Automatic content retrieval based location-based screen tags

摘要

Systems and methods automatically obtain contents and display the contents on location-specific display screens, based on content attributes associated with the screens. Associating content attributes (“tags”) with the screens allows administrators to specify the types of contents desired for display on the screens. For example, an establishment that caters to customers of a particular demographic (such as 21-27 year old singles, families with children, fans of rock-and-roll music, “bikers,” sports fans or ice cream lovers) may associate one or more content attributes (such as “dating,” “Disney,” “Led Zeppelin,” or “Red Sox”) with its display screen. The system then automatically obtains contents based on the attribute(s) and displays the contents on the screen. Patrons with mobile telephones or web-based users may send text messages for display on the screen or play interactive games displayed on the screen, as described in the incorporated patent application. However, even absent such activity, the disclosed systems and methods populate the screen with potentially ever-changing contents, thereby keeping the screen “fresh” and avoiding a situation known as the “ghost town” effect. The system may obtain the contents to be displayed from a variety of sources. For example, Twitter messages (“Tweets”) that contain or are otherwise associated (such as via “hashtags”) with a content attribute of a screen may be displayed.

主权项

1. A system for displaying contents on a geographic location-specific display screen, the system comprising:
at least one display screen located at a respective specific geographic location; a database configured to store, for each of the at least one display screen, at least one selection criterion for contents to be displayed on the at least one display screen, the at least one selection criterion including information about the specific geographic location of the at least one display screen; a first server coupled to the at least one display screen, to the database and to at least one content server distinct from the first server, the first server being configured to automatically obtain contents, based on the specific geographic location of the display screen, from the at least one content server, select a portion of the obtained contents according to the at least one selection criterion in the database and display the selected portion on the at least one display screen; and a web server coupled to the first server and configured to serve, for each of the at least one display screen, a web page to a plurality of remote computers distinct from the at least one display screen, the web page comprising at least some of the contents displayed on the at least one display screen.