Patent Publication Number: US-11645662-B2

Title: Digital signage and gaming services to comply with federal and state alcohol and beverage laws and regulations

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/386,369 filed Apr. 17, 2019, which is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/222,785 filed Aug. 15, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,290,006, issued May 14, 2019, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Certain exemplary embodiments of this invention relate to digital signage and interactive gaming. More particularly, certain exemplary embodiments relate to methods and systems for implementing a business model for digital signage and interactive gaming services in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations related to alcohol distribution. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
     It is desirable to provide entertainment content such as interactive gaming services and digital signage to certain businesses. Businesses requiring these services may be involved with retail establishments in the restaurant and bar business sector that typically serve alcoholic beverages. However, federal and state laws and regulations restrict the amount of interaction between alcohol retailers, alcohol distributors/wholesalers, and alcohol manufacturers. Indeed, such laws and regulations prohibit vertical integration between the various tiers of the system for alcohol distribution. Because of the numerous restrictive laws and regulations that often vary from state-to-state and with the federal government, it has not been possible to provide entertainment content such as interactive gaming services and digital signage to businesses when such entertainment content involves interactions between alcohol retailers, alcohol distributors/wholesalers, and alcohol manufacturers on the one hand, and alcohol retail establishments on the other. Indeed, such restrictive laws and regulations make it difficult even to advertise alcohol-related promotions. 
     A provider of aggregated content including interactive gaming services and digital signage may implement a revenue sharing model to create incentives for the retail establishment to display such content. Digital signage provides a way for displaying advertisements in a relatively low-cost manner without the typical costs associated with traditional advertising. Advertisements at the national level provided by an advertising provider (e.g., a party not involved with the manufacturing or distribution/wholesaling of alcohol) may then be distributed to retailers to increase advertisement penetration at a local level. The fees collected from these advertising providers (e.g., a party not involved with the manufacturing or distribution/wholesaling of alcohol) may then be shared with retailers to provide incentives for displaying the aggregated content. 
     The above-noted laws and regulations have presented numerous legal (e.g., compliance) and technical issues that have prevented advertisers, retailers, and alcohol retailers, distributors/wholesalers, and alcohol manufacturers from realizing the full benefits of advertising. For example, the above-noted laws and regulations make it illegal for revenue sharing to be implemented between the parties, for promotions to be run at the retailers on behalf of the alcohol providers, etc. Thus, it will be appreciated that there is a need in the art for techniques that comply with the various applicable federal and state requirements, while also providing some or all of the benefits of advertising, where legal. For example, there is a need in the art for techniques that comply with the various applicable federal and state requirements, while also providing aggregated content. In light of the above-noted federal and state laws related to alcohol distribution, the inventor of the instant invention has discovered that it is possible for aggregated content providers to ensure that revenues from fees collected from alcohol advertisers are not shared with any retailer involved with selling alcoholic beverages as a means of providing advertising and enabling revenue sharing, while also complying with the various applicable federal and state laws. Accordingly, certain exemplary embodiments relate to techniques for ensuring compliance with these federal and state laws and regulations related to alcohol distribution when using digital signage, in a manner that provides some or all of the benefits associated with the same, where legal. 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, a method and system for providing digital signage are described. In certain exemplary embodiments, the method comprises: receiving advertisements at a data center, where the advertisements to be displayed are based on receipt of advertising fees, wherein at least one of the advertisements is a alcoholic beverage advertisement; sending at least one advertisement from the data center to a display processor via a packet data network; integrating the advertisement in a display window with video using the display processor such that the advertisement appears on a portion of a display in a retail establishment of a retailer while the video is playing and the retail establishment is selling alcoholic beverages and while complying with legal regulations relating to alcoholic beverages. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the instant invention will be further understood by review of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a data flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a process for providing content (e.g., advertisements) as part of digital signage and interactive gaming services in compliance with federal and state alcohol and beverage laws and regulations. 
         FIG.  2    is a diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a system for digital signage and interactive gaming services. 
         FIG.  3    is a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a process for aggregating content for digital signage and interactive gaming services. 
         FIG.  4    is an illustrative computer system usable in connection with an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Certain exemplary embodiments relate to a method and system for displaying advertising and/or other content using digital signage in establishments that sell and serve alcoholic beverages while complying with federal and state alcohol laws and regulations. For example, these laws may be Tied House Laws dealing with on-premises consumption. In certain exemplary embodiments, the system includes a data center to aggregate messages received from retailers and advertising providers to push content in an aggregated form to be displayed at the retailers. A display server hosted by the retailer is then used to overlay the aggregated messages from the data center with a video feed provided by a cable/satellite box. The patrons may then send messages to the data center based on the aggregated content displayed at the retailer to log-in and play to interactive gaming services provided by the data center. 
     Overview 
     Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference numerals indicate similar components throughout the several views,  FIG.  1    is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a process for providing content (e.g., advertisements) to be displayed using digital signage in compliance with federal and state alcohol and beverage laws and regulations. In certain exemplary embodiments, retailer  120  subscribes to a service provided by data center  100 . Retailer  120  may comprise a bar establishment that serves alcoholic beverages and may provide entertainment to clientele including patron  150 . Data center  100  may provide interactive gaming and digital signage services for retailer  120 . Data center  100  then collects fees via, for example, electronic money transfer from patrons for a collection of services provided by data center  100 . For example, data center  100  may provide content including interactive games, messages, and/or advertisements for patrons in the retail establishment of retailer  120 . Retailer  120  may then offer these services to customers (e.g., patrons of the bar establishment). For example, retailer  120  may offer an interactive trivia game for a predetermined fee by displaying digital signage to a patron (e.g., patron  150 , at the retail establishment of retailer  120 ). In this manner, the patron may subscribe to the offered service by sending a message  153  to data center  100 . 
     In certain exemplary implementations, patron  150  sends message  153  including subscription information to be received by data center  100 . Patron  150  may be a user using a mobile device with SMS capability. Message  153  may be, for example, an SMS message including subscription information sent from the mobile device. The subscription information in message  153  may represent data for indicating that patron  150  is subscribing to the service provided by data center  100 . To receive message  153 , data center  100  may be a subscriber of services provided by service providers  155  and  159 . Message  153  may be sent over a network provided, in part, by service provider  155 . 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, service provider  155  comprises a telecommunications provider that provides a wireless network for transmitting SMS messages. Patron  150  is charged a fee based on the content of the subscription information in message  153 . For example, patron  150  may subscribe to an interactive game provided by data center  100  for a predetermined fee  103 . Data center  100  sends information to service provider  155  indicating the predetermined fee  103  to be charged and collected from patron  150 . Service provider  155  may then collect a portion of the predetermined fee  103  to be distributed to service provider  155  in exchange for transmitting message  153 . 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, service provider  159  may receive message  153  from service provider  155 . Service provider  159  may be an SMS aggregator service that functions as an intermediary for service provider  155  and data center  100 . In certain exemplary embodiments, service provider  159  aggregates SMS messages sent by patron  150  and other patrons using one or more cell phone providers and forwards the messages to data center  100 . Service provider  159  may then collect a portion of a remaining predetermined fee  157  (e.g., a remaining portion of the predetermined fee  103  less the portion distributed to service provider  155 ) to be distributed to service provider  159  in exchange for aggregating message  153  and messages from other patrons. 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, data center  100  then receives message  153  forwarded from service provider  159 . A remaining predetermined fee  163  (e.g., a remaining portion of the predetermined fee less the portion distributed to service provider  155  and less the portion distributed to service provider  159 ) then may be collected by and distributed to data center  100 . Remaining predetermined fee  163  comprises revenue that data center  100  collects from patron  150 . Under the business model, data center  100  may then distribute a portion  117  of the remaining predetermined fee  163  to retailer  120 . In this manner, data center  100  may implement revenue sharing with retailer  120  based on fees collected from patrons. 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, data center  100  receives advertising fee  108  collected from alcohol advertiser  130 . Alcohol advertiser  130  comprises, for example, an alcohol beverage manufacturer or an alcohol beverage distributor/wholesaler. In certain exemplary embodiments, data center  100  receives advertising fee  112  collected from non-alcohol advertiser  140 . Non-alcohol advertiser  140  may comprise any advertiser that does not include a type of alcohol beverage manufacturer or alcohol beverage distributor/wholesaler. In certain exemplary embodiments, data center  100  shares revenue with retailer  120  taken from a portion of the collected fees from patrons and advertisers. However, revenue sharing is restricted by federal and state laws and regulations when it relates with alcohol distribution. To help ensure compliance with these laws and regulations, data center  100  does not share and/or prevents the sharing of revenue from advertising fee  108  collected from alcohol advertiser  130  with retailer  120 . In other words, using data center  100 , the business model of certain exemplary embodiments prevents the commingling of revenue from fees collected from alcohol advertisers to be shared with retailers. In contrast, data center  100  may share revenue with retailer  120  collected from the fees from patron  150  and non-alcohol advertiser  140 . In addition, data center  100  collects a fee from retailer  120  to comply with these federal and state laws and regulations. In certain exemplary embodiments, data center  100  collects a service fee  105  from retailer  120 . Without collecting the service fee  105  from retailer  120  under the revenue sharing business model, in effect, alcohol advertiser  130  would be providing a service to retailer  120  that may be considered of value in certain states in violation of state laws and regulations for alcohol distribution. 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, data center  100  distributes a portion  122  of the revenue from advertising fee  112  collected from non-alcohol advertiser  140  to retailer  120 . Data center  100  may also distribute a portion  117  of the revenue from collected from subscriber  150  to retailer  120 . In certain exemplary embodiments, data center  100  distributes non-monetary compensation  127  to employee  133  of retailer  120 . Employee  133  may include a bartender or a member of the wait staff employed by retailer  120 . Monetary and non-monetary compensation  127  may comprise merchandise, tips, and other benefits distributed to employee  133  (as long as the compensation is not in violation of other laws). 
     System for Digital Signage and Interactive Gaming Services 
       FIG.  2    is a diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system for digital signage and interactive gaming services. In certain exemplary embodiments, data center  200  provides digital signage content and interactive gaming services for patrons. Data center  200  typically comprises at least one computer system. Data center  200  is coupled to communicate over a network, such as Internet  205 . Internet  205  as used herein refers to a network of networks which uses certain protocols, such as the TCP/IP protocol, and possibly other protocols such as the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) for hypertext markup language (HTML) documents that make up the World Wide Web (web). The physical connections of the Internet and the protocols and communication procedures of the Internet are well known to those of skill in the art. 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, a retailer  120  (e.g., a bar establishment) uses remote client  220  for sending message  223  to data center  200  for processing. Remote client  220  may be a computer system configured to communicate over Internet  205  with data center  200 . Message  223  may include content to be displayed on display  217 . Display  217  may be a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD) or any other known display technology in the art. In certain exemplary embodiment, display  217  is a conventional television that accepts a video signal from display server  210 . Display server  210  is typically a computer system located at the retailer&#39;s site and is coupled to communicate over Internet  205  with data center  200 . Display server  210  also is communicably coupled to cable/satellite box  212  or other video source for accepting a video feed provided by cable/satellite box  212 . Cable/satellite box  212  is typically a set-top box operable to transmit video feed from a television provider or cable operator that provides content and programming for television video. Display server  210  may transmit a video signal comprising aggregated content to be displayed on display  217 . The aggregated content to be displayed may include a video signal comprising digital signage played on the same screen at the same time the video feed provided by cable/satellite box  212  is displayed, where the simultaneous display is done in a manner well-known in the art. In this manner, display server  210  may transmit aggregated content combined from various content providers to be displayed on display  217 . 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, advertising provider  260  sends advertising message  263  to data center  200 . Advertising provider  260  may comprise an alcohol manufacturer or alcohol distributor/wholesaler that subscribes to services provided by data center  200 . For example, data center  200  may provide a service to display advertising messages from advertising provider  260  in local retail establishments. In this manner, advertising content from a national level may be distributed to the local level with relative ease. In certain exemplary embodiments, advertising provider  270  sends advertising message  273  to data center  200 . Advertising provider  270  may comprise a non-alcohol related business that also subscribes to services provided by data center  200 . For example, advertising provider  270  may include a clothes manufacturer, a retail chain, sports memorabilia manufacturer, or sports franchise. In this manner, data center  200  may have patrons involved in alcohol distribution and patrons not involved with alcohol distribution. 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, subscriber  230  may send message  232  over a network provided by service provider  240 . Subscriber  230  may be using a mobile device with SMS capability for sending messages over the network. Service provider  240  may be a telecommunications provider that provides communications services for subscriber  230 . In certain exemplary embodiments, service provider  240  may then forward message  232  to SMS aggregator  250 . SMS aggregator  250  typically provides a service to receive SMS messages from various different service providers and forwards the messages to a subscriber of the SMS aggregator service, which is data center  200  in this case. SMS aggregator  250  may then forward message  232  to data center  200  for processing. Data center  200  may provide a service to subscriber  230  based on the information in message  232 . Data center  200  may then transmit response message  213  to subscriber  230  in response to message  232 . Response message  213  may comprise a confirmation message acknowledging that subscriber  230  has successfully subscribed to the service provided by data center  200 . 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, data center  200  may combine advertising message  263 , advertising message  273 , and message  223  to be transmitted as an aggregated message  207  to display server  210 . Data center  200  acts as a “hub” for the “spokes” including the various providers of content. Data center  200  may then segregate and process the messages received from these various providers of content in a manner compliant with federal and state laws and regulations related to alcohol distribution. After receiving aggregated message  207 , display server  210  processes aggregated message  207  to display the content in aggregated message  207  on the same screen at the same time as the video feed received from cable/satellite box  212 . In this manner, aggregated content comprised of the video feed from cable/satellite box  212  and aggregated message  207  is displayed on display  217 . 
     Method for Displaying Aggregated Content for Digital Signage 
       FIG.  3    is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a process for aggregating content for digital signage and interactive gaming services performed by the system. Referring to  FIG.  3   , processing logic in the system receives a first advertisement message from a first advertising provider (processing block  310 ). First advertising provider may comprise an alcohol related advertiser. At processing block  320 , processing logic in the system receives a second advertisement message from a second advertising provider. The second advertising provider may comprise a non-alcohol related advertiser. Next, at processing block  330 , processing logic receives a second message from a remote client located at a retailer. The retailer may be a patron of services provided by the system. Then, processing logic in the system combines the second message with the first advertising message and the second advertisement message to produce an aggregated message (processing block  340 ). In this manner, the system produces aggregated content that may be displayed. At processing block  350 , processing logic in the system transfers the aggregated message to a remote server for displaying the aggregated message. In certain exemplary embodiments, the remote server is located at the retailer. 
     An Exemplary Computer System 
       FIG.  4    is a block diagram of a computer system that may perform one or more of the operations described herein according to an exemplary embodiment. Referring to  FIG.  4   , computer system  400  may comprise an exemplary client or server computer system. Computer system  400  comprises a communication mechanism or bus  411  for communicating information, and a processor  412  coupled with bus  411  for processing information. Processor  412  includes a microprocessor, but is not limited to a microprocessor, such as, for example, Pentium™, PowerPC™, Alpha™, etc. 
     System  400  further comprises a random access memory (RAM), or other dynamic storage device  404  (referred to as main memory) coupled to bus  411  for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor  412 . Main memory  404  also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions by processor  412 . 
     Computer system  400  also comprises a read only memory (ROM) and/or other static storage device  406  coupled to bus  411  for storing static information and instructions for processor  412 , and a data storage device  407 , such as a magnetic disk or optical disk and its corresponding disk drive. Data storage device  407  is coupled to bus  411  for storing information and instructions. 
     Computer system  400  may further be coupled to a display device  421 , such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD), coupled to bus  411  for displaying information to a computer user. An alphanumeric input device  422 , including alphanumeric and other keys, may also be coupled to bus  411  for communicating information and command selections to processor  412 . An additional user input device is cursor control  423 , such as a mouse, trackball, trackpad, stylus, or cursor direction keys, coupled to bus  411  for communicating direction information and command selections to processor  412 , and for controlling cursor movement on display  421 . 
     Another device that may be coupled to bus  411  is hard copy device  424 , which may be used for marking information on a medium such as paper, film, or similar types of media. Another device that may be coupled to bus  411  is a wired/wireless communication capability  425  to communication to a phone or handheld palm device. 
     Note that any or all of the components of system  800  and associated hardware may be used in connection with certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention. However, it will be appreciated that other configurations of the computer system may include some or all of the devices. 
     The processes described herein may be a machine-readable medium having stored thereon data and instructions to cause a programmable processor to perform operations as described above. In certain exemplary embodiments, the operations might be performed by specific hardware components that contain hardwired logic. Those operations might alternatively be performed by any combination of programmed computer components and custom hardware components. As such, the exemplary embodiments described herein may be implemented in connection with any suitable combination of programmed logic circuitry (e.g., hardware, software, firmware, and/or the like). 
     Instructions for a programmable processor may be stored in a form that is directly executable by the processor (“object” or “executable” form), or the instructions may be stored in a human-readable text form called “source code” that can be automatically processed by a development tool commonly known as a “compiler” to produce executable code. Instructions may also be specified as a difference or “delta” from a predetermined version of a basic source code. The delta (also called a “patch”) can be used to prepare instructions to implement an embodiment of the invention, starting with a commonly-available source code package that does not contain an embodiment. 
     The present invention also relates to apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, compact disc read-only memory (“CD-ROM”), and magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (“ROMs”), random access memories (“RAMs”), erasable, programmable read-only memories (“EPROMs”), electrically-erasable read-only memories (“EEPROMs”), Flash memories, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions. 
     The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purpose systems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description below. In addition, the present invention is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the invention as described herein. 
     The applications of the present invention have been described largely by reference to specific examples and in terms of particular allocations of functionality to certain hardware and/or software components. However, those of skill in the art will recognize that improved keystroke dynamic authentication can also be achieved by software and hardware that distribute the functions of embodiments of this invention differently than herein described. Such variations and implementations are understood to be captured according to the following claims. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the features, aspects, advantages, and exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined in any combination or sub-combination to yield yet further exemplary embodiments. 
     It will be appreciated that the fees described above may or may not be charged in certain exemplary embodiments. It also will be appreciated that the same or different fee may be charged to each of the parties that is charged a fee. Indeed, the exemplary embodiments described herein may be extended such to any scheme in which money is taken from patrons and given to retailers, while any money taken from alcohol retailers or manufacturers/distributors does not go to the retailer directly or indirectly (e.g., is not directly or indirectly tied to an alcoholic brand or product). 
     Also, although certain exemplary embodiments have been described in relation to taking a percentage of the cost of sending a message such as a text message, the present invention is not so limited. For example, the fees that fund the various parties may be generated in whole or in part from any combination of acceptable non-alcohol producing or distributing agent or apparatus such as, for example, a jukebox (e.g., as a portion of the fee charged for playing music), a bar-top device (e.g., as a portion of the fee charged for playing a game), a handheld gaming device, and/or the like. Additionally, the advertisements may be displayed on any acceptable display device including, for example, overhead displays, large televisions, jukeboxes, bar-top devices, handheld gaming devices, etc. 
     While the preferred aspects of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and/or modifications can be made. Thus, the specific description herein is meant to be exemplary only and is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of appended claims.