Audio/Visual Information Dissemination System

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing information to the public by way of publicly accessible devices. A network of video displays are deployed at publicly accessible locations such as inside public transportation vehicles or at public transportation stations. The video feed to these video displays are provided by a video distribution hub which receives the video feed from a network hub. Different audio feeds are accessible to end users or by telephone. End users can call a telephone interface which receives and routes audio feeds from an audio distribution hub. End users can access audio feeds which may be synchronized with a video feed to provide a complete audio visual experience to the end user. For more useful content, the video displayed at any location may be adjusted to be relevant to the area where the video display is deployed. Audio content synchronized to one of these disparate video feeds can be accessed by the end user by dialing different options through the telephone interface. Audio feeds not tied to a specific video feed, such as radio stations or themed audio feeds, may also be accessed by the end user through the telephone interface.

1 . A system for distributing information to the public, said information comprising at least one video feed and a plurality of audio feeds, the system comprising:
 a network hub for receiving said information from a source;   a plurality of publicly viewable video display screens;   at least one video distribution hub, the or each video distribution hub receiving one video feed from said network hub and transmitting said one video feed to at least one of said display screens;   at least one audio distribution hub, the or each audio distribution hub receiving said plurality of audio feeds from said network hub, each of said audio feeds being accessible by end users;   a telephone interface for receiving end user telephone calls for accessing said plurality of audio feeds said telephone interface communicating with said at least one audio distribution hub, said telephone interface automatically routing audio feeds from said at least one audio distribution hub to said end user telephone calls based on end user input,   wherein at least one audio feed is synchronized with one of the at least one video feed.   
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said network hub receives said information as separate video and audio feeds. 
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein at least one audio feed received by said network hub is a themed audio feed. 
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of said plurality of publicly viewable video display screens receives a video feed from said video distribution hub by wireless means. 
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of said plurality of publicly viewable video display screens receives a video feed from said video distribution hub through a closed circuit network. 
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 4  wherein said at least one of said plurality of publicly viewable video display screens is deployed outside a vehicle. 
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 4  wherein said at least one of said plurality of publicly viewable video display screens is deployed inside a vehicle. 
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said network hub receives multiple video feeds, each of said multiple video fees being transmitted to said video display screens located in different geographic regions. 
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one video feed is provided with closed captioning. 
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one video feed is provided with advertisements. 
   
   
       11 . A system for providing at least one audio feed to end users, the system comprising:
 a network hub for receiving at least one audio feed;   at least one audio distribution hub receiving said at least one audio feed from said network hub:   a telephone interface for receiving telephone calls from said end users, said interface communicating with said at least one audio distribution hub and said telephone interface automatically routing said at least one audio feed to said telephone calls based on input from said end users.   
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 11  wherein a plurality of audio feeds are received by said network hub and at least one of said plurality of audio feeds is synchronized with a video feed. 
   
   
       13 . A system according to  claim 12  wherein said video feed is publicly viewable. 
   
   
       14 . A system according to  claim 12  wherein said telephone interface receives end user input relating to goods or services offered for sale to said end users through said video feed. 
   
   
       15 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said telephone interface receives end user input relating to goods or services offered for sale to end users through said at least one video feed. 
   
   
       16 . A system according to  claim 14  wherein said end user input comprises specific codes shown on said video feed for ordering said goods or services. 
   
   
       17 . A system according to  claim 15  wherein said end user input comprises specific codes shown on said video feed for ordering said goods or services.