Patent Publication Number: US-2023153861-A1

Title: Messaging display system and method

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the classification for systems for selective content distribution; and to one or more sub-classifications for scheduling content for creating a personalized stream. The present invention also relates to the classification for data processing methods specifically adapted for commercial purposes; and to one or more sub-classifications related to commerce and marketing. Specifically, the present invention is a message display system and method that allows for on-demand messaging to be displayed on vehicles in a user-defined local area. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     As society continues to be more immersed in social media, it has become one of the most, if not the most important form of communication. Its applications have been very wide and to a very large extent, very successful. From personal communication to advertising, to business and all other spheres of life, social media has redefined the way we interact and indeed live our lives. 
     However, while social media has largely taken place in the spheres of the internet, cell phones and other interpersonal domains, it has not yet been applied to direct location-based messaging. This domain is still occupied primarily by large media organizations, advertising agencies, and government and civil authorities. As a result, large sectors of business are still reserved for large corporations, who still dominate dissemination of information such as news, advertising, and public broadcasting. The market is seeking a way to democratize the dissemination of location-based messages. By location-based messages, this application means messages that are broadcast to a certain geography through means other than a cellphone or computer. 
     For example, one of the ubiquitous forms of location-based messaging is the billboard. Billboards are controlled by large media companies. Advertising on them is still prohibitively expensive. Moreover, the messaging is stagnant. Billboards typically remain in situ for at least one month. Individuals and small businesses are left with trying to break into markets with largely ineffective methods such as portable visual displays, stickers, storefront signage, and Internet advertising. If they desire to advertise in a more effective manner, they are forced to invest large sums of money with the advertising companies to use media such as billboards. 
     What the market needs is the democratization of location-based advertising, meaning advertising performed at a specific physical location. What the market needs is a system and method that will provide moving displays on which an end user can broadcast a message, such as an advertisement, within a certain geographic region. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This summary is intended to disclose the present invention, a message display system and method that allows for on-demand messaging to be displayed on vehicles in a user-defined local area. The embodiment and description are used to illustrate the invention and its utility and are not intended to limit the invention or its use. The following presents a simplified summary of the primary embodiment of the invention to provide a basic understanding of the invention. Additional concepts that can be added or varied with the primary embodiment are also disclosed. The present invention is novel with respect to the prior art, and can be distinguished from the prior art. 
     In general, the present invention, a message display system and method that allows for on-demand messaging on vehicles in user defined local area, provides targeted on-vehicle messaging in a known local area. The system comprises a plurality of in-vehicle mountable displays, a plurality of end-user electronic devices, a communications network, and a server connected with a database. The in-vehicle mountable displays are comprised of a flexible screen, a flexible border, a USB port, a communications chipset, a memory, a graphics driver, and a global positioning system chipset. The end-user electronic device has a memory element, a processor, and a display. A computer-readable instruction set called a user application is stored on the memory element of the end-user electronic device. A computer-readable instruction set called a display application is stored on the memory of the in-vehicle mountable display. 
     The server intermediates the method of the present invention, by executing a computer-readable instruction set that interoperates with the display application and the user application. The end-user creates a message using the user application on their cellphone or other end-user electronic device. The end-user can select message options, such as animation, text wrapping, color, and added graphics such as a picture. The end user identifies an area of interest to the method, by setting the border around the end user&#39;s preferred area of interest on a map. This information is communicated by the communication chip set of the cellphone to the server using the communication network. The server communicates the available vehicles to the user, who reviews them. The end user is able to set a criterion to sort the vehicles by the average time (“Time”) the vehicle is within the area of interest during an average day; or by the average distance (“Distance”) traveled by the vehicle within the area of interest during an average day. If the end user chooses Distance, he or she selects the appropriate vehicles. If the end user chooses Time, he or she selects the appropriate vehicles. The end user then selects the duration and repetition of their intended message. This information is communicated to the server which supplies pricing information. The end user may say the price is okay or the price is not okay. If the price is okay, the advertising campaign is executed and the end user is charged. If the price is not okay, the end user may exit or iterate to select new parameters. 
     The display of the flexible screen has three mark-off areas that can be reserved for additional information such as battery life, signal strength, and display ID. In one embodiment, the flexible border can be covered with a pressure sensitive adhesive (“PSA”), so that the in-vehicle mountable display can be directly mounted to the rear window of a vehicle. Alternately, the in-vehicle mountable display can be mounted with suction cups. 
     The in-vehicle mountable display is attached to the rear window of a vehicle. The message displayed on the flexible screen is easily visible to those outside the vehicle. An end-user can put an in-vehicle mountable display in their own vehicle in order to use the in-vehicle mountable display as an electronic messaging board—the equivalent of a new-age bumper sticker. An end-user can also access other vehicles that have made their in-vehicle mountable displays available for advertising or messaging. 
     In one embodiment, the end-user electronic device has a touch screen that acts as both a display and an input device. The touch screen shows a graphic user interface (“GUI”). The GUI displays a proposed message. The proposed message is transmitted to one of a plurality of in-vehicle mountable displays, where the message is displayed on the flexible screen. The GUI includes options for the display of the message, including things like animation, text wrapping, color, and added graphics such as a picture. 
     After an end-user has selected a message, they choose an area of interest. The end user is presented with a map. The end user sets an area of interest by placing a border around it. The area of interest is where the end-user wants to display their message. The area of interest has a plurality of roads. The end-user is presented with the map through a menu on the GUI. The end-user is able to see a plurality of vehicles that are recurrently in the area of interest. The end user is able to access graphic information through the GUI showing the daily average amount of time (“Time”) and the daily average mileage (“Distance”) for each of a plurality of vehicles that are recurrently in the area of interest. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is illustrated with 8 drawings on 9 sheets.  FIG.  1 A  is a front view of a flexible display screen with a flexible border.  FIG.  1 B  is a perspective side view showing the curvature of the display screen.  FIG.  1 C  is a top perspective view showing the curvature of the display screen and the electronics associated with the display screen. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective method of a display screen with four suction cups with which to mount the display screen to a vehicle rear window. 
         FIG.  3    is rear view of a vehicle with the display screen mounted in the rear window. 
         FIG.  4    is a combined view showing an end-user electronic device communicating with the display screen. 
         FIG.  5 A  is a diagram showing an area of interest.  FIG.  5 B  is a chart of average time within the area of interest for a selection of vehicles.  FIG.  5 C  is a charge of average distance driven within the area of interest for a selection of vehicles. 
         FIG.  6    shows a communications configuration to enable the present invention. 
         FIG.  7    is a system chart of the present invention. 
         FIG.  8    is a flow chart of the primary method of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The following descriptions are not meant to limit the invention, but rather to add to the summary of invention, and illustrate the present invention, a message display system and method that allows for on-demand messaging on vehicles in a user-defined local area. The present invention is illustrated with a variety of drawings showing the primary embodiment of the present invention, with examples presented of the various form-factors that the present invention can take. 
     Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The article “a” is intended to include one or more items, and where only one item is intended the term “one” or similar language is used. Additionally, to assist in the description of the present invention, words such as top, bottom, side, upper, lower, front, rear, inner, outer, right and left are used to describe the accompanying figures. The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. 
       FIG.  1 A  shows an in-vehicle mountable display  1 . The in-vehicle mountable display  1  has a flexible screen  2  and a flexible border  3 , and a USB port  4 . In one embodiment, the flexible screen  2  is fabricated from an organic liquid crystal display (“OLCD”). A message  6  can be displayed on the flexible screen. The display of the flexible screen  2  have three mark-off areas  7 ,  8 ,  9 , that can be reserved for additional information such as battery life  7 , signal strength  8 , and display ID  9 . The as battery life  7  and signal strength  8  mark-offs can be turned on by an user device, such as the cellphone belonging to the vehicle owner. The display ID  9  can be temporarily turned on by an end-user electronic device  200 . In one embodiment, the flexible border  3  can be covered with a PSA, so that the in-vehicle mountable display  1  can be directly mounted to the rear window of a vehicle. 
       FIG.  2    shows an alternative embodiment for mounting the in-vehicle mountable display  1 . The mounting would be effect with the use of a plurality of suction cups  40 . In this embodiment, four suction cups  40  are used. In  FIG.  2   , the in-vehicle mountable display  1  is visible, along with its flexible screen  2 , the flexible border  3 , and a message  6  displayed on the flexible screen  2   
       FIG.  1 B  is a perspective side view showing the in-vehicle mountable display  1 . In this view, the flexible screen  2  and flexible border  3  are visible, as is the curvature  10  of the display. 
       FIG.  1 C  shows a combined view of the flexible display  2  and its associated electronics. In this view, the flexible display  2  has a front  2  and a back  11 . The front  2  of the flexible display  2  is capable of displaying a message  6 . The flexible display  2  has a definable edge  22 . At one end of the flexible display  2  is a header  21  which allows the flexible display  2  to be attached to its associated electronics. In this embodiment, the header  21  is attached to a graphics driver board  23 . The graphics driver board  23  is connected to a main board  24  with a flex cable  22 . The main board  24  has a plurality of communication ports  4 ,  34 . In this embodiment, the communications ports  4 ,  34 , are a lightning port  34  and a USB port  4 . Of course, additional communications ports  4 ,  34  are possible and the precise identity of the communications ports  4 ,  34  are not a limitation of this invention. The main board  24  is a PCB with a top side  33 . The electrical components are mounted on the top side  33 . There is a global positioning system (“GPS”) chip  32 , a communications chip  35 , and a memory  31 . The remainder of the components  36  are passives, op amps, and other electronic components. The flexible display  2 , header  21 , driver board  23 , main board  24 , and flex cable  22  can be housed in a minimalist flexible in-vehicle mountable display  1  with a flexible border  3 . 
     In  FIG.  3   , the in-vehicle mountable display  1  is attached to the rear window  101 , of a car  100 . The message  6  displayed on the flexible screen  2  is easily visible to those outside the car  100 . An end-user can put an in-vehicle mountable display  1  in their own vehicle  100  in order to use the in-vehicle mountable display  1  as an electronic messaging board—the equivalent of a new-age bumper sticker. An end-user can also access other vehicles  100  that have made their in-vehicle mountable displays  1  available for advertising or messaging  6 . 
       FIG.  4    shows the in-vehicle mountable display  1  being used in conjunction with an end-user electronic device  200 . In this embodiment, the end-user electronic device  200  is a cellphone  200 . The cellphone  200  has a touch screen  201  that acts as both a display and an input device  201 . The touch screen  201  shows a graphic user interface (“GUI”)  201 . The GUI  201  displays a proposed message  202 . The proposed message  202  is transmitted to one of a plurality of in-vehicle mountable displays  1 , where the message  6  is displayed on the flexible screen  2 . The GUI  201  includes options for the display of the message  203 , including things animation, text wrapping, color, and added graphics such as a picture. 
       FIG.  5 A  shows map. The map&#39;s outer perimeter is an end-user defined border  400  that sets the boundary for the end-user&#39;s area of interest  402 . The area of interest  402  is where the end-user wants to display their message  6 . The area of interest  402  has a plurality of roads  401 . The end-user is presented with the map through a menu on the GUI  201 . The end-user is able to see a plurality of vehicles A ( 403 ), B ( 404 ), C ( 405 ), D ( 406 ) that are in the area of interest  402 . 
     In  FIG.  5 B and  5 C , the end user is able to access graphic information through the GUI showing the daily average amount of time  420  and the daily average mileage  430  for each of the four vehicles A ( 403 ), B ( 404 ), C ( 405 ), D ( 406 ) that are in the area of interest  402 . 
       FIG.  6    shows an embodiment of a communication configuration for the present invention. A plurality of end-user electronic devices (cellphones)  200  are able to communicate via either a satellite network  301  or a cellular network  302 . A plurality of vehicles  100  containing in-vehicle mountable displays  1  are able to communicate via either a satellite network  301  or a cellular network  302 . The end user makes a request to display a user-defined message using the GUI  201  on the cellphone  100  which is transmitted to a server  303 . The end user sets an area of interest  402 . The server  303  has access to data showing information about available vehicles A ( 403 ), B ( 404 ), C ( 405 ), D ( 406 ), in the area of interest  402 , on which messages  6  can be shown. Available vehicles A ( 403 ), B ( 404 ), C ( 405 ), D ( 406 ) are a sub-set of the plurality of vehicles  100 . Location-based data is recorded from each of a plurality of vehicles  100  by recording their GPS coordinates versus using a GPS chipset  32  contained in the in-vehicle mountable display  1 . 
       FIG.  7    shows the system of the current invention. The system comprises a plurality of in-vehicle mountable displays, a plurality of end-user electronic devices  200 , a communications network  301 ,  302 , and a server  303  connected with a database  310 . The in-vehicle mountable displays  1  are comprised of a screen  2 , a communications chipset  35 , a memory  31 , a graphics driver  23 , and a global positioning system chipset  32 . The end-user electronic device  200  has a memory element, a processor, and a display. A computer-readable instruction set called a user application is stored on the memory element of the end-user electronic device  200 . A computer-readable instruction set called a display application is stored on the memory  31  of the in-vehicle mountable display  1   
     The server  303  intermediates the method of the present invention, by executing a computer-readable instruction set that interoperates with the display application and the user application.  FIG.  8    shows the method. The end-user creates a message  510  using the user application on their cellphone  200 , which initiates a session with the server  303 . The end-user can select message options  511 , such as animation, text wrapping, color, and added graphics such as a picture. The end user identifies an area of interest  512  to the method, by using a map and setting the border  400  around the end user&#39;s preferred area of interest  402 . This information is communicated by the communication chip set  35  of the cellphone  200  to the server  303  using the communication network  301 ,  302 . The server  303  communicates the available vehicles to the user, who reviews them  513 . The end user is able to set a criterion  514  to sort the vehicles by the average time (“Time”) the vehicle is within the area of interest  402  during an average day; or by the average distance (“Distance”) traveled by the vehicle within the area of interest  402  during an average day. A weighted combination of Time and Distance can also be specified. If the end user chooses Distance, he or she selects the appropriate vehicles  515 . If the end user chooses Time, he or she selects the appropriate vehicles. The end user then selects the duration and repetition  516  of their intended message  6 . This information is communicated to the server  303  which supplies pricing information  517 . The end user may say the price is okay  519  or the price is not okay  519 . If the price is okay, the advertising campaign is executed  521  and the end user is charged. If the price is not okay, the end user may exit  522  or iterate  520  to select new parameters.