WO2000065503A1

WO2000065503A1 - Electronic device and method of distributing same

Info

Publication number: WO2000065503A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/010372
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joshua R. Slavitt
Original assignee: Slavitt Joshua R
Priority date: 1999-04-22
Filing date: 2000-04-14
Publication date: 2000-11-02
Also published as: AU4646100A

Abstract

An electronic device having a visual display which is capable of temporarily displaying an advertisement on the entirety of the visual display and a method of distributing an electronic device having a visual display at a nominal cost to a recipient thereof comprising the steps of configuring the electronic device to have an advertisement temporarily appear on substantially all of the visual display, selling advertising space entitling the advertiser to the right to have the advertisement temporarily appear on substantially all of the visual display of the device, and distributing the device to a recipient.

Description

ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING SAME

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic device having a visual display which is capable of temporarily displaying a series of advertisements thereon, and a method of distributing same at nominal cost to the recipient thereof. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an electronic device having a visual display and a method of distributing same wherein the electronic device comprises a memory storing one or more advertisements which are configured so that a different one of the plurality of advertisements temporarily appears on substantially the entire visual display of the device.

Background of the Invention

With the developments in consumer electronic devices, the use of visual displays thereon have become prevalent. These visual displays enhance the value of the electronic devices in which they are a part by permitting the user to view easily information which has been inputted or stored in or transmitted to the device as part of the operation thereof. Indeed, due to the ease by which inputted, stored or transmitted information displayed visually can be accessed by the user, the visual display has become the primary means by which a user of such a device accesses such information stored therein or transmitted thereto and confirms the accuracy of such information inputted therein.

Prior art electronic devices have employed visual displays for the purpose of displaying information directly associated with the function of electronic devices. By way of example, the visual displays of electronic organizers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are used for the display of information which has been inputted or stored by the user, such as for example, telephone numbers, addresses, appointments, memos, etc., or which has been transmitted thereto from another device. The visual displays of other electronic devices, such as cellular telephones and pagers, are similarly used for the display of telephone numbers and other information which has been inputted or stored by the user or which has been transmitted thereto. To the extent visual displays of such electronic devices display information other than that which has been inputted or stored in or transmitted to the device incident to the operation of the device, such information has been strictly limited to the use of the manufacturer's trademark for its source indicating purpose.

Due to the compact nature of many of the consumer electronic devices presently sold with visual displays, the dimensions of the visual display is limited. As a result, the maximization of the portion of the visual display usable for the display of inputted, stored or transmitted information is highly desirable. By the same token, the use of portions of the visual display for purposes other than the display of such information incident to the operation of the device detracts from the usefulness of the visual display.

Recently, a marketing strategy has been developed for the distribution of personal computers in which advertisements permanently appear on the perimeter of the computer monitor display. By selling such advertising, computers bearing such advertisements can be distributed to consumers at a little or no cost to the consumer as the revenue generated by the sale of advertising space subsidizes the cost of the personal computers. While the consumer receives a personal computer at little or no cost, he or she must constantly view the advertising appearing on the perimeter of the monitor while the computer is in use. The permanent placement of advertisements on the computer in such fashion, however, is not desirable as the entirety of the computer monitor is no longer available for the display of information incident to the operation of the device.

Summary of the Invention

One aspect of the present invention is directed to an electronic device having a visual display which is capable of temporarily displaying an advertisement on the entirety of the visual display. So configured, the electronic device can accommodate one or more advertisements which utilize substantially the entirety of the visual display but, because of the ability to clear the advertisement from the display, renders the entire display otherwise useable for the display of information incident to the operation of the device. While it is contemplated that the advertisement may be loaded in the device such that it temporarily appears on the visual display of the device at any time during the operation of the device, it is preferred that the advertisement is loaded in the device such that it must be displayed each time the device is activated and prior to any further operation of the device. If more than one advertisement is installed in the device, it is preferred that the plurality of advertisements is displayed in sequence such that each time the device is activated a different one of the series of advertisements is displayed. From the standpoint of the user, the benefits of using the electronic device of the present invention is realized at a significant cost savings as the revenue generated by the sale of advertising space on the device subsidizes the user's cost. From the standpoint of the advertiser, the user of the device is required to view the advertisement each time it appears on the display and thus gains the benefits derived from such advertising exposure. Moreover, by having the advertisement temporarily utilize substantially the entirety of the display, the size and resulting impact of the advertisement is maximized without diminishing the usable portion of the display during prior or subsequent operation thereof.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method of distributing an electronic device having a visual display at a nominal cost to a recipient thereof comprising the steps of configuring the electronic device to have an advertisement temporarily appear on substantially all of the visual display and selling advertising space entitling the advertiser to the right to have the advertisement temporarily appear on substantially all of the visual display of the device. The method of the present invention permits the recipient to gain the benefits offered by the electronic device at substantial savings to the recipient while, at the same time, conferring upon the advertiser the benefits of having its advertisement repeatedly viewed by the user of the device. As with the electronic device aspect of the present invention as set forth above, while it is contemplated that the advertisement may be loaded in the device such that it temporarily appears on the visual display of the device at any time during the operation of the device, it is a preferred method of the present invention that the configuring step comprises configuring the electronic device in such a manner that the advertisement must be viewed upon activation of the device. If more than one advertisement is installed in the device, it is preferred that the plurality of advertisements is displayed in sequence such that each time the unit is activated a different one of the series of advertisements is displayed.

Detailed Description of the Invention

A. The Electronic Device

The electronic device of the present invention can comprise any of the various types of consumer electronic devices sold which employ a visual display. Examples of such electronic devices include, but are not limited to, electronic organizers, PDAs, cellular telephones, pagers and the like. It will be understood that the term electronic device, as used herein, is not limited to the aforementioned devices, but all such electronic devices presently sold or which will be sold in the future which have a visual display feature are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. The preferred electronic devices of the present invention, however, are electronic organizers, PDAs, cellular telephones and pagers.

An important aspect of the present invention is that the electronic device be configured such that the advertisement is installed in such a manner that the device cannot be activated without the advertisement temporarily appearing on substantially all of the visual display. While this can be accomplished in a number of ways, all of which are considered within the scope of the present invention, it is preferred that the advertisement be installed in the electronic device as a part of the activation sequence so that the activation of the device triggers the display of an advertisement. Once displayed, the advertisement preferably appears on substantially all of the display for either a predetermined period of time, such as for example, from about 1 to about 10 seconds, or until the user further operates the device. By having the advertisement appear on the display temporarily, the user can utilize the entirety of the display once the advertisement is cleared. In certain preferred embodiments, an advertisement will appear only once upon activation of the device and will not reappear prior to the unit being reactivated at a later time. In other embodiments, an advertisement will periodically appear during the operation of the device at predetermined intervals.

The advertisement appearing on the display may be the only advertisement installed in the device or one of a plurality of advertisements. If a plurality of advertisements are installed in the device, it is important to the present invention that the device be so configured that the advertisements appear sequentially. While more than one advertisement may appear sequentially on the display upon a single activation of the device, it is preferred that only one advertisement appear upon each such activation of the device. It is contemplated that the sequence of advertisements may be arranged in any order, that is, randomly or in a particular preselected order. Preferably, however, if a series of advertisements are installed in the device, they will appear in a repeating sequence whereby each one of the complete series is displayed once before the sequence is repeated. In those embodiments in which a plurality of advertisements are installed in a device in which advertisements appear periodically, it will be preferred that different advertisements be displayed sequentially.

It is contemplated that the advertisements may be installed in the electronic device of the present invention in a number of ways all of which are considered within the scope of the invention. For certain electronic devices of the present invention which are capable of receiving data signals transmitted via the electromagnetic spectrum (i.e., infrared, radio, microwave, etc. frequencies), such as for example cellular telephones and pagers, advertisements may be installed in such devices remotely via such electromagnetic signals. For other devices which do not have such a capability, and indeed for certain devices which have such a capability, the advertisements may preferably be installed directly in the memory of the devices during the manufacture thereof or subsequently thereto but prior to distribution to the recipient. Preferably, the advertisements are installed in the electronic device in a portion of the permanent memory of the electronic device prior to distribution to the recipient or, if the electronic device is capable of being linked to other devices, such as a computer, loaded from the linked device to the electronic device to reside in a portion of the permanent or nonpermanent memory of the electronic device subsequent to distribution to the user. While in certain embodiments the installation of advertisements in the permanent memory of the electronic device is preferred, in those devices which are capable of being linked to other devices and which are capable of having information deleted therefrom either by removal of the power source or by other actions of the user, the installation of advertisements by means of linking software may be desirable. In this manner, different sets of advertising residing in the linked device may be loaded in the electronic device of the present invention so that the sets of displayed advertising may be changed. Regardless of the specific manner in which the advertisements are installed, it is an important aspect of the present invention that the user be substantially incapable of permanently deleting the advertisements from the device and operating the device without an advertisement being temporarily displayed thereon.

B. The Method

The method of the present invention is directed to distributing an electronic device having a visual display at a nominal cost to a consumer. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of configuring the electronic device to have an advertisement temporarily appear on substantially all of the visual display of the device, and selling advertising space to an advertiser entitling the advertiser to the right to have the advertisement temporarily appear on substantially all of the visual display of the device. By purchasing advertising that will temporarily but repeatedly appear on substantially all of the visual display of the electronic device, the advertiser underwrites the cost of the device. Instead of paying for the device, the recipient thereof receives the device which is configured to have advertisements temporarily appear on the visual display of the device during its operation.

The configuring step of the method of the present invention may be accomplished in any of a number of ways all of which are considered to be within the scope of the invention. Preferably, the configuring step involves configuring the electronic device such that the advertisement is installed so that the device cannot be activated without the advertisement temporarily appearing on substantially all of the visual display. It is preferred that the configuring step comprise installing the advertisement in the electronic device as a part of the activation sequence so that the activation of the device triggers the display of an advertisement. So configured, the advertisement preferably appears on substantially all of the display for either a predetermined period of time, such as for example, from about 1 to about 10 seconds, or until the user further operates the device. In certain preferred embodiments, the configuration step will result in the advertisement appearing only once upon activation of the device and not reappearing prior to the unit being reactivated at a later time. In other embodiments, the configuration step will result in an advertisement periodically appearing during the operation of the device at predetermined intervals.

In certain embodiments, the configuration step will comprise configuring the electronic device to display a single advertisement on the visual display of the device, while in other embodiments, the configuration step will comprise configuring the electronic device to display a plurality of advertisements. If a plurality of advertisements are installed in the device, it is important to the present invention that the device be so configured that the advertisements appear sequentially. While more than one advertisement may appear sequentially on the display upon a single activation of the device, it is preferred that only one advertisement appear upon each such activation of the device. It is contemplated that the sequence of advertisements may be arranged in any order, that is, randomly or in a particular preselected order. Preferably, however, if a series of advertisements are installed in the device, they will appear in a repeating sequence whereby each one of the complete series is displayed once before the sequence is repeated. In those embodiments in which a plurality of advertisements are installed in a device in which advertisements appear periodically, it will be preferred that different advertisements be displayed sequentially.

For certain embodiments of the method of the present invention, electronic devices which are capable of receiving data signals transmitted via the electromagnetic spectrum (i.e., infrared, radio, microwave, etc. frequencies), such as for example cellular telephones and pagers, will be configured such that advertisements may be installed in such devices remotely via such electromagnetic signals. For other embodiments in which the electronic devices employed do not have such a capability, and for certain devices which have such a capability, the configuration step will comprise having advertisements installed directly in the memory of the devices during the manufacture thereof or subsequently thereto but prior to distribution to the recipient. Preferably, the configuration step will comprise having advertisements installed in the electronic device in a portion of the permanent memory of the electronic device prior to distribution to the recipient or, if the electronic device is capable of being linked to other devices, such as a computer, loaded from the linked device to the electronic device to reside in a portion of the permanent or nonpermanent memory of the electronic device subsequent to distribution to the user. While in certain embodiments of the method of the present invention the installation of advertisements in the permanent memory of the electronic device is preferred, in those devices which are capable of being linked to other devices and which are capable of having information deleted therefrom either by removal of the power source or by other actions of the user, the installation of advertisements by means of linking software may be desirable. In this manner, different sets of advertising residing in the linked device may be loaded in the electronic device of the present invention so that the sets of displayed advertising may be changed. Regardless of the specific manner in which the advertisements are installed, it is an important aspect of the method present invention that the configuration step be accomplished such that the user be substantially incapable of permanently deleting the advertisements from the device and operating the device without an advertisement being temporarily displayed thereon.

The selling step comprises selling advertising space to an advertiser entitling the advertiser to the right to have an advertisement temporarily appear on substantially all of the visual display of the electronic device. It will be understood that the term advertising space means a portion the memory of the electronic device in which the advertisement is located such that the advertisement is capable of appearing temporarily on the visual display of the device upon the operation thereof. This step of the method of the present invention may be accomplished in any number of ways all of which are considered within the scope of the invention. While the number of advertising spaces sold in this step of the method of the present invention may be unlimited, it is preferred that in certain embodiments the number of advertising spaces sold be limited to 1 to about 20 spaces. By so limiting the number of advertising spaces sold, the value to each individual advertiser may be enhanced as its advertisement is displayed more frequently than if a greater number of advertising spaces were sold.

In certain embodiments, the advertising spaces sold in this step of the method of the present invention may comprise a single set of advertisements which is subsequently loaded in the electronic device. In certain other embodiments in which the installation of advertisements may be accomplished subsequent to distribution to the recipient, such as for example by way of linking software or electromagnetically transmitted signals, the advertising spaces sold in this step may comprise a plurality of sets of advertisements. In such embodiments, a first set of advertisements will be installed in the device prior to its distribution and subsequent sets of advertisements will be installed at a later time.

The electronic device employed in the method of the present invention can comprise any of the various types of consumer electronic devices sold which employ a visual display. Examples of such electronic devices include, but are not limited to, electronic organizers, PDAs, cellular telephones, pagers and the like. The preferred electronic devices used in the method of the present invention, however, are electronic organizers, PDAs, cellular telephones and pagers. The actual structures utilized to accomplish the method of the present invention are known and are not claimed as a part of the invention.

The distributing step employed in the method of the present invention may comprise any of a number of conventional means of distribution all of which are contemplated to be within the scope of the present invention. Examples of preferred distribution steps include U.S. mail delivery, private courier delivery, hand delivery or other known means by which goods are distributed. The particular means of accomplishing the distribution of the electronic devices is not important to the present invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A method of distributing an electronic device having a visual display at a nominal cost to a consumer comprising the steps of:

a. configuring the electronic device to have an advertisement temporarily appear on substantially all of the visual display of the device;

b. selling advertising space to an advertiser entitling the advertiser to the right to have the advertisement temporarily appear on substantially all of the visual display upon activation of the device; and

c. distributing the electronic device to a consumer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuring step renders the electronic device substantially incapable of being operated without the advertisement appearing on the visual display upon activation of the device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration step further comprises configuring the electronic device to have an advertisement temporarily appear on substantially all of the visual display of the device upon activation thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuring step further comprises causing the advertisement to remain viewable on the visual display for a predetermined period of time.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuring step further comprises causing the advertisement to remain viewable on the visual display until the electronic device is further operated.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuring step further comprises causing one of a plurality of advertisements to appear on the visual display.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the selling step comprises selling a plurality of advertising spaces to advertisers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises an electronic organizer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises a personal digital assistant.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises a cellular telephone.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises a pager.

12. An electronic device having a visual display wherein the electronic device comprises a memory storing an advertisement which temporarily appears on substantially all of the visual display of the device.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the advertisement temporarily appears on substantially all of the visual display of the device upon activation thereof.

14. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the memory stores a plurality of advertisements.

15. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the plurality of advertisements appear on the visual display in a predetermined sequence.

16. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the memory storing the plurality of advertisements is permanently installed in the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 12 further comprising software capable of linking the electronic device to a computer wherein the memory storing the plurality of advertisements is loadable onto the electronic device from the computer by means of the linking software.

18. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the electronic device comprises an electronic organizer.

19. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the electronic device comprises a personal digital assistant.

20. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the electronic device comprises a cellular telephone.

21. The electronic device of claim 12 wherein the electronic device comprises a pager.