Interactive video distribution systems – Commercial or program airing verification system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-05
2003-01-14
Faile, Andrew (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
Commercial or program airing verification system
C725S032000, C348S578000, C345S013000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06507949
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method and to an arrangement of assigning an information-category and a priority of exposure for spots or blocks of information for controlling and coordinating display devices in a digital information system for displaying information on at least one display device through the medium of at least one display for each said device, said information being displayed in places that are accessible to and/or frequented by the general public. In one particular aspect, the invention is applied to control display devices for displaying information directed towards people in such places as main railway stations, subway stations, airport waiting lounges, cinemas, private homes, etc.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART
From the Swedish patent publication SE-C2-507-473, and from the International Publication WO 97/41546, hereby incorporated by reference, both by the same applicants as for the present invention, a flexible system is known in which external information mediators are able to dynamically control in real time the transmission of display information to a larger public in different places situated at any chosen distance apart through display devices which project information onto displays intended therefor.
One object of the known system is to enable pictures, images, messages and announcements to be configured in accordance with modern digital technology, therewith providing rapid communication. A further object of it is to enable a picture, image or other information to be changed in practice as often as is desired, in real time, therewith providing direct and immediate communication, and to enable similar or specific information to be displayed in places that are mutually far apart and to enable message information to be alternated with advertising spots, for instance.
According to one aspect, the known system relates to a method of coordinating and controlling display devices in a digital information system for displaying information on a display device through the medium of a projector, whereby the information being displayed in places that are generally available to and frequented by the general public.
Information display subscribers are connected to a computerized control center via computer and telecommunication interfaces for all-day-round transmission of information. The control center has a communication interface against computerized devices situated in connection with said places for display device coordination and control.
The control center is able to create and update a display/play/exposure list in real time with control instruction fields via booking information for display dynamically in time from mediators having drive routine means which are connected to the subscription and which are transparent for the transmission of information to the drive routine means of the control center for transmission of information in the system.
A display list includes control instructions, which coordinate and control the projectors concerned with regard to what shall be displayed, when it shall be displayed, where it shall be displayed and for how long it shall be displayed, and causes projectors, independently of other projectors, to receive the same or different information for display in accordance with the display list.
An administrator of the digital information system is able to update the display list with desired information at any time whatsoever, wherein the dynamic booking can be changed or delayed.
The projector may also interrupt the display of information when the allocated display devices, or the projector, are visually obstructed in said public place.
In one embodiment, the exposure list may include reserved instruction fields for updating with control instructions via the mediator interface, wherein the control instructions can be placed in a waiting line, or queue, when the exposure list lacks instruction updating fields at that moment in time.
The known system also relates to an arrangement of apparatus for carrying out the aforesaid method, said apparatus including the aforesaid devices and an exposure handler which creates the exposure list.
Prior art, prior to the Swedish patent publication SE-C2-507-473 and the International Publication WO 97/41546, did not consider or propose the use of a display or play or exposure list. Hence, such prior art displays blocks of different information which, for example, are of the length of one (1) hour which are principal repeated each hour. If new information is to be displayed the block of information has to be revised, which can be accomplished in many different ways, not one of them sufficiently disclosed through prior art. The prior art systems are very time consuming in introducing new blocks of information and do not at all have the inherit dynamic capacity introduced by a display list for a possible 24-hour cyclic display at various time periods. Also, such a display list makes it impossible to repeatedly re-transmit blocks of information.
A drawback and problem related to the known system described in said patent and application, respectively, is that the play list is unevenly used for displaying ordered spots/blocks of information from mediators. If, for example, a projector interrupts the display of information when the allocated display devices, or the projector, are visually obstructed in said public place, for example, by an incoming train, spots/blocks of that piece of information should be displayed at another suitable time period according to the display/play/exposure list. This is not an easy task to accomplish in order to implement fairness and other parameters controlling the willingness of mediators to use such a system.
There are more events to even out at, for example, a subway station such as failing projectors/cameras/digital displays, emergency messages shown on displays, time table displays, etc.
Therefore, effective methods or schemes and arrangements are needed to solve problems related to the above.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSED INVENTION
It is an aspect of the present invention to solve problems related to assigning an information-category and a priority of exposure for spots or blocks of information for controlling and coordinating display devices in a digital information system controlled or partly controlled by a display or play or exposure list, or the like, in accordance with the attached independent claims and embodiments of the present invention as set forth through the attached dependent claims.
In order to accomplish the aforesaid, the present invention sets forth a method of assigning an information-category and a priority of exposure for spots or blocks of information in a digital information system. The method comprising coordinating and controlling of display devices for exposing information on at least one display device through the medium of at least one display device, wherein the information is displayed in places accessible to and frequented by the general public or on television. Subscribing information mediators are connected to a computerized control center via interfaces for data and telecommunication for round-the clock transmission of information. The control center has communication interfaces against computerized devices situated in connection with said places for coordinating and controlling projectors/cameras/digital displays. Said control center is able to create and update an exposure list in real time with control instruction fields via dynamic booking of information in time for exposure from mediators.
Mediators having drive routine means connected to the subscription, which may be transparent for transmission of information with the drive routine means of the control center for transmission of information in the system via interfaces. The exposure list with control instructions coordinates and controls the display devices with regard to what shall be exposed, when it shall be exposed, where it shall be exposed and for how long it shall be exposed, and enables each display device to be controlled. This can be ach
Dahlgren Mats
Hylin Mats
Jonason Joakim
Atwood Pierce
Faile Andrew
Lonsberry Hunter
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