System and Method for Interacting Wirelessly with Digital Signage

• US 20070252891A1
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Symon Communications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Symon Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Gurley, Steven L.
• Application Number:
  US11/740,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20070252891A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4117 for generating hard copies of the content, e.g. printer, electronic paper interfaces to printers G06F3/12; printing data G06K15/02
• 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 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a method allows user interaction with information presented on electronic video displays. The method provides content for presentation on at least one display in a venue. A text-based message is received, from a venue patron, from a wireless device. The text based message is based upon the content presented on the at least one display in the venue and includes information to modify the content on the at least one display. The text based message is processed and a communication is transmitted to the venue to modify the content on the at least one display or create a memento of the content on the at least one display.

Claims

1. A method of allowing user interaction with information presented on electronic video displays, the method comprising:

providing content for presentation on at least one display in a venue;

receiving, from a venue patron, a text-based message from a wireless device, the text-based message based upon the content presented on the at least one display in the venue;

processing the text-based message; and

transmitting a communication to the venue in response to the text-based message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication to the venue modifies the content on the at least one display.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication is specific to the at least one display.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication includes content requested by the text-based message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication to the venue creates a memento of the content on the at least one display for the venue patron.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the memento is a printout from a printer located at the venue.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein

the communication is a memento message to the wireless device with the memento, and

the memento is stored in memory on the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, processing, and transmitting are carried out by a content management system remote from the venue.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein

the content on the at least one display is presented in accordance with a schedule;

and

the communication to the venue modifies the schedule.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the text-based message is a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the text-based message is a wireless email.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the text-based message includes a code specific to the at least one display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the code distinguishes the at least one display from other displays.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the text-based message includes a venue key that is displayed on the at least one display in the venue, the venue key changing over time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the venue key changes over time based on an algorithm that uses a time of day and location of the venue to create the venue key.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from one or more venue patrons, a plurality of text-based messages from one or more wireless devices;

processing each of the plurality of text-based messages;

recording information obtained from the processing; and

reporting the information via an interface to a user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the interface is presented in a dashboard format and accessible via a web browser.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the information includes a number of viewers that request certain types of content.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the venue patron of a position in a queue for processing of the text-based message.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the notification occurs on the at least one display in the venue.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the notification is sent to the wireless device.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the text-based message includes:

validating contents of the text-based message, and

if the text-based message is successfully validated, executing logic applicable to a request in the text-based message.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the text-based message includes:

comparing a transaction code in the text-based message against a schedule currently running for the at least one display in the venue, and

if the transaction code is allowed, modifying the schedule.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the text-based message includes preparing a solicitation of additional information from the venue patron, wherein the solicitation is transmitted to the wireless device.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein

a plurality of text based message are processed, and

the text-based messages are processed in accordance with viewer interaction rules.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the viewer interaction rules include a consideration of processing the text-based messages in the order the text-based messages are received.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the viewer interaction rules include a consideration of processing the most requested content first.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the viewer interaction rules include a consideration of processing, for a given time period, all the text-based messages from the venue patron before processing text-based messages from other venue patrons.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the viewer interaction rules prescribe displaying content requested in the text-based message until another text-based message is received.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the viewer interaction rules are updatable by a system administrator.

31. The method of claim 25, further wherein the viewer interaction rules are updatable by a system administrator through a web interface.

86. The system of claim 1, wherein the content management system in processing prepares a solicitation of additional information from the venue patron, wherein the solicitation is transmitted to the wireless device.

87. The system of claim 1, wherein the content management system processes a plurality of text based message in accordance with viewer interaction rules.

88. The system of claim 25, wherein the viewer interaction rules include a consideration of processing the text-based messages in the order the text-based messages are received.

89. The system of claim 25, wherein the viewer interaction rules include a consideration of processing the most requested content first.

90. The system of claim 25, wherein the viewer interaction rules include a consideration of processing, for a given time period, all the text-based messages from the venue patron before processing text-based messages from other venue patrons.

91. The system of claim 25, wherein the viewer interaction rules prescribe displaying content requested in the text-based message until another text-based message is received.

92. The system of claim 25, wherein the viewer interaction rules are updatable by a system administrator.

93. The system of claim 25, wherein the viewer interaction rules are updatable by a system administrator through a web interface.

32. A method of allowing user interaction with information presented on electronic video displays, the method comprising:

receiving, from a venue patron, a message from a device, the message based upon content presented on at least one display in a venue;

processing the message; and

transmitting a communication to the venue in response to the message, the communication creating a memento of content on the at least one display for the venue patron.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the memento is a printout from a printer located at the venue.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the device is a wireless device.

35. A method of allowing user interaction with information presented on electronic video displays, the method comprising:

receiving, from a venue patron, a message from a device, the message based upon content presented on at least one display in a venue;

processing the message; and

notifying the venue patron of a position in a queue for processing of the message.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the notification occurs on the at least one display in the venue.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the notification is sent to the device.

38. A method of allowing user interaction with information presented on electronic video displays, the method comprising

receiving, from one or more venue patrons, a plurality of messages from one or more devices;

and

processing each of the plurality messages;

recording information obtained from the processing; and

reporting the information via a web interface to a user.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the web interface is presented in a dashboard format.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the information includes a number of viewers that request certain types of content.

41. A method of allowing user interaction with information presented on electronic video displays, the method comprising

receiving, from one or more venue patrons, a plurality of messages from one or more devices, the messages based upon content presented on at least one display in a venue;

and

processing the messages in accordance with viewer interaction rules.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the viewer interaction rules include a consideration of processing the text-based messages in the order the text-based messages are received.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the viewer interaction rules include a consideration of processing the most requested content first.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the viewer interaction rules include a consideration of processing, for a given time period, all the text-based messages from the venue patron before processing text-based messages from other venue patrons.

45. The method of claim 41 wherein the viewer interaction rules prescribe displaying content requested in the text-based message until another text-based message is received.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein the viewer interaction rules prescribe processing all messages pertaining to a certain type of content before messages of another type of content.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein the viewer interaction rules are updatable by a system administrator.

48. The method of claim 41, further wherein the viewer interaction rules are updatable by a system administrator through a web interface.

49. A method of allowing user interaction with information presented on electronic video displays, the method comprising:

presenting content on at least one display in a venue;

receiving a communication in response to a text-based message, sent from a wireless device, from a venue patron, the text-based message based upon content presented on at least one display in a venue;

responding to the communication with an appropriate action.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein responding to the communication with an appropriate action includes a modification of the content on the at least one display.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the communication is specific to the at least one display.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the communication includes content requested by the text-based message.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein responding to the communication with an appropriate action includes creating a memento of content on the at least one display for the venue patron.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the memento is a printout from a printer located at the venue.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein the communication in response to the text-based message is received from a content management system remote from the venue.

56. The method of claim 49, wherein

the content on the at least one display is presented in accordance with a schedule;

and

the communication to the venue modifies the schedule.

57. The method of claim 49, wherein the text-based message is a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message.

58. The method of claim 49, wherein the text-based message is a wireless email.

59. The method of claim 49, wherein the text-based message includes a venue key that is displayed on the at least one display in the venue, the venue key changing based on an algorithm that uses a time of day and location of the venue to create the venue key.

60. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

notifying the venue patron of a position in a queue for processing of the text-based message.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the notification occurs on the at least one display in the venue.

62. A system for allowing user interaction with information presented on electronic video displays, the system comprising:

a content management system operable to;

provide content for presentation on at least one display in a venue;

receive, from a venue patron, a text-based message from a wireless device, the text-based message based upon the content presented on at least one display in the venue;

process the text-based message; and

transmit a communication to the venue in response to the text-based message.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the communication to the venue modifies the content on the at least one display.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the communication is specific to the at least one display.

65. The system of claim 63, wherein the communication includes content requested by the text-based message.

66. The system of claim 62, wherein the communication to the venue creates a memento of content on the at least one display for the venue patron.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the memento is a printout from a printer located at the venue.

68. The system of claim 66, wherein

the communication is a memento message to the wireless device with the memento, and

the memento is stored in memory on the wireless device.

69. The system of claim 62, wherein the content management system is located remotely from the venue.

70. The system of claim 62, wherein at least a portion of the content management system is located at the venue.

71. The system of claim 62, wherein

the content on the at least one display is presented in accordance with a schedule;

and

the communication to the venue modifies the schedule.

72. The system of claim 62, wherein the text-based message is a Short Messaging Service (SMS) message.

73. The system of claim 62, wherein the text-based message is a wireless email.

74. The system of claim 62, wherein the text-based message includes a code specific to the at least one display.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein the code distinguishes the at least one display from other displays.

76. The system of claim 62, wherein the text-based message includes a venue key that is displayed on the at least one display in the venue, the venue key changing over time.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the venue key changes over time based on an algorithm that uses a time of day and location of the venue to create the venue key.

78. The system of claim 62, wherein the content management system is further operable to:

receive, from one or more venue patrons, a plurality of text-based messages from one or more wireless devices; and

process each of the plurality of text-based messages;

record information obtained from the processing; and

report the information via an interface to a user.

79. The system of claim 78, wherein the interface is presented in a dashboard format and accessible via a web browser.

80. The system of claim 78, wherein the information includes a number of viewers that request certain types of content.

81. The system of claim 62, wherein the content management system is further operable to:

notify the venue patron of a position in a queue for processing of the text-based message.

82. The system of claim 81, wherein the notification occurs on the at least one display in the venue.

83. The system of claim 81, wherein the notification is sent to the wireless device.

84. The system of claim 62, wherein the content management system in processing the text-based message validates contents of the text-based message, and if the text-based message is successfully validated, executes logic applicable to a request in the text-based message.

85. The system of claim 62, wherein the content management system in processing the text-based message compares a transaction code in the text-based message against a schedule currently running for the at least one display in the venue, and if the transaction code is allowed, modifies the schedule.