Electronic book selection and delivery system having purchase and account management features

• US 20020040473A1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John S. Hendricks
• Original Assignee: John S. Hendricks
• Inventors: Hendricks, John S.
• Application Number:
  US09/964,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20020040473A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2351 involving encryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4353 involving decryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention, an electronic book selection and delivery system, is a new way to distribute books and other textual information to bookstores, libraries and consumers. The primary components of the system are a subsystem for placing text in a video signal format and a subsystem for receiving and selecting text that is placed in the video signal format. The system configuration for consumer use contains additional components and optional features that enhance the system, namely: (1) an operation center, (2) a video distribution system, (3) a home subsystem, including reception, selection, viewing, transacting and transmission capabilities, and (4) a billing and collection system. The operation center and/or video distribution points perform the functions of manipulation of text data, security and coding of text, cataloging of books, messaging center, and uplink functions. The home subsystem performs the functions of connecting to a video distribution system, menu selecting text, storing text, and transacting through phone or cable communicating mechanisms. A portable book-shaped viewing device is used for viewing the textual material delivered. The billing and collection system performs the transaction, management, authorization, collection and publisher payments automatically utilizing the telephone system.

Claims

1. An operations center for a text delivery system wherein text is delivered to subscribers for viewing, comprising:

a data receiver for receiving text data;

a formatter, connected to the data receiver, for formatting the data received;

a security means, connected to the formatter, for encrypting the formatted data; and

an uplink, connected to the security means, for placing the encrypted data onto a video signal.

2. The operations center of claim 1 further comprising:

a processor, connected to the formatter and data receiver, for controlling the processing of the received data; and

an instruction memory, connected to the processor, for supplying instructions to the processor.

3. The operations center of claim 2 further comprising:

a message memory, connected to the processor, for holding messages; and

a text generator, connected to the processor, for generating text data to be delivered to the subscriber.

4. The operations center of claim 1 wherein the uplink comprises an encoder.

5. The operations center of claim 1 further comprising a billing and collection system for handling subscriber transactions.

6. The operations center of claim 1 further comprising:

a combining means, connected to the processor and formatter, for combining text data prior to the data being uplinked.

7. A method for operating a center for delivering text to subscribers comprising:

receiving text data to be sent to subscribers;

formatting the text data received;

encrypting the formatted data; and

placing the encrypted data onto a video signal.

8. A system for delivering text upon request wherein the text is delivered as text data, the system comprising:

means for receiving text data;

a local file server, connected to the receiving means, for storing the received text data;

a communication system, connected to the file server, for receiving text data requests and for responding to text data requests;

a home subsystem, connected to the communication system, for requesting text data and receiving text data via the communication system, whereby the text data is received from the local file server after the home subsystem requests the text data.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising an operation center comprising:

means for gathering text data from publishers;

a master file server, connected to the gathering means, for storing text data from publishers; and

a distribution system, connected to the receiving means, for distributing the text data at the master file to the local file server.