WO2008107871A1

WO2008107871A1 - Advertising device with hidden images or indicia

Info

Publication number: WO2008107871A1
Application number: PCT/IL2008/000264
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Kagan; Avi Rabinowitz; Erez Magen; Reuben Isbitsky; Paul Freedman
Original assignee: Timestrip Uk Limited
Priority date: 2007-03-08
Filing date: 2008-03-02
Publication date: 2008-09-12
Also published as: WO2008107871B1; IL181790A0

Abstract

The invention provides an advertising device provided with a first area containing advertising indicia and a second area provided with a plurality of indicia display areas, wherein each indicia display areas is associated with indicia activation means undergoing activation at predetermined elapses times relative to each other and wherein the display of all of the indicia in their designated indicia display areas provide a predetermined unitary message and wherein each of the predetermined elapsed times is at leas one hour in duration.

Description

ADVERTISING DEVICE WITH HIDDEN IMAGES OR INDICIA Field of the Invention

The invention concerns a device that reveals information after predetermined periods of time. More particularly it concerns a promotional device that responds to a user's activation by not immediately providing the user with information such as whether he or she has won or other promotional information but rather reveals this information over a period of time, thereby inducing the user to repeatedly view the device and in this manner captivates the user's attention for the reinforcement of a brand name or other message provided on a predetermined area of the device. Background to the Invention

The use of lottery type promotional devices for reinforcing a brand-name or a particular product is known. An example is the scratch card disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,099 to Behm et. al. which discloses the use of an aluminum permeated latex to cover a set of indicia. A player scratches off the layer to reveal the hidden indicia. In such an arrangement the hidden message whether in the form of pictorial icons, indicia, words, patterns, whether singular or multiple is revealed instantaneously or close to instantaneously thus satisfying the need for instant gratification in knowing whether the player has won or lost. The excitement generated by this form of lottery especially in the instance of a winning card acts to psychologically reinforce the brand-name or particular product of the promoting company in the mind of the player. Methods other than scratch cards are described which utilize chemical and electronic means of accomplishing the same, examples are U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,122 to Shadle et. al. which discloses vapor deposited thin metal films that form opaque layers over indicia that are removed upon contact with clearing agents; an electronic lottery game card as disclosed by Duke and Kline in U.S. Appl. No. 2005/0255905 which simulates in card form a slot machine; computerized lottery gaming has become very popular with instantaneous activation, play completion and verification as disclosed for example by U.S. Pat. No. 7,155,014 awarded to Hamman et. al. and according to which the gaming industry continues to grow in popularity with a wide variety of new games and technologies that offer different experiences to players. Often the draw of such lottery-type games is the instant satisfaction of knowing whether you have won a prize. Game sponsors seek games that are exciting and immediate, but secure and verifiable.

In contradistinction to the instant play - instant result - instant reward approach to promotional devices, the present invention is based on a different concept - that of a time delayed promotional device that works on continuous expectation and uses the tantalization of the user who is induced to repeatedly seek and await displayed exposure of sought indicia and/or information as the mechanism for repeated reinforcement of the exposure of the user to a company's name or product displayed on an area of the device. Thus the present invention discloses a lottery type promotional device that reveals itself over a predetermined time unknown to the player but causes the player to constantly refer to the device to see if the message in part or in whole has been revealed, which device simultaneously and continuously bears promotional information which is viewed each time the user checks the device. Furthermore such a promotional device must be inexpensive to produce, easy to activate, clear to read, and secure against forgery or cheating.

The present invention comprises a means of revealing indicium and indicia for the purposes of a lottery-type promotional device over periods of time, the duration and intervals of which are unknown to the user, thus encouraging the user to check the lottery type promotional device at regular intervals in order to ascertain whether the hidden indicia have been revealed or not. In such a manner the promoting company's name and/or logo and/or message, printed clearly on the device, becomes reinforced in the consciousness of the user as the user repeatedly views the device and grows to associate the promoting company's name with the anticipation and expectation of winning.

Thus according to the present invention there is now provided an advertising device provided with a first area containing advertising indicia and a second area provided with a plurality of indicia display areas, wherein each indicia display area is associated with indicia activation means undergoing activation at predetermined elapsed times relative to each other and wherein the display of all of the indicia in their designated indicia display areas provide a predetermined unitary message and wherein each of said predetermined elapsed times is at least one hour in duration. W „

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, each of said predetermined elapsed times, is independently at least one hour in duration.

In further preferred embodiments of the present invention, each of said predetermined elapsed times, is independently at least three hours in duration.

In especially preferred embodiments of the present invention each of said predetermined elapsed times, is independently at least twelve hours in duration.

In some preferred embodiments of the present invention said advertising device incorporates electronic means comprising a power source activated by switch means and connected via printed electrical connectors to a controlling chip also connected via electrical connectors to electrically activatable displays positioned respectively in each of a plurality of indicia display areas, wherein said chip is programmed to sequentially activate said displays at said predetermined elapsed times.

In said preferred embodiments, said electrically activatable display is preferably a chemical electrochromic display.

In further preferred embodiments, said electrically activatable display is preferably an electrophoretic display.

In other preferred embodiments of the present invention said electrically activatable display is a nanochromic display.

In further preferred embodiments of the present invention said electrically activatable display is based on a thermochromic indicator associated with an electrical heat pad.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention said electrically activatable display is an organic light emitting diode.

In other preferred embodiments of the present invention there is provided an advertising device incorporating liquid transportation means comprising a liquid reservoir, and a plurality of laminated layers, wherein at least one of said layers is opaque and porous and provided with indicia and is positioned below a layer with a first cutout area positioned above said indicia, in which first cutout area a pool of liquid forms, when released from said reservoir, said device further comprising means for releasing liquid into said reservoir to fill said first cutout area, which liquid then transversely descends to said porous indicia bearing layer to sequentially reveal said indicia through further cutout display areas provided in a bottom layer, wherein said further cutout areas are aligned with the indicia provided on said indicia bearing porous layer.

Preferably in said embodiments, said indicia is provided on the upper surface of said porous layer and the activation of each indicia is controlled by adjustment of the characteristics of the segment of the porous layer below each indicia.

In one such embodiment, the porosity of the segments below each indicia is different.

It is to be understood that in these embodiments the arrangement of the layers can be reversed with the bottom layer serving as the top layer sitting above the porous, opaque, indicia bearing layer which in turn is transversely fed in an upward direction from a pool of released liquid sitting in the cutout area directly therebelow.

Thus the lottery type promotional device according to the present invention can be: a) An electronic means consisting of i. A power source ii. Printed electrically activated displays iii. Conducting connectors iv. A time controller v. A switching mechanism. The lottery type promotional device according to the present invention can also be: b) A liquid transportation means consisting of i. A collapsible liquid reservoir ii. A release mechanism iii. An opaque porous membrane iv. A liquid whose refractive index matches that of the membrane v. A cut in the area below the membrane vi. A plurality of printed displays below the membrane vii. Windows through which the printed displays are observed The invention will now be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments with reference to the following illustrative figures so that it may be more fully understood. With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows the various components in an electronic time delayed promotional device including the windows, the displays, the time controller and the power source.

Figure 2 shows a flow diagram that describes the functioning of the time controller component with the electronic time delayed promotional device. Figure 3 shows the displays of the time delayed promotional device revealing a series of numbers over different periods of time.

Figure 4 shows a time plot of voltage pulses from the power supply to the displays via the time controller.

Figure 5 shows the displays of the time delayed promotional device revealing a message as they are activated over different periods of time. Figure 6 shows an embodiment of the electric wiring between the time controller, a display and the power supply.

Figure 7 shows a liquid based time delayed promotional device including the windows, the displays, the opaque carrier membrane and the liquid source where the liquid travels transversally through the membrane causing it to appear transparent.

Figure 8 shows the appearance of hidden indicia as a function of time as a suitable liquid travels transversally through an opaque membrane causing it to appear transparent. Detailed Description of Figures

In Figure 1 a time delayed electronic promotional device 10 comprising at least two layers is shown. The top layer 12 is a laminatable material such as PP, _Λ

PVC, and PET that allows for a masking print or opaque layer 14 with transparent windows 16a, 16b, 16c for viewing displays 18a, 18b, 18c. In this embodiment a switching mechanism 20 is located on the top layer 12. The switching mechanism 20 in this embodiment is actualized by a membrane switch such as provided by Miller Dial, El Monte, Ca. A bottom substrate layer 22 is a laminatable material such as paper, PVC, and PET. In this embodiment co-located on the bottom substrate layer 22 with the displays 18a, 18b, 18c is a battery component 24, a controlling chip 26 and electrical conducting connectors 28. The displays 18a, 18b, 18c are of a type that can be readily formed as thin films with ultra-low energy demands. A detailed description of such displays is given in US patent 6,369,793. An example of such a device is an electrophoretic display such as made available by E-INK, Inc. Cambridge Mass. and as described in US patent 6,664,944, and Electronic Paper provided by Xerox, Stamford, CT and as described in US patent 6,333,754 . Another type of display method is a nanochromics display (NCD) provided by Ntera Ltd. Dublin, Ireland and as described in US patent 6,870,657. Yet another type of display method is Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) such as described in http://komar.cs.stthomas.edu/qm425/01s/Tollefsrud2.htm. Another form of OLED electrochromic display involves the use of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) providing the counter ion (PEDOT: PSS) provided by Acreo in Kista, Sweden and described in US patent 6,642,069. Yet another type of display method is electrochromic displays such as provided by Aveso Ltd. Fridley, MN and as described in US Pat. No. 6,879,424. A further embodiment of a display utilizes a thermochromic covering placed over a printed silver/carbon resister that acts as a heat pad as described in US Pat. No. 5,557,208. When the temperature of the heat pad reaches a predefined threshold temperature the color of the thermochromic covering changes color indicating the occurrence of an event.

The battery component 24 can be of the form of a printed paper battery such as manufactured by Solicore, Inc. Lakeland, Fl., Power Paper Ltd, Israel, Thin Battery Technologies, Inc. Ohio. Such a battery component 24 can be constructed using, by way of example only, a zinc cathode that is deposited by means such as printing, stamping, and sputtering, and a manganese dioxide anode that is deposited by means such as printing and stamping, and an electrolyte such as zinc chloride and ammonium chloride contained within a solid or semi-solid matrix such as a gel and polymer, and enclosed in a plastic barrier material to prevent loss of moisture as is known to one skilled in the art. Alternatively the power source can be supplied by a thin button cell battery such as provided by Shenzhen Konnoc Battery Industrial Co., Ltd. China. Electrical conducting connectors 28 pass electrical signals and electrical power from the battery component 24 and the controlling chip 26 to the displays 18a, 18b, 18c. Such electrical conducting connectors 28 can be formed onto the bottom substrate layer 22 by such means as ink jet printing, rotary screen printing, etching and other methods as is known to one skilled in the art. The controlling chip 26 is of the form of an integrated micro-circuitry consisting of R-C oscillators for measuring the progress of time, embedded logic, and gate managers for selectively switching power from the battery component 24 to the displays 18a, 18b, 18c in a manner similar to that described in US Pat. No. 7,057,495 and are well known to one skilled in the art. In the preferred embodiment such a controlling chip 26 is of dimension typically in the order of 300 - 1000 microns by 300 - 1000 microns with gold/nickel connector bumps and is positioned directly on to the electrical conducting connectors 28 by such methods as die bonding and flip chip provided by companies such as Datacon, Austria and using such bonding methods as anisotropic conductive adhesives provided by such companies as Parelec, Rocky Hill, NJ. and Emerson & Cuming, Billerica, MA.

In the preferred embodiment the chip 26 in the time delayed electronic promotional device 10 is maintained in "sleep mode' until activated. In such 'sleep mode' its drainage on battery power from the battery 24 is minimalized. The time delayed electronic promotional device 10 is activated by suppressing the switching mechanism 20 which temporarily closes contacts 30 between the battery 24 and the chip 26. Upon such activation a relay mechanism (not shown) within the circuitry of the chip 26 is triggered allowing electricity to constantly flow between the battery 24 and the chip 26. In a further embodiments the time delayed electronic promotional device 10 is activated by causing the contacts 30 to be brought into constant contact by such means as a sticky switch, a collapsible switch, a removable insulator that lies between the contacts 30, and any other such means that are known in the art. It is understood that the number of displays 18 described in Figure 1 is for illustrative purposes only and that the present invention is equally realizable with two or more such indicia display areas.

With reference to the flow diagram in Figure 2, when the time delayed electronic promotional device 10 of Figure 1 is activated 32 the counting mechanism within the chip 26 of Figure 1 begins to count 34. The counting sequence is compared 36 to pre-registered count constants 38 stored in the chip 26. When the count 34 equals the pre-registered count constant (38) T₁ then the chip opens 40 an internal electrical gateway allowing electricity to pass from the power supply 24 (Figure 1) to the first display 18a (Figure 1) thus causing a visible change in the optical properties of the said display. The counting 34 continues until the next pre- registered count constant (38) T₂ is reached at which point the second gate to display 18b (Figure 1) is opened 40. This sequence is continued until the last pre- registered count constant 38 is reached and the last display 18c (Figure 1) is activated. At this stage the sequence ends 44. It is understood by one skilled in the art that the number of displays, the number of pre-registered count constants and the size and difference between the values of the count constants is limited only by the capacity of the power supply.

Reference is now made to Figure 3 wherein two of the three displays 18a, 18b, 18c viewed via the transparent windows 16a, 16b, and 16c have been activated by means of the sequence of events described hereinabove (Figure 2) wherein the pre-registered count constants T1 , T2 and T3 (38 of Figure 2) are designated as 24 hours, 36 hours and 60 hours respectively from the time of activating the switch 20.

For illustrative purposes only, the two activated displays 18a, 18b (Figure 1) viewed via the transparent windows 16a, 16b are each shown displaying the number 7 46a, 46b whereas the third display 18c (Figure 1) viewed via the transparent windows 16c has yet to be activated. It is understood that the third display 16c could display any pre-chosen digit or symbol.

The print-over 48 on the top layer 12 informs the user that, should each of the displays 18a, 18b, 18c (Figure 1) viewed via the transparent windows 16a, 16b, 16c display the number 7, then the user has a winning sequence and is eligible for some prize. In the preferred embodiment the details of such a prize and contact information for redeeming the time delayed electronic promotional device 10 appears on the reverse side and is not shown in this figure. It is understood that the winning sequence can be any pre-designated sequence of numbers, characters, insignia and icons in a manner similar to a slot machine.

The activation of the displays 18a, 18b (Figure 1) and eventually 18c (Figure 1) is shown in Figure 4. As each of the pre-registered count constants T1, T2 and T3 (38 of Figure 2) is reached a sufficiently long pulse of voltage is allowed to flow from the battery 24 (Figure 1) to the respective display 18 (Figure 1) via the chip 26 to cause a visible change in the state of the respective display 18 (Figure 1). It is understood that such a change in the state of the said displays can be either reversible or irreversible depending upon the desired application.

An alternative embodiment of the time delayed electronic promotional device 10 is shown in Figure 5 wherein a series of four display areas 50a, 50b, 50c, and 5Od, reveal a comprehensive message 52 over the designated time intervals given by way of example as 24, 36, 40, and 60 hours. In this example the message 52 reads You are the winner, it being understood that the fourth display could be pre- chosen to read Loser. In this embodiment the message 52 to be revealed during the designated time frames is introduced into the displays 18 (Figure 1) in a manner that includes etching the revealed message 52 out of the active electrochromic material so that the message 52 appears as the unetched, active portion of the electrochromic material changes state thereby leaving the message 52 unchanged. In a similar manner the numbers, characters, insignia and icons comprising the message 52 remain in their unchanged electrochromic visual state by electrically isolating them from the rest of the electrochromic material by means of etching around the sequence of numbers, characters, insignia and icons. Alternatively the sequence of numbers, characters, insignia and icons comprising the message 52 are laid down in the displays 18 (Figure 1) as the only electrically active electrochromic material in such a manner that when the displays 18 (Figure 1) are activated in the manner described hereinabove only the message 52 undergoes a change in electrochromic visual state. Both methods are well known in the art.

With reference to Figure 6, the displays 18 of Figure 1 are made of a segmented digital display 54 of seven segments 55 (for illustrative purposes only one set of such displays is shown). Each segment 55 has associated with it an input connector 56 with a common output connector 58 connected to the battery component 24. The common output connector 58 is connected at the segmented digital display 54 to a transparent electrode (not shown) that covers the face of the segmented digital display 54. By co-joining 60 a plurality of connectors 56 to the appropriate output connector 62 from the chip 26 that is designated for said display causes that plurality of segments 55 to be activated in the manner described hereinabove. For illustrative purposes only, Figure 5 shows three connectors 56 co- joined 60 that are associated with those segments 55 of the segmented digital display 54 that will show a numerical 7 when activated. In this embodiment the determination of which segments 55 of the segmented digital display 54 are activated and thus which indicia are displayed to the user is made during the manufacturing of the connectors 56. In this manner it is relatively simple for the manufacturer to choose the indicia that are displayed in the time delayed electronic promotional device 10 (Figure 5). Furthermore it prevents the possibility of a consumer of said time delayed electronic promotional device 10 (Figure 5) discovering prior to activating said device which indicia will be displayed on each display 54.

With reference to Figure 7, a time delayed promotional device 82 consists of a layer 84 of a formable material that includes pressure formable aluminum and thermo-formable polymers which are molded in such a manner as to include a collapsible blister 86. The collapsible blister 86 is filled with a liquid as described hereinbelow and forms a reservoir for the device. A lidding layer 90, as described hereinafter is provided below layer 84 and the lidding material 90 includes a first cutout area 94. The cutout 94 is an elongated hole in the layer 90 made by a suitable punch cut by means known in the art. A weak lamination area 88 is provided between layer 90 and the layer 84, said area 88 being treated in a manner that prevents permanent lamination. The weak lamination area 88 is preferably created by locally reducing the sealing conditions such as temperature and pressure thus allowing for a non-permanent lamination bond with the lidding material of layer 90. The lidding material of layer 90 is preferably a polymer material. The layer 84 has an adhesive coating that is compatible with an adhesive coating on the lidding layer 90 as is known to one skilled in the art. The blister 86 is filled with a suitable liquid, preferably an oil such as soya oil, silicon oil, as described hereinabove, and the two layers 84 and 90 are sealed together, preferably by heat sealing. The position of the weak lamination area 88 is such that when the two layers 84 and 90 are sealed together area 88 lies directly adjacent to the blister 86. A third layer 92, which is opaque and porous is attached to the layer 90 by means such as cold lamination or hot lamination. A display 96 such as a series of icons as shown in Figure 7, a single image or a message, is printed on the surface of the opaque porous layer 92 that faces the layer 90 in such a manner that when layers 90 and 92 are in contact, the display 96 is positioned directly within the first cutout area 94. The opaque porous layer 92 is of a form that includes cellulose based materials such as paper and polymer membrane materials such as nylon, polyethersulfone, and hydrophilic polyester provided by for example Sterlitech Corporation, Kent, WA that is able to absorb the liquid held in the blister 86 such that the refractive index of the liquid matches that of the opaque porous layer 92 to such an extent as to render the opaque porous layer 92, transparent. An additional layer 98 is attached to the opaque porous layer 92 by means such as cold lamination or hot lamination. The layer 98 is preferably a transparent polymer material, preferably PET the upper side of which is completely printed over to render it opaque with the exception of windows, or second cutout areas 100a, 100b and 100c. The layers 84, 90, 92 and 98 are combined in such a manner that the windows 100a, 100b and 100c are aligned precisely below the displays 96. It is understood that the displays 96 are not visible when viewed via the windows 100a, 100b and 100c due to the opaqueness of the opaque porous layer 92. In an alternative embodiment the blister 86 is formed in layers 98, 92 and 90 and protrudes from layer 98 with layer 86 acting as the lidding layer. In this way the blister 86 and the windows 100a, 100b and 100c are on the same layer namely layer 98. In another embodiment of the time delayed promotional device 82 the displays 96 are printed on the inner side of the layer 84.

Upon exerting pressure upon the blister 86 the weak lamination area 88 opens allowing the liquid held in the blister 86 to flow above the weak lamination area 88 into the first cutout area 94 and to come into contact with the opaque porous layer 92. Once in contact with the opaque porous layer 92 the liquid begins to penetrate the opaque porous layer 92 by means of absorption uniformly in all directions. As is well known in the art, if the refractive index of the liquid is compatible with that of the medium, then the medium loses its opaque character and becomes transparent as described hereinabove. The quality of the transparency of the medium is not perfect but is sufficient to clearly reveal a two dimensional printed icon placed immediately adjacent to the porous medium. Thus as the compatible liquid penetrates the opaque porous layer 92, said porous layer is rendered transparent revealing the printed icons to an observer via the windows 100a, 100b and 100c in the layer 98. The rate of progress of the liquid through a porous medium is partially dependent upon the physical and chemical characteristics of the liquid namely its viscosity, the surface tension between the liquid and the medium, and the surface energy (phobicity) between the liquid and the medium and, in this embodiment particularly, the thickness of the opaque porous layer 92. Furthermore, the rate of progress of the liquid through a porous medium is dependent upon the physical and chemical characteristics of the porous medium namely the pore size, the pore density, the permeability (ease of access of the liquid), the thickness of the porous layer, and the compatibility of the porous membrane layer to the liquid as described hereinabove. Thus to obtain an affect similar to that described in Figures 3 and 4 above, namely that one or more displays reveals information over a pre-determined sequence of time is realized by a number of methods such as different blisters in the vicinity of each of the printed icons each containing a liquid with differing viscosity, altering the thickness of the porous membrane in the vicinity of each display, utilizing different membranes with differing physical characteristics such as pore size and pore density in the vicinity of each display, utilizing different membranes with differing chemical characteristics such as surface tension and surface energy, utilizing the same membrane but with differing permeabilities (ease of access of the liquid into the membrane), This can be accomplished by systematic blocking of pores by methods such as the controlled addition of adhesives and other pore blocking agents, and by the addition of a thin layer polymer such as polyethylene over the liquid contact surface of the opaque membrane and then providing multiple pin-prick holes in this said additional layer in which the density of the said pin-prick holes alters from display to display. Thus the rate at which the printed icons are activated and revealed can be adjusted from the order of hours to days.

In this manner a user activates the time delayed promotional device 82 by squeezing the blister 86 thereby releasing the liquid. Only after a predetermined time delay is the message revealed as graphically depicted in Figure 8. The x-axis represents the passage of time and the y-axis represents the percentage visibility of the printed icons 96 as viewed by an observer through the windows 100a, 100b and 100c. A unique feature of the embodiment described in Figure 7 is that after activation the appearance of each printed icon 96 is not gradual in time but sudden because of transverse diffusion from layer to layer rather than by lateral diffusion along a membrane. Thus the curves shown in Figure 8 for the visibility of the printed icons 96 through the opaque porous membrane 92 as a function of time follows a sharp sigmoid-shaped curve.

It is further understood that a similar means of providing for a time delay mechanism as described in Figure 7 hereinabove is by means of a device with a plurality of blisters each with its own cutout in proximity to a printed display and containing liquids with differing physiochemical properties that cause the appearance of the printed display to occur at different time intervals.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments and that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

^WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An advertising device provided with a first area containing advertising indicia and a second area provided with a plurality of indicia display areas, wherein each indicia display area is associated with indicia activation means undergoing activation at predetermined elapsed times relative to each other and wherein the display of all of the indicia in their designated indicia display areas provide a predetermined unitary message and wherein each of said predetermined elapsed times is at least one hour in duration.

2. An advertising device according to claim 1, wherein each of said predetermined elapsed times, is independently at least three hours in duration.

3. An advertising device according to claim 1, wherein each of said predetermined elapsed times, is independently at least twelve hours in duration.

4. An advertising device according to claim 1 incorporating electronic means comprising a power source activated by switch means and connected via printed electrical connectors to a controlling chip also connected via electrical connectors to electrically activatable displays positioned respectively in each of a plurality of indicia display areas, wherein said chip is programmed to sequentially activate said displays at said predetermined elapsed times.

5. An advertising device according to claim 1, wherein said electrically activatable display is a chemical electrochromic display.

6. An advertising device according to claim 1 , wherein said electrically activatable display is an electrophoretic display.

7. An advertising device according to claim 1, wherein said electrically activatable display is a nanochromic display.

8. An advertising device according to claim 1, wherein said electrically activatable display is based on an organic light emitting diode.

9. An advertising device according to claim 1 incorporating liquid transportation means comprising a liquid reservoir, and a plurality of laminated layers, wherein at least one of said layers is opaque and porous, and provided with indicia and is positioned below a layer with a first cutout area positioned above said indicia, in which first cutout area a pool of liquid forms, when released from said reservoir, said device further comprising means for releasing liquid into said reservoir to fill said first cutout area, which liquid then transversely descends to said porous indicia bearing layer to sequentially reveal said indicia through further cutout display areas provided in a bottom layer, wherein said further cutout areas are aligned with the indicia provided on said indicia bearing porous layer

10. An advertising device according to claim 9, wherein said indicia is provided on the upper surface of.the said opaque porous layer and the activation of each indicia is controlled by adjustment of the characteristics of the segment of the opaque porous layer below each indicia.

11. An advertising device according to claim 10, wherein the said liquid has a refractive index approximately equal to that of said opaque porous layer.

12. An advertising device according to claim 11, wherein the porosity of the segments below each indicia is different.

13. An advertising device according to claim 9, wherein each of said indicia is provided with a separate liquid reservoir.