Targeted advertising system and method for drivers

Abstract

An advertising system and its method of use are disclosed. The advertising system includes at least one sensor coupled to a fixed location, where the at least one sensor is configured to generate an impression based on at least one characteristic of a proximate automobile, at least one processor configured to receive the impression, at least one server, having an advertising database and a user database, and at least one delivery mechanism. Preferably, the advertising database contains information relating to at least one advertisement and the user database is configured to check if the at least one characteristic matches an existing entry for a user, and either associate that impression with a user or create a new entry for the impression.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An advertising system, comprising:
 at least one sensor, coupled to a fixed location,
 wherein the at least one sensor is configured to generate an impression based on at least one characteristic of a proximate automobile; 
   at least one processor configured to receive the impression;   at least one server, having an advertising database and a user database,
 wherein the advertising database contains information relating to at least one advertisement, 
 wherein the user database is configured to: check if the at least one characteristic matches an existing entry for a user, and either associate that impression with a user or create a new entry for the impression, and 
 wherein the at least one server performs instructions for correlating the at least one characteristic with at least one advertisement; and 
   at least one delivery mechanism, configured to receive and display the correlated advertisement.   
     
     
         2 . The advertising system of  claim 1 , further comprising a global positioning device to determine the location of a user. 
     
     
         3 . The advertising system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one delivery mechanism is an external display which is in communication with the at least one server. 
     
     
         4 . The advertising system of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery mechanism is a printer configured to print the correlated advertisement on at least one label. 
     
     
         5 . The advertising system of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery mechanism further comprises a mechanism for placing the at least one label on at least one article. 
     
     
         6 . The advertising system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one article is a coffee cup. 
     
     
         7 . The advertising system of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery mechanism is a printer configured to print the correlated advertisement directly on at least one article. 
     
     
         8 . The advertising system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one article is a coffee cup. 
     
     
         9 . The advertising system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a license plate, a shape of a car, a front grill, a headlight configuration, a wheelbase, a sunroof, a make, a model, a trim, and a color. 
     
     
         10 . The advertising system of  claim 1 , wherein the server is further configured to correlate a plurality of characteristics over a period of time to determine a behavior pattern of the user. 
     
     
         11 . The advertising system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a manual control mechanism, comprising:
 a memory, configured to receive multiple correlated advertisements; 
 a touch-enabled display, to show multiple correlated advertisements; and 
 an interface, allowing the user to choose which of the multiple correlated advertisements to display. 
   
     
     
         12 . A method of delivering advertisements, comprising the steps of:
 providing, an advertising system, comprising:
 at least one sensor, coupled to a fixed location,
 wherein the at least one sensor is configured to generate an impression based on at least one characteristic of a proximate automobile; 
 
 at least one processor configured to receive the impression, 
 at least one server, having an advertising database and a user database,
 wherein the advertising database contains information relating to at least one advertisement, 
 wherein the user database is configured to: check if the at least one characteristic matches an existing entry for a user, and either associate that impression with a user or create a new entry for the impression, and 
 wherein the at least one server performs instructions for correlating the at least one characteristic with at least one advertisement; and 
 
 at least one delivery mechanism, configured to receive and display the correlated advertisement; 
   sensing, by the sensing mechanism, at least one characteristic about the proximate automobile;   recording, by the at least one server, the at least one characteristic in the user database;   calculating, by the at least one server, a probable destination for the proximate automobile;   interfacing, by the at least one server, with a selected one of the at least one delivery mechanisms,
 wherein the selected delivery mechanism is located approximately at the probable destination; and 
   displaying, by the selected delivery mechanism, the correlated advertisement.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the probable destination is determined from previously recorded information in the user database. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , the advertising system further comprising:
 a manual control mechanism, comprising:
 a memory, configured to receive multiple correlated advertisements; 
 a touch-enabled display, to show the multiple correlated advertisements; and 
 an interface, allowing a user to choose which of the multiple correlated advertisements to display. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 choosing, by a vendor, which correlated advertisements to display, via the manual control mechanism.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the correlated advertisement is a video advertisement. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the correlated advertisement is an image printed on an article. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the display mechanism is a printer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising correlating, by the at least one server, a plurality of characteristics over a period of time to determine a behavior pattern of the user.