Abstract:
Provided is a system and corresponding methods for a network of indoor modular signs. The indoor signs are composed of various modules which are combined to make the signs fully contained and operable. The modules include paper and e-paper based displays and frames as well as power line communication devices. The invention includes: a network of modular signs within an indoor area, a computing station with prerecorded data, and said data is presented as scheduled on the electronic paper-like display modules and power line communication networks that provide both power and data to the displays.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/810,504, filed Jun. 3, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0003]     This invention generally relates to methods, systems and apparatus to display images, text and messages on indoor, emissive or reflective e-paper or paper-like displays. More particularly, the invention relates to providing advertising and wayfinding messages using a network of lightweight e-paper displays within well defined indoor areas, such as hanging from the ceiling at the start and end of each store aisle, and the associated system that allows advertisers, marketers and others to place advertisements and messaging on these displays and network the displays so that the advertisement and wayfinding information is visible by consumers walking through these well-defined areas.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Electronic signage used as an advertising medium is commonly deployed in retail outlets and stores to display advertising material and the like utilizing a variety of electronic display technologies and traditional paper or plastic signs to provide wayfinding information to customers within a particular area of a store.  
         [0006]     Wayfinding signs provide store navigation information to customers. These signs are lightweight and static, and are made of plastic, paper or similar material. They most often hang from the ceilings of stores. Customers looking at these signs know what department area they are in or near, such as women&#39;s clothing, pets, hardware, domestics, electronics, etc. For grocery aisles, these signs will provide the aisle number and list the products and items found in the aisle.  
         [0007]     There are numerous problems with static signs being used to provide store navigation information. New products and items cannot be quickly or easily added to the signs. The size of the font cannot be easily changed and it is impossible to use the sign to highlight specific brand items within a department.  
         [0008]     Indoor electronic signage used for advertisement utilizes LED, plasma and LCD flat-screen displays as well as television and other technologies that emit light which is seen by the individual viewing the display. These are called emissive display technologies because they emit light and the advertisement and information systems that use these technologies are often referred to as “narrow casting” systems and digital signage. An example is the television system that displays in-store advertisements in WAL-MART® stores. Use of indoor emissive displays is undergoing rapid growth and companies are adding electronic displays to multiple outlets to increase advertising reach and to influence buyers. The content of the signs can be electronically changed based upon the needs and desires of the advertising company. Small, emissive display screens are being increasingly used within stores to provide advertisement and product information.  
         [0009]     Despite the technical advances in emissive displays and narrow casting technology there are numerous problems with this approach to indoor advertisement. One problem is the very high cost of bright, high quality LED systems and other electronic displays. Another significant problem is the weight of emissive displays. Specifically, LED, plasma, and LCD flat-screen displays as well as television and other similar display technologies all are heavy due to the electronics package required for emissive displays.  
         [0010]     These problems limit the ability to use a large number of emissive displays within a small, well-defined area and significantly limit the placement of the screens and prevents electronic signs from being used as store navigation wayfinding signs.  
         [0011]     Another drawback with the current art in indoor electronic signage is the high cost and complexity of installation. This cost and complexity prevents current digital signs in stores from being used for both wayfinding and advertising.  
         [0012]     In sum, there is no apparatus, system design or methodology which would allow electronic signage to be deployed in a concentrated number within a well defined area within a store or retail outlet for store navigation and for advertisement at or, extremely close to, the purchase point.  
         [0013]     Neither is there an apparatus, system design or methodology which would allow deployment of indoor digital signs that would provide both navigation information and advertisement on the same sign. Such a system would greatly increase advertising effectiveness.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0014]     Accordingly, an apparatus, system design or methodology to deploy numerous indoor digital signs within a well-defined area of a store or retail outlet and capable of being used for both wayfinding and product advertisement would have significant advantages over existing designs.  
         [0015]     Accordingly, it is an aspect of present invention to address the deficiencies in the related art and make possible the deployment of numerous networked, indoor digital signs within a defined area.  
         [0016]     It is another aspect of the present invention to deploy numerous indoor digital signs that are extremely lightweight within a well defined area and utilizing the displays for either advertisements or wayfinding messages or both.  
         [0017]     Additional aspects and/or advantages will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.  
         [0018]     The foregoing, and/or other aspects are achieved by providing a modular sign, comprising: a first electronic paper-like display to display information.  
         [0019]     The foregoing, and/or other aspects are achieved by providing a network, comprising: a first modular sign comprising a paper-like display to display first information; and a second modular sign comprising a paper-like display to display second information.  
         [0020]     The foregoing, and/or other aspects are achieved by providing a method, comprising: providing first and second modular signs, each of the modular signs comprising a paper-like display; transmitting the information via a network to the first and second modular signs; and displaying the transmitted information on the first and second modular signs.  
         [0021]     Accordingly, it is another aspect of the present invention to provide modules that, when put together, make an extremely light weight and easily installed indoor electronic sign that can be hung from the ceiling of retail outlets to provide product advertisement, wayfinding information or both. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]     These and/or other aspects and advantages will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of the modules of one embodiment of the modular sign according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  show front and back views of the modular sign of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  illustrates a second alternative embodiment of the present modular sign used as a wayfinding sign;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows the second embodiment as used for advertising;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows the modules of the modular sign of  FIG. 1  hanging from the ceiling;  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  shows the system used to control messages on the modular sign of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  shows how the system and modular sign of  FIG. 1  will be used. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0030]     Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.  
         [0031]     Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.  
         [0032]     The present invention is intended to, for example display advertisement and wayfinding messaging or a combination of both wayfinding information and advertisements using numerous indoor modular signs containing electronic paper-like displays and located within a well defined in-store area such as the store aisle or a department within a retail outlet. The present invention is also directed to a method and system through which a retailer or advertiser can provide advertisements or wayfinding information or a combination of both advertisement and wayfinding information using numerous indoor modular signs within a well defined area, such as a store aisle or store department.  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a modular sign  100  containing an electronic paper-like display  30  which may exhibit images, video, text and messages used to advertise or to provide wayfinding information. The display  30  may, for example, take the form of an electronic paper-like display mounted within a 3 feet by 2 feet side of a frame  21  of the modular sign  100  and providing a viewing area of 33 inches by 21 inches. The frame  21  is the supporting structure for the modules that make up the modular sign  100 .  
         [0034]     Electronic paper-like displays  30  represent a category of display that use low power and are made of lightweight, flexible material, most often a plastic material, on which text and images can be displayed and electronically changed. The displays can be reflective, just like real paper, meaning that they can be used in broad daylight or under in-store lighting condition and be easily read. Also, the displays can be emissive, meaning light is output to make the sign readable. Also, the displays have a very wide viewing angle.  
         [0035]     There are a variety of technologies that can be used to create an electronic paper-like display including light emitting polymer, organic electro-luminescence, organic light emitting displays (OLED), suspended particle device technology, electrophoretic and reverse electrophoretic emulsion display material, bistable nematic technology, high resolution electronic ink, cholesteric and encapsulated cholesteric display materials, electrochromic material, nanotechnology-based materials such as quantum dots, carbon nanotubes or nano-emissive materials, displays printed with various layers of conductive ink, nano ink, nano-metallic ink, carbon nanotube ink, and molecular bistable displays. However, these are just examples and other technologies may be used. These displays can be placed on many different lightweight materials such as plastic, paper and canvas.  
         [0036]     Suitable paper-like display material for the display  30  is manufactured by, for example, E-Ink Corporation of Cambridge, Mass., USA, ZDB in the United Kingdom, Xerox Corporation, Samsung, Fujitsu, Kent Display, Quantum Paper and Bridgestone.  
         [0037]     As shown in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , another display  31  is on the opposite side from the display  30 . Thus, the modular sign  100  contains two electronic paper-like displays  30  and  31 . The displays  30  and  31  may be identical. In this manner, advertisement and wayfinding information is available to be seen by more shoppers within a store.  
         [0038]     Electronic paper is lightweight, flexible, and inexpensive and has very low power requirements. The light weight of the electronic paper-like displays  30  and  31  allows the modular sign  100  to be mounted on existing infrastructure, display racks, shelves or hung from the ceiling.  
         [0039]      FIG. 3  illustrates a second embodiment of the modular sign  100 . The sign  100  is triangular in shape and has a three sided frame  21  and three of the electronic paper-like displays  30  and thereby providing more viewing areas, e.g., three advertising displays per modular sign  100 . This embodiment of the invention may be placed at the start and end of a store shopping aisle where triangular wayfinding signs are often found. Customers approaching the aisle from various directions can see the sign and the information and advertisements it contains. Wayfinding information can be shown on one display  30  while advertisement can be shown on the other display  31 .  
         [0040]      FIG. 4  illustrates the dual nature of the modular sign  100  showing a different message being flashed on the display as opposed to  FIG. 3 . Specifically, the display of  FIG. 3  shows the products found in aisle  7 , one of these products being coffee.  FIG. 4  shows how a coffee advertisement can be displayed on the sign for consumers that are moving down that aisle.  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  have the same structure as the modular sign  100 , switching from a wayfinding display in  FIG. 3  to an advertisement in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0041]      FIG. 5  illustrates how the modular sign  100  may be connected to power and data. Power line communication devices  50 ,  51  are respectively plugged into a wall electrical outlet  49  and into the display  30 . The power line communication technology allows a power line to act as a signal transmission channel. In this manner, both power and data can move over the electrical wires that are part of the store&#39;s infrastructure, through the wall outlet  49 , over an electrical cord  52  strung between the communication device  50  and the display device  30 . Power line communication devices are extremely low cost and can be purchased from companies such as Asoka Corp., Philips, Actiontec, Linksys Group, Netgear and Siemens.  
         [0042]     The relative light weight of the electronic paper-like displays  30 ,  31 , the frame  21 , the power line communication devices  50 ,  51 , and the electrical cord  52  allows the modular sign  100  to be easily and safely hung from the store ceiling using wire cable  47  similar to the cable used to hang conventional signs. The embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3  will be hung from the store ceiling and have data and power provided though the powerline communication devices  50 ,  51 .  
         [0043]      FIG. 6  illustrates the operation of the modular sign  100 . A system  102  includes a server or computer  54 , a power line communications router device  55 , and an Ethernet cable  56 . The router device  55  is plugged into an electrical wall socket  57 . The Ethernet cable  56  connects the computer  54  to the power line communication router device  55 . Commercially available software within the computer  54  will transmit and manage advertisement or wayfinding information over the store electrical wiring system to the displays  30 ,  31  via the Ethernet cable  56 , the power line communications router device  55 , the power line communication device  50  and the electrical outlet  49 . The computer  54  is connected to a network  61  such as the internet though a wired connection  60 .  
         [0044]     In the example shown in  FIG. 7 , the system  102  may be placed in any location of a store, such as an office or the back store room. The computer  54  uses commercially available software to send data on wayfinding messages and advertisements through the Ethernet cable  56  to the power line communications router device  55  and into the store&#39;s electrical wiring system through the electrical outlet  49 . A plurality of the modular signs  100  may be hung from the ceiling throughout the store using standard, light gauge cable  47 . The modular sign  100  uses power line communication devices  50 ,  51  connected with the commercial electrical cord  52 . A power line communication device  50  plugged into the electrical outlet  49  provides a communication channel for the data that is in the store electrical wiring system. In this manner, the system  102  is able to input and control the data that goes into the modular sign  100 . This arrangement allows the system  102  to place images and text for wayfinding information or for advertisement onto the paper-like display  30 .  
         [0045]     The present invention provides the low power, high resolution and wide angle viewing, compactness and modularity of a conventional printed sign module with the ability to change the images and text on the electronic paper-like display  30  through the existing electrical systems by using power line communication devices  50 ,  51  and  55 .  
         [0046]     Referring to the drawings, there is shown a system  102  for direct placement of wayfinding information, commercial advertisements, public service announcements and other content onto a plurality of electronic paper-like displays  30  that are each part of the modular sign  100 .  
         [0047]     System  102  includes a network comprising a plurality of electronic paper-like displays  30  that are located within a well defined in-store area such as the various departments or within or near shopping aisles. A large number of modular signs may be deployed within each defined area and the plurality of electronic paper-like displays  30  within each modular sign  100  are networked and controlled through the store&#39;s electrical wiring that is located within each area by using power line communication devices  50 ,  51 ,  55 .  
         [0048]     System  102  may be connected to a network such as the internet  61  and is capable of receiving advertisements and other information from a location that is removed from the store.  
         [0049]     System  102  may be located at many different and separate stores, such as all the stores of a certain size within a metropolitan area, may have a customer such as a consumer products company or an advertising agency that purchase time on the system  102 . Each purchased time slot represents time that an advertisement with text and image or other messages will be displayed on the network of a plurality of electronic paper-like displays  30 . The computer  54  within the system  102  controls the time allocation on the electronic paper-like display  30 . Data on new content and time slots is provided to the computer  54  via the internet  61 .  
         [0050]     As schedule changes occur based upon new content and time schedules, the system  102  will send the updates to the network of a plurality of electronic paper-like displays  30  which receive this data through the store&#39;s electrical system via the power line communication devices  50 ,  51 ,  55 .  
         [0051]     Customer content, time schedules and deployment areas are provided to the system  102  based upon contracts which specify the requirements for the appropriate operation to be carried out.  
         [0052]     Those skilled in the art will understand that the preceding embodiments of the modular sign  100  provide the foundation for numerous alternatives and modifications thereto. For example, the display modules may include the use of very thin LCD and very low power LCD displays as a module. Other modifications may include the use of flexible OTFT-LCD (organic thin film transistor-liquid crystal display), polythiophene-based semiconductive ink, carbon-nano-tube technology, nano-electronics, nano-powder, high resolution electronic ink, cholesteric and encapsulated cholesteric display materials, electrochromic material, nanotechnology-based materials such as quantum dots, carbon nanotubes or nano-emissive materials, displays printed with various layers of conductive ink, nano ink, nano-metallic ink, carbon nanotube ink, and molecular bistable displays and other types of very thin, lightweight displays. These other modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the modular sign is not limited to that precisely as shown and described in the present application. Data connections to the modular sign  100  may be made with wireless connections, standard Ethernet cable and through other means than powerline communications. Accordingly, the system  102  is not limited to that precisely as shown and described in the present application.  
         [0053]     The invention uses either emissive or reflective electronic paper-like display technology which is low cost, very light weight and has very low power requirements. This allows a modular sign to be deployed where the modules are electronic paper-like displays, power and data devices, and the sign frame. The modular signs can easily be installed on existing infrastructure such as clothing racks, product display racks, product shelves, the wall behind merchandise shelves or, most commonly, hung from the store ceiling to create a new category of indoor networked digital signage based upon paper-like or e-paper display technology. These paper-like indoor signage modules deliver reinforced advertising and wayfinding information or a combination of advertising and wayfinding information to consumers walking through the store area or down the aisle where these modular signs are deployed. The lightweight nature of the signs allows them to be hung from store ceilings, where they are easily visible and can be deployed in a greater density.  
         [0054]     The present invention is therefore novel in its application of indoor signage technology, and unique in its capabilities, in that it addresses all of the requirements for deployment of numerous indoor signage within a defined area and using these signs to deliver product advertisement, wayfinding information or a combination of both in a manner not addressed by the related art.  
         [0055]     A first non-limiting advantage of the present invention is that it provides systems and methods for displaying images, text and messages over a network of a plurality of modular signs in a well defined area within a store or retail outlet. Each sign having modules that may contain reflective or emissive electronic paper-like displays, battery packs, wireless ports, powerline communication devices and frames for holding the displays.  
         [0056]     The lightweight displays may be reflective, meaning that in various conditions of light and brightness they appear with the same clarity as standard ink or paint on a conventional sign or they may be emissive meaning that they give off light providing luminance to the display. The displays also have a very wide viewing angle. The images, text, wayfinding information and advertisements displayed on the reflective electronic paper-like displays can be changed wirelessly or through the use of power line communication devices.  
         [0057]     The modular signs are fully contained and are very light weight, allowing them to be mounted on existing infrastructure or hung from the ceiling. It is easy to build the modules in different sizes and shapes allowing a high density of signs to be placed in close proximity to each other in an in-store area such as an aisle or department. Advertisements are easily updated and changed, wayfinding information, such as the addition of new products within a department or on an aisle, can be easily changed.  
         [0058]     Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.