JP2003029681A - Acoustic operation type marketing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an acoustic operation type marketing system. SOLUTION: This system is acquired from a retail trader and worn as a badge while staying in a movie theater or listening to broadcasting through a radio, TV or Internet. When a specified CM is broadcasted, one part of the sound tracks is interpreted by this badge-shaped system and the display of the badge is operated. Information to be displayed is an advertisement or message.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention relates to acoustically actuated marketing devices.

Consumers obtain this device from retailers. This device can be used when in the cinema or on a radio or TV
Or while listening to the broadcast over the Internet,
Worn as a badge. When a particular advertisement is broadcast,
This badge-shaped device interprets a portion of the soundtrack to activate the badge's display. According to the present invention, it comprises a display means and an actuating means, the actuating means being coupled to the display means such that the actuating means actuates the display means to display predetermined information when receiving the predetermined data. An information display device is provided.

Certain data may be transmitted by acoustic signals.

Acoustic signals may be digitally modulated.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the predetermined data is broadcast by commercial broadcasting means. Commercial broadcasting means
It is a television broadcasting means or a radio broadcasting means.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises a programming means for programming predetermined data and predetermined information.

The display means may consist of a liquid crystal display. As another example, and in addition to a liquid crystal display, the display means may consist of an LED or a sound transducer such as a speaker or a piezoelectric element.

The actuating means may be an ASIC.

The device further comprises a microphone means, an analog-digital interface means, a programmable digital processor and a battery.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the predetermined information is an advertisement or a message.

The motion sensing element is in communication with the actuation means and senses motion of the device. The actuation means is deactivated a predetermined time after the most recently sensed movement of the device. The device enters a low power consumption mode a predetermined time after the most recently sensed movement of the device. The device enters zero power consumption mode after a predetermined amount of time has passed since the most recently sensed movement.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, information comprising the steps of receiving data, comparing the received data with predetermined data, and displaying the predetermined information if the received data matches the predetermined data. A display method is provided.

According to another aspect of the invention, the data is transmitted by acoustic signals.

The acoustic signal may be digitally modulated. According to yet another aspect of the invention, the audio signal is part of a commercial broadcast, which is a television broadcast, a radio broadcast or an internet broadcast.

The invention further includes the step of sensing movement of the device. The method further includes placing the device in a low power consumption mode after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the most recently sensed movement of the device. It also includes placing the device in a zero power consumption mode after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the most recently sensed motion of the device.

Having described the main advantages and features of the present invention, the present invention will be further clarified by reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a low cost display (12).
1 shows an acoustically actuated marketing device (10) having This display (12) is a liquid crystal display. When this device (10) receives predetermined data,
The display (12) operates to display certain information. This information could be an advertisement such as a cocktail glass (14) or a message indicating that an award has been won.

The device can be configured so that different data trigger different messages. For example, Data X launches a message indicating that it has won the prize,
Data Y activates a message indicating that the prize could not be won.

Alternatively, various badges can be configured to respond differently to the same data. For example, if the same data is received, 1
One badge indicates winning the prize, while another does not.

FIG. 2 shows the electronic configuration (20) of the acoustically actuated marketing device (10). According to this aspect of the invention, the electronic configuration is that the microphone element (22) is connected to an analog-digital interface (24). The microphone element operates to detect a predetermined acoustic signal. The device (10) further comprises a programmable digital processor (26) so that various audio signals and corresponding display information can be programmed into the device. Thus, a single device can be mass produced and programmed at the factory to meet the needs of a variety of different customers.

The device (10) further comprises a battery power supply (28). The battery power source in this embodiment of the invention is a button type battery.

When certain information is displayed, it is understood that the customer may be in a noisy area, for example during a conversation in a theater or home, or in a car. This noise may block certain data and prevent operation of the display means. Ideally,
Such a situation should not be deactivated more than once out of 10 or 20 intended actuations.

In the example where the customer wears the badge, it can be seen that the badge is exposed to many different sources of noise, such as speech, music and car noise. These noise sources may, by chance, contain a series of sounds that closely resemble the predetermined signal that activates the device. The likelihood of this type of false alarm can be reduced by increasing the complexity of a given data, but this may sacrifice battery life or battery cost. Even if unintended actuation would occur, it would ideally occur for no more than one in 100 badges during their lifetime.

The required operating life of the badge is expected to vary with the application. Long operating life requires expensive batteries and low power circuitry.

In order to minimize production costs, application specific integrated circuits (ASIS) can be created. To reduce packaging costs, it is possible to protect the atmosphere from the atmosphere by a layer of plastic after the ASIC is directly attached to the printed circuit board. Mass feasibility would be needed to make this type of ASIC feasible. The conditions for mass production make it difficult to direct the ASIC to different applications. It is possible to provide some programming capability, but this would require a costly manufacturing process.

While the products and methods described above have been found to be entirely satisfactory, further refinements of the invention can extend battery life and avoid undesired operation of the device of the invention. . As mentioned above, the invention is likely to be implemented on a badge or toy or other portable device. Under such circumstances,
The user needs to have the display activated while wearing or carrying the device. When wearing or carrying the device, it is subject to frequent movements due to movements of the wearer's body, for example, during walking or by breathing in the case of a badge worn on the chest. Under these circumstances, the user needs to allow the device to be activated and information to be displayed in response to receipt of the predetermined data. Conversely, when not wearing the device of the present invention, for example,
When placed on a shelf or in a drawer, it is not necessary for the user to activate the device in response to the receipt of certain data and display the information because it wastes battery power. Not only because it is probably unnecessary. For example, a toy placed on the floor of a child's bedroom should be inactive so that the child does not wake up while sleeping. Therefore, according to an improvement of the invention as shown in FIG. 3, the circuit of the device of the invention incorporates a motion sensing element 29. This motion sensing element 29 may be a simple mass accelerometer or a microelectromechanical device (MESE) integrated in an ASIC. Preferably, the circuitry of the device is for a predetermined period of time after the most recently sensed movement, for example 10 minutes.
It is configured to be in an operating state. It suffices to keep the device in operation while being worn or carried by the user, while still providing a relatively high efficiency battery saving function.

The circuit can be configured to completely shut off battery power or enter a low power standby mode after a predetermined period of time. The choice of battery power saving mode of operation may depend on the type of motion sensing element used.

This feature results in relatively little battery power being consumed while the device is stored before being delivered to the user, and eliminates the need for any type of on / off switch.

This feature is not only attractive, but also increases the value of the device of the invention as a marketing device. For example, in the case where the device indicates that the device has won the prize, it is necessary for the user to know whether the device has won the prize.
Only if the device is worn or carried when the corresponding data is being transmitted. Therefore, the user has a great incentive to wear this badge as much as possible, which increases the advertising value of the device, which typically incorporates logos or other advertising material associated with the device or the company providing the goods.

This feature also has another effect in automotive applications. For example, movement of the vehicle is sufficient to keep the device active, but deactivates when the vehicle is stopped. In such an application, the device is capable of retaining its advertising function or acting as a navigational means to react to a radio program containing appropriately encoded data in the transmitted signal.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various modifications and design changes can be made to the above example without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows the display means of an acoustically actuated marketing device according to one aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an electronic configuration of an acoustically actuated marketing device according to one aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an electronic configuration of an acoustically actuated marketing device according to another aspect of the present invention.

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Nicholas Webb             United Kingdom East Sussex Bee             N 27 4 Q Jay Nya Haas             Tomon Seux Bodel Story             To Green Killsham Lane Ho             Le Farm Cottage (72) Inventor Stefan Philip Lowe             United Kingdom Hampshire S-O-51             9 RL Romsey Clamp Moore             Winchester Road Holy Bull             Click (72) Inventor John Mansbridge             United Kingdom Hampshire S-O-53             1 F Southampton Chandra             Ford Kingsway 53 F

Claims (31)

[Claims] 1. A display means and an actuating means, the actuating means being coupled to the display means such that the actuating means actuates the display means to display predetermined information upon receipt of predetermined data. Information display device. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined data is transmitted by an acoustic signal. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the acoustic signal is digitally modulated. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined data is broadcast by commercial broadcasting means. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the commercial broadcasting means is a television broadcasting means. 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the commercial broadcasting means is radio broadcasting means. 7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the commercial broadcasting means comprises the Internet. 8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising programming means for programming predetermined data and predetermined information. 9. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display means comprises a liquid crystal display. 10. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display means comprises at least one LED. 11. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display means comprises an audio converter. 12. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the actuating means is an ASIC. 13. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising microphone means, analog-digital interface means, programmable digital processor and battery. 14. The apparatus of any of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined information is an advertisement. 15. The apparatus of any of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined information is a message. 16. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a motion sensing element in communication with the actuating means for sensing motion of the device. 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the actuating means is deactivated a predetermined time after the most recently sensed movement of the apparatus. 18. After the most recently sensed movement of the device,
18. The device of claim 16 or 17, wherein the device enters a low power consumption mode after a predetermined time period. 19. After the most recently sensed movement of the device,
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a zero power consumption mode is entered after a predetermined amount of time. 20. An information display method comprising: receiving data, comparing the received data with predetermined data, and displaying predetermined information when the received data matches the predetermined data. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the data is transmitted by an acoustic signal. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the acoustic signal is digitally modulated. 23. The method of claim 21 or 22, wherein the audio signal is part of a commercial broadcast. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the commercial broadcast is an advertisement. 25. The method according to claim 23 or 24, wherein the commercial broadcast is a television broadcast. 26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the commercial broadcast is a radio broadcast. 27. The method according to claim 23 or 24, wherein the commercial broadcast is Internet broadcast. 28. The method of any of claims 20-27, wherein the displaying step comprises generating an audible sound. 29. The method of any of claims 20-28, further comprising the step of sensing movement of the device. 30. After the most recently sensed movement of the device,
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the device is placed in a low power consumption mode after a predetermined amount of time. 31. After the most recently sensed movement of the device,
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the device is put into a zero power consumption mode after a predetermined amount of time.