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`Case: 1:16—cv—O5673 Document #2 1-3 Filed: 05/27/16 Page 1 of 12 Page|D #248
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`
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`EXHIBIT C
`
`EXHIBIT C
`
`

`
`Case: 1:16-cv-05673 Document #: 1-3 Filed: 05/27/16 Page 2 of 12 PageID #:49
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Hunter
`
`US006430603B2
`(10) Patent N0.:
`US 6,430,603 B2
`(45) Date of Patent:
`*Aug. 6, 2002
`
`,
`
`,
`
`ernr an e a .
`
`8/1988 Schreiber
`4,761,641 A
`3/1989 Champion, III et al.
`4,812,843 A
`glow/?y 6i all
`2
`5,257,017 A 10/1993 .lonesget 81.
`5,274,762 A 12/1993 Peterson et al.
`2
`gzrrrileck
`5,543,856 A
`8/1996 Rosser et 81.
`5,612,741 A
`3/1997 Loban et a1.
`5,630,067 A
`5/1997 Kindell et a1_
`5,644,859 A
`7/1997 Hsu
`5,724,062 A
`3/1998 Hunter
`5,781,734 A
`7/1998 Ohno et al.
`5,845,083 A 12/1998 Hamadani et a1~
`340/825 36
`2 * 142‘;
`2111“: 1
`5,934,795 A * 8/1999 Rykowski et al. ........ .. 362/309
`5,992,888 A * 11/1999 North et al. ................ .. 283/56
`6,073,372 A
`6/2000 Davls .................... .. 40/ 124.16
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`,
`
`,
`
`e a. ............. ..
`
`.
`
`*
`
`.
`
`(54) SYSTEM FOR DIRECT PLACEMENT OF
`COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING, PUBLIC
`SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OTHER
`0N ELECTRONIC BILLBOARD
`
`(75) Inventor: Charles Eric Hunter, Hilton Head
`Island, SC (Us)
`
`(73) Assignee: World Theatre, Inc., Morrisville, NC
`(US)
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`~
`
`This patent issued on a continued pros-
`ecution application ?led under 37 CFR
`1.53(d), and is subject to the tWenty year
`152E256; rm provlslons of 35 USC‘
`'
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`~
`
`(21) APPL NO, 09/301,102
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Apr. 28, 1999
`
`(51) Int. Cl.7 .............................................. .. G06F 15/16
`(52) US. Cl. ..................... .. 709/207; 709/217; 709/219;
`709/227; 705/26; 705/27
`(58) Field of Search ............................... .. 709/207, 217,
`709/218, 219, 227, 234, 238, 240, 705/2267,
`
`(56)
`
`_
`References Clted
`U_S_ PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3/1968 Halperin
`37373517 A
`4/1968 C°rPeW_
`3’376’465 A
`3/1976 SlobodZran et a1.
`3,941,926 A
`1/1983 Midland
`4,368,485 A
`4,559,480 A 12/1985 Nobs
`4,734,779 A
`3/1988 Levis et a1.
`
`Steven A. Morley, “Making Digital Cinema Actually Hap
`pen —What It Takes and Who’s Going to Do It”, Qualcomm
`Incorporated, Oct. 31, 1998.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner—Thomas R. Peeso
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Finnegan, Henderson,
`FaraboW, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`
`Commercial advertisers, such as consumer product compa
`nies and the advertising agents that represent them, directly
`access a network of thousands of large, high resolution
`electronic displays located in high tra?ic areas and directly
`send their oWn advertisements electronically to the netWork
`to be displayed at locations and times selected by the
`advertisers‘
`
`74 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
`2“
`
`F'ubhu Internet
`
`\ Access
`
`ccnnecuon
`
`Network
`Securlty
`Rouler/
`Access
`
`5n
`
`70
`
`Customer Interface Web
`Server
`
`no
`
`WEED & sun lmcge REV‘SW & Input
`
`
`
`H1911 Speed
`
`Dewcaled Phone
`
`SaleH/le
`
`BlHmg
`and
`Report
`Generalmn
`
`,
`
`,
`
`490
`
`Market
`Ana‘ysrs
`
`7
`
`V1090 ccnvener/
`ScalarNKieo CummHer
`
`amerasand
`D191
`T ‘Counters
`
`150
`
`110
`
`

`
`Case: 1:16-cv-05673 Document #: 1-3 Filed: 05/27/16 Page 3 of 12 PageID #:50
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 6, 2002
`
`Sheet 1 0f 2
`
`US 6,430,603 B2
`
`20
`
`Public Internet
`Access
`
`High Speed
`Dedicated
`Connection
`
`Customer Interface Web
`Sewer
`
`Billing via
`Phone
`Line
`
`Internet
`Email
`Reporting
`
`50 \J'\
`
`Network
`Security
`Router/
`Access
`
`>
`
`Review
`Schedule and
`Purchase
`Time
`
`60 \r\
`
`Video & Still Image Review & Input
`
`666E981
`
`-wcEPmwSd
`
`CQmmEL
`62mm
`
`O 0 iiiiiiii
`
`6525
`cwimw
`
`0 O ||1||||l
`
`63:60
`
`mod 6
`
`86% :9:
`
`95 w
`, 62m
`
`53mm
`
`E8660
`
`wcorE
`
`cmiww
`
`6 % 0 i||||||ii
`252mm m
`._w>._w
`
`96% £9:
`6360 w
`._w>._w
`
`O O
`
`Billing
`and
`Report
`Generation
`
`190
`
`Market
`
`w a w a mm
`
`S H .m. S. H
`m m 1 .m 1
`
`A e A W.
`
`D D E
`
`E D. L .s D
`
`Verification Archives
`
`120
`Digital Cameras and
`Traffic Counters
`
`150
`
`Video Converter/
`Scalar/Video Controller
`
`110
`
`Fig. 1
`
`

`
`Case: 1:16-cv-05673 Document #: 1-3 Filed: 05/27/16 Page 4 of 12 PageID #:51
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 6, 2002
`
`Sheet 2 6f2
`
`US 6,430,603 B2
`
`om
`
`N .9“.
`
`

`
`Case: 1:16-cv-05673 Document #: 1-3 Filed: 05/27/16 Page 5 of 12 PageID #:52
`
`US 6,430,603 B2
`
`1
`SYSTEM FOR DIRECT PLACEMENT OF
`COMMERCIAL ADVERTISING, PUBLIC
`SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OTHER
`CONTENT ON ELECTRONIC BILLBOARD
`DISPLAYS
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`The invention relates to systems permitting advertisers to
`target geographical regions and demographic groups With
`ever changing, current advertising content Without incurring
`the high ?xed cost of traditional single-message billboards.
`More particularly, the invention relates to a system and
`method permitting commercial advertisers, such as con
`sumer product companies and the advertising agents that
`represent them, to directly access a netWork of thousands of
`large, high resolution electronic displays located in high
`traffic areas and to directly send their oWn advertisements
`electronically to the netWork to be displayed at locations and
`times selected by the advertiser.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`Consumer product advertising takes many forms, such as
`television commercials, neWspaper and magaZine
`advertisements, mailings, point-of-sale displays, outdoor
`billboards, etc. Using current advertising media, advertisers
`engage in a constant struggle to efficiently use their budgets
`to most effectively reach their geographic and demographic
`targets.
`Focusing on the outdoor advertising component of adver
`tising by consumer product companies, it is Well knoWn that
`outdoor billboards have traditionally taken the form of
`single-message displays formed of printed sheets or painted
`surfaces containing the advertising content adhered to a ?at
`backing. This time-honored outdoor advertising technique
`has remained essentially unchanged throughout the tWenti
`eth century. The high cost of printing, transporting and
`mounting a message on a conventional billboard has dictated
`that the same message remain in place for a considerable
`period of time. Thus, a conventional billboard cannot be
`readily changed to re?ect current events Within the geo
`graphic area of the billboard. Additionally, the content on a
`conventional billboard tends to become essentially “invis
`ible” as a part of the landscape after its content has been in
`place for a relatively short period of time, especially to
`commuters and others Who regularly pass the billboard.
`Beyond the above problems With cost, single-message
`content, lack of content changeover capability, and the like,
`conventional outdoor billboards have come under increasing
`criticism because in their large numbers, and often tattered
`condition, they clutter highWays With a distasteful form of
`visual “pollution”. A reduction in the number of billboards
`and improvement of the appearance of those that remain, if
`accomplished While increasing the overall advertising
`impact afforded by outdoor advertising, Would please virtu
`ally everyone.
`The use of electronic billboards has been suggested, for
`eXample, in US. Pat. No. 5,612,741. HoWever, there is no
`electronic billboard netWork in operation Whereby commer
`cial advertisers may directly place ads onto selected bill
`boards at selected times through direct access to a master
`netWork. Such a netWork, properly designed and operated,
`promises to overcome the numerous disadvantages currently
`associated With the outdoor advertising industry, While also
`meeting the above-enumerated needs of consumer products
`advertisers.
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`According to the present invention, commercial
`advertisers, such as consumer product companies and the
`
`65
`
`2
`advertising agents that represent them, directly access a
`netWork of multiple large, high resolution electronic dis
`plays located in high traffic areas and directly send their oWn
`advertisements electronically to the netWork to be displayed
`at locations and times selected by the advertisers. In pre
`ferred embodiments, the system of the invention includes a
`central information processing center that permits customers
`to revieW a schedule of times and electronic display loca
`tions that are available for placement of advertisements, and
`also permits customers to purchase available times at
`selected electronic display locations for placement of their
`advertising content. The customer then transmits his video
`or still image advertising content to the processing center
`Where the content is revieWed for appropriateness and then
`transmitted to the customer-selected electronic display(s).
`The electronic displays preferably are large (e.g., 23x331/z
`ft.) ?at LED displays that are driven by their oWn video or
`image servers. Veri?cation that the advertisements run as
`ordered is facilitated by an information storage module or,
`more preferably, by a digital camera or series of digital
`cameras. A traffic counter may be used to determine the
`traffic that passed by the display While the advertisement Was
`running. Bills and reports containing market and demo
`graphic analysis are generated and sent to the customer.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`Some of the features of the invention having been stated,
`other features Will appear as the description proceeds, When
`taken in connection With the accompanying draWings, in
`Which
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram shoWing the principal compo
`nents of an electronic display netWork constructed in accor
`dance With the present invention.
`FIG. 2 is a vieW of one of the electronic displays of the
`netWork of FIG. 1.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`While the present invention Will be described more fully
`hereinafter With reference to the accompanying draWings, in
`Which aspects of the preferred manner of practicing the
`present invention are shoWn, it is to be understood at the
`outset of the description Which folloWs that persons of skill
`in the appropriate arts may modify the invention herein
`described While still achieving the favorable results of this
`invention. Accordingly, the description Which folloWs is to
`be understood as being a broad, teaching disclosure directed
`to persons of skill in the appropriate arts, and not as limiting
`upon the present invention.
`Referring to the draWings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there
`is shoWn a block diagram of a system 20 for direct place
`ment of commercial advertisements, public service
`announcements and other content on electronic displays.
`System 20 includes a netWork comprising a plurality of
`electronic displays 30 that are located in high traffic areas in
`various geographic locations. The displays may be located in
`areas of high vehicular traffic, and also at indoor and outdoor
`locations of high pedestrian traffic, as Well as in movie
`theaters, restaurants, sports arenas, casinos or other suitable
`locations. Thousands of displays, up to 10,000 or more
`displays WorldWide, may be netWorked according to the
`present invention. In preferred embodiments, each display is
`a large (for eXample, 23 feet by 331/2 feet), high resolution,
`full color display that provides brilliant light emission from
`a ?at panel screen.
`A customer of system 20, for eXample an in-house or
`agency representative of a consumer products company,
`
`

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`
`US 6,430,603 B2
`
`4
`reports are assembled shoWing, for example, the time of the
`advertisement, the content of the advertisement, the traf?c
`count and residence/median income information about those
`Who saW the advertisement. A representative, simpli?ed
`report for an advertisement running on a single display is as
`folloWs:
`
`3
`may access a central information processing station of the
`system via the Internet through a Customer Interface Web
`Server 40. The customer interface Web server has a com
`merce engine and permits the customer to obtain and enter
`security code and billing code information into a Network
`Security Router/Access module 50. Alternatively, high
`usage customers of the system may utiliZe a high speed
`dedicated connection to module 50. FolloWing access, the
`customer revieWs available advertising time/locations
`through a RevieW Schedule and Purchase Time module 60
`that permits the customer to see What time is available on
`any display throughout the World and thereafter schedule
`and purchase the desired advertising time slot. Next, the
`customer transmits the advertising content on-line through
`the Internet, a direct phone line or a high speed connection
`(for example, ISDN or DSL) for receipt by the system’s
`Video & Still Image RevieW and Input module 70. In
`parallel, the system operator may provide public service
`announcements and other content to module 70. All content,
`Whether still image or video, is formatted in NTSC, PAL,
`SECAM, YUV, YC, VGA or other suitable formats.
`The video & still image revieW and input module 70
`permits a system security employee to conduct a content
`revieW to assure that all content meets the security and
`appropriateness standards established by the system, prior to
`the content being read to the server 100 associated With each
`display 30 Where the content being transmitted to the server
`100 Will be displayed. Preferably, the servers are located at
`their respective displays and each has a backup. An example
`of a suitable server is the IBM RISC 6000 server.
`The means for transmitting content information to the
`display locations may take a number of forms, With it being
`understood that any form, or combination thereof, may be
`utiliZed at various locations Within the netWork. As shoWn in
`FIG. 1, the means include:
`a. High speed cable
`b. Satellite
`c. Dedicated phone
`d. High speed line (e.g., ISDN)
`e. Cellular or PCS
`f. Internet
`g. Radio/radio pulse transmission
`h. High speed optical ?ber.
`A video converter/scaler function and a video controller
`function provided by module 110 may be utiliZed in con
`nection With those servers 100 and associated displays 30
`that require them, according to data transmission practices
`Well knoWn in the art.
`Veri?cation that advertisements do, in fact, run at the
`intended time at the intended displays may be provided by
`an information storage module (not shoWn) linked to each
`display. Another form of veri?cation may be achieved by a
`Digital Camera and Traf?c Count Recorder 120 that con
`tinuously records the content appearing at its respective
`display 30 and digitally transmits video veri?cation infor
`mation to a Veri?cation Archives module 150. Recorder 120
`also provides traffic count information (for example, 225
`vehicles passed the display While an advertisement ran) to
`veri?cation archives module 150.
`Information from veri?cation archives module 150 is
`utiliZed by a demographic analysis module 160 and a market
`analysis module 170 to generate information for reports to
`be sent to customers after their advertisements run. To this
`end, analysis data from modules 160 and 170 is transmitted
`to a Billing and Report Generation module 190 Where
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`Customer: ABC Cola Co.
`Ad Content:
`Ocean Scene With graphics
`(content code 1111)
`Atlanta, Georgia, Interstate
`75 N, milepost 125 (site code
`xxxx)
`Time: 7:30 AM, June 30, 2000
`Vehicle Count: 225
`VieWer Count: 340
`VieWer Demographics:
`'
`50% Resident Cobb
`County, GA
`Median household
`income: $60,000/yr.
`30% Resident DeKalb
`County, GA
`Median household
`income: $52,000/yr.
`20% Median household
`income $55,000/yr.
`$X
`
`Location:
`
`'
`
`'
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`Advertising Cost:
`
`For an advertisement that may have run at multiple displays,
`for example 100 displays, a representative report may appear
`as folloWs:
`
`Locations:
`
`Customer: ABC Cola Co.
`Ad Content: Mountain Scene With
`graphics (content code 2222)
`100 sites (site codes
`YYY....ZZZ)
`Time: 8:30 AM, July 10, 2000
`Total Vehicle Count: 21,500
`Total VieWer Count: 37,200
`VieWer Demographics: Median household
`income, $49,500
`$Y
`
`Advertising Cost:
`
`Module 190 also produces bills that may be transmitted
`by phone lines for a debit payment such as a direct bank
`draft, or other suitable payment mode.
`Referring to FIG. 2, there is shoWn a pictorial vieW of one
`preferred form for the electronic displays 30. In this
`embodiment, display 30 takes the form of a 23 feet by 331/2
`feet seamless ?at screen display including multiple ?at panel
`display modules. The panels utiliZe advanced semiconductor
`technology to provide high resolution, full color images
`utiliZing light emitting diodes (LED’s) With very high opti
`cal poWer (1.5—10 milliWatts or greater) that are aligned in
`an integrated array With each pixel having a red, green and
`blue LED. It Will be appreciated that multiple LED’s of a
`given color may be used at pixels to produce the desired
`light output; for example, three 1.5 milliWatt blue LED’s
`may be used to produce a 4.5 milliWatt blue light output.
`Each red, green and blue emitter is accessed With 24 bit
`resolution, providing 16.7 million colors for every pixel. An
`overall display of 23 feet by 331/2 feet, so constructed, has a
`high spatial resolution de?ned by approximately 172,000
`pixels at an optical poWer that is easily vieWable in bright
`sunlight. Suitable display modules for displays 30 are manu
`factured by Lighthouse Technologies of Hong Kong, China,
`under Model No. LV50 that utiliZe, for blue and green,
`
`

`
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`
`US 6,430,603 B2
`
`5
`InGaN LED’s fabricated on single crystalline Al2O3
`(sapphire) substrates and, for red, superbright AlInGaP
`LED’s fabricated on a suitable substrate such as GaP. These
`panels have a useful life in excess of 50,000 hours, for
`example, an expected life under the usage contemplated for
`network 20 of 150,000 to 200,000 hours and more. In
`preferred embodiments, the panels are cooled from the back
`of the displays, preferably via a refrigerant-based air con
`ditioning system (not shoWn) such as a forced air system or
`a thermal convection or conduction system. Non refrigerant
`based options may be used in locations Where they produce
`satisfactory cooling. The displays preferably have a very
`Wide vieWing angle, for example, 160°.
`While the Lighthouse Technologies displays utiliZe the
`InGaN on sapphire and AlInGaP on GaP LEDIs described
`above, other materials may be used for the LED’s as
`folloWs:
`1. (Blue/green) InGaN on SiC, preferably With a suitable
`buffer layer such as AlN
`2. (Blue/green) InGaN on GaN
`3. (Blue/green) InGaN on AlN, preferably With a suitable
`buffer layer such as AlN.
`It Will be appreciated that the InGaN on sapphire and the
`other solid state LED’s described above have substrates With
`high optical transmissivity and produce very high optical
`poWer. This is important for a number of reasons, including
`giving the electronic display designers the ability to create
`very Wide vieWing angles up to approximately 160°, and the
`resultant increase in visibility of the displays to vieWers in
`oncoming traf?c.
`In addition to the particular solid state LED’s mentioned
`above, the discrete sources of blue, green and red light at
`each pixel may take other forms such as composite devices
`including an ultraviolet LED that is utiliZed to excite a
`phosphor that, in turn, produces light of a selected spectrum.
`The ultraviolet LED may be a GaN on sapphire or GaN on
`SiC device, preferably With a suitable buffer layer. In one
`embodiment, ultraviolet LED’s are incorporated into three
`different composite devices, each With a different phosphor
`for producing blue, green and red, respectively. In another
`embodiment, a phosphor is selected to produce White light
`and a desired color is produced by passing the White light
`through a narroW band pass ?lter. According to this White
`light embodiment, ?lters of blue, green and red may be used
`to create discrete composite devices that produce blue, green
`and red light at each pixel. The use of White light With
`appropriate narroW band pass ?lters has the advantage of
`producing a colored light With an excellent Wave length
`distribution that Will not change appreciably over time, a
`desirable property for color balancing. On the other hand,
`the use of three different phosphors to directly produce blue,
`green and red Without a ?lter has the advantage of higher
`ef?ciency because light is not ?ltered out. Both approaches
`have the advantage of excellent persistence Which, as knoWn
`in the art, is a desirable feature that is especially important
`in video applications.
`It Will be appreciated that energy sources other than
`ultraviolet LED’s may be used to excite the phosphors of the
`composite devices discussed immediately above.
`The provision of one or more high resolution, highly
`aligned digital cameras at each display site, for example the
`camera or cameras utiliZed in digital camera and traf?c
`counter 120, or other speci?cally dedicated cameras, pro
`vides a means permitting diagnostics and calibration of the
`displays. As knoWn in the art, certain digital cameras have
`a resolution of over 7,000,000 pixels—as compared to
`approximately 172,000 pixels on the above-described
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`23x331/z ft. display. Thus, by directing a digital camera at a
`display, or directing multiple digital cameras at different
`discrete portions of a display, a correspondence may be
`attained Where a portion of each digital camera’s image
`corresponds to a single pixel in the display. At selected times
`set aside for diagnostics and calibration, such as a ?ve
`minute period each night, the entire display may be run red,
`then green, then blue, folloWed by White, all at multiple
`poWer levels. In the most basic diagnostic operation carried
`out When the display is run red/green/blue, the camera(s),
`mounted at a selected distance from the display such as sixty
`feet aWay, are capable of detecting nonfunctioning or exces
`sively degraded LED’s for replacement.
`Beyond replacing defective LED’s, each night the system
`may automatically re-calibrate all LED’s in the display. To
`this end, the display is run red/green/blue at several iterative
`poWer levels (e.g., 20%/40%/60%/80%/100%) and the opti
`cal poWer output of each LED is sensed for each poWer
`level, With the goal being to calibrate the system so that each
`red, green or blue LED has the same optical poWer output at
`each poWer level as do the other LED’s of the same color.
`Calibration is achieved by diode recalibration scaler soft
`Ware that may be associated With the video converter/scaler
`at 110 (FIG. 1). The diode recalibration scaler receives
`information from the diagnostic equipment indicating the
`optical poWer output of each LED at the various poWer
`levels and, through an associated automatic calibration LED
`look-up table, accounts for daily variance in LED output
`(degradation or increase) by adjusting the poWer curve by
`Which the LED Will be driven the next day.
`As an alternative to using digital cameras for the diag
`nostic function, in other embodiments miniature photodector
`chips, With or Without ?lters, may be located in close
`proximity to each LED in the display for measuring LED
`light output during diagnostic/calibration operations.
`When the diagnostic operation operates With an all White
`display, the three LED’s at each pixel may be evaluated
`individually and collectively to assure that the pixel is
`contributing the proper spectrum and amount of White light.
`Through a diagnostic/calibration softWare package that
`interrelates output and peak Wave length response for each
`red/green/blue LED at a pixel to the desired White light
`response, an iterative calibration may be undertaken at each
`pixel to correctly bias the drivers and thereby assure correct
`output.
`It Will be appreciated that split screen images may be
`displayed at the displays 30. In the simplest application, a
`still image advertisement may be one half corporate logo
`and one half scenery. Beyond this simple application, split
`screen capability may be used to present a portion of the
`image as a corporate logo, or the like, and the remainder
`either real time (or near real time) video or still frame. For
`example, a previously quali?ed customer With acceptable
`internal content revieW procedures may have direct access to
`a display or displays for the purpose of displaying a real time
`(or near real time) sports event, neWs event, or the like, in
`conjunction With the customer’s corporate logo. This display
`may be achieved by utiliZing high speed servers 100 or by
`bypassing the servers altogether. High speed still image or
`video transfer may be facilitated by compression techniques
`such as JPEG and MPEG II, knoWn in the art.
`While advertising scheduling and purchasing may take
`place as described above Where customers directly purchase
`time from available slots according to a ?xed fee schedule,
`it Will be appreciated that alternative modes may be used.
`For example, an auction system such as introduced by eBay
`Corporation may be used Where all available slots are
`
`

`
`Case: 1:16-cv-05673 Document #: 1-3 Filed: 05/27/16 Page 8 of 12 PageID #:55
`
`US 6,430,603 B2
`
`7
`auctioned (a “total” auction). Additionally, a limited auction
`may be utilized Where time may be purchased and booked
`for a set price, but all time not purchased at the set price
`becomes available through auction at a ?xed time before the
`run time, for example, one month before run time. As
`another alternative for a portion of the available time slots,
`a high usage customer may establish a monthly advertising
`budget With the system operator that authoriZes the operator
`to select the time slots for display of the customer’s adver
`tisements at “best available rate” pricing, taking advantage
`of last minute availability of time slots and other time slot
`placement techniques that enable the operator to more
`completely utiliZe the netWork. This or similar time slot
`placement practices When used for a portion of the available
`time slots may be implemented by a softWare package that
`takes into account the needs of both the customer and the
`system operator.
`It Will be appreciated that advertising content information
`may be transmitted to the electronic display locations by
`physically delivering an information storage device such as
`CD ROM, Zip drive or DVD RAM to the location in those
`cases Where the location may be remote, or for other reasons.
`While the present invention has been described With
`reference to speci?c embodiments, it Will be appreciated that
`modi?cations may be made Without departing from the true
`spirit and scope of the invention.
`I claim:
`1. A system permitting commercial advertisers to directly
`place video or still image advertisements at selected times
`and locations on a netWork of multiple electronic displays,
`said system comprising:
`a netWork including a plurality of electronic displays
`located in high traf?c areas such as areas of high
`vehicular traffic, indoor and outdoor areas With high
`pedestrian traf?c, movie theaters, restaurants, sports
`arenas and casinos;
`at least one central information processing station includ
`mg:
`means permitting commercial advertising customers of
`the system to revieW a schedule of times and elec
`tronic display locations that are available for place
`ment of advertisements and permitting customers to
`purchase available times at desired electronic display
`locations for placement of their advertising content;
`means for receiving customer transmitted video or still
`image advertising content;
`means for transmitting the advertising content received
`from the customer to the customer-selected elec
`tronic display location; and
`means for driving each selected electronic display to
`display the customer’s advertising content at the
`customer-selected time.
`2. The system of claim 1 Wherein at least a substantial
`number of electronic displays are LED displays.
`3. The system of claim 2 Wherein each electronic display
`has its oWn dedicated server that receives advertising con
`tent information from the central information processing
`station and drives its respective electronic display to display
`the customer’s advertising content at the customer-selected
`time.
`4. The system of claim 1 Wherein the mode of transmis
`sion for said means for transmitting the advertising content
`to the customer-selected electronic display is selected from
`the group consisting of high speed cable, satellite, dedicated
`phone, high speed line (e.g., ISDN), cellular, Internet, radio/
`radio pulse transmission and high speed optical ?ber.
`5. The system of claim 1 Wherein said central information
`processing system includes a customer interface Web server
`permitting public Internet access to the system.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
`
`55
`
`65
`
`8
`6. The system of claim 1 including means for permitting
`revieW of customer advertising content before the content is
`transmitted to the customer-selected electronic display.
`7. The system of claim 1 including means for generating
`a bill for the advertising time.
`8. The system of claim 1 including means for generating
`a report to be sent to the customer con?rming that an
`advertisement has run as ordered.
`9. The system of claim 8 Wherein said means for gener
`ating a report serves to generate demographic or market
`analysis.
`10. The system of claim 1 Wherein at least a substantial
`number of said electronic displays have associated cameras.
`11. A system providing video or still image advertise
`ments at selected times and locations on a netWork of
`multiple electronic displays, said system comprising:
`a netWork including a plurality of electronic displays
`located in high traf?c areas such as areas of high
`vehicular traf?c, indoor and outdoor areas With high
`pedestrian traf?c, movie theaters, restaurants, sports
`arenas and casinos;
`at least one central information processing station includ
`ing:
`means permitting advertising customers of the system
`to purchase time slots at selected electronic display
`locations for display of their advertising content;
`means for transmitting customer advertising content to
`the selected electronic display locations; and
`means for driving the electronic display at each
`selected location to display the customer’s advertis
`ing content at the selected time.
`12. A method of providing video or still image advertise
`ments at selected times and locations on a network of
`multiple electronic displays that are located in high traf?c
`areas such as areas of high vehicular traf?c, indoor and
`outdoor areas With high pedestrian traf?c, movie theaters,
`restaurants, sports arenas and casinos;
`permitting advertising customers of the system to pur
`chase time slots at selected electronic display locations
`for display of their advertising content;
`transmitting customer advertising content to the selected
`electronic display locations; and
`driving the electronic display at each selected location to
`display the customer’s advertising content at the
`selected time.
`13. Asystem for presenting video or still-image content at
`selected times and locations on a netWorked connection of
`multiple electronic displays, said system comprising:
`a netWork interconnecting a plurality of electronic dis
`plays provided at various geographic locations;
`means for scheduling the presentation of video or still
`image content at selected time slots on selected elec
`tronic displays of said netWork and receiving said video
`or still-image content from a content provider;
`transmission means in communication With said receiving
`means for communicating scheduled content to respec
`tive server devices associated With corresponding
`selected electronic displays of said netWork, each said
`associated device initiating display of said video or
`still-image content at selected times on a corresponding
`selected electronic display of said netWork.
`14. The system as claimed in claim 13, Wherein said
`geographic locations include public areas including one or
`more selected from the group comprising: areas of vehicular
`traffic, indoor and outdoor areas With pedestrian traf?c,
`movie theaters, restaurants, spor