ANTS Connected Display is a hosted digital signage web services platform that allows easy integration with web design layout and media content, and seamless distribution of the signage display content across technology platforms including mobile devices. The ANTS Connected Display platform consists of four key categories of features.

• Management Console
• Media Player Client Software
• Companion Web Services
• Add-on Features

Browser-based Management Console

Users and display network operators manage the ANTS Connected Display services through the browser-based management console. Aside from creating and administrating user accounts, the management console has the following key capabilities:

Display

• Topological map view of the display network and network status
• View service status of each display such as device status
• View display configuration details such as display ID
• View display detail with URL link to the display’s companion web site
• Set and adjust the service parameters such as the registration interval and time-zone
• Re-synchronize display (force content push to display client)
• Set and move geographical location of each display
• Download the ANTS media player client software
• Add new display to display network

Create and Edit Media Assets

• Manage media asset folders (use right mouse click)
• Create and edit display layouts
• Create and edit community feeds
• Create and edit media assets using web tool
• Upload and manage media assets via browser
• Access public shared display layout templates
• Access public shared media assets
• Access media content feeds
• Manage RSS content feeds
• Manage advertisement content feeds
• Add, edit, and manage playlists
• Manage display layouts within playlist

Schedule and Publish Content

• Associate playlists to specific displays
• Set playlist schedule by day
• Set schedule override for given days

Account Settings

• View user account information such as application keys
• View and set display network operating hours (remote display monitor on and off)

Media Player Client Software

The ANTS Connected Display media player is the controller software for digital signage displays. Supported on both Microsoft Windows and Google Android Linux-based platforms, the ANTS client supports standard HTML/CSS media design layouts and media formats, and supports standard web technologies including Adobe Flash and JavaScript widgets. The ANTS client is optimized for carrier wireless connectivity in limited bandwidth and lossy connectivity environments.

The client software has the following key capabilities:

Controller

• Communicate with server to exchange status and control information
• Periodic update of display device information such as memory usage, disk usage, active playlist, and geographical information such as IP address, cell-ID, BSSID, longitude, latitude, and velocity
• Retrieve media files and web templates from server
• Manage media and template files stored on the client
• Support for large file transfer optimization over wireless through file fragmentation
• Access media file and playlist via local USB or SD data storage devices
• Turn display monitor on or off based on server side user settings
• Log and upload media display statistics and metrics for audit

Media Player

• Play media items from the active playlist
• Play media display templates in the active playlist
• Support for image, video, and Flash media formats
• Support for Javascript and Flash web widgets
• Media time code markers with associated trigger actions
• Periodic update of display device information such as memory usage, disk usage, active playlist, and geographical information such as IP address, cell ID, longitude, latitude, and velocity

Companion Web Services

Each display managed by the ANTS Connected Display platform can have an externally accessible companion web site. The content shown on a particular digital signage display is replicated so that it can be accessed from the internet and viewed on a web browser. The user can navigate through the content items in the active playlist shown on the display. There is the basic capability through third party services such as “addthis” for users to share the URL of the companion web site with other viewers.

A display network owner can create any number of community casting feeds. These feeds can be associated with timeslots within a given playlist. Individuals such as content contributors, merchants, and advertisers with access to these community casting feeds may use a browser to create or upload media into the feed. The administrator for the feed may then filter or manage the content and publish the content to the displays via playlist controls.


Add-on Features
ANTS Connected Display provides a number of add-on features which are accessible via licensed arrangements to marketers and display network operators. These tools include enhanced network reporting and display analytics, advertising inventory management, marketing campaign management, and content targeting.