HK1091936A - Electronic display device for floor advertising/messaging - Google Patents

Description

Electronic display device for floor advertisement and information distribution

Reference to related applications

This application claims benefit from 35 USC portion 119(e) of U.S. provisional application 60/448,598 filed on 20/2/2003.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic display device, and more particularly, to an electronic display device used on a floor of a commercial facility.

Background

It is common to play advertisements and distribute information using a display device mounted on a wall or ceiling. On the other hand, one type of space that has had great potential for advertising and information distribution, but has been largely overlooked, is floor space.

In the past, attempts have been made to utilize floor space for advertising. Like the well-known glued (i.e. "stuck-on") floor decals. Such decals may include colored pictures and may convey some advertising information (e.g., "drink cola"). However, such advertising media have limitations: the information is static and not easily changed. On the other hand, U.S. patent 6,417,778, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes a modifiable electronic display device that, in combination with a floor, enables images and text to be easily changed, and that enables advertising information to be quickly adapted and effectively targeted to desired customers.

However, the aforementioned modifiable electronic display device (e.g., static floor decal) is substantially planar with the floor and therefore must occupy a certain amount of floor area. In commercial establishments where floor space is at a premium, merchants seeking to obtain the benefits of floor advertising may face a non-pleasing alternative between utilizing floor space to set up shelves or distribute advertising/information.

In view of this, the inventors have recognized that: in many commercial establishments, floor space exists that is not utilized in any meaningful way, and most floor space is used only to collect dust. This is a space under the shelf, but is usually open to view, and this space is often referred to as the "kick space". More precisely, the inventors have seen that: in most commercial shelving, there is a gap or kick space between the floor and the bottom of the shelf (e.g., under the bottom of the shelf) that is largely unused. Embodiments of the present invention are therefore directed to a novel system and method for efficiently exploiting this unutilized space for dynamic electronic advertising and information distribution.

Brief description of the drawings

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an electronic display device according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the electronic display device at least partially received within the kick space of a merchandise shelf;

FIG. 3 illustrates electronic components associated with the electronic display device;

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the electronic display device of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates the embodiment of the electronic display device shown in FIG. 4 at least partially received within a kick space of a merchandise shelf;

FIG. 6 shows another alternative embodiment of the electronic display device of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows an enlarged version of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate the embodiment of the electronic display device shown in FIG. 6 at least partially received within the kick space of a merchandise shelf;

10-15 show various views of another embodiment of an electronic display device in relation to a floor covering;

FIG. 16 shows an electronic display device associated with an audio device positioned within the kick space of a merchandise shelf;

FIG. 17 illustrates a plurality of electronic display devices positioned within the kick space of a merchandise shelf and associated with a plurality of audio devices;

fig. 18 shows an example of an apparatus for locally configuring an electronic display device having arbitrary content; and

fig. 19-21 illustrate various examples of systems for remotely configuring multiple electronic display devices over a network.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic display device for use at the bottom of a merchandise shelf, i.e., a shelf bottom for a commercial establishment such as a grocery store or other retail store, which is primarily intended to store goods or products for display and sale to the public. More specifically, the electronic display device may be at least partially received within the kick space of the merchandise shelf and display any content (including at least graphical and alphanumeric information) that is electronically modifiable. It can be expected that: the content will typically be advertising or promotional content relating to goods and products on shelves above or near the electronic display device or elsewhere within the commercial establishment. For example, the display device may play sales events and prices, provide product descriptions, guide customers to specific locations within a commercial establishment, and the like.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the electronic display device may be associated with an audio device. The audio device may be incorporated within the electronic display device or may be disposed in proximity thereto. The audio device may be operable to output sound content corresponding to the display content.

According to another embodiment, there may be a plurality of electronic display devices and associated audio devices disposed within a commercial establishment. The desired content may be configured separately for the electronic display device and associated audio device, whether locally or remotely. For example, an electronic display device may be configured locally by performing some operation on the device itself (e.g., by manually connecting an input/output port of the device to a storage device containing digital data for downloading the digital data to the display device). In addition, multiple electronic display devices and associated audio devices may be networked together, and content may be downloaded to the electronic display devices and audio devices from a central control point.

Fig. 1 shows an electronic display device 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. In keeping with the contemplated application, the electronic display device 100 may be shaped and sized for the kick space of a merchandise shelf. Fig. 2 shows a front view of a merchandise shelf 205, such as is commonly used in grocery stores or other retail outlets, for storing and displaying items for sale to the public. As discussed previously, most such commercial shelving has a kick space, such as space 202 between the lower surface 201 of the shelf and the floor 203. As discussed further above, in contemplating the present invention, the inventors have recognized that: space 202 represents unused space within a grocery store or commercial establishment. An example of a typical dimension of the space 202 is a maximum height H_sAbout 12 inches, maximum depth D_sAbout 36 inches, and a length L_sAt least 12 inches (between H and H)_sAnd D_sAll in a vertical direction).

The concept of kick space is not limited to pallets. Fig. 2 is also intended to illustrate any type of structure (e.g., a counter) capable of forming a ledge or upper ledge above the space 202 between the lower surface 201 and the floor.

Therefore, in order to effectively utilize the space 202, the electronic display device includes a case 101 and an elongated display area 110 combined with the case. Here, "case" refers to any structure or material used to frame, support, or provide a physical medium for the display area 110. The display area 110 may be smaller than the area of the front surface 111 of the case. On the other hand, the display area 110 may be spatially coextensive with the front surface 111 of the housing (i.e., occupy virtually the entire surface area of the front surface 111 of the housing). The display area 110 includes an upper edge 102 and a lower edge 103. The housing additionally has a bottom or lower surface 104. The length L of the housing and corresponding display area may be at least twice the height H of the housing and corresponding display area.

Fig. 2 includes a cross-sectional view of the electronic display system 100. As shown, the electronic display system 100 may be at least partially received within a space 202 between a lower surface 201 of a shelf 205 and a floor 203. To comply with application requirements, the length L of the housing 101 and corresponding display area 110 may be between 10 and 80 inches, with a desirable length of between 20 and 40 inches. The height H of the housing 101 and corresponding display area 110 may be between 2 and 8 inches, with a desirable height of between 4 and 6 inches. It is noted that the illustrated gap between the housing 101 and the lower surface 201 is only one possible configuration. In other possible configurations, the gap may be smaller or larger, or the case 101 may be in contact with or abut the lower surface 201. The electronic display device may be placed directly or indirectly on the floor. By "directly" it is meant that the bottom of the tank is in contact with or adjacent to the floor. By "indirect" it is meant that some object (such as a cushion or platform for cushioning or support, or legs, or feet, or other similar objects) is inserted between the housing and the floor.

At least a portion of the bottom 104 of the housing 101 is no more than 3 inches from the lower edge 103 of the display area 110. Therefore, when the electronic display device 100 is placed directly on the floor, at least a portion of the lower edge 103 is no more than 3 inches from the floor. At least a portion of the upper edge 102 of the display area is no more than 8 inches from the lower edge 103. The electronic display device 100 is portable and self-contained, but this does not preclude its being attached to a floor or to a shelf in some way.

The electronic display device may be used to display arbitrary content. As mentioned above, it is expected that: in the most common application, the content will be an advertisement or promotion, but may be any desired content. For example, the content may include a product description and a price. Fig. 3 shows one possible configuration for causing arbitrary content to be displayed. The display area 110 may be connected to an electronic unit 311 comprising a programmable control device 312, while the programmable control device 312 is connected to a storage medium 313. The control device 312 may comprise any type of electronic logic circuitry, such as a general purpose microprocessor with configurable software or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit). The driver of the electronic display device may be integrated with the control device or embedded in an ASIC. The storage medium 313 may be any form of medium suitable for storing digital data, including flash memory or other non-volatile solid state electronic memory, EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory), or magnetic or optical disk storage. The electronic component 311 may be connected to a power source 321.

The electronic unit 111 further comprises an input/output port 318, such as a USB (universal serial bus) port, which input/output port 318 is connectable to a source external to the video and/or audio content 315 via a wired or wireless connection 317. It is most advantageous that the video/audio content 315 is present in digital form, so that it can be easily downloaded to the storage medium 313 and the video/audio content 315 is displayed on the display area 110 under the control of the control means 312 as configured by the user, according to embodiments of the present invention. The video/audio content 315 may include control software or the control software may be provided from a different source. The control software may be loaded into the storage medium 313 and executed by the control means 312, for example in order to execute a schedule for changing the displayed content. For example, the control device 312 may be programmed to execute a scheduling algorithm to access stored video/audio files in a predetermined order according to a list of identifiers in a look-up table. In order to change the displayed content, the known video/audio files accessed by the particular identifier may be replaced with new content without updating the scheduling algorithm. Conversely, without modifying the scheduling algorithm or the file contents, the order in which the files are displayed can be changed by merely modifying the look-up table. Of course, both the checklist and the video/audio files may be modified to change the schedule of the displayed content without changing the scheduling algorithm.

If the video/audio content 315 is in digital form, the video/audio content 315 may be stored, for example, on a memory disk or CD-ROM (compact disk read Only). The video/audio content 315 may take any form. For example, video/audio content 315 may be stored on video tape. Thus, the control electronics 311 may be further connected to an input/output device 319, the input/output device 319 being adapted to input video/audio content, regardless of the form in which it is input. Thus, the input/output device 319 may comprise a tape player, disk drive/reader, CD-ROM drive/reader, or the like, and may receive video/audio content 315 for display in the display area 110. In addition, the input/output device 319 may include a capability to process video/audio content in the form of TV signals, either broadcast or via a closed-circuit system. The electronics 311 may additionally be coupled to an audio device 314 for outputting audio content.

A user interface 320 can be coupled to the electronics 311 to allow a user to configure the electronics 311 as desired. The user interface may include, for example, a keyboard, a mouse and a video monitor, a manually operated control panel (e.g., a button panel), or both. For example, a user can configure the electronic component 311 using the interface 320 by: loading control software into the storage medium 313 by means of the input/output device 319 is executed by the control device 312; and/or using a manually operated control panel with inputs such as on/off, display mode options, and the like. Any video/audio content 315 may be displayed on the display area 110 depending on input entered by the user through the user interface 320. The display area 110 of the electronic display device 100 may be implemented using any known technology or system. For example, the display area may be displayed as follows: liquid Crystal (LCD), Light Emitting Diode (LED), Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED), plasma or Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) technology, light emitting polymer, electronic ink, electronic paper, either alone or in any combination. The inventors have observed that: the space 202 is typically somewhat dark, since the lower surface 201 blocks light from above. This dim place provides a good contrast for the display area 110.

The display area 110 is capable of displaying at least alphanumeric data and graphical images. The content may include alphanumeric data alone, graphical images (e.g., pictures) alone, or a combination of both, which may be static, dynamic, or both, corresponding to the selected video content. For example, dynamic alphanumeric data and images may be scrolled. The alphanumeric data and the graphic images may be black and white or in color. Further, the display area 110 may include more than one display, that is, the display area may be partitioned according to content. For example, the display area may include two or more different "windows," each displaying different content. Such a display partition is well known, for example, in the multi-screen television sector and through the widespread use of various imaging software applications (including the ubiquitous "Windows" software of Microsoft ).

The electronic components 311 and associated devices (including the audio device 314, the user interface 320, and the input/output device 319) may be housed, in whole or in part, by the housing 101 of the electronic display device 100, or may be entirely external. In addition, although fig. 3 is described above with the embodiment of the electronic display device 100 of fig. 1 as an illustrative example, it should be appreciated that: the electronic component 311 or similar components and associated devices may be combined, connected or otherwise connected with any of the embodiments herein referred to by the general term "electronic display device".

Fig. 4 shows one of the alternative embodiments of the present invention. The electronic display device 400 of fig. 4 includes a housing 401 and an elongated display area 410 associated with the housing. The display area 410 may be co-extensive or reduced in space with the front surface 411 of the housing. The display area 410 includes an upper edge 402 and a lower edge 403. The housing also has a bottom or lower surface 404. The length L of the housing and corresponding display area 410 may be at least twice the height H of the housing and corresponding display area. Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a commercial shelving 205 with kick space 202, including an electronic display device 400. As shown in fig. 5, the electronic display device 400 may be at least partially received within the space 202 between the lower surface 201 of the shelf 205 and the floor 203. The length L of the housing 401 and corresponding display area may be between 10 and 80 inches, with a length of between 20 and 40 inches being desirable. The height H of the housing 401 and corresponding display area may be between 2 and 8 inches, with a desirable height of between 4 and 6 inches. At least a portion of the bottom 404 of the housing 401 may be no more than 3 inches from the lower surface 403 of the display area 410. Therefore, when the electronic display device 400 is placed directly on the floor 203, at least a portion of the lower edge 403 is no more than 3 inches from the floor. At least a portion of the upper edge 402 of the display area is no more than 8 inches from the lower edge 403. The electronic display device 400 is portable and self-contained, but this does not preclude its being attached to the floor or to a shelf in some way. As shown in fig. 5, at least a portion of the display area 410 is slanted for easier viewing.

Fig. 6 shows another possible embodiment. As can be seen in fig. 6, the housing and the corresponding display area of the electronic display device do not need to have the same or a single shape as in fig. 1 and 4, but may instead comprise a plurality of portions of mutually different sizes. For example, the electronic display device 600 includes three portions of different sizes that are respectively joined together: a first portion 602, a second portion 603, and a third portion 604. The second portion 603 constitutes a module located close to the center with respect to the first and third portions 602 and 604, and the first and third portions 602 and 604 constitute modules positioned on both sides with respect to the center module 603. Each of the first, second and third portions 602, 603 and 604 has a bottom or lower surface 612, 613 and 614.

Fig. 7 shows more details of the electronic display device 600. Housing 601 and the corresponding overall display areas 706, 708, and 712 have an overall length L1. The overall length L1 may be at least twice the height H1 of the housing 601 and the respective display areas.

More specifically, height H1 of second portion 603 is greater than height H2 of first portion 602, and width W2 of second portion 603 is greater than width W1 of first portion 602. On the other hand, length L2 of first portion 602 is greater than length L3 of second portion 603. The height H2 and width W3 of the third portion 604 are less than the height H1 and width W2 of the second portion 603, while the length L4 of the third portion 604 is greater than the length L3 of the second portion 603. The third portion 604 may be substantially the same size as the first portion 602. The electronic display device may additionally include a separately hinged bottom 714.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing an electronic display device 600 at least partially received within the kick space 202 of a merchandise shelf 202 between the lower shelf surface 201 and the floor 203. Fig. 9 includes a cross-sectional view of an electronic display device 600 at least partially disposed within the space 202. Consistent with this application, the overall length L1 of the housing 601 and corresponding overall display area may be between 10 and 80 inches, with a length of between 20 and 40 inches being desirable. The lengths L2 and L4 of lateral portions 602 and 604 plus corresponding display areas 706 and 712 of housing 601, respectively, may be between 6 and 30 inches, with a desired length of between 6 and 15 inches. The length L3 of the central portion 603 and the corresponding display area 708 may be between 4 and 20 inches. The height H1 of the housing 601 and the respective display areas may be between 2 and 8 inches, with a desirable height of between 4 and 6 inches.

Referring now to fig. 7, the display area 706 of the first portion 602 has a lower edge 707 and an upper edge 705. The display area 706 may be co-extensive with the front surface 722 of the first portion or reduced in size. The display area 708 of the second portion 603 has a lower edge 709 and an upper edge 710. The display area 708 may be spatially coextensive with or demagnified by the front surface 733 of the second portion 603. The display area 712 of the third portion 604 has a lower edge 713 and an upper edge 711. The display area 712 may be spatially coextensive with the front face 744 of the third portion 604 or reduced. At least a portion of the bottom 612, 613, 614 or 714 is no more than 3 inches from at least a portion of at least one of the lower edges 707, 709 and 713 of at least the display areas 706, 708, 712. Therefore, when the electronic display device 600 is placed directly on the floor, at least a portion of at least one of the lower edges 707, 709, and 713 is no more than 3 inches from the floor 203. At least a portion of at least one of the upper edges 705, 710, and 711 of each display area is no more than 8 inches from the corresponding lower edge. The electronic display device 600 is portable and freestanding, but this does not preclude its being attached to a floor or to a shelf in some way.

Display areas 706, 708 and 712 show an example of possible content, specifically advertising or promotional content, where the alphanumeric information "buy $100 of groceries and possibly win the car" is information relating to, supplementing and appending the graphic image of the car.

Fig. 10 illustrates an electronic display device 1000 according to another embodiment of the invention. Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of an electronic display device 1000 in combination with a floor covering 1005. The electronic display device 1000 and the floor covering 1005 may be permanently attached to each other, may be made so as to be easily separable or re-attachable to each other, or otherwise associated. The electronic display device 1000 includes a housing 1001 and an elongated display area 1010 integrated with the housing. The display area 1010 may be coextensive with the front surface 1011 of the housing or reduced. The display area 1010 includes an upper edge 1002 and a lower edge 1003.

The floor covering 1005 may be removable or attachable to the floor. At a pivot point 1004, the electronic display device 1000 is rotatably attached to a floor covering 1003, the inclination of which with respect to the floor is adjustable, or substantially perpendicular to the floor. The fulcrum 1004 may be implemented by a hinge, for example. Fig. 11 and 12 are side elevation views illustrating the range of angles at which the electronic display device 1000 can be positioned relative to a floor or floor covering 1005. For example, as shown in fig. 11, the electronic display device 1000 may be disposed in a first position 1111, at which first position 1111 the electronic display device 1000 is substantially perpendicular, i.e., perpendicular to the floor covering 1005 at a substantially right angle; alternatively, as shown in fig. 12, the electronic display device 1000 may be rotated to a second position 1212, where the electronic display device 1000 is substantially horizontal, i.e., substantially in a common plane with the floor covering 1005, at the second position 1212. Additionally, the electronic display device 1000 may be placed between the positions 1111 and 1212 at any angle. The electronic display device 1000 may be relatively thin and light such that when it is attached to the floor covering 1005, the floor covering provides a stable support for the electronic display device. Alternatively, the floor covering 1005 may be secured, adhered, welded, or otherwise attached to the floor, which also helps to provide a stable support for the electronic display device 1000.

Fig. 13 illustrates a side elevation view of the electronic display device 1000 at least partially received in the space 202 between the floor 203 and the lower surface 201 of the merchandise rack 200. As shown in fig. 13, the electronic display device 1000 may be tilted to an angle for easy viewing. Consistent with its application, the electronic display device 1000 may have dimensions within the space 202 similar to those described above in connection with other embodiments of the electronic display device. That is, referring to FIG. 10, an electronic display device 1000 may have a housing 1001 and a corresponding display area 1010 with a length L that is at least twice as large as the height H of the housing and the corresponding display area. The length L of the housing 1001 and corresponding display area 1010 may be between 10 and 80 inches, with a length of between 20 and 40 inches being desirable. The height H of the housing 1001 and corresponding display area 1010 may be between 2 and 8 inches, with a desirable height of between 4 and 6 inches. When the electronic display device 1000 is placed directly on the floor 203, at least a portion of the lower edge 1003 of the display area 1010 is no more than 3 inches from the floor 203. At least a portion of the upper edge 1002 of the display area is no more than 8 inches from the lower edge 1003.

As previously mentioned, the electronic display device 1000 may be associated with a floor covering 1005. In an embodiment, the floor covering 1005 includes graphical and/or alphanumeric information that may be presented in a static format or a dynamic (e.g., scrolling or otherwise moving or changing) format. For example, a floor covering may be comprised of "decals" affixed to the floor that convey some sort of pictorial advertising information or other information. Alternatively, the floor covering itself may include a modifiable electronic display that is substantially flat and planar with the floor and configured to be walked over as described in U.S. Pat. No.6,417,778, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

For example, when used in a commercial setting, the floor covering 1005 may not be connected to the electronic display device 1000, but rather be adjacent, proximate, or in close proximity to the electronic display device 1000. The content (such as alphanumeric information and/or images) displayed on the floor covering 1005 may be in addition to or in addition to the content displayed on the associated electronic display device 1000. Therefore, the scope of "associated with the floor covering" with respect to the electronic display device 1000 includes not only embodiments in which the electronic display device and the floor covering are physically connected to each other, but also embodiments in which the electronic display device and the floor covering are not physically connected to each other, but are adjacent, proximate or in close proximity to each other or both display related content. Any of the various possible embodiments of the electronic display device described herein (i.e., electronic display devices 100, 400, 600), or within the scope of the present invention as defined in the claims, may be associated with a floor covering in the foregoing sense.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of an electronic display device and a floor covering incorporating related content. In fig. 10, the content of the display area 1010 includes an advertisement 1007, and the advertisement 1007 displays a graphic image with a person and a sentence, "buy milk? ". The associated floor covering 1005 shown in fig. 10, in conjunction with the electronic display, includes associated content 1008 (an image of a sentence, "buy milk.

Similarly, FIG. 14 shows a floor covering 1005 with content 1408, the content 1408 including a brand name of "Pampers^TM", and the display area 1010 of the electronic display device 1000 includes supplemental or additional content 1407, the content 1407 being content relating to a selling price of a product shown in the floor covering. The embodiment of fig. 14 shows an example in which the electronic display device and the floor covering are not adhered to each other but are very close to each other. FIG. 14 also shows that the electronic display device 1000 may include a separate and connected unitA base 1414 is incorporated so that the electronic display device is self-contained and can rotate about the pivot point 1004. At least a portion of the bottom 1414 is no more than 3 inches from the lower edge 1003.

The floor covering 1005 may be made in any type of structure or may comprise any material or materials suitable for a person to walk. In embodiments, the floor covering may be made as a "cushion pad" similar to devices commonly used on table tops to create countertops, but in this case, a static decal or advertisement is placed thereon. For example, the cushioning padding may be made of: leather, vinyl, plastic, rubber, or other similar materials. In other embodiments, the floor covering 1005 may function, at least in part, as a shoe polishing device, and may include a water and dirt removing or absorbing surface and a non-slip surface. However, the floor covering 1005 need not necessarily include such a surface.

Fig. 15 shows an embodiment in which the electronic display device 1000 includes an external audio device 1510 (e.g., a speaker). As described in detail below with respect to other embodiments, the audio device 1510 can generate audio content that is related in some way to the content displayed by the electronic display device 1000. In the manner of the electronic components 311 described above in fig. 3, the external components 1511 may house the electronic components that will be needed to generate and control the content and audio output results of the electronic display region 1010. Although the speaker is shown on the back of the device 1000, it may be placed to the side of the device or into a housing so that sound passes directly from the front of the device through a porous area on the front surface of the device near the display area.

It should be understood that: the above-described embodiments of the electronic display device of the invention are only illustrative examples and do not represent all possible configurations. For example, as mentioned previously, the case of the elongated electronic display device does not have to be single or the same as in embodiments 100, 400, or 1000, nor does it have to be configured as in embodiment 600: one module is approximately in the center and two similar modules are on either side. And as such, the dimensions of any portion of the elongated housing or display area may be different than the dimensions of another portion of the elongated housing or display area. For example, the elongated housing or display area may include curved or streamlined portions. Furthermore, as explicitly described herein or included within the scope of the claims, in various embodiments, any portion of the display area may be inclined with respect to a vertical direction, where "vertical direction" refers to a direction that is substantially offset by 90 ° with respect to the floor surface (i.e., at a right angle with respect to the floor surface). In other words, any portion of the display area of the electronic display device has an angular offset or tilt angle with respect to the floor that is substantially between 0 ° and 90 °. According to an embodiment, the angle of inclination is between 0 and 80 degrees, preferably between 10 and 40 degrees, more preferably between 10 and 20 degrees, starting from the vertical. It should additionally be understood that: the pallet 200 shown in the various figures is only one illustration of such a pallet and the present invention may be used with a variety of different types and configurations of pallets.

As previously described with respect to fig. 3, embodiments of the electronic display device of the present invention may be associated with an audio device that may be wholly or partially contained within the same housing or completely external. Fig. 16 shows one possible arrangement, for example, where the electronic display device of embodiment 600 may be used in association with an external audio device 1611. For example, the audio device 1611 may generate audio content that is related in some way to the content displayed by the electronic display device. The audio device 1611 may be positioned at a distance from the electronic display device 600 such that the sound generated by the audio device 1611 is audible to a person viewing the content displayed on the electronic display device 600. For example, the audio device 1611 may be mounted or mounted to the shelf 205 with the audio device 1611 positioned on top of the shelf as shown in FIG. 16. Additionally, the audio device may be shelf independent: suspended from a ceiling, embedded within a ceiling, fixed to a wall, or otherwise configured. The audio device 1611 may be connected to the electronic display device 600 by wire or wirelessly, and receives a control signal and contents from the electronic display device 600. On the other hand, the audio device 1611 may receive control signals and content from another point. Such a central control point may control a plurality of electronic display devices and their associated audio devices, in accordance with embodiments described in more detail below. For example, the central control point may control the audio device 1611 according to a software program such that audio content transmitted by the audio device 1611 is related to display content of the electronic display device 600. For example, the audio device 1611 may issue a sale of a particular good, while the electronic display device 600 displays the good sold and its price.

Advantageously, according to an embodiment, the audio device 1611 may be a directional speaker (e.g., Soundtube)^TMManufactured double parabolic type speaker or Hypersonic Sound of currently available American Technology Corporation^TMSystem) that utilizes super sonic (super) sound technology or ultrasonic side bands to generate directional audio. Such directional loudspeakers may create a narrow sound emanating area near the electronic display device 600. A narrow sound-emanating area is advantageous because a plurality of audio devices can be arranged in a shop with corresponding electronic display devices. In environments containing multiple audio devices, as well as other sources of noise, providing a narrow sound-emanating area with directional speakers may make the audio content from a particular speaker easier to understand. Although the directional speaker is shown outside of the device 600, it may be placed to the side of the device 600 or into a cabinet so that sound may pass directly from the front of the device through a porous area of the front surface of the device near the display area. In this case, it is preferable to use a set of small loudspeakers to generate the directional sound.

Fig. 17 shows a system of embodiments of the present invention comprising a plurality of electronic display devices 600.1-3 and associated audio devices 1611.1-3, as described above, disposed at the bottom of shelves of merchandise within a commercial establishment. In fig. 17, a channel is formed between two sets of shelves 205. On the channel side, audio devices 1611.1 and 1611.2 are associated with electronic display devices 600.1 and 600.2; while on the other side of the channel, audio device 1611.3 is associated with electronic display device 600.3. The audio device 1611.4 is also associated with an electronic display device, not shown.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the electronic display device may comprise or be associated with an interactive element. Upon detection of an approach or proximity to a person, the interactive component will cause the display area and/or audio device to activate (i.e., display video content or output audio content after a sleep period or inactive period in which no video or audio content is output). For example, the electronic display device may include or be connected to a motion detector for this purpose.

As described above, audio device 1611.1 may be a directional speaker such that the sound emitted by speaker 1611.1 will be largely focused directly over the top of the head of a person near electronic display device 1611.1. For example, the person may be standing in front of electronic display device 1611.1 and viewing the display content there. The speaker 1611.1 will provide a clear and concentrated sound for a person standing directly under the speaker, but the sound will diminish quickly when the person moves away from the concentrated area or out of the effective range of the speaker. Thus, speaker 1611.1 may provide a first narrow sound-emanating area for delivering a first type of content to a person standing in front of electronic display device 1611.1; while speaker 1611.2 may provide a second narrow sound-emanating area for providing a second type of content to a person standing in front of electronic display device 600, which may or may not be the same as the first type of content.

As further shown in fig. 17, the audio devices 1611.1-4 can be attached to a track 1712 suspended from a support 1713. The track may include conductive members to provide power contacts and/or audio signals.

As discussed above, it is contemplated that good results may be achieved with electronic display devices that will be used throughout commercial establishments in large quantities to output video and audio content related to nearby goods and products. Therefore, it is necessary to efficiently configure such a plurality of electronic display devices, and each of the electronic display devices can contain different contents. There are a number of ways in which this can be achieved. In one approach, content configuration may be performed locally. Referring to fig. 18, a user may physically connect a portable controller/storage device (CSD)1806 to each electronic display device via a direct cable connection 1807 to a connector on the electronic display device and download digital data for generating desired display content and/or audio information taken from the CSD and passed to the electronic display device and/or speakers. The digital data may include software for controlling the content of the display (e.g., software for executing an advertising schedule). The content corresponding to the downloaded data may be displayed until it is replaced with a different content that is next retrieved in the same manner.

Downloading may be accomplished using a variety of different input/output techniques. For example, the CSD may be connected to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) of a computer carried on the electronic display device. Computers carried with the devices may also be equipped with other input/output ports for receiving data.

In other embodiments, multiple electronic display devices may be configured for content remotely from a central control point. For example, as shown in FIG. 19, multiple electronic display devices 100 and associated audio devices 1611 may be included in a network 1915 in a given commercial establishment. This network configuration can be considered as a LAN (local area network). The network may also include a central controller 1914, which central controller 1914 may be a file server, workstation, mainframe computer, or other programmable logic and control device. The central processor may be connected to a database 1917 containing video and/or audio content and associated control software. User devices 1901 (e.g., personal computers, laptops, CSDs, or other similar devices) may be connected to the central controller 1914 via a direct wired or wireless connection 1903, or by logging onto the network 1915 via a wired or wireless network connection 1902. Wireless connection may be made, for example, by IRDA (infrared data) or RF (radio frequency); if there is a line of sight restriction between the two devices, a wired connection may be made, for example, through a USB connection.

The user may then download the video and audio content 315 to the central controller either locally or remotely through their network connection. The video and/or audio content 315 may include software for controlling the display of content. The central controller may in turn download content to the electronic components of each connected electronic display device via a network connection. Alternatively, the user may simply direct the central controller to retrieve the video/audio content and associated control software from the database 1917. In accordance with either of the above methods, the central controller may then distribute different content to different electronic display devices and associated audio devices, depending on the software program being executed. For example, the program may execute various advertising and promotion schedules to be displayed on various different electronic display devices throughout the commercial establishment. The electronics of each electronic display device then transmit the received audio content to the associated audio device, which is either housed within or disposed proximate to the electronic display device, as described above with reference to fig. 17. In addition, as shown in fig. 19, the central controller may directly transmit audio content to the associated audio devices of the respective display devices through a network connection. After a period of time in which the first content is output to the plurality of electronic display devices and associated audio devices, the first content may be updated or replaced with second content different from the first content through the above-described process.

In still other embodiments, the user need not log onto the network, but need only wirelessly configure the content of the electronic display device from 100 feet or more near the facility that owns the plurality of electronic display devices. As shown in fig. 20, a user may have a laptop computer or CSD1806 equipped with a short-range wireless transmitter that transmits wireless signals 2007 to communicate with electronic display devices within a commercial establishment via a communication protocol such as CDMA (code division multiple access) or the like. In this way, video and/or audio content 315 may be downloaded wirelessly to each electronic display device without the need for a LAN. On the other hand, the same short-range wireless transmission may be used to send the content to the LAN server 1914, which then distributes the content to each electronic display device 1914.

In other embodiments, content configuration can be performed and communicated remotely from a plurality of electronic display devices located in a plurality of different commercial establishments. This may be done, for example, over a Wide Area Network (WAN). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 21, the central control point 2101 may be connected to the Internet via a wired or wireless connection 2102 or the central control point 2101 may be connected to local servers or hosts associated with various commercial facilities via another wired or wireless (e.g., satellite) wide area network 2115. The local server is in turn connected, by wire or wirelessly, to the plurality of electronic display devices provided in the commercial establishment. The video and/or audio content is then downloaded from the central control point 2101 to the local servers, which then transmit the content to the plurality of electronic display devices and associated audio devices. Typically, because different electronic display devices are expected to display varying content in the same commercial establishment, each electronic display device may carry a unique identification code that has been assigned to it. This identification code may be provided in a header of digital data corresponding to content intended for a particular electronic display device. The header information may be used to ensure that each electronic display device and associated audio device receives content intended for it.

As a variation of the wide area network download technique described above, satellite network download may be used in situations where a wide area network is provided via a satellite. Here, the satellite broadcasts content in a point-to-multipoint configuration. The broadcast content is received by receivers associated with each commercial establishment (e.g., satellite dish receivers). Then, the received content is distributed to the respective different electronic display devices according to the above-described lan configuration. In other unrelated industries, satellite systems (such as the Iridium satellite of Motorola, the direct broadcast satellite television system of Houss, and digital photography of Boeing) have demonstrated the aforementioned capabilities.

In some embodiments, the electronic display device may be connected to a POS (point of sale) system in a commercial establishment. POS systems are used to collect information about customer preferences. For example, by correlating the sales volume of a given item in a commercial establishment with the time period of a given content displayed on an electronic display device, information can be collected regarding the effectiveness of a particular advertising content in the occurrence of a sale. This can be achieved by: sales transactions are electronically cross-referenced as the progress of a particular advertisement displayed on an electronic display device occurs. To provide such progress information to the POS system, an electronic display device may be connected directly to the POS system's computer or server. On the other hand, the server of the electronic display device may control the progress of displaying content on various electronic display devices of a commercial establishment and may provide progress information to the server of the POS system so that the progress content may be associated with the sales transaction situation in real time (i.e., simultaneously). In addition, the progress information may also be associated with the "offline" sales record at a later time.

Several embodiments of the present invention are explicitly illustrated and/or described herein. However, it is not difficult to understand: modifications and variations of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of the foregoing teachings and the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope thereof.

Claims (37)

1. An electronic display device associated with a space between a floor and an upper ledge, a lower surface of the upper ledge being within 12 inches of the floor, the electronic display device being at least partially contained within the space, the electronic display device comprising a portable, self-contained housing and an elongated display area having a length at least twice a height, the display area having a height between 1 inch and 12 inches, at least a portion of a lower edge of the display area being within 3 inches of a bottom of the housing, the display area being configurable to display arbitrary content including at least one of static, dynamic, and scrolling alphanumeric data and graphical images, the content being changeable by a computer, electronic controller, or other electronic device.

2. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device is between 10 and 80 inches in length.

3. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device is between 20 and 40 inches in length.

4. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device has a height of between 2 and 8 inches.

5. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device has a height of between 4 and 6 inches.

6. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the display area is slanted.

7. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the tilt of at least a portion of the display area is adjustable.

8. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the at least one housing and corresponding display area is configured differently than the second portion of the at least one housing and corresponding display area.

9. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the housings and the corresponding display area comprise separately hinged portions.

10. The electronic display device of claim 9, wherein the separately hinged portion comprises two substantially similar modules disposed on either side of an approximately central module.

11. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device is associated with a floor covering.

12. The electronic display device of claim 11, wherein the electronic display device is rotatably coupled to the floor covering.

13. The electronic display device of claim 11, wherein the display area is configurable to display content related to content displayed on the floor covering.

14. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the electronic display device is associated with an audio device.

15. The electronic display device of claim 14, wherein the audio device is located external to the electronic display device.

16. The electronic display device of claim 14, wherein the audio device is a directional speaker.

17. The electronic display device of claim 14, further comprising an interactive feature that activates one of the display area and the audio device in response to the approach or proximity of a person.

18. The electronic display device of claim 17, wherein the interactive element comprises a motion detector.

19. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the space is approximately 12 inches high.

20. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the space is approximately 36 inches deep.

21. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the space is at least 12 inches long.

22. A system comprising an electronic display device, a controller, a communication component, and a power source, said system providing sales information to a customer at or near a shelf in a store, said electronic display device being disposed at least partially in a space between an upper ledge and a floor of the store, a lower surface of said ledge being spaced no more than 12 inches from the floor, said electronic display device presenting an elongated display area, said elongated display area being angularly offset relative to the floor by an angle greater than 0 ° and less than or equal to 90 ° to allow the customer to view its contents.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising a configuration apparatus for configuring arbitrary content for the plurality of electronic display devices.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the configuration device is adapted to configure the electronic display device locally.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the configuration device is adapted to remotely configure the electronic display device.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the configuration device comprises a handheld controller/storage device.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the configuration device comprises a local area network.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein said configuration device comprises a wide area network.

29. A method comprising the steps of:

at least partially disposing an elongated electronic display area within a space defined by a floor and an upper ledge within a commercial establishment, said display area having a length at least twice its height, said display area having a height of 12 inches or less, at least a portion of a lower edge of said display area being within 3 inches of the floor; and is

Displaying arbitrary content within the display area, the content including at least one of static, dynamic, or scrolling alphanumeric data and graphical images.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the content relates to goods or products stored on shelves of a commercial establishment, including at least one of advertising content, promotional content, product description, and price information.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises: an audio device associated with an electronic display device is provided.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises: a narrow sound emanating area is provided by the audio device.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises: outputting the related content on the electronic display device and the audio device.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises: the first content is updated with second content different from the first content.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of electronic display devices within a commercial establishment; and the number of the first and second groups,

content is controlled by a central controller connected to the plurality of electronic display devices.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the central controller is connected to the plurality of electronic display devices via at least one of a local area network and a wide area network.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises: sales information is associated with the progress of the content.