System for placement of content on electronic billboard displays

Abstract

Commercial advertisers, such as consumer product companies and the advertising agents that represent them, directly access a network of thousands of large, high resolution electronic displays 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.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
     
     
         13 . A system providing commercial advertisers the opportunity to place video or still image advertisements at selected locations on a network of multiple electronic displays, the system comprising: 
 a network comprising a plurality of electronic displays located in traffic areas;    at least one central information processing station comprising: 
 a scheduling module configured for advertising customers of the system to review a schedule of one or both of times and electronic display locations that are available for placement of advertisements, wherein the scheduling module is further configured to receive an order to purchase placement of advertising content on selected electronic displays of the plurality of electronic displays,  
 a receiving module configured to receive customer advertising content, and  
 a distribution module configured to distribute the advertising content received from the customer to the selected electronic displays;  
   wherein the scheduling module is further configured to direct each selected electronic display to display the customer's advertising content in accordance with the order.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electronic displays are LED displays.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein each electronic LED display comprises a dedicated server that receives advertising content information from the central information processing station and drives its respective electronic display to display the customer's advertising content in accordance with the order.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the central information processing system includes a customer interface web server providing Internet access to the system.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a billing module configured to generate a bill for the order.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the receiving module is configured to receive customer advertising content directly from the customer using a customer interface web server providing Internet access to the system.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the scheduling module is further configured for advertising customers of the system to review a schedule of specific time slots display locations are available for placement of advertisements.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the advertising customers include an owner of one of the electronic displays.  
     
     
         21 . A method of providing video or still image advertisements at selected locations on a network of multiple electronic displays that are located in traffic areas, the method comprising: 
 providing advertising customers of the system the opportunity to order display of advertising content at selected electronic display locations;    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 in accordance with the order.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising generating a bill in accordance with the order.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein providing advertising customers of the system the opportunity to order display of advertising content at selected electronic display locations comprises providing a Web-based customer interface.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein transmitting customer advertising content to the selected electronic display locations comprises sending the advertising content to the selected electronic displays using an Internet protocol.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein transmitting customer advertising content to the selected electronic display locations comprises sending the advertising content to the selected electronic displays using wireless communications.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein driving the electronic display comprises driving a plurality of LEDs.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the advertising customers include an owner of one of the electronic displays.  
     
     
         28 . A system providing commercial advertisers the opportunity to place video or still image advertisements at selected locations on a network of multiple electronic displays, the system comprising: 
 means for providing advertising customers of the system the opportunity to order display of advertising content at selected electronic display locations;    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 advertising content in accordance with the order.    
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , comprising means for generating a bill in accordance with the order.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , comprising means for sending the advertising content to the selected electronic displays using an Internet protocol.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , comprising means for sending the advertising content to the selected electronic displays using wireless communications.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the means for driving the electronic display at each selected location comprises means for driving LEDs.