System and method for delivering out-of-home programming

Abstract

A system and method through which programming content is delivered for display on a network of electronic out-of-home display devices. The network includes a plurality of individually addressable display devices that are located in public venues. Demographic data is tracked for the display devices by place and by time so that the programming content can more closely conform to the changing demographic.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A programming distribution network, comprising: 
 (a) a server computer;    (b) a plurality of geographically dispersed display devices, wherein the display devices are situated in public places; and    (c) a communications network interconnecting the server computer with the respective display devices; 
 wherein the server is programmable to select a specific one of the plurality of geographically dispersed display devices and deliver thereto programming for display on that display device.  
   
     
     
         2 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a data gathering device that is co-located adjacent to at least one of the display devices and interconnected with the server via the communications network, whereby some of the viewers of the programming displayed on the at least one display device provide is information to the programming distribution network.  
     
     
         3 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the data gathering device is a kiosk that is configured to provide Internet access to the users.  
     
     
         4 . A programming distribution network as recited in claims  1 , wherein at least one display device comprises a large flat screen display.  
     
     
         5 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 4  wherein the large flat screen display comprises a plasma display.  
     
     
         6 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the programming displayed on the respective display devices comprises full motion video.  
     
     
         7 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the full motion video comprises one of AVI and MPEG.  
     
     
         8 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the server is programmed to select the site-specific programming for display on the respective display device based on demographic information.  
     
     
         9 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 8 , wherein some of the demographic information is collected through one or more kiosks collocated with one or more of the electronic billboards.  
     
     
         10 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the demographic information includes information indicative of at least one of age, sex, income, destination, and interests for a plurality of viewers.  
     
     
         11 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 10  wherein the demographic information is provided by a database comprising site-specific demographic information collected from a secondary source.  
     
     
         12 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 11  wherein the secondary source comprises a reservation system.  
     
     
         13 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 12  wherein the reservation system comprises a travel reservation system.  
     
     
         14 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 13  wherein the travel reservation system comprises one of an airline reservation system, a train reservation system, a rental car reservation system, and a hotel reservation system.  
     
     
         15 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the public places is selected from a group comprising: an airport, a train station, a shopping center.  
     
     
         16 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 1  wherein the programming information comprises advertising.  
     
     
         17 . A programming distribution network as recited in  claim 1  wherein the programming comprises one of still pictures and text.  
     
     
         18 . A method for distributing programming, comprising the acts of: 
 providing in public places a network of geographically disperse and individually addressable display devices; and    displaying programming information on a subset of individually addressable display devices.    
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 18  wherein the subset of individually addressable display devices are selected based on demographic information.  
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 18  wherein the network of display devices are addressable by way of the Internet.  
     
     
         21 . A method as recited in  claim 20  wherein the network comprises a virtual private network.  
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in  claim 20  wherein the programming comprises advertising.  
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in  claim 22  wherein the advertising is selected based on available inventory of an item or service to be advertised.  
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 23  wherein the subset of individually addressable display devices are selected based on the inventory of the item or service to be advertised.  
     
     
         25 . A method  3 s recited in  claim 18  wherein the public places comprise at least one of an airport, a train station, a shopping center, and an amusement park.  
     
     
         26 . A method of distributing programming information, comprising: 
 providing at selected transportation centers a plurality of display devices; and    displaying selected programming information on a subset of the display devices.    
     
     
         27 . A method for use in connection with a system for distributing programming, the system including a plurality of geographically dispersed display devices situated in public places, the method comprising: 
 identifying from a prescribed set of programming material a subset of the programming material for display at each of the display devices; and    providing the identified programming material for display on the respective display devices, such that different display devices display different programming at any given time and the programming material displayed on each display device is dynamically updateable.    
     
     
         28 . A method as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the identifying step is performed on the basis of a target audience for each set of programming material.  
     
     
         29 . A method as recited in  claim 28 , wherein each display device is at a known location, and further comprising associating demographic information with each device based on that device's location.  
     
     
         30 . A method as recited in  claim 29 , wherein the associated demographic information for at least one display device is dynamic.  
     
     
         31 . A method as recited in  claim 30 , wherein the associated demographic information changes dynamically as a function of time.  
     
     
         32 . A computer readable storage medium comprising a database, the database comprising: 
 a first subset of information indicative of a location for each of a plurality of geographically distributed electronic display devices;    a second subset of information indicative of demographic information associated with each display device represented in the first subset.    
     
     
         33 . A process for produc4rg content to be displayed on an electronic out-of-home display device, comprising: 
 selecting an electronic out-of-home display device having an associated demographic that changes over time;    pushing content to the display device so that the content is displayed for a selected period of time as a function of a demographic.    
     
     
         34 . A method of optimizing inventory, comprising: 
 determining a first location having inventory of a product or service;    selecting a display device at a second location proximate a transportation center having transportation destined for a location proximate the first location;    displaying programming at the second location indicative of the product or service at the first location.    
     
     
         35 . A method for controlling inventory, comprising: 
 monitoring an inventory level for at least one product wherein the product is sold at least one location; and    selecting a set of display device on which to advertise said product when the inventory level of said product exceeds a predefined level at the at least one location.