any of personal digital assistants, mobile phones, and LCD, LED or other fixed displays.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the subset of output devices comprises a plurality of electronic shelf labels.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the subset of output devices additionally comprises any of personal digital assistants, mobile phones, and LCD, LED or other fixed displays.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein rendering includes converting data or content from a first format in which it is received from the server to a second format suitable for display on that output device.

23. A method for display of context-aware content, comprising:

A. transmitting from a player digital data device to a server digital data device respective contexts of at least two output devices, each of which is at least intermittently coupled to the player digital data device,

B. transmitting from the server digital data device to the player digital data device content for each of the output devices, where that content is selected based on the context of the respective output device,

C. rendering on the player digital data device first content selected based on the context of a first output device and transmitting that rendered content to the first output device for presentation thereon,

D. transmitting second content selected based on the context of a second output device to the second output device via one or more other player digital data devices and rendering that second content on one of the one or more other player digital data devices for presentation on the second output device,

wherein different rendered content is presented on at least two of the output devices at the same time.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising storing on the player digital data device content received from the server digital data device for each of the output devices.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein step (B) includes matching the output devices contexts against rules to select content to be transmitted to the player digital data device for rendering on the output devices.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising discarding data germane to a said output device upon discontinuance of at least intermittent coupling between it and the player digital device.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein step (C) includes converting data or content from a first format in which it is received from the server digital data device to a second format suitable for display on that output device.