System and method for selling advertising space on electronic billboards over the Internet

Abstract

Electronic billboards, which may be indoor or outdoor are located in various geographical areas. Associated with each billboard is a web address. A client desiring to display information, such as an advertisement, on any selected electronic billboard can upload the information over the Internet to the server implementing the billboard website. The client can select the time and duration for the information to be displayed, and can even purchase the display time using a credit card or through the use of some other type of account.

1 .- 26 . (canceled)  
   
   
       27 . A method for displaying information on an electronic display, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving over a network, information and a designation of a target display; and    sending the first information over the Internet to the designated target display, wherein the information is accompanied with a time when the information is to be displayed on the designated target display.    
   
   
       28 . A method for displaying information on an electronic display, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving over a network, information and a designation of a target display; and    sending the information over a second network to the designated target display, wherein the information is accompanied with a time when the information is to be displayed on the designated target display, wherein the first and second networks are part of the Internet.    
   
   
       29 . A method for displaying information on an electronic display, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving, over a first network, first information and a designation of a first target display; and    sending the first information over a second network to the first designated target display, wherein the first information is accompanied with a time when the first information is to be displayed on the first designated target display,    wherein the first designated target display is selected from one of a plurality of target displays to which the first information could be designated, and wherein the first and second networks are part of the Internet.    
   
   
       30 . The method as recited in  claim 29 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving, over the first network, second information and a designation of a second target display; and    sending the second information over the second network to the second designated target display.    
   
   
       31 . The method as recited in  claim 29 , wherein the receiving step the first information is accompanied with a designation of a second target display, and further comprising the step of sending the first information over the second network to the second designated target display.  
   
   
       32 . A method for uploading content to an electronic display, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving content;    receiving a designation of a target display device to display the content; and    receiving a designation of a time that the target display device is to display the content,    wherein the second receiving step further comprises the steps of: 
 outputting information on whether the target display device is available to display the content;  
 permitting a selection of the target display device if it is available to display the content; and  
 preventing a selection of the target display device if it is not available to display the content.  
   
   
   
       33 . A method for uploading content to an electronic display, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving content;    receiving a designation of a target display device to display the content; and    receiving a designation of a time that the target display device is to display the content,    wherein the third receiving step further comprises the steps of: 
 outputting information on date and time availability of the target display device to display the content;  
 permitting a selection of the target display device at a selected date and time if the target display device is available to display the content at the selected date and time; and  
 preventing a selection of the target display device at the selected date and time if the target display device is not available to display the content at the selected date and time.