The Future?

Google's latest move - a patent filing for, essentially, contextual advertising on digital billboards - is another sign that it plans to create an advertising network that crosses all media.

Google has filed a patent application for technology that will let local stores tie their inventory computers to kiosk-type billboards, ATM machines and other displays in malls and hotels powered by the search giant's ad network, reports ClickZ.

"The output may consist of various forms, including video, audio, printed incentive, interactive data transfers and/or combinations of these," the company said in the filing. (Recall the scene in Minority Report of Tom Cruise being bombarded by personalized ads as he walks through a public space.)

Nowadays, advertising on these screens are limited to manually loading looped, poster-type advertisements of movie promotions and other nearby events - but Google thinks the ads could do more: allow merchants near the displays to create campaigns based on available goods and services.