Device to monitor the content and/or display of messages

Abstract

The period for which advertisements are displayed on display screens is monitored by coupling the displaying time with the time of a telephone call from a public telephone booth near the display panel. Preferably, the call made from this booth is paid with a pre-payment memory card. This memory card also has a memorizing zone in which it is possible to record an advertisement which is precisely the advertisement to be displayed.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A device to display advertisements, comprising a public telephone, a display panel connected to the public telephone, means to display  for displaying a message on the display panel depending on the duration of a telephone communication, means so that the public telephone is accessible by an electronic pre-payment means, said pre-payment means comprising a memorizing zone, and said device comprising means to retrieve  for retrieving an advertisement to be displayed in accordance with information contained in this  said memorizing zone. 
     
     
       2. A device according to claim  1  wherein the pre-payment means is  comprises a card. 
     
     
       3. A according to claim  2  wherein the pre-payment card comprises an integrated circuit with a  said memorizing zone and wherein the device has means to retrieve  for retrieving the advertisement to be displayed from this memory  the memorizing zone. 
     
     
       4. A device according to claim  1  wherein the  said means to retrieve  for retrieving the advertisement comprise  comprises a telephonic information retrieval unit for storing an advertisement which is sent from the information retrieval unit to the display panel. 
     
     
       5. A device according to any of the claims  1  to  3  comprising means to sequence  for sequencing displays relating to different advertisements during different telephone calls. 
     
     
       6. A device according to claim  5  wherein the  said sequencing means comprise means to memorize  for storing advertisements, a clock, and means to display the memorized  for displaying the stored advertisements at certain times of the day. 
     
     
       7. A device according to any of the claims  1  to  3  wherein the public telephone set has  includes means to memorize  for memorizing the advertisements retrieved. 
     
     
       8. A device according to any of the claims  1  to  3  wherein the display device  panel comprises projection means. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus for use with a memory- type user card having a memory zone for storing display matter and pre - payment units, said apparatus comprising:    
         said memory - type user card being of the type in which the display matter does not change during use of the user card;    
       
         a visual display;  
       
         an interface for reading the user card to determine a number of pre - payment units used;    
       
         a reader for reading display matter from the user card;  
       
       
         means for displaying a message on said visual display in accordance with the display matter read from the memory zone of the user card; and  
       
         wherein said interface enables the apparatus to display a message for a time period, said time period depending upon the number of pre - payment units used.   
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to claim  9 , further comprising a memory unit for storing at least one full text message therein, and said user card memory zone includes a key which is cross- referenced to a full text message in the memory unit, wherein after cross referencing the user card memory zone key to the full text message in the memory unit, a cross - referenced full text message is read from the memory unit and displayed on the visual display.   
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to claim  9 , further comprising a microprocessor for transferring video data from the user card memory zone to a memory unit of the apparatus, and therefrom to the visual display. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to claim  9 , wherein said visual display is located remote from the apparatus. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to claim  9 , further comprising a sequencer for coordinating display of a plurality of messages in the period of time. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to claim  9 , wherein said apparatus is associated with a telephone booth. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to claim  9 , further comprising an information retrieval memory which stores a message that is accessible by said apparatus in response to a key stored in the user card memory zone, wherein the means for displaying is adapted for accessing a message in the information retrieval memory and for sending a message to the visual display. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to claim  9 , wherein the reader comprises a microprocessor located on the user card. 
     
     
       17. A device for displaying messages, comprising: 
         a telephone adapted for use with a memory - type user card;    
         said memory - type user card having a first storage zone for storing therein pre - payment units, and a second storage zone for storing therein information;    
         a machine that is accessed when a telephone call is made via said telephone using said memory - type user card;    
       
         said machine including means for reading said information stored in said second storage zone of the user card;  
       
       
         a display panel associated with said machine;  
       
         a sequencer a )  for computing a period of time as a function of pre - payment units, b )  for organizing a message in accordance with the information read from the user card, and c )  for causing display of said message only in said period of time and only for the duration of use of the memory - type user card with said telephone; and    
       
         means for displaying the message. 
       
     
     
       18. A device according to claim  17 , further comprising a memory unit for storing at least one full text message therein, and said user card second storage zone includes a key which is cross- referenced to a full text message in the memory unit, wherein after said device cross references the user card second storage zone key to the full text message in the memory unit, the cross - referenced full text message is read from the memory unit and displayed on the display panel.   
     
     
       19. A device according to claim  17 , further comprising a processor for transferring video data from the user card second storage zone to a memory unit of the device, and therefrom to the display panel. 
     
     
       20. A device according to claim  17 , wherein said display panel is located remote from the device. 
     
     
       21. A device according to claim  17 , wherein the sequencer is adapted for coordinating display of a plurality of messages in the period of time. 
     
     
       22. A device according to claim  17 , further comprising an information retrieval memory which stores a message that is accessible by said device in response to a key stored in the user card second storage zone, wherein the sequencer accesses a message in the information retrieval memory and sends the message to the display panel. 
     
     
       23. A device according to claim  17 , further comprising an interface for using the user card to determine a number of pre- payment units used, and based on the number of pre - payment units used, computing said period of time.   
     
     
       24. A device to display advertisements, comprising a public telephone, a display panel connected to the public telephone, means for displaying a message on the display panel, means for receiving an electronic pre- payment means, said pre - payment means comprising a memorizing zone, means for retrieving an advertisement to be displayed in accordance with information contained in the memorizing zone and means for sequencing displays relating to different advertisements during different telephone calls.   
     
     
       25. A device according to claim  24  wherein said sequencing means comprises means for storing advertisements, a clock, and means for displaying the stored advertisements at certain times of the day. 
     
     
       26. An apparatus for use with a memory- type user card having a memory zone for storing advertising matter and pre - payment units, said apparatus comprising:    
       
         a visual display;  
       
         an interface for reading the user card and decrementing a number of pre - payment units therefrom;    
       
         a reader for reading advertising matter from the user card;  
       
       
         means for displaying an advertisement on said visual display in accordance with the advertising matter read from the memory zone of the user card; and  
       
         wherein said interface enables the apparatus to display the advertisement as a function of the number of pre - payment units decremented from the user card.   
     
     
       27. An apparatus according to claim  26 , further comprising a memory unit for storing at least one full text advertisement therein, and said user card memory zone includes a key which is cross- referenced to a full text advertisement in the memory unit, wherein after said apparatus cross references the user card memory zone key to the full text advertisement in the memory unit, the cross referenced full text advertisement is read from the memory unit and displayed on the visual display.   
     
     
       28. An apparatus according to claim  26 , further comprising a processor for transferring advertising video data from the user card memory zone to a memory unit of the apparatus, and therefrom to the visual display. 
     
     
       29. An apparatus according to claim  26 , wherein said visual display is located remote from the apparatus. 
     
     
       30. An apparatus according to claim  26 , further comprising a sequencer for computing a period of time as a function of the pre- payment units decremented, and for coordinating display of a plurality of advertisements in the period of time.   
     
     
       31. An apparatus according to claim  26 , wherein said apparatus is associated with a telephone booth. 
     
     
       32. An apparatus according to claim  26 , further comprising an information retrieval memory which stores an advertisement that is accessible by said apparatus in response to a key stored in the user card memory zone, wherein the means for displaying accesses an advertisement in the information retrieval memory and sends the advertisement to the visual display. 
     
     
       33. An apparatus according to claim  26 , wherein the reader comprises a microprocessor located on the user card. 
     
     
       34. A device for displaying advertisements, comprising: 
       
         a public telephone;  
       
         a machine connected to the public telephone that is accessible for use with a memory - type user card which has a memory zone therein for storing information including a key, said machine comprising means for reading said information stored in said memory zone of the user card and a memory unit for storing at least one full text advertisement therein which is cross - referenced to the key in the memory zone;    
       
         a display panel associated with said machine; and  
       
       
         means for displaying an advertisement on said display panel in accordance with the information read from the user card wherein after cross referencing the user card memory zone key to the full text advertisement in the memory unit, the cross referenced full text advertisement is read from said memory unit and is displayed on the display panel. 
       
     
     
       35. A device according to claim  34 , further comprising an information retrieval memory which stores an advertisement that is accessible by said device in response to a key stored in the user card memory zone, wherein the means for displaying accesses an advertisement in the information retrieval memory and sends the advertisement to the visual display. 
     
     
       36. A device according to claim  34 , further comprising a sequencer for computing a period of time as a function of pre- payment units, and for organizing an advertisement for display only in said period of time.   
     
     
       37. An apparatus according to claim  9 , wherein said sequencer includes means responsive to display matter read from respective memory zones of plural user cards for multiplexing the display matter on said visual display.