IES83325Y1 - A beer mat - Google Patents
A beer matInfo
- Publication number
- IES83325Y1 IES83325Y1 IE1999/1021A IE991021A IES83325Y1 IE S83325 Y1 IES83325 Y1 IE S83325Y1 IE 1999/1021 A IE1999/1021 A IE 1999/1021A IE 991021 A IE991021 A IE 991021A IE S83325 Y1 IES83325 Y1 IE S83325Y1
- Authority
- IE
- Ireland
- Prior art keywords
- electronic
- promotional device
- beer
- lcd
- electronic messaging
- Prior art date
Links
- 235000013405 beer Nutrition 0.000 title description 35
- 230000001737 promoting Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000012528 membrane Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 230000003287 optical Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 206010048909 Boredom Diseases 0.000 description 2
- 102100014487 ALG1 Human genes 0.000 description 1
- 101700078158 ALG1 Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 101710012566 MNAT1 Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 235000013361 beverage Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000013305 food Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000012054 meals Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000284 resting Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052711 selenium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011669 selenium Substances 0.000 description 1
- 125000003748 selenium group Chemical group *[Se]* 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
Description
A Beer Mat
The present invention relates to a construction of beer. mat. Beer mats, table mats,
place mats, coasters and the like, hereinafter generally referred to as beer mats, are
used extensively, particularly in public places for the support of glasses, bottles, plates
and the like on trays and tables. They are used extensively in restaurants, hotels,-
public houses, aeroplanes, trains and the like establishments where meals and
beverages are served.
These beers mats are generally planar devices containing pictures or advertising
messages. However, as technology develops and indeed as ways are being
continually explored to advertise and promote various goods and services, the
traditional construction of beer mat, which term is used collectively to encompass all
the types of mats hereinbefore described become less attractive. Also advertisers and
marketeers generally appreciate the opportunity that such beer mats give for
promoting goods and services.
Additionally, as has been known and observed, people constantly play with beer mats
out of boredom. People like manipulating solid objects and thus it is not uncommon to
see people constantly moving lifting tuming and generally manipulating such beer
mats. Very often such beer mats are a focus of a person's attention and thus
considerable advantage could accrue to advertisers if the beer mats could be used
more effectively for advertising. Further, if the beer mats could be made even more
attractive to the user, in other words, such that the consumer when faced with a beer
mat would wish to view it, or indeed handle it even more than at present, this would be
advantageous.
The value of providing an animated device of greeting cards and advertising
promotional display literature, books and business cards have all been well
appreciated in the prior art and such are described and claimedjn U.S. Patent
Specification No. 4,299,041 (Wilson). in this patent specification there is described an
effects generator which produces light and/or sound, and/or movement of parts,
however, the device is simply for greeting cards and the like. Indeed it is known to
provide various forms of illuminated greeting card.
Statements of Invention
According to the invention there is provided a beer mat comprising a planar body
member incorporating a display screen.
Ideally the display screen presents messages sequentially.
Preferably the beer mat includes reprogrammable memory to allow the provision of
alternative messages.
Ideally the beer mat includes means to prevent the display of any message when an
article is resting thereon.
In one embodiment of the invention, the beer mat incorporates control buttons which
allows the user to manipulate the messages.
In another embodiment of the invention the beer mat includes games, which can be
played by manipulation of the control button.
Ideally advertising material is interspersed between the games.
In another embodiment of the invention various programmable messages can be
incorporated in the device.
Detailed Description of the Invention
The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of an
embodiment thereof, given by way of example only described with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a beer mat according to the invention; and
Fig. 2 is a plan view of a beer mat according to the invention.
Referring to the drawing, there is provided a beer mat indicated generally by the
reference numeral 1 comprising a flat planar body member having a border area 2
incorporating advertising material and a central display screen 3. Touch controls 4 are
also provided.
Referring now to Fig. 1 the display screen 3 is an LCD screen and is connected to an
EPROM 5 which in turn connects with a microprocessor 6 all powered by a battery 7.
All of this is essentially conventional. It will be appreciated that the battery could be
replaced with a selenium cell, or any other means for providing the necessary power.
In use, any program of messages, advertisements, or indeed games is inputted via the
EPROM 5 which is controlled by the microprocessor 6, or indeed may be inputted
directly from the EPROM 5 itself. Again all of this is conventional.
In operation the controls 4 are used, for example, to display the messages, or
advertisements, or indeed allow the games to be played if such is programmed into the
beer mat 1.
Itwill be appreciated that sound as well as any animation is possible using
conventional large scale integration techniques. Needless to say the display screen 3
is of conventional LCD technology and all of the various parts of the apparatus are of
conventional construction.
It will be appreciated that there is no need to discuss in any detail the construction of
the beer mat since conventional technology allows basically anything to be
programmed. For example, various advertisements could be programmed, which
advertisements could be changed after a certain date, deleted, or indeed changed as
required. For example, messages containing advertisements for upcoming events
would obviously need to be deleted when the time of the event has passed. The
deletion of one message could trigger the display of another.
Further, while the beer mat could have a once off programmed message, logo, game,
or advertisement, it could also have variable program and messaging ability via the
EPROM 5 such that the beer mats could be collected from time to time and
reprogrammed.
it will be appreciated that the beer mat may be used to provide a means for displaying
games to allow advertising or to allow program messages. One of the great
advantages of the present invention would be that the beer mat could be customised
for the particular advertiser's needs. Thus, for example, an airline might have
messages in relation to frequent flyer programmes, flight schedules and\so on.
It will also be appreciated that for example the major drinks companies would be
particularly advantaged if they could display their wares on a continuous basis in
places where these are being consumed.
A further advantage of the present invention is that if games and the like are
programmed onto the beer mat they can be interspersed with advertising, which
advertising has to be viewed by the user during the play. The advertising may be
similar to the advertising on the commercial TV channels.
It is also envisaged that the beer mats according to the present invention could be
purchased by customers or given away free with products. One of the problems
envisaged is that because the beer mat could become a collectable item and indeed a
desirable item they may in fact tend to be removed by the consumer, therefore what
the advertiser requires is that there be sufficient advertising on the beer mat to make it
possible to allow it to be taken with advantage to the advertiser.
It is also envisaged if such beer mats were to become popular that they would become
a collectable item.
Another advantage of the beer mat particularly pertains to airlines and travel
companies where the beer mat could be used to alleviate the boredom of travellers on
route.
It will be appreciated that any and all messages can be provided. For example,
instead of the provision of printed menus and the like, restaurants and hotels could
-\
provide their menus on their table mats, such that, for example, one table mat might be
a wine list, another table mat the food list and so on. The great advantage of this is
when they are reprogrammable any changes in the restaurant menu offers, specials,
drinks, etc. may be easily reprogrammed without the necessity of the staff to
continually update printed menus.
It will be appreciated that the technical aspects of the present invention are relatively
simple and will be easily appreciated by those skilled in the art and the principal
advantage of the present invention is the innovative and attractive way in which
marketeers can get their message over to the consumer. Effectively in many
instances the marketeer has a captive audience, which captive audience will be very
attracted to such beer mats.
In the specification the terms “comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising" or any
variation thereof and the terms "include, includes, included and including” or any
variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be
afforded the widest possible interpretation and vice versa.
The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described, but may be
varied in both construction and detail.
CRUICKSHANK & C0.
c]\spec16-99\sD323
Claims (1)
- CLAIMS An electronic messaging promotional device, comprising a flat planar body member having a border area incorporating advertising material, a central display screen and touch controls; the display screen being an LCD screen connected to a EPROM and microprocessor, this microprocessor being powered by battery or any other means; the electronic messaging promotional device further comprises a re-programmable memory to allow the provision of alternative messages and comprises an infrared or an electronic optical receiver as the means by which the data is set to the EPROM, thereby allowing the provision of continuous information and/or immediate changes to be made to the data stream for all electronic devices simultaneously. An electronic messaging promotional device as claimed in claim 1 allowing the viewer to receive animated electronic text, graphics and simple electronic games from the LCD screen incorporating membrane controls; the LCD unit being recessed or incorporated into traditional print, laminate or other surround. An electronic messaging promotional device as claimed in claim 2, whereby the low specification LCD displays can be either pre-programmed via EPROM or programmed locally for specific use. An electronic messaging promotional device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Surround Area in Card with Print, ‘fr Advertisers Logo etc. Game Control Panel LCD Area with animated messages, graphics, text, games, advertising logo’s etc
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
IES83325Y1 true IES83325Y1 (en) | 2004-02-25 |
Family
ID=
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