Coming Soon to Malls: Google Billboards?

According to Webpronews, one of the technologies Google is working on is to create a network of digital billboards to which it will broadcast advertising. And malls are one target for the technology.

There's been a lot of in-mall television and digital signage of late. But what Google's cooking up sounds a little different.

Google's patent application initially mentions a system of "advertisements in a network of electronic display devices." But if that seems vague, things become clearer about 1,000 words into the piece.

While describing the (potential) product, the application states, "One example of this are kiosk-type billboards typically located in retail outlets, such as shopping malls, airports, hotel lobbies, etc. In their simplest form these devices loop through a series of poster-type advertisements promoting, movies, products and/or retail outlets in proximity to the sign to induce specific customer behavior."