Advertising compliance monitoring system

A system for monitoring consumer exposure to specific advertising comprising:

• a sign located in a store;
• a consumer carried card having a tag embedded therein;
• a reader disposed adjacent the sign that receives tag data from the tag when the tag is within a predetermined range;
• and
• a computer that communicates with the reader to determine the number of consumers that pass within the predetermined range.

A method of monitoring compliance with an advertising program comprising:

• associating a backscatter tag with a sign, the tag generating signals identifying the sign;
• using a backscatter reader to receive the generated signals from the tag;
• and
• determining whether the sign is located in a specified location in accordance with a particular advertising program.

An object positioned for viewing by the public and capable of being monitored for identification and location comprising:

• identification indicia associated with the object;
• means for converting the identification indicia to an electronic signal and for transmitting the electronic signal at a given RF power level such that the electronic signal is only detected within a predetermined distance;
• and
• means for determining whether the object is located in a predetermined location.

A system for monitoring compliance with an advertising program comprising:

• backscatter means for sending data associated with a sign placed in a location in accordance with a specific advertising program;
• receiving means for receiving the sign data;
• and
• analyzing means for communicating with the receiving means and for analyzing the sign data to determine whether the sign is in compliance with the specific advertising program.

A system for monitoring consumer exposure to specific advertising comprising:

• advertising means located in a store;
• backscatter means carried by a consumer;
• receiving means disposed adjacent the advertising means for receiving data from the backscatter means;
• and
• analyzing means for communicating with the receiving means and for determining how many consumers pass within a predetermined distance from the receiving means.

A system for monitoring products on a shelf comprising:

• a product sensor that detects whether a product is present on the shelf;
• an RFID tag associated with at least one shelf, the tag storing tag data corresponding to whether a product is present on the shelf;
• a reader that receives the tag data from the tag;
• and
• a computer that receives the tag data and determines whether the shelf is empty.

A method of calibrating an RFID tag reader comprising:

• locating a calibration tag a specified distance from the reader;
• initiating an automatic calibration process wherein the reader adjusts its output power and determines whether it can detect the calibration tag;
• and
• determining the minimum output power required to detect the tag at the specified distance.