Abstract:
A novel method at least includes: receiving at least one placement offer for the placement of an advertisement, the offer including proposed consideration; accepting an placement order; and displaying an advertisement which is the subject of an accepted placement order on a plurality of mobile, changeable advertising message displays carried by a plurality of coordinated automobiles, which changeable displays are capable of displaying more than one separate message at different times. Each changeable message display at least includes: a visual display; a multiple advertising message generator coupled to the visual display, the multiple message generator adapted to generate a plurality of different messages; and an message selector adapted to select a current message to be displayed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to advertising. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements in the distribution, placement, display and purchase of advertising messages. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Roadside billboards have long been successfully used to display various advertisements. While many advertisers consider roadside billboards to be cost-effective, there are several drawbacks. For example, these advertisements are fixed at a location, so that drivers and other passersby do not generally have the opportunity to view them as long as may be needed to be effective. Further, fixed billboards are only viewable at distinct locations, further limiting the scope of their effectiveness. Yet another problem is that billboards either display only one message, or two messages using rotating panels as is known in the prior art. 
     In some respects, an improvement over the limitations of older prior art is to place advertising messages on the tops, sides, etc. of cars such as taxicabs, race cars, busses, trains, etc. The mobility of the vehicles to which the advertising messages are attached allows the advertising to be seen by more people than would be able to view a stationary billboard. However, the messages are typically fixed, not allowing for practical changes to advertising messages out in the field. The approach of two-sided panels provides billboards with the ability to display two distinct advertising messages. However, the advertising messages are not mobile, and therefore suffer from many shortcomings of the conventional stationary billboards. 
     What is desired but not provided for by the prior art, are a system and method for providing mobile advertising displays capable of being viewed by large segments of a population, and related mechanisms for displaying more than one advertising message on mobile carriers without great effort. What is further desired is a novel method of allowing advertisers to purchase advertising space on mobile displays, with the ability for flexibility in pricing, based on such factors as the location of mobile displays, time of day, day of week, projected viewership, projected motor vehicle traffic along routes likely to be driven by operators of the mobile displays, etc. Further, it is desired to create a functional pool of mobile advertising displays and incentives, so that the numbers may, if desired, far exceed the number of vehicles involved in conventional mobile advertising. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available approaches. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide an advertising method that at least includes: receiving at least one advertising placement offer for the placement of an advertisement, the offer including proposed consideration; accepting an advertising placement order; and displaying an advertisement which is the subject of an accepted advertising placement order on a plurality of mobile, changeable advertising message displays carried by a plurality of coordinated automobiles, which changeable displays are capable of displaying more than one separate advertising message at different times. Each changeable advertising message display at least includes: a visual display; a multiple advertising message generator coupled to said visual display, said multiple advertising message generator adapted to generate a plurality of different advertising messages; and an advertising message selector adapted to select a current advertising message to be displayed. 
     Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
     Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
     These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order for the advantages of the invention to be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side view and a front view of a first version of the present-inventive mobile billboards shown attached to the rear of an automobile; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a basic schematic block diagram of the display components of the mobile billboard of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C illustrate rear, side, and top views, respectively, of a second version of the present-inventive mobile billboards; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a basic schematic block diagram of the present-inventive mobile billboard advertising system; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart detailing the general steps in the present-inventive mobile billboard advertising method; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a side view of the present-inventive mobile billboard and accompanying automobile of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an alternative mounting device for the invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention. 
     References throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
       FIG. 1  shows the front view of a mobile billboard apparatus  100  according to the present invention. The apparatus mobile billboard apparatus  100  is shown mounted to the rear of an automobile  150  via a trailer hitch receiver  192 . The mobile billboard apparatus need not be mounted via a trailer hitch receiver, but by any other temporary or permanent means. Further, the mobile billboard apparatus need not be mounted at the rear of an automobile, and can be attached to any suitable surface that will give the desired view to targeted viewers, including the front, hood, sides and top or the automobile. A side view of the apparatus  100  is shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Normally, the apparatus  100  includes a display housing  110 , a display carrying arm member  121 , a display mounting arm member  131 , and a pivot and locking member  133  which pivotally attaches the arm members  121  and  131  as shown. The display mounting arm member  131  has a trailer hitch receiver coupler  130  for insertion into the automobile trailer hitch receiver  192 , while the display carrying arm member  121  has a connector  120  for connecting the display housing  110  to the carrying arm member. The mobile billboard apparatus is capable of being mounted on the rear of an automobile, and can display one or more advertising messages which can be viewed by onlookers when the automobile passes. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will understand that the mobile billboard apparatus  100  may be modified so that it need not only attach to a trailer hitch receiver, and it need not be limited to rear mounting at the rear of an automobile. 
     In practice, the dimensions of the display housing  110  are adapted for the prospective automobile, so that the turn and brake signals ( 170 ,  172 ,  180  and  182 ) are not obscured. The dimensions and position of the display housing are also such that viewing through the automobile rear window  160  is unobstructed. 
     During normal operation of the apparatus  100 , the display housing  110  is placed near the automobile bumper  190 . The display housing  110  can be moved away from the automobile by pulling outward on the display housing so that the arms  121  and  131  rotate and separate via the pivot  133  to provide the clearance needed to open automobile trunks, hatchbacks, doors, and other structures (symbolically shown as  196 ) that facilitate the loading and unloading of cargo or passengers (See  FIG. 3C  with respect to the second embodiment discussed below). 
     In one embodiment, the display  110  includes a flat panel display, such as a plasma screen or a liquid crystal display (LCD). 
     The basic elements of the display housing  110  are illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Recall that the display is a changeable one, capable of displaying several different advertising messages at different times. Symbolically labeled  216 , the display (i.e., a flat panel display) displays advertising messages according to information received from a multiple advertising message generator  214 . Advertising message information is stored in memory  213 , with input data being received from a data input  212 . The mobile billboard apparatus user can select the advertising message to be displayed via an advertising message selector  215 . Similarly, the user can choose a schedule or pattern of advertising messages to be displayed at different times. All of the elements are powered by a power supply symbolically shown as  211 . 
     Data input can take many forms, including downloading information to a common port (not shown), and reading from devices and cards, for example. 
     The electronic version of a mobile billboard apparatus can be replaced by a mechanical version, such as the one  300  in the rear, side and top views of  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C, respectively. The display housing  310  contains an array of rotating prism members  340 . In the preferred embodiment, the prisms have triangular bases. As a consequence, each lateral prism face can display a segment of an advertising message. Up to three different advertising messages can be displayed. To display a particular message, all of the lateral prism faces containing segments of the message in question are aligned in the plane which projects outward for viewing. To change the message, each of the prisms is rotated in synchrony until a second set of prism faces aligns projecting outward from the display housing. In the preferred embodiment, rotation and the synchronization of rotation are carried out by a mechanical linkage  350 , which can be as simple as a chain or belt member that engages with the rotation members of each prism as shown. The knob  360  connected to the mechanical linkage, serves as an advertising message selector, allowing a user to rotate the prisms in unison until the desired advertising message is displayed. The prisms also cooperate to function as a multiple advertising message generator. 
     Using the approach of  FIG. 3 , the advertising message is in a printed form with discrete segments. The message segments can be affixed to the lateral prism faces by sliding the segments into transparent pockets, or by other approaches. It is also the approach of the preferred embodiment that the various segments for each advertising message are to be received by a mobile billboard user from a third party such as an advertising company. 
     As with  FIG. 1 , the display housing  310  is connected to a display carrying arm member  321  via a connector  320 . The elements  330 ,  331 ,  333  and  390  function identically to the elements  130 ,  131 ,  133  and  190 , respectively, as discussed supra. In the example shown, the segments of the second of three advertising messages are outwardly visible. Any necessary power to the apparatus  300  can be supplied via wires integrated into the elements  320 ,  321 ,  330  and  331 , and attached to the automobile electrical supply, or supplemental supply in the alternative. 
     Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertain will appreciate that the prisms  340  can contain more than three lateral faces. In fact any number of lateral faces (which match the number of sides of the prism bases) may be used. Further, the bases are polygons, but need not be regular polygons. The maximum number of advertising messages that can be display equals the number of prism lateral faces. 
     The prisms may be oriented in any desirable way, including vertically (not shown), horizontally (shown), and any angle between vertical and horizontal. 
     An optional illuminator/light source  346  can also be included within the display housing  310 , or connected to the back of the display housing as shown in  FIG. 3 , for projecting advertising messages during nighttime and overcast viewing conditions, etc. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the use of the light source  346  is better accompanied by prism members with transparent lateral faces, and translucent message segments. 
       FIG. 3C  is a top view of the mobile billboard apparatus  300 , showing the display housing  310  pulled away from the automobile to provide clearance for the opening of doors, hatches, etc., as described above. 
     In the more general case, the prism members  340  may be described as advertising message segment mounting mechanisms. This includes such alternate embodiments as using two end mounts to connect to the ends of an advertising message segment without actually having actual separate prism lateral faces. In such an arrangement, the printed message segments form the geometric construct of prism lateral faces, with the end mounts being analogous to the prism bases. The end mounts are connected to one another by one or more column members. Middle mounts on the interior side of the message segments can also be used for additional rigidity or structural integrity of the mounted message segments. 
     The schematic diagram for a flexible system  400  for both placing orders and bids for mobile billboard advertisement and other functions is shown in  FIG. 4 . While any method of contact is possible for placing orders, the Internet is used in the preferred embodiment. Merchants and others (symbolically numbered  410 - 430 ) interested in placing advertising messages on a fleet of mobile billboards can contact an advertising company  470  in the business of providing mobile billboard advertising. Contact is via the Internet  450  and a website  460  maintained by the advertising company. Special software  480  guides a customer through the process needed to place an order for mobile billboard advertising, or to make offers and bids in the alternative. When an order for mobile billboard advertising is accepted, the necessary information needed for mobile billboard automobile operators it transmitted to each appropriate operator using conventional or courier mail (in the case of apparatus of  FIG. 3 ), digital data, and the like. 
     While an advertising company may accept all orders that meet explicit guidelines, it may also only accept bids and offers to maximize profits, in the case where mobile billboards are a scarce and/or valuable commodity. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart for a general algorithm  500  used to receive orders for mobile billboard advertising, as well as implementing said orders. The algorithm begins at Step  502  when a merchant or customer contacts the advertising company in an effort to have one or more advertising messages displayed by mobile billboards carried by a coordinated group of automobiles. The aforementioned advertising program is launched to aid the customer in preparing a bid or offer (Step  504 ). The bid or offer is prepared using many considerations for pricing (Steps  506  and  508 ). Among the many considerations for pricing are: number of automobiles carrying the particular mobile advertising message; geographic location of the mobile displays; aggregate time of the advertising message displayed; projected traffic along the paths driven by mobile message automobile operators; the time of day of the message displays; the day of the week of the message displays; aggregate distance driven by the mobile message operators; and many others. 
     The customer makes a formal offer for the mobile display of an advertising message in Step  510 . If the advertising company rejects the offer or bid, the algorithm jumps to Step  520  and stops (See Step  512 ). If, however, the advertising company accepts the offer or bid, the algorithm advances to Step  514 , where the advertising company sends offers for the display of advertising messages to appropriate mobile billboard automobile operators, which these operators may accept or reject according to the proposed terms. Those mobile billboard automobile operators who accept the offer receive additional information in Step  516  enabling the display of one or more advertising messages according to specifications (i.e., exact messages to display, times, locations, etc.). 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an alternative mounting device for the invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Specifically, in addition to the previously described elements from the previous drawings, there is illustrated a static mounting device  630 . Uniquely, the static mounting device  630  may include a single uniform piece of material that extends into the trailer hitch  192  and extends linearly outward therefrom, and thereby bends approximately 90° vertically where it attaches to the base of the display housing  110 . Therefore, in contrast, this alternative static mounting device does not allow for the movement of the display housing as was previously described. 
     The mobile billboard automobile operators display the advertising messages according to specifications in Step  518 , followed by the end of the algorithm in Step  520 . The method disclosed thus provides flexibility for potential mobile billboard advertisement customers, advertising companies, as well as automobile operators carrying mobile billboards. 
     Many of the functional units described in this specification have been labeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices or the like. 
     Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by various types of processors. An identified module of executable code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be physically located together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module. 
     Indeed, a module of executable code may be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over different locations including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network. 
     It is understood that the above-described preferred embodiments are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment is to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. 
     It is expected that there could be numerous variations of the design of this invention. 
     Finally, it is envisioned that the components of the device may be constructed of a variety of materials. 
     Thus, while the present invention has been fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made, without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims.