WO2002025624A1

WO2002025624A1 - Selected context, interactive advertising

Info

Publication number: WO2002025624A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/024545
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert G. Morgan
Original assignee: Otis Elevator Company
Priority date: 2000-09-19
Filing date: 2001-08-01
Publication date: 2002-03-28
Also published as: AU2001283126A1

Abstract

An advertising display in a space such as an elevator, waiting room, lounge, lobby or restaurant receives passenger identification and/or personal interest information from a portable device or swipe card carried by the viewer, or from keys or a touch panel, or from voice, in order to present advertisements oriented toward the viewer. The display may have buttons, touch panels, and fingerprint panel to permit making selections and to authenticate identity. The portable device may transmit transactional information such as addresses, numbers and credit card information. The display may provide information to a personal digital assistant or laptop, or over the internet or telephone.

Description

Selected Context, Interactive Advertising

Technical Field

This invention relates to dynamic advertising (e.g., television type) in spaces, such as elevators, the advertising context being selected to suit one or more viewers, and which provides the capability for interaction with the advertisement to facilitate alternatives, further information, or purchases, or to store, download, or transmit related information. Background Art

Displays in elevators and waiting rooms, for instance, are becoming more common for the purpose of showing advertisements to passengers and to customers. Generally speaking, current advertising in elevators is generic, the information being selected to suit a particular building or elevator, perhaps with respect to the time of day. Some such advertising systems cycle through a number of preselected advertisements. However, systems known to the prior art do not target individuals in selecting advertisements, and they do not have capacity to interact with the viewer. The only response which a passenger may make is noting advertising details so as to pursue the subject matter at a later time.

Disclosure of Invention

Objects of the invention include targeted advertising which is tailored to suit individual persons in the vicinity, which can receive instructions from a viewer, which can receive information from a viewer, which can transmit information to a viewer's personal device or over the telephone or the Internet, and which permits completing orders for advertised goods or services while the viewer is present.

According to the present invention, personal identity and/or personal interest information related to a viewer (e.g., a passenger or customer) such as gender, vocation and recreational preferences, is transmitted to an advertising display from portable transmitters or swipe cards, or in response to entry of access codes to an entrance panel or a touch screen, or in response to voice. On the other hand, a processor in the elevator or the building may utilize passenger identity information to provide related personal interest information to the display. In either case, the display selects advertising which is targeted to the viewer. According further to the invention, the advertising display has interactive exchange capability with the viewer by means of a button or other human operable device on the viewer's portable unit or on the display, voice input, and/or touch panel selection of items, modes of dealing or menus on the display. According still further to the invention, in reaction to an advertisement, the passenger's device may upload any data necessary such as postal or e-mail address, credit card information, telephone or fax number, and validations, which may be made via voice recognition, fingerprint, or personal identification number. In accordance with the invention still further, the advertising display may download data directly into a hand-held PDA or lap computer having wireless modem or fax the data, so as to provide detailed information for further use by the passenger at a later time.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the light of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a simplified, perspective view of a passenger having a portable device standing in an elevator cab having an interactive display in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of a display of the invention adjacent an elevator.

Mode(s) for Carrying Out the Invention

Referring now to Fig. 1 , a passenger 9 carries a portable device 10 that transmits to a device 1 2 disposed in an elevator cab 1 3. The device 1 2 includes a receiver and is associated with an advertising display 1 6 which has a screen 1 7 for displaying advertising copy. The transmission from the passenger's portable device 1 0 may include either or both of the passenger's identity and personal interest parameters, that is, information about the passenger which is pertinent to the nature of advertising to which the passenger may respond, such as vocation, gender, and recreational preferences. Recreational preferences may include music, sports, literature, and holiday or vacation preferences. On the other hand, the device 1 2 may interact with a central processor 20 to extract personal interest information about the passenger in response to an identification number of the passenger received by the device 12. In either event, the display 1 6 may then select from a repertoire, advertising content which is deemed to be pertinent to the passenger 9. The display 1 6 may have button switches 22, 23 which the passenger can press to make selections of display content or ordering information or the like. The display 1 6 may alternatively or additionally have touch panel portions 25 with which the passenger may make selections relevant to the advertising being shown on the display 1 6.

The passenger's portable device 10 may also have buttons or other human operable input devices by means of which he can direct communications from his device 10 to the device 1 2 so as to cause selection of copy, ordering information, and the like. The device 1 0 carried by the passenger may also transmit, selectively, more detailed transactional information about the passenger, such as his postal or e-mail address, fax number, and/or a credit card number, so as to request further information, or cause an actual order to be placed. To authenticate the use of a credit card, the device 1 2 may have a voice recognition capability which allows the passenger to authenticate with his own voice, or the display 1 6 may have a fingerprint verification pad 27 which the passenger may use to authenticate his order. Of course, an order may be authenticated by entering of a simple PIN number through the device 1 0 for transmission to the device 1 2, or by means of switches 22, 23 or touch panel 25.

The device 1 2 may have the capability to transmit information via the Internet, via telephone, or directly to a hand-held, wireless enabled PDA 30 (such as Palm VII™) so as to supply further information for the passenger's later use.

Fig. 2 illustrates that the display 1 6 (together with the device 1 2; etc.) may be disposed adjacent to a hoistway, such as adjacent to the elevator access doors 33 in an elevator corridor 34. Or, it may be in a waiting room, a lobby, or at a table in a lounge or restaurant.

Instead of a transmitter, the portable device may be a swipe card, the elevator having a swipe card reader to gain access to the elevator, or the reader could be part of the device 1 2. Alternatively, the personal ID may be transmitted by input keys, either at the elevator entrance or at the device 1 6. The display may be located other than in an elevator, adjacent any space where viewers may wait or repose, such as in a waiting room, a lounge, a lobby, or adjacent a table in a restaurant.

Thus, although the invention has been shown and described with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions and additions may be made therein and thereto, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

claim:

Claims

1 . An advertising system, comprising:

(a) an advertising display for displaying advertisements to viewers and having a repertoire of selectable advertising copy respectively of interest to different people as a function of personal interest parameters, said display being disposed either (i) within an elevator car or (ii) adjacent a space where viewers will wait or repose;

(b) a device for conveying at least one of (iii) a message portion identifying the related passenger and/or (iv) a message portion identifying personal interest parameters of the related passenger; and

(c) means responsive to one of said message portions to select a corresponding advertisement for showing by said display.

2. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said message portion identifies the related viewer; and said element (c) further comprises means responsive to said message portion to provide personal interest parameters related to the corresponding passenger and for selecting said advertisement for showing by said display in dependence upon said related personal interest parameters.

3. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said message portion identifies personal interest parameters of the related passenger; and said element (c) selects said advertisements in response to said message portion.

4. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said element (c) includes means for transmitting data formatted for receipt by a wireless enabled personal digital assistant.

5. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said element (c) includes means for transmitting data over the

Internet.

6. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein:' said element (c) includes means for transmitting data over the telephone.

7. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said display includes selection means for selecting from a menu.

8. An advertising system according to claim 7 wherein: said selection means is either (v) at least one button switch of (vi) a touch panel.

9. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said device includes means for transmitting a transactional information message portion to said element (c); and said element (c) comprises response means for responding to said transactional information.

10. An advertising system according to claim 9 wherein: said transactional information includes at least one of (vii) postal address, (viii) e-mail address, (ix) fax number, (x) voice phone number and/or (xi) credit card number.

1 1 . An advertising system according to claim 9 wherein: said system includes means for authenticating the identity of the related passenger.

1 2. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said device comprises a portable transmitter carried by a viewer.

1 3. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said device comprises data input means on said display.

14. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said device comprises a swipe card reader associated with said display for reading swipe cards carried by viewers.

1 5. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said device comprises voice responsive means associated with said display.

1 6. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said display is disposed in an elevator.

17. An advertising system according to claim 1 wherein: said display is disposed in a lobby.