Patent ID: 6701143
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: G08G

Abstract:
A system for displaying messages on one or more mobile units as a function of the mobile units location, said system comprising:at least one mobile unit in the form of a vehicle capable of moving in geographic space which includes: a display visible from outside the vehicle; a wireless communication system including: a transmitter for repeatedly transmitting messages, said messages including a locator signal which enables a central system to determine the mobile unit's location; a receiver for receiving display messages from a central unit and for receiving display-selection messages which do not contain advertising information; and a controller programmed to: control the contents shown on said display; read display messages received by the wireless receiver; and read and respond to the display-selection messages which do not contain advertising information from the central system by causing said display to show the selected display message identified in said display-selection message; a central system including: a wireless communication system including: circuitry for receiving wireless messages from mobile units, said messages, including said locator signals; circuitry for sending the wireless display messages and for sending the display-selection messages which do not contain advertising information to mobile units; a memory for storing a plurality of geographic zone definitions and a indication of which of a plurality of display messages is to be displayed by one or more of said mobile units in each of said zones; a processor programmed to: associate a geographic location with a given mobile unit based on information derived from the receipt of a locator signal from the given mobile unit; determine which of a plurality of geographic zones the geographic location associated with the given mobile unit is located; selecting a given display message from a plurality of display messages to be displayed by the given mobile unit based on the geographic zone in which the given mobile unit's associated geographic location is located; sending the wireless display-selection message which does not contain advertising information to the given mobile unit identifying the selected display message to be shown on the given mobile unit's display.