Method and apparatus for improved information transactions

• US 20030182578A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ebrary
• Original Assignee: Ebrary
• Inventors: Nolan, Jay. C., Santos, Tom J., Warnock, Christopher M., Holzgrafe, Richard M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,536,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/416 Extracting the logical structure, e.g. chapters, sections or page numbers; Identifying elements of the document, e.g. authors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A method and system for making information available of a computer system and compensating information owners or creators for access to said information.

In various aspects, the invention provides a mechanism for giving users meaningful access to information via a computer system and network while protecting the interests of publishers and creators in information. The invention provides a solution for information including, but not limited to: text, graphics, photos, executable files, data tables, audio, video, and three dimensional data. In a further aspect, the invention comprises a new method for allowing a user to review a document while connected to a network but prevents the user from downloading, printing, or copying the document unless a fee is paid. In a further aspect, the invention comprises a new method for allowing a user to review documents at a first cost basis (which may be free), but only provides other access to documents, such as copying, printing, or downloading on a second cost basis. In a further aspect, the invention comprises a new method for allowing a user to purchase a selectable portion of a document at a price based on the amount of material selected where that amount of material can include a portion of a document, an entire document, or an anthology of components of multiple documents.

Claims

1. A method of providing a secure transfer of an image over a network from server to client, comprising:

selectively transferring from a server to a client a low resolution version of an image stored in a data repository;

mapping the image to determine a mapping template related to portions of said image; and

determining from said mapping template one or more portions of said image selected by action of a user at said client; and

transferring said selected portions of said image from said server to said client.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said selected portions include words, said method further comprising:

determining a preferred order of said words in said selected portions.

3. The method of claim 2 in which said transferring further comprises:

transferring words in said selected portions in said preferred order.

4. The method of claim 3 in which said preferred order is a preferred order for interpretation by a human.

5. The method of claim 2 in which said determining of a preferred order comprises:

one or more of the following functions, columnizing or regionizing.

6. The method of claim 5 in which said determining of a preferred order further comprises:

a normalizing function.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring said selected portions to said client only if said client meets one or more authorization requirements.