AU2014101322A4

AU2014101322A4 - Apparatus and Methods for Entertaining and Advertising to Commuters Using Public Transport

Info

Publication number: AU2014101322A4
Application number: AU2014101322A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Milos Karanovic; Davorin Neskovic
Original assignee: Ad Tv
Current assignee: Ad Tv
Priority date: 2014-11-02
Filing date: 2014-11-02
Publication date: 2014-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 2022-11-02

Abstract

Apparatus and Methods for Entertaining and Advertising to Commuters Using Public Transport -- As per latest study of census data published in February 2014, about 700,000 Australians rely on public transport. This number is going to be increasing considerably due to constant raise of fuel price, road tolls, traffic congestion and parking costs. Many of commuters are ineffectively trying to find a way to get rid of bareness during these long, exhausting journeys. Same is applicable to the time spent at the stops, waiting for the commuting vehicles. Our idea is to entertain the people while traveling in the trains, busses and trams, providing entertaining programs, TV broadcast and commercials on installed digital displays in each passenger cart and suitable places at buss/train/tram stops. That would make their traveling time more sustainable and even relaxing. That might increase the number of public transport commuters and consequently contribute to improvement of the environment and energy consumption. Also, the network of the digital displays with possibility of controlling from a centralised control unit or distributed network of control units provides possibilities of delivering important information to the commuters in all possible situations during the travel or while waiting at the station. At the same time it would provide a significant profit to the advertiser. Figure 1: Digital Display - Front View Figure 2: Rear View

Description

Apparatus and Methods for Entertaining and Advertising to Commuters Using Public Transport - DESCRIPTION Fields: Electronic Business Method Authors: DAVORIN NESKOVIC MILOS KARANOVIC Background [0001] Today, many people travel daily to work a long way from their own towns, cities, and villages, especially in industrialised societies. Commuting has had a large impact on modern life. It has allowed cities to grow to sizes that were previously not practical, and it has led to the proliferation of suburbs. Many large cities or conurbations are surrounded by commuter belts, also known as metropolitan areas, commuter towns, dormitory towns, or bedroom communities. The prototypical commuter lives in one of these areas and travels daily to work or to school in the core city. [0002] As urban sprawl pushes farther and farther away from central business districts, new businesses can appear in outlying cities, leading to the existence of the reverse commuter who lives in a core city but works in the suburbs, and to a type of secondary commuter who lives in a more distant exurb and works in the outlying city or industrial suburb. [0003] Digital displays use liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, plasma display panels, organic light emitting diode (OLED) panels or digital projectors, to display digital still or moving images followed with adequate sound from accompanied audio system. Digital display is configured to display still and moving images, information and data, with or without sound from accompanied audio device. The contents can be of either entertaining or commercial character. They are dynamically updatable by a remote data distribution centre or another communications service provider, such as a mobile phone service provider or Internet. The invention also discloses a related, novel method of advertising with dynamically-updatable-ads. [0004] Today's digital displays typically have input/output ports such as USB, IEEE1394, HDMI, or other data transfer-capable means to upload or download digital data. The digital data transferred between a digital display and another electronic device can be moving pictures, stationary images or any other digital (e.g. binary-based) data such as MP3 audio files. New digital displays are capable of utilizing wireless local area network protocols to connect to a gateway or a computer. [0005] Although television, radio, and internet-enabled computers provide means of both broad and focused advertisements to consumers, they generally are not as readily -2 accessible, repetitive, or visible to consumers in the public transport. Yet some of the commuters dwell more than 2 hours a day in one of the public transport carts. [0006] The potential commercial impact of advertising on digital display in the public transport vehicles is significant, especially due to a large group of important decision making people gathered at one place, having nothing to do but waiting for the transport vehicle to arrive to their home stop. Since the cost of manufacturing digital displays falls to a point of high profitability for advertising entities utilizing a network of digital displays, a method and an apparatus for advertising by a digital display can be highly lucrative and useful for advertisers.

-3 Summary [0007] A digital display is configured to show one or more user-loaded moving or stationary images, TV broadcasts, photographs and advertisements, generally any combination of image, text and sound. A typical digital display comprises: * power control and supply unit configured to supply electrical power (connected to a battery or an external electrical outlet) * display driver and a display-related circuitry * sound driver and sound-related circuitry * input/output port unit configured to receive incoming data or transmit outgoing data (either a wired port, a wireless port, or a combined wired/wireless port) * memory unit * central processing unit [0008] It can be a specially designed device or a commercial one modified for usage in the commuting vehicles. [0009] Method of entertainment of the commuters by a digital display comprises recruiting one or more TV channels wanting to broadcast in the commuting vehicles and their stops. Broadcasting contents can be in accordance with actual broadcasting of a selected TV channel or pre-recorded contents (such as movies, series, music performances, news, documentaries etc.), anything in accordance with people interests and redaction choices. The choice of the contents shall be in accordance with satisfaction surveys and other analysis of the satisfaction of the targeted groups of commuters. [0010] Method of advertising comprises short clips with dynamic or stationary digital images accompanied with audio information and emitted in either short random intervals or timely triggered in accordance with audience interests. [0011] Nevertheless the type of broadcasting (entertainment or advertisement), the contents are dynamically updatable by a remote data distribution centre, distributing the digital information to a targeted customer - commuter.

-4 [0012] In general, embodiments of the invention relate to digital display and methods of using digital pictures to deliver selected contents to a targeted group of commuters in public transport. More specifically, an embodiment of the invention relate to a digital display configured to display one or more user-loaded moving or stationary images and/or one or more advertisements which are dynamically updatable via an advertising data distribution centre or another communications service provider, such as a mobile phone service provider. Another embodiment of the invention relate to a business method of advertising in public commuting vehicles over a network of digital displays with dynamically-updatable ads, specially selected in accordance with the prevailing type of the commuters at a particular part of the day/night. For example, when targeting a group of decision making business people traveling at certain daily intervals, the digital contents are mainly business related, adjusted to that class of people. During non-rush hours, the contents shall be matching to that kind of commuters, in accordance with the studies regarding the class of people traveling at that part of the day/night (housekeepers, high school or university students etc.).

-5 Detailed Description [0013] In the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. [0014] However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description. [0015] One objective of the invention is to provide a rewarding way to conduct either broad or focused advertising campaign on a plurality of digital displays, wherein the plurality of digital screens are intentionally installed at no cost or low cost onto public transport vehicles which would provide them the means of entertaining their commuters and keeping them informed at any time while dwelling in their carts. A further objective of the invention is to provide a number of digital screens with dynamic advertising capability to train/bus/tram stops, which allows consumers/commuters to enjoy viewing interesting contents or moving pictures while waiting for their commuting means. Yet another objective of the invention is to let a mobile service provider to act as an advertising data distribution centre for updating digital contents in individual digital displays, or act as a gateway to the Internet and e-commerce for digital displays if they are designed to handle e-commerce transactions. [0016] Figure 1 shows front portion of a digital display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Like most commercially-available digital screens in the market, this particular digital device has a display panel (101) and an exterior frame (102) for a high level of impact protection and aesthetics. The display panel (101) is a viewing area of digital images uploaded to its memory. The display panel (101) is typically a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel or a plasma display panel. Some digital screens employ an increasingly popular display technology called "Organic Light Emitting Diode," or OLED technology which does not require backlighting, thereby achieving energy savings and thinner panel thickness. Behind the exterior frame a pair of sound speakers is cradled.

-6 [0017] Digital screens in the market today have varying display panel sizes, with a most popular panel diagonal width of 32 inches per frame. In one embodiment of the invention, as the cost of manufacturing digital screens get cheaper, a benefit/cost ratio of employing dynamic ally-updatable advertisements in commuting vehicles becomes attractive enough to distribute the digital displays at no cost to all commuting carts. [0018] In this particular embodiment of the invention, the potential consumers of products or services can generally use the freely-distributed digital displays for watching entertaining contents. The dynamically-updatable advertisements are placed in regular or random intervals. [0019] Figure 2 shows a rear portion of a digital display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Like most commercially-available digital screens in the market today, this particular digital screen has a rear display panel cover (201), typically made of plastic, and a mounting bracket (202). In one embodiment of the invention, the mounting bracket (202) is configured to swivel at least 900 around a pivot point to make the digital panel stand up in either a "portrait" or a "landscape" mode. In one embodiment of the invention there can be installed two displays at a common bracket (203) attached to the ceiling also with possibilities to have panels stand up either a "portrait" or a "landscape" mode. [0020] Figure 3 shows a free standing LCD digital advertising display (300). These dynamic Outdoor Freestanding Digital Posters can be used in any indoor/outdoor conditions. They may be designed with a robust outer casing to give protection from both the elements and the public. Freestanding Digital Posters are 1500 cd/m2, more than 3 times brighter than a standard home TV. [0021] In this particular embodiment of the invention, the potential consumers of products or services can generally use the digital displays for simultaneous showing advertising (301) and entertaining (302) contents in the split screen configuration. [0022] Figure 4 shows another video display configuration - a video projector (400) which is an image projector that receives a video signal and projects the corresponding image on a projection screen (403) using a lens system (401). Video displaying / projection of images or computer data happens on a traditional reflective screen or -7 other flat surfaces (403). Projectors can be mounted on ceiling or wall by use of a support bracket (402). [0023] A projection screen (403) is an installation consisting of a surface and a support structure used for displaying a projected image for the view of an audience. Projection screens may be permanently installed or pull-down type or painted on the wall or frosted opaque on a widow or any other transparent surface. Flat or curved screens may be used depending on the optics used to project the image and the desired geometrical accuracy of the image production. Screens can be further designed for front or back projection. [0024] In this particular embodiment of the invention, the potential consumers of products or services can generally use the freely-distributed digital displays for simultaneous showing advertising and entertaining contents at locations where installation of digital screens is not adequate. [0025] Figure 5 shows a logical functional block diagram (500) for a digital display in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment of the invention, a power control and supply unit (507) supplies electrical power to the digital screen. [0026] The power control and supply unit (507) is connected to a battery or an external electrical outlet. In one embodiment of the invention, a display driver and a other circuitry (501) generates a stationary or moving image on a display panel of the digital display and sound on sound speakers, based on data provided by a system memory unit controlled by a central processing unit (509) or the central processing unit (509) itself. [0027] In another embodiment of the invention, the display driver and the display-other circuitry (501) receives necessary data for the display panel from a dedicated graphics/display chip unit and sound for built-in or external speakers from the sound dedicated control unit. [0028] The logical functional block diagram (500) for the digital screen shown in Figure 5 also has an input/output port unit (505), which is designed to receive incoming data into the digital display or transmit outgoing data out of the digital display.

-8 [0029] The input/output port unit (505) can be either a wired port, a wireless port, or a combined wired/wireless port. In one embodiment of the invention, the input/output port unit (505) incorporates a universal serial bus, or USB standard as a wired bidirectional port. In another embodiment of the invention, the input/output port unit (505) incorporates a "WiFi" or IEEE 802.1 or any other network protocol standard as a wireless bi-directional port. Yet in another embodiment of the invention, the input/output port unit (505) can utilize a satellite communications technology or a mobile phone communications technology. [0030] A central processing unit (CPU) is contained in a same logical block (309) as the memory unit and optionally a system control unit. [0031] It should be noted that the CPU does not have to be contained in the same logical block (509) as the memory unit and/or the system control unit for the present invention. In one embodiment of the invention, the CPU/memory/system control logical block (509) is designed to provide necessary computations and controls for an operation of the digital display. In one embodiment of the invention, the CPU/memory/system control logical block (509) is operatively connected to all other logical blocks in the logical functional block diagram (500), including the power control and supply unit (507), the display driver and the other drivers-related circuitry (501), the input/output port unit (505), and an advertising-update unit (503). [0032] The memory unit of the CPU/memory/system control logical block (509) can be further extended by an outside volatile or non-volatile memory, such as a flash drive which may be operatively connected to the input/output port unit (505). The outside non volatile memory can store pre-saved broadcasting data, or other useful data, and upload any desired data to the digital display. [0033] The broadcasting/advertising-update unit (503) can broadcast, create, update, replace, or modify one or more digital contents based on an incoming data transmission from a remote advertisement data distribution centre. In one embodiment of the invention, the broadcasting/advertising-update unit (503) comprises a remote wireless transceiver based on a wireless local area network technology (WiFi), a mobile network technology, or a satellite-based communications technology. If the advertising-update -9 unit itself is part of the remote wireless transceiver, then an antenna (511) may be operatively connected to the advertising-update unit. In another embodiment of the invention, the broadcasting/advertising-update unit (503) is simply a software program or a passive processing block which receives digital data from the existing input/output port unit (505) of a digital display to update at least a portion of existing advertisements in the digital display. If the broadcasting/advertising-update unit (503) does not have a necessary internal memory to store newly updated digital data, the received digital update data may be at least partially stored in the memory unit of the CPU/memory/system control logical block (509). [0034] If the broadcasting/advertising-update unit (503) utilizes a mobile service provider to receive the digital update data, a mobile phone number can be assigned to a particular digital display in accordance with the invention as a unique display identifier. This unique display identifier can be used to provide additional mobile network data and Internet services, such as text-messaging, emailing, and enabling e-commerce transaction of a product or a service broadcasted by the particular digital display. [0035] Unlike time-slot based television or radio advertisements, an advertisement placed in a digital display can exhibit higher repeatability, interactivity, and visibility for a particular advertisement that a sponsoring company wants to accentuate without incurring additional advertising costs. A TV ad spot typically has a defined cost and repeating the TV ad spot many times by the sponsoring company can become prohibitively expensive. Equally important, TV or Radio ad spots are more effective in reaching broad consumer market segments and are not particularly useful in focused or niche market segments. In contrast, a commuting vehicle installed digital display with dynamic-ad-update capability, as embodied by the present invention, can target both focused and niche market segments and broader market segments. For example, if an advertiser knows that a particular display, identified by a serial number or a mobile phone number assigned to the particular display, is held on 4:30 PM train from the City to a distant suburb, on which most likely travel business people, the advertiser can transmit a specific-market advertisement (e.g. a latest management software) to that particular display. [0036] The present invention also has distinct advantages over existing advertisement strategies over the World Wide Web on the Internet. A majority of Internet - 10 advertisements are either pegged to a particular website or search-term sensitive. Therefore, the visibility and the accessibility of Internet advertisements are highly limited by how an Internet user navigates the World Wide Web. In contrast, dynamically updatable advertisements on a commuting vehicle loaded digital display is readily visible (e.g. on the wall in front of a group of travellers). Furthermore, a digital display operatively connected to the Internet by a wireless communication service provider (e.g. a mobile service provider) can even complete e-commerce transactions on the fly without requiring a separate electronic device. Therefore, the invention has clear and distinct advantages over conventional advertising media, which include TV, radio, and the computer-accessed Internet. [0037] Figure 6 shows first advertisement digital distribution network (600) using a plurality of digital screens (603, 605, 607, 609, 611) and an advertising data distribution centre (601) in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. [0038] In one embodiment of the invention, the first set (613) of digital screens (603, 605, 607) is configured to display the first set of advertising materials transmitted by the advertising data distribution centre (601), while the second set (615) of digital screens (609, 611) is configured to display another set of advertising materials transmitted by the advertising data distribution centre (601). [0039] The contents displayed on the sets of displays (613) and set of displays (615) shall be audience-specific advertising materials, (i.e. cartoons for the carts (603), (607) & (609), populated by children and parents and information on the latest software for production planning and management for the business people in the carts with displays (609) and (611) installed). The advertising data distribution centre (601) is configured to receive a variety of advertising materials from an advertising agency, a company, or a marketer. In one embodiment of the invention, the advertising data distribution centre (601) itself can be part of a service provided by a cellular service provider or any other wireless service provider. The advertising data distribution centre (601) can send a new set of advertising materials to a particular digital screen or a group of digital screens. [0040] Figure 7 shows an entertainment sequence (700) of entertainment contents (701, 705, 709, 713) and advertisements (703, 707, 711, 715) in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

- 11 [0041] The broadcasting sequence (700) shown on Figure 7 is one example of intertwining commuters' preferable entertainment units in display with necessary amount of advertising. The first entertainment unit (701) in the broadcast sequence (700) is Entertainment Unit 1, which is the commuters' preferable content. The second transmission (703) in the broadcasting sequence (700) is AD 1, which is a first advertising material. The third transmission (705) in the broadcasting sequence (700) is Entertainment Unit 2, which is the commuters' second preferable content. The fourth transmission (707) in the broadcasting sequence (700) is AD 2, which is a second advertising material. The fifth transmission (709) in the broadcasting sequence (700) is Entertainment Unit 3, which is the commuters' third preferable content. The sixth transmission (711) in the broadcasting sequence (700) is AD 3, which is a third advertising material. The seventh transmission (713) in the broadcasting sequence (700) is Entertainment Unit 4, which is the commuters' fourth preferable content. Lastly, the eighth transmission (715) in the broadcasting sequence (700) is AD 4, which is a fourth advertising material. This sequence can be repeated starting from the first Entertainment Unit (701). [0042] Figure 8 shows a flowchart (800) for a business method of advertising on public commuting vehicles and other commuting places installed digital displays with dynamically-updatable-ads in accordance with the invention. The first step of this business method is recruiting a company wanting to place an advertisement on the digital screens in public commuting vehicles, as shown in STEP 801. In one embodiment of the invention, the advertisement could be stationary digital images, moving images, aural sound effects, or any combination thereof. [0043] The second step for the business method of advertising on the digital displays mounted at public commuting vehicles and other commuting places is collecting initial advertisement fees from the company wanting to place the advertisement on the digital screens, as shown in STEP 803. In one embodiment of the invention, the initial advertisement fees at least partially cover manufacturing installation cost of the digital display network, making an opportunity of purchasing and installation of the digital display network onto public commuting vehicles and other commuting places free of charge or at a low cost, as shown in STEP 805.

- 12 [0044] The fourth step for the business method of advertising in the digital displays is distribution and installation of the digital displays onto public commuting vehicles and other places visited by commuters, as shown in STEP 807. The places where digital screens shall be installed include city trains, buses, trams and all related stops where commuters dwell, waiting for their transport means. [0045] The fifth step for the business method of advertising in the public commuting vehicles and other commuting places is updating the advertisement periodically or on demand via the remote advertising data distribution centre, as shown in STEP 809. One major advantage of the present invention is that advertising materials can be updated periodically or on-demand by a centralized advertisement distribution entity, which takes new sets of advertisement materials and input from corporate sponsors and advertisers. [0046] Figure 9 shows a second advertisement distribution network (900) connecting a plurality (913) of digital screens (903, 905, 907), an advertising distribution centre (901), an e-commerce transaction system (909), and an online store/service provider (911) in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment of the invention, the plurality (913) of digital displays (903, 905, 907) are capable of carrying out e commerce transaction (e.g. purchase of products or services) with a touch screen display panel in each digital display and e-commerce enabling software. Similar to the first advertisement distribution network (400) of Figure 4, the plurality (913) of digital displays (903, 905, 907) is configured to receive advertising updates, replacements, or modifications from the advertising data distribution center (901) in Figure 9 periodically or on-demand. [0047] However, unlike the first advertisement distribution network (600) of Figure 6, the second advertisement distribution network (900) of Figure 9 provides a direct monetisation method via e-commerce transactions for advertisements placed in the plurality (913) of digital screens (903, 905, 907). In one embodiment of the invention, the e-commerce transaction system (909) and the online store/service provider (911) are part of the Internet operatively connected to the advertising data distribution centre (901). [0048] Figure 10 shows a mobile phone service provider (1001) communicating with a plurality (1013) of digital displays (1003, 1005, 1007), the Internet (1009), and a mobile - 13 phone user (1011) in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment of the invention, each digital display in the plurality (1013) of digital screens (1003, 1005, 1007) is capable of receiving and transmitting text messages (e.g. SMS) and emails using the mobile phone service provider (1001) to a cell phone user (1011) or to an Internet user operatively connected to the Internet (1009). In addition, in one embodiment of the invention, some digital displays in the plurality (1013) of digital screens (1003, 1005, 1007) can also function as mobile phones operatively connected to the mobile service provider. Furthermore, some digital displays in the plurality (1013) of digital screens (1003, 1005, 1007) are equipped with a camera to record and transmit images to a mobile phone user (1011) or an Internet user operatively connected to the Internet (1009). [0049] As described above, the present invention has multiple advantages over existing advertisement methods such as TV, radio, and the Internet and provides lucrative and unique ways to advertise to a significant number of broad structures of people who use public transport every day. [0050] While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. [0051] Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.

Claims

2. Entertaining of commuters according to claim 1 shall increase the number of public transport commuters and consequently contribute to improvement of the environment and energy consumption.
3. Installed digital displays according to claim 1 shall provide possibility of delivering important information to the commuters in all possible situations during the travel or while waiting at the station.
4. Entertaining of commuters according to anyone of the previous claims shall provide a significant profit to the advertiser. The potential commercial impact of advertising on digital display in the public transport vehicles is significant, especially due to a large group of important decision making people gathered at one place, having nothing to do but waiting for the transport vehicle to arrive to their home stop.