Method and system for in-store marketing

• US 6,529,940 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1999
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David R. Humble
• Original Assignee: David R. Humble
• Inventors: Humble, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVELLINO, JOSEPH E
• Application Number:
  US09/321,770
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/200, 709/204
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A destination server (18) associated with a system (10) for in-store marketing receives (130) messages from developers (12) over a distribution network (16). The destination server causes the messages to be displayed (134) by one or more interactive display terminals (22). Individuals can input (136) various feedback information into the terminals which indicate the individual'"'"'s response to the displayed message. This feedback information is sent (152) to the developer'"'"'s computer system (12), enabling the developer to evaluate the feedback information and, if desired, modify and re-distribute the message. Prior to distribution, the developer can select (104) multiple destination servers (18) to which the developer wants the message to be distributed, and can also select (110) multiple time slots during which the message will be displayed by interactive display terminals (22).

Claims

1. A method for distributing marketing information concerning at least one of a product and service of a producer to multiple retail destinations where said at least one of a product and service is sold, the method comprising the steps of:

a) placing destination server in the multiple retail destinations, wherein each of the destination servers is controlably connected to at least one public interleave display terminal for conveying marketing messages to consumers and receiving input from consumers, and wherein each of the destination servers is integrated into a point of sale (POS) system of the retail destination in which the destination server is located;

b) creating a marketing message on a developer system concerning the at least one of a product and service;

c) interacting with a distribution server to identify one or more target public interactive display terminals of the at least one public interactive display terminal to which the marketing message should be distributed;

d) distributing the marketing message to at least one target destination server, wherein the at least one target destination server is one of one or more destination servers controllably connected to the one or more target public interactive display terminals;

e) transmitting, by the at least one target destination server, the marketing message to the one or more target public interactive display terminals;

f) receiving, by the one or more target public interactive display terminals, feedback information concerning consumers perceiving the marketing message;

g) receiving, by the at least one target destination server, POS system information concerning the at least one of a product and service;

h) receiving, by the at least one target destination server, the feedback information of step (f) from the one or more target public interactive display terminals; and

i) compiling, by the at least one target destination server, tile POS system information of step (g) with the feedback information of step (f).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the step of creating multiple layers of information within the marketing message.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the step of creating the marketing message to include text and one or more types of information from a set of types of information that includes static graphics, dynamic graphics, hyperlinks to other information, and audio information.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:

c1) receiving, from the distribution server, a list of available public interactive display terminals to which the marketing message could be sent; and

c2) selecting the one or more target public interactive display terminals from the list of available public interactive display terminals.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (d), step (h), and step (i) are performed over a network.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the network is the Internet.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises the step of:

c1) interacting with the distribution server to determine one or more time slots during which the marketing message should be displayed; and

wherein the step of distributing the message to the one or more destinations comprises the step of distributing the marketing message before or during the one or more time slots.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

j) determining whether the feedback information is a request for additional information concerning the at least one of a product and service; and

k) if the feedback information is a request for additional information concerning the at least one of a product and service, sending the additional information concerning the at least one of a product and service to the one or more target interactive display terminals.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one public interactive display terminal to which each destination server is controllably connected is placed in a specific location within the retail destination in which the destination server is located, and step (c) comprises the step of:

interacting with the distribution server to dee one or more specific locations within at least one of the retail destinations, wherein the marketing message will be distributed to the determined one or more specific locations.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feedback information comprises direct communication to the producer, wherein the producer may respond in real-time to the direct communication.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the public interactive display terminals comprises:

a touch-screen monitor with a plurality of sections displayed therein, wherein the plurality of sections comprises;

a touch-sensitive section which is used by consumers for requesting and inputting information.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said plurality of sections displayed in said touch-screen monitor comprises at least one of:

a section for displaying general information which may be unrelated to the marketing information;

a section that enables consumers to access additional information content related to the marketing message; and

a section that enables consumers to access services offered by the retail destination in which the at least one public interactive display terminal is located.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

transmitting the compiled information of step (i) to at least one of the distribution server and the developer system.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the POS system information in step (g) comprises actual sales of the at least one of a product and service.

15. A system for distributing marketing information concerning at least one of a product and service of a producer to multiple retail destinations where said at least one of a product and service is sold, the system comprising:

a plurality of destination servers, each of said plural destination servers being placed in one of the multiple retail destinations, wherein each one of said plural destination servers is integrated into a point of sale (POS) system of the retail destination in which the destination server is located, wherein each one of said plural destination servers is for;

receiving and transmitting a marketing message concerning the at least one of a product and service,

receiving feedback information concerning consumers perceiving the marketing message in the retail destination in which the destination server is located,

receiving POS system information concerning the at least one of a product and service from the POS system of the retail destination in which the destination server is located,

compiling the received POS system information along with the received feedback information, and

transmitting the compiled POS system information and feedback information;

a plural of public interactive display terminals, wherein each one of said plural public interactive display terminals is controllably connected to one of said plural destination servers and is placed in the retail des on in which the destination server to which it is controllably connected is located, wherein said at least one of said plural public interactive display terminals is for;

receiving the marketing message from the destination server to which it is controllably connected,

displaying the marketing message,

receiving feedback information from the consumers, and

transmitting the received feedback information to the destination server,

a developer system for creating and transmitting the marketing message; and

a distribution server which maintains records concerning each one of said plural destination servers, wherein each record comprises data concerning the retail destination in which said each destination server is located, and data concerning each one of said plural public interactive display terminals to which said each destination server is controllably connected, wherein said distribution server is for;

receiving the marketing message from the developer system,

identifying one or more target public interactive display terminals to which the marketing message should be distributed, and

distributing the marketing message to destination servers controllably connected to the one or more target public interactive display terminals.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one of the at least one public interactive display terminals comprises a touch-screen for displaying the marketing message in graphical form, and receiving the consumer inputs via touch-sensitive sections of the touch-screen.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one of the at least one public interactive display terminal comprises one or more devices from a set of devices comprising a touch-screen, a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a microphone, a speaker, a printer, and a magnetic card reader.

18. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the data concerning the at least one of said plural public interactive display terminals to which said each destination server is controllably connected comprises the location of the at least one of said public interactive display terminals within the retail destination in which it is located.

19. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the POS system information compiled by the destination servers comprises actual sales of the at least one of a product and service.