Smart sign box using electronic interactions

• US 10,977,965 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2011
• Issued: 04/13/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Inventors: Forster, Ian J., Welch, David, Wang, Haochuan, Venkatasanthanam, Sriram, Chapman, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Tarek
• Application Number:
  US13/014,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20110307309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,729 Days
• Field of Search: 705 272, 705 1447, 705 1458, 705 1464, 705 1426, 40427, 40541, 359237, 370389, 24303, 340 101, 235383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/02 Signs, boards, or panels, illuminated by artificial light sources positioned in front of the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia

Abstract

The present invention relates to an advertising system and method of using the same. The advertising system includes a light source which may be activated by near field communication devices in order to extract information from the system.

Claims

1. A method of using an advertising system, comprising the steps of:

providing a frame having a backlighting illumination source, an RFID reader and a controller connected to the RFID reader;

producing a replaceable graphic medium, the graphic medium having

at least one of advertising and marketing information provided on a surface thereof; and

an RFID inlay, the RFID inlay having a chip encoded with product information and illumination instructions;

wherein the replaceable graphic medium is transparent, semi-transparent, or translucent;

affixing the replaceable graphic medium to the frame;

sensing an individual near the frame;

varying the output of the illumination source with the controller in connection with the illumination instructions provided on the chip;

detecting a mobile communication device near the frame;

uploading at least a portion of the information encoded on the chip on the RFID inlay to the mobile communication device; and

displaying information on the mobile communication device;

wherein the controller shuts off the light source if the RFID reader does not detect valid authentication data on the chip.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of displaying information includes providing an individual with an electronic product coupon.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the RFID inlay is adhered, laminated, embedded, or attached to a substrate of the replaceable graphic medium.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of uploading provides an individual with product information relating to the content of the graphic medium.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of producing a replaceable graphic medium is performed by one of printing, imaging, perforating or cutting to form a visual graphic.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of varying the output of the illumination source includes altering at least one of wavelength, color variation or combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of producing the replaceable graphic medium is performed by perforating to form a visual graphic.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of producing the replaceable graphic medium is performed by cutting to form a visual graphic.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate is a paper.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate is a metal foil or a metal film.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein the substrate is a polymeric film.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein

the frame comprises a front panel, a template panel, and a rear panel;

the front panel comprises a transparent portion through which the replaceable graphic medium may be viewed;

the template panel comprises a viewing aperture and one or more magnetic fasteners, the viewing aperture being sized and configured to correspond with the transparent portion of the front panel; and

the rear panel having one or more magnetic fasteners, the magnetic fasteners of the template panel and the rear panel being in alignment.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the magnetic fasteners of the template panel and the magnetic fasteners of the rear panel comprise rare earth magnets.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein

the template panel comprises one or more locking posts;

and

the rear panel comprises one or more keyhole slots aligned with the one or more locking posts.

7. A method of using an advertising system, comprising the steps of:

providing a frame having an illumination source, an RFID reader and a controller connected to the RFID reader;

producing a replaceable graphic medium, the graphic medium comprising;

at least one of advertising and marketing information provided on a surface thereof; and

an RFID inlay, the RFID inlay having a chip encoded with product information and illumination instructions;

affixing the replaceable graphic medium to the frame;

sensing an individual near the frame;

varying the output of the illumination source with the controller in connection with the illumination instructions provided on the chip;

detecting a mobile communication device near the frame;

uploading at least a portion of the information encoded on the chip on the RFID inlay to the mobile communication device; and

displaying information on the mobile communication device;

wherein the illumination source provides light at a wavelength outside of the visible range;

wherein the replaceable graphic medium includes a fluorescent material that glows or fluoresces in response to the light; and

wherein the controller shuts off the light source if the RFID reader does not detect valid authentication data on the chip.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the illumination source is a backlighting illumination source.

8. A method of using an advertising system, comprising the steps of:

providing a frame having an illumination source, an RFID reader and a controller connected to the RFID reader;

producing a replaceable graphic medium, the graphic medium comprising;

a substrate selected from the group consisting of a paper, a metal foil, a metal film, and a polymeric film;

an image on the substrate, the image formed by selectively perforating the substrate; and

an RFID inlay, the RFID inlay having a chip encoded with product information and illumination instructions;

affixing the replaceable graphic medium to the frame;

sensing an individual near the frame;

varying the output of the illumination source with the controller in connection with the illumination instructions provided on the chip;

detecting a mobile communication device near the frame;

uploading at least a portion of the information encoded on the chip on the RFID inlay to the mobile communication device; and

displaying information on the mobile communication device;

wherein the controller shuts off the light source if the RFID reader does not detect valid authentication data on the chip.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the substrate is a paper.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the substrate is a metal foil or a metal film.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the substrate is a polymeric film.