GB2425017A

GB2425017A - Distributing messages by short wave radio waves

Info

Publication number: GB2425017A
Application number: GB0504734A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sharon Longshaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-08
Filing date: 2005-03-08
Publication date: 2006-10-11
Also published as: GB0504734D0

Abstract

System and process of distributing marketing messages via short wave radio waves utilising bluetooth technology. Each control device is designed to operate on a local basis distributing messages within a 100m range. Multiple controllers will be installed to cover a concentrated area such as a shopping mall or train station, allowing a controlled series of marketing messages to be delivered to mobile consumer devices such as mobile phones, camera's, laptops and PDA's. The messages will be one way only and combine text, picture and video to draw attention to local amenities or retail outlets and deliver public announcements. The patent application is intended to cover both the logic and controller design as well as the principle of local marketing using blue tooth technology.

Description

Marketing process to distribute local messages to consumer devices capable of receiving short wave radio messages, ie. bluetooth (trademark of Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, Sweden) for details please refer to www.bluetooth.com.

The patent covers; * The controller design * The controller logic * The process of local marketing utilising bluetooth technology.

* See diagram A for overview.

The invention is design to appeal to retailers, advice centres and operators of concentrated public areas (eg. shopping malls, museums, bus and rail stations and airports). The invention will allow its operators to distribute marketing or information broadcasts as short wave radio signals detectable within a range of up to lOOm by consumers with mobile devices able to receive such signals.

Messages will be short designed to be readable and useful on small screen devices such as phones and PDA's. The messages will however utilise the latest technology and include colour pictures and video clips.

Consumer's will be informed of the services availability by signs and posters and encouraged to enable their device to receive such signals. Operators will then distribute messages to encourage consumers to adopt their services or visit their outlet. The distribution control will either be; - local and dynamic, issued by the controller in response to circumstances they can witness, such as an empty shop, a security or health alert or an event of public interest.

- remote and pre programmed, such as a regular hourly marketing message issued by a shopping mall operator covering general facilities of promoting one of its stores.

The opportunity arises as a result of the ever-increasing use of mobile devices by consumers and technical developments, which continually increase the capacity of such devices.

The final controller design and logic is yet to be agreed and will vary according to the implementation, the two principle types being; - A combined controller and transmitter device managed locally (see diagram B) - A central controller device connected to and driving a number of transmitter devices (see diagram C) The core bluetooth technology (trademark owned by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, Sweden) has been adopted by more than 1600 companies, as a result it is widely available and can be received by consumers using a range of mobile devices.

The intention is intended to appeal to both consumers and the controllers, distributing timely local information, such as special offers, opening hours and public announcements. The medium is both widely available and accessible, appealing to special needs groups such as the deaf who generally miss out on local announcements. 2.

Technical Overview - In 2005 it is estimated some 150 million consumers will have mobile devices capable of receiving bluetooth signals.

- Effective bluetooth range has increased to around lOOm from a limited range of just lOm at launch, further improvements are widely forecast.

- A series of transmitters can be linked to together to allow transmission to a wider area.

- The controlling device will be a personal computer running the logic program, this device can be local (ie. at the site or complex) or remote, a single remote controller could serve a series of local sites.

- The controlling devices can be integrated with other communication devices, such as public address systems, advertising boards, in store promotion devices or communication networks such as the Internet or intranet.

- Consumer mobile devices can be configured to receive or ignore bluetooth signals, or purchase most devices are set up to ignore and must be manually modified to accept such signals, giving consumers choice.

- Where a device is switched to receive, an in range transmission will create an alert on the device to bring the consumers attention to the receipt of the message. This alert is temporary and if ignored will simply disappear of its own accord within a short time frame, typically 5 minutes but subject to the devices specification and configuration.

- In open market use a single consumer device could be in range for a number of transmission devices. Where the same signal is being transmitted the consumer device will only accept one, where different messages are being transmitted all would be received. For this reason the implementation of the invention will dictate strict rules to eliminate the potential for consumers to be bombarded with information.

- The transmitted message will be simple and brief, however subject to the capability of the consumers device consumers will be able to investigate further using mobile Internet technology. >

Technical Overview - Glossary Controlling Device A device that controls the transmission of messages, either under direct user control such as keyboard input or indirectly according to pre-programmed logic, typically driven by a timer (clock) eg. transmit hourly.

Transmitter Electrical device that acts as a simple radio transmitter, receiving and passing on messages from the controlling device.

Networks A virtual or physical connection between components. Typically the network will be physical such as phone lines, however increasingly wireless technology will see virtual radio networks being utilised.

Initially the controlling device will be connected to transmitters via physical cables (Cat series 5 onwards). The transmitter will then communicate to the receiving device via the blue tooth network which is a virtual radio wave network covering short distances, typically lOm.

Receiving Device A personal device owned by consumers capable or receiving transmitted messages. Typical devices being PDA's, mobile phones, digital camera's or laptop PC's.

With the initial reliance on blue tooth the set of devices will be limited to those capable of receiving and decoding blue tooth messages.

Local Controller A device located local to transmitters which is capable of triggering the transmission of messages either user driven typically key pad entry, or automatically typically timer driven.

Remote Controller A device located remote from transmitters which is able to trigger the' transmission of messages by one of more series of transmitters either user driven typically key pad entry, or automatically typically timer driven.

Claims

Claims 1. Communication system for the distribution of public information

or marketing messages within a local area utilising bluetooth technology and consumer mobile devices.
2. A central system of logic supporting both locally and centrally managed communications.

Locally managed being driven by triggers such as public announcements or a retailer finding their shop empty, whereas centrally managed communications would typically be regular announcements such as opening times, locations or re-occurring special offers (eg. 50% of haircuts for pensioners and students every Wednesday afternoon).
3. The central logic consisting of a simple computer program driven by a user front-end, running on a personal computer.
4. The central controller would generate triggers to transmission devices, the trigger would effectively consist of the message to be sent and an instruction to distribute.
5. The transmission devices would on receipt of the message simple pass it on as a short wave radio signal interpretable by in range mobile consumer devices with the necessary receiver.
6. The receiving device being any consumer mobile device with bluetooth capacity, which is configured by the consumer to receive such messages.
7. The messages will take the form of any one or combination of text, pictures or video clips.
8. Messages may alert the receiver to greater levels of information accessible via the same mobile device using Internet technology.