WO2015118566A1

WO2015118566A1 - System for the automatic distribution of on-line information that can vary according to pre-established criteria

Info

Publication number: WO2015118566A1
Application number: PCT/IT2014/000094
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luca PIZZINATO
Original assignee: Pizzinato Luca
Priority date: 2014-02-10
Filing date: 2014-04-02
Publication date: 2015-08-13
Also published as: EP3105871A1

Abstract

A system for the automatic distribution of on-line information, that can vary according to pre-established criteria, comprises a central computer in which all the information provided for each of said criteria are allocated, together with the business logic according to which said information must be distributed. A data transmission network connects the aforesaid computer with at least one reception device connected with said network for the publication of said information. The system is characterized in that the reception device is connected with a controller provided with a mass memory, into which the data transmitted by the central computer is transferred, and said controller is connectable with geolocation systems, which supply the controller with the criteria based on which the controller autonomously selects the business logic which govern the distribution of said information. The aforesaid criteria comprise, by way of a non-limiting example, the delimitation of geographic area zones, meteorological situations, time intervals and the type of geolocator that is connected with the controller. In a particular embodiment, the system according to the invention provides that the aforesaid controllers are connected to each other by means of a network of peer to peer type.

Description

System for the automatic distribution of on-line information that can vary according to pre-established criteria

The present invention regards a system for the automatic distribution of on-line information that can vary according to pre-established criteria, said information being made available on a suitable output device; below in the present description, this is also termed 'reception device'.

Already known are examples of information supply that can vary in relation to specific situations or conditions where a person finds himself when he makes use of the aforesaid information. For example, take a person who moves along a path of considerable length between two points that are very distant from each other. The person in question is provided with a reception device adapted to receive signals, typically of a radio receiver adapted to receive wireless transmissions; for example, assume a person who moves by means of transportation means (automobile, train, etc.) between two very distance cities and is provided with a radio apparatus.

Various cities are passed along the way, and in each of these a local broadcaster transmits advertizing messages related to the local reality of the zone, over a specific frequency of in any case limited range in the area of said zone, i.e. the city and surroundings.

The radio apparatus of the aforesaid person can receive a wide range of frequencies and thus - unless reception of only one frequency has been set - during the trip it will automatically connect to the frequency with greatest intensity and thus it will provide the person with local advertizing information that varies from city to city along the travel route.

It is easily understood that this opportunity is quite different than the case of the frequency, always the same, that sequentially transmits information of local interest extended over a vast area; for example, there is the information on the meteorological conditions and/or traffic connected with the national road network. Clearly, the person traveling between Milan and Venice will have little or no interest in the weather or traffic at that moment in Tuscany or Sicily.

This selective diffusion of information has increasing interest for the public; nevertheless it is quite limited with respect to the receivable information and to the selection criteria of said information since both are substantially dependent on the activity of the broadcasters that transmit such information.

The Applicant has found a system, characterized both by the set of devices and by the operating method, which allows the automatic distribution of information of any kind, that can vary on the basis of a wide range of selection criteria and independently from the contingent activity of the distributor of said information. Therefore, in a first aspect thereof, the present invention regards a system for the automatic distribution of on-line information that can vary according to pre- established criteria comprising a central device in which all the information provided for each of said criteria are allocated, and the business logic according to which said information must be distributed, a data transmission network, at least one reception device connected with said network for the reception and publication of said information, said system being characterized in that said reception device is connected with a controller provided with a mass memory in which the data transmitted by said central device through said network is allocated, said controller being connectable with geolocation systems, said automatic distribution of information being governed by said controller based on the criteria set by the connection with said geolocation systems.

In a further aspect thereof, the invention regards a system for the automatic distribution of on-line information that can vary according to pre-established criteria characterized in that said controllers are connected to each other by a network of peer to peer type. In addition, the aforesaid systems are characterized in that said controller comprises at least one processor (CPU) provided with a high processing capacity, a hardware (chip) of miniaturized type, with low energy consumption, a large RAM memory, a compact mass memory, where TV/radio program schedules and business logic are allocated, a technology of connectivity with other systems, an operating system and a custom application of personalized execution of the business logic.

At any rate, the present invention can be better understood from the following description, provided only for exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, since other embodiments are in any case possible, in respect of and in the scope of the definition of the aforesaid system according to the following claims and where the characteristics indicated in the preceding paragraph will be more precisely defined.

The core of the invention is an intelligent device capable of self-modifying the execution plan of the program schedule based on the aforesaid selection criteria.

In the following description with "reception device", or "receiver", it is intended any "output" device adapted to receive and reproduce "audiovisual services", i.e. any fixed or portable apparatus, provided with means adapted to receive images (normally known as screens) and/or with means (e.g.: speakers) adapted to reproduce sounds (words and music). Without claiming to provide a complete list of devices, we limit ourselves to noting the following: radio apparatuses, acoustic boxes, TVs, computer monitors, cell phones, smartphones and tablets.

The "audiovisual service or message" can be of any type, only audio, or only video or the combination of both, and of any kind, cultural, scientific, social- economic, for example an advertizing message, tourist information, meteorological information, notice of a folk/colorful event or news information. With the word "information" it is intended the aforesaid specific content of a "audiovisual service", with the term "TV/radio program schedule" it is intended the program that establishes the set of audiovisual services transmitted during a pre-established time period (day, week, month) by a particular broadcaster through a "transmission network".

With "business logic" it is intended the time succession of the various audiovisual services to be transmitted. With "Back-End system", it is intended the set of devices (server) and programs (software) necessary for creating and issuing the information, defining the TV/radio program schedule, defining the business logic, defining the "zone" of the TV/radio program schedule, assigning the priority to the audiovisual messages, collecting the information which can modify the plan of execution of the TV/radio program schedule in addition to executing further accessory activities (accounting, invoicing, system safety, web portals, privacy, synchronization of the connections with the reception devices) necessary for the improved behavior of the system according to the invention. With the word "zone", it is intended a specific geographic area, identified by precise coordinates, towards which specific audiovisual messages are intended. For example, a zone can be the center of a city where the transmitted advertizing messages regard high-level stores and restaurants active in the city center, while a different zone can be a suburb quarter where the transmitted advertizing messages regard lower-end stores and restaurants, active in said suburb area.

In accordance with the invention, a back-end central system generates a plurality of TV/radio program schedules for a plurality of zones and the relative business logic. As will be seen more clearly below, this plurality of TV/radio program schedules, logic and audiovisual messages is transmitted to the output devices according to the invention for the communication to the public.

The output devices according to the invention comprise a "controller", i.e. a device with limited size, provided with suitable software, which can be integrated in the output device or connected from the outside with the same, and which can be power supplied with different energy sources: batteries, fixed network, alternating sources, solar cells.

The aforesaid controller is a so-called "intelligent" device since, due to its integration in back-end architecture, it can be self-powered and gather information based on external events (for example, weather conditions, position etc.) More particularly, the aforesaid controller is a combination of hardware and software, where the hardware, similar to a computer, is built with smartphone technology, hence with very compact size, like that of a "USB pen drive" with minimum consumptions; it can be power supplied for example with batteries or solar cells; it includes chips that are highly specialized, particularly in geolocation and in connectivity; and the software is capable of interacting with a variety of other different systems, modifying its behavior as a function of the data received by one or more of said different systems.

In other words, said controller is characterized at least by the presence of a processor (CPU) provided with a high processing capacity, preferably a dual- core processor with at least 1000 DMIPS per core and for a very miniaturized hardware (chip), with low energy consumption. Still according to the invention, at least one mass memory of NAND or MMC type is present. These are memories that are equivalent to solid state hard-disks, without moving members, characterized by high performances with respect to the conventional hard-disks, very compact and with extremely limited physical size (as large as ¼ of a stamp); due to the above-indicated characteristics, such memories were selected by the Applicant for the system of the invention since, in addition to the compactness, they have extremely limited consumptions. The TV/radio program schedules and business logic are stored in this internal memory (storage). Moreover the system is characterized by the inclusion of a large RAM memory, not less than 128 megabytes (MB), but preferably with at least 256 Megabyte (MB).

The aforesaid controller also has a complex technology of connectivity with other systems, a capacity of personalized execution (custom application) of the business logic which governs the TV/radio program schedules, zones and priorities, and an operating system selected in combination with the other stated characteristics.

For example, if one uses an operating system of mobile derivation, such as Google Android™, many activities will already be available and hence will not have to be rewritten in the custom code, such as for example the geolocation function that is already present in the Google Android™ operating system. More specifically, such controller has the possibility of being connected with a variety of transmission networks, for example the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) network, currently the most diffused system in the world for communication between cell phones, or the Wi-Fi network, i.e. a local network that allows user terminals to be connected to each other in a "wireless" manner; such local network can be interconnected to the Internet network by means of a router so as to be able to make use of all the services made available on said Internet network. In addition, the network can be a 3G network (i.e. a 3rd generation network) whose technologies allow the transfer both of "voice" data (digital calls) and "non-voice" data, for example Internet downloads, sending and receiving of emails and instant messaging. The network can also be a LTE (Long Term Evolution) network i.e. a new generation network for the broadband mobile access systems.

The controller also has the possibility to interact with signal broadcasters, e.g. with known geolocation systems or with other data broadcasters, such as a transponder.

More precisely, the system based on the GPS (Global Positioning System) signal is a positioning system which, through a dedicated satellite network, supplies to a mobile terminal or GPS receiver information on its geographic coordinates and on the time, in any meteorological condition, anywhere on the planet. Such system has been further improved with the A-GPS system, which improves - particularly for use in certain devices such as cell phones, smartphones and PDAs - the not very optimal reception of the GPS system. The transponder, which in the present invention is considered to be a geolocation device, is a small-size device which uses radio transmission technology, for example according to Bluetooth standard, and emits a unique signal (unique code) adapted to have said device and its location identified by other signal receiver devices.

It is particularly used where there is not sufficient field for the data transmission networks, e.g. in tunnels and subways.

All these systems are well known to those skilled in the art today, so that there is no need to enter into the technical details, also because they are not essential with respect to the invention.

This regards the fact that the controller, by interacting with said data transmission and reception systems, develops a "personalized" behaviour with respect to the business logic imparted by the central back-end system.

In accordance with the present invention the architecture of the system therefore comprises the aforesaid Back-End system, a data transmission network, a reception device and a controller for the connection with known geolocation systems and devices.

In a preferred alternative embodiment of the invention, the transmission network is a network of the type commonly defined "peer to peer". This network is characterized in that the connected reception devices are not organized in a hierarchical manner with a central computer (server) that administers and controls the devices (clients) connected thereto, but all the devices are on the same level, each functioning as a server and a client according to the circumstances. If, for example, in one zone there are various controllers that enter into the same radio field, it is possible to use peer to peer technologies for synchronizing the memories between the controllers. In practice, if a controller has all the content (TV/radio program schedule and business logic) received from the central Back-End system, it can function as a server, transmitting such content to other devices (clients) connecter therewith and at the time not connected with the central server. This novelty ensures that each controller does not have to depend on the data transmission network (Internet) for downloading the aforesaid content but can operate also in the absence of data signals.

The operation of the automatic distribution system of information according to the invention can now be easily understood. A central device periodically transmits, to one or more of the reception devices connected thereto, a series of TV/radio program schedules, audiovisual services, zones and business logic. The controller that governs each reception device, by interacting with the geolocation devices with which it is interfaced during its movement, which does not depend on the instructions from the central device, selects the geolocation technology to be used and the audiovisual services to be edited on the reception device based on predetermined business logic.

It is assumed that the audiovisual services to be issued are advertizing messages relative to stores and restaurants. It is assumed that the reception device is a car radio mounted on a first vehicle that is found in the city center. The car radio will transmit such messages relative to stores and restaurants in the city center. However, as soon as the vehicle arrives in the suburbs, having been informed of the situation by means of the connection with a geolocation device, the messages will change and will become those relative to stores and restaurants of that suburban zone.

It is assumed that the vehicle, while it crosses through this suburban zone, passes in proximity to a transponder whose owner has inserted an advertizing message related to his activity in the program schedule. Hence the message of such owner will be diffused with priority over the other messages provided in that zone. Preferably, in fact, the audiovisual services connected to a transponder have the priority over all other services.

In a different embodiment of the invention, it is assumed that the vehicle transmits the audiovisual services programmed for that zone while the sun is shining and that such services regard commercial enterprises that sell sunglasses. When the weather changes and it starts to rain, the messages also immediately change - now advertized are businesses selling raincoats, umbrellas and boots.

It will be clear that a second vehicle, with a reception device provided with a controller with the same content of TV/radio program schedules and business logic, in a different zone of the city, will transmit audiovisual services that are different from those of the first vehicle.

After that stated above, situations of this kind can be easily assumed by any reader of the present description. It is observed that all the audiovisual services mentioned are allocated in the storage memory of the controller, which advertizes them in an independent manner with respect to what is provided and programmed by the back-end system.

In particular, according to the invention, the criteria that change the business logic which activates the behavior of the controller preferably comprise the type of geolocator connected with the controller, the delimitation of geographic area zones, the meteorological situations, time periods and intervals.

In the present description, not all of the possible alternatives to the specifically described embodiments of the invention were shown: indeed, it did not seem necessary to describe in further detail the software and the structural details of the devices used for actuating the invention since each man skilled in the art, after the instructions given herein, will be able to easily design and obtain the most advantageous technical solution in relation to the type of hardware and software to be used. These variants are nevertheless equally intended to be comprised in the protective scope of the present patent, such alternative embodiments being per se easily derivable from the description made herein of the relation that links each embodiment with the result that the invention wishes to obtain.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. System for the automatic distribution of on-line information that can vary according to pre-established criteria, comprising a central device in which all the information provided for each of said criteria is allocated, together with the business logic according to which said information must be distributed, a data transmission network, at least one reception device connected with said network for the publication of said information, said system being characterized in that said reception device is connected with a controller provided with a mass memory in which the data transmitted by said central device through said network is allocated, said controller being connectable with geolocation systems, said automatic distribution of information being governed by said controller based on the criteria derived from the connection with said geolocation systems.

2. System according to claim 1 characterized in that said criteria comprise the delimitation of geographic area zones.

3. System according to claim 1 characterized in that said criteria comprise meteorological situations.

4. System according to claim 1 characterized in that said criteria comprise time intervals.

5. System according to claim 1 characterized in that said criteria comprise the type of geolocator that is connected with the controller.

6. System according to claim 1 characterized in that said controllers are connected to each other by a network of peer to peer type.

7. System according to claim 1 characterized in that said controller comprises at least:

> a processor (CPU) provided with a high processing capacity,

> a hardware (Chip) of miniaturized type, with low energy consumption,

> a RAM memory,

> an internal mass memory, where TV/radio program schedules and business logic are allocated, selected from the group that includes

NAND memories, e.g. MMC.

> a technology of connectivity with other systems, > an operating system and

> a custom application of personalized execution of the business logic.

8. System according to claim 7 characterized in that said processor is a dual- core processor with at least 1000 DMIPS per core.

9. System according to claim 7 characterized in that said RAM memory has a capacity not less than 128 MB (Megabyte).

10. System according to claim 7 characterized in that said operating system is an operating system of mobile derivation.