Abstract:
Advertising content is received over a channel and displayed on the same terminal that displays the point of sale information.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from provisional application No. 61/054,695, filed May 20, 2008, the whole contents of the disclosure of which is herewith incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Alcohol and tobacco advertisers have poured billions of dollars into national advertising campaigns designed to increase public awareness of their products and thereby increase sales. Last year in the United States alone, bottling companies spent a record of over 1.75 billion in 2007. 
         [0003]    Each year, the alcohol industry spends more than a billion dollars on “measured media” advertising, that is, television, radio, print, and outdoor ads. The available evidence indicates that more than 300 wine brands, 350 beer brands, and 1,400 distilled spirits brands are marketed to the U.S. Fewer than a quarter of them are advertised through measured media each year. 
         [0004]    Alcohol promotions are often carried out in unconventional ways, including: 
         [0005]    Sponsorship of cultural, musical, and sporting events; 
         [0006]    Internet advertising; 
         [0007]    Point-of-sale material, including window and interior displays at retail outlets, bars, and restaurant; 
         [0008]    Distribution of brand-logoed items such as t-shirts, hats, watches, and glassware; 
         [0009]    Product placements in movies and TV shows; 
         [0010]    Catalogs and other direct mail communications; 
         [0011]    Price promotions such as sales, coupons, and rebates; and 
         [0012]    Trade promotions directed at wholesalers and retailers 
         [0013]    Recently local banks, sports bar and various nightclubs have started placing plasma screens or flat panel Televisions in public view and displaying channels like CNN or the Sports Channel. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0014]    The present application describes a system that uses the same monitor screen for bar functions, e.g, entry of an order, or display of an action in the bar, and also for displaying advertisements. The advertisements can be received over transmissions, and creates advertisements based on the received transmissions. 
         [0015]    According to an embodiment, the transmissions are received over a satellite link. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  depicts screens as might be installed in a typical nightclub environment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  depicts the end to end systems components as are intended to be included. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3A  depicts an embodiment of an individual screen in advertising mode and 
           [0019]      FIG. 3B  depicts an example of the screen in the POS terminal mode. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  depicts an embodiment of the system flow of operations at a typical nightclub site. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  depicts an embodiment of the value of the system to the advertiser placing ads on the system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]    Display screens in nightclubs and bars display various images. The flat screens normally depict images of dancers in the building or prerecorded disco videos or streaming light images for special effects. This or other similar screens can be used by the bartender to ring up sales and/or make orders. 
         [0023]    In an embodiment, each time the bartender rings up a sale, the touch screen becomes a computer keyboard. When the bartender steps away from the touch screen, the screen saver becomes a miniature billboard which displays advertising for various brands of alcohol or beer. In one embodiment, this system is fed via a satellite dish which updates the ads periodically either by venue, by region, by day of the week, or globally all at once. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows the layout of a typical bar,  100 , which may include a number of display devices. The bar  100  shows four screens  102 ,  104 ,  106  and  108 . In this embodiment, the screens show their own advertisements at times between when they are being used for some other purpose. For example, touchscreens can be used for ringing up customers payment. The screen  102  could be a touchscreen for ordering drinks, or a screen of information, or screen about upcoming events. When not being used, the screen forms a miniature billboard that entices the clients using advertisements about items that are occurring in the bar. For example, when the bar&#39;s well drinks are “Smirnoff”, a Smirnoff vodka advertisement is presented. The system provides an advertisement that is tied to the content of what the bar is serving or wanting to serve—providing targeted advertisements. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  shows an alternative embodiment, and also shows an end to end version of the system. A satellite  200  may receive information from a ground station such as  205 , which can itself be provided in a conventional way. Information from the satellite is downlinked to a satellite receiver  215 . The information from the satellite receiver is sent to a demultiplexing box  220 . In an embodiment, the satellite can be Q band satellite that receives a transmission from the transmission feed on a periodic basis, for example, hourly, weekly, daily or monthly. The ads can also be updated by venue, region, day of the week, or the like. For example, different bars may offer different specials on different days, and ads related to those specials could be displayed. 
         [0026]    A number of different point-of-sale cash boxes such as  220  are also provided. Each cashbox may include a point-of-sale slot  221  through which a user slide their ID device such as an ID card. At this point, the screen  225  becomes a screen used for the sale, e.g. a touchscreen as in  225 . In the cash machine  230 , the screen  235  is a conventional screen, and there is also a user interface  236  that allows the user to enter a command such as on the keyboard. In operation, the bartender can slide ID information into the point-of-sale slot  221 , in which case the screen  225  becomes a screen associated with obtaining sales. When the sale is completed, the screen reverts to being an advertisement screen. The advertisement advertises items associated with the bar&#39;s sales. 
         [0027]      FIG. 3A  shows the crossover, where  FIG. 3A  shows the screen  225  displaying Smirnoff advertising, and  FIG. 3B  shows the screen  225  in its normal point-of-sale mode, displaying a touchscreen matrix  300 . 
         [0028]    The system operates as shown in the flowchart of  FIG. 4 , which may be executed by a central processor such as  120 , which provides output to all the different screens, e.g, the same output to all the screens, or individual displays to the individual screens. After the session is started at  400 , the screens initially go into cash register mode at  405 , allowing a bartender to use the cash register to ring up a drink at  410  using the display to carry out the checkout. The cashbox drawer then opens at  415  (or allows a swipe of an owner&#39;s credit card), and the bartender executes the transit the transaction at  420 , then stepping away from the screen at  425 . After the screen has not been used for a certain amount of time, at  430 , the screen reverts to the display of advertisements of the periodically updated content. The ads can be shown to any user within range. At any time such as  435 , when the bartender wants to ring up a drink, they touch the screen, causing device to revert at  442  to cash register mode. At  445 , the bartender can use the touchscreen to ring up a drink for example. 
         [0029]    In one embodiment, illustrated with reference to  FIG. 5 , the price for the advertising may be computed based on the increased sales from the advertising. For example, taking an example of a bar called the Vault Ultra Lounge in  FIG. 5 , a before and after scenario may be shown. Step  500  shows the scenario before the advertising is carried out. The total number of drinks served per month is 60,000 and the number of drinks which used Smirnoff per month is 1200. Again, this is the baseline before the advertising. 
         [0030]      510  shows an “after” scenario; where an additional 1200 drinks have been sold, which equates to 60 bottles of Smirnoff. The “after” scenario on the advertising provides a sales increase of another 1200 drinks. 
         [0031]    In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the advertiser provides ⅙ of the increased revenue as a fee for the advertising. Of course, other numbers can be used for this analysis. Smirnoff pays an advertising fee of ⅙ of the extra, or $2000. 
         [0032]    Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, other components can be used. While the above describes a location system for anti theft, the same kind wireless battery or solar powered devices can be used for other applications. While the above has described very specific forms of structure and networks that can be used, other network protocols, including but not limited to Bluetooth and others can be similarly and analogously used. In addition, other applications for this system are possible and are contemplated by the present application. While the above describes Smirnoff, it should be understood that any other product can be similarly advertised. In embodiments, the product that is advertised is preferably a product that is available for sale at the advertising location, and more preferably is a food or drink for sale at the location. 
         [0033]    Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims.