Interactive printer account

• US 6,957,921 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Kazimi, Hani M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KARMIS, STEFANOS
• Application Number:
  US09/607,844
• Time in Patent Office: 1,943 Days
• Field of Search: 705/18, 705/38, 705/39, 705/40, 705/52, 705/57, 705/35, 705/41, 705/42, 355/40, 396/310
• US Class Current: 400/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A preferred embodiment of the invention is concerned with a user of the netpage system and an interactive printer module that is utilized by the user to access the system. Each printer module has an account that contains data indicative of the usage of the printer. Moreover, each account is debited with amortized capital costs and running costs of the respective printer, and credited with fees earned via the printer, such as fees related to advertising, click-throughs and sales. Any credit balance at the end of a predetermined period can be redeemed.

Claims

1. A system for providing printed information to a user, the system including:

a user printer module for interfacing the user with a first database containing first information, the module being responsive to the user requesting the first information from the first database for obtaining the first information and generating a first printed media which is provided to the user and which displays the first information;

identifier means for applying an identifier to the first printed media such that designation of the identifier by the user results in the module generating a second printed media which is provided to the user, and which displays the second information obtained from a second database; and

memory means for storing account data indicative of either or both of;

the number of times the first information is obtained from the first database;

or the number of times the second information is obtained from the second database.

2. A system according to claim 1 including:

a first server means of a first party for containing the first database, the first server means being accessed selectively by the module for obtaining the first information;

a second server means of a second party for containing the second database, the second server means being accessed selectively by the module for obtaining the second information; and

calculation means being responsive to the account data for determining the quantum of a payment that is made by the user to one or both of the parties.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein the first and the second server means are constituted by respective hardware and software.

4. A system according to claim 2 wherein the first and second server means include common hardware and/or software.

5. A system according to claim 2 wherein the first and second databases are separate.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein the first and second parties are separate legal entities.

7. A system according to claim 2 wherein the databases are comprised of different portions of a single database.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein the first and second parties are the same legal entity.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the second information is derived from a fourth party and the calculation means is responsive to the account data for determining a financial debit that is applied by the first party and/or the second party against the fourth party.

10. A system according to claim 2 wherein the first party and the second party are separate legal entities and the account data is indicative of both the number of times first information is obtained from the first database and the number of times second information is obtained from the second database, wherein the calculation means is responsive to the account data for determining a financial debit to be applied by the first party against the second party.

11. A system according to claim 10 wherein the account data is a number and the debit is proportional to that number.

12. A system according to claim 2 wherein the module is provided to the user by a third party and the calculation means is responsive to the account data for determining a financial debit to be applied by the third party against the first party or by the third party against the second party.

13. A system according to claim 12 wherein the calculation means determines:

a financial debit to be applied by the third party against the first party in proportion to the number of times fist information was obtained by the module from the first database; and

a financial debit to be applied by the third party against the second party in proportion to the number of times second information was obtained by the module from the second database.

14. A system according to claim 2 including a plurality of modules and a corresponding plurality of users and the calculation means is responsive to the separate memory means for determining the number of times in total that the first and the second databases are accessed by the modules.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the memory means are collectively comprised of a central memory.

16. A system according to claim 2 wherein the account means maintains an account balance for the module.

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein the account balance is credited as a function of the number of times the first and/or second information is accessed.

18. A system according to claim 16 wherein the account balance is debited at predetermined intervals and credited as a function of the number of times the first and/or second information is accessed in the preceding interval.

19. A system according to claim 18 wherein, if the credit balance exceeds a predetermined threshold, the user is eligible to claim one or more benefits.

20. A system according to claim 19 wherein a plurality of thresholds are defined and a corresponding plurality of benefit types are available for a user to claim once a respective threshold has been reached.

21. A system according to claim 20 wherein one or more of the first second or third parties are providers of goods and/or services and the benefits obtainable by the user include those goods and/or services.

22. A system according to claim 20 wherein the products and/or services are provided by a party other than the first party and/or the second party.

23. A system according to claim 1 including calculation means responsive to the account data for determining the quantum of a payment to be made by the user to the first party.

24. A system according to claim 1 including calculation means responsive to the account data for determining the quantum of a payment to be made by the user to the second party.

25. A system according to claim 1 including calculation means responsive to the account data for determining the quantum of a payment to be made by the second party to the first party.

26. A System for providing printed information to a user, the system including:

a user printer module for interfacing the user with a first database containing first information, the module being responsive to the user requesting the first information from the first database for obtaining the first information and generating a first printed media which is provided, and which displays the first information;

identifier means for applying an identifier to the first printed media such that designation of the identifier by the user results in the module generating a second printed media which is provided to the user and which displays second information obtained from a second database;

memory means for storing account data indicative of either or both of;

the number of times the first information is obtained from the first database;

or the number of times the second information is obtained from the second database; and

payment determination means being responsive to the account data for calculating an access fee to be levied against the user for the use of the module.

27. A system according to claim 26 wherein the payment determination means calculates the access fee as the balance of:

a predetermined periodic fee; and

a variable credit that is derived from the account data.

28. A system according to claim 27 wherein the account data is a number and the variable credit is derived from a multiple of that number.

29. A system according to claim 27 including account means for receiving a payment from the user when the payment determination means calculates a positive value for the access fee.

30. A system according to claim 27 wherein the payment determination means calculates the access fee periodically.

31. A system according to claim 30 wherein the module is disabled if the access fee is not paid by the user within a predetermined period from the calculation of the fee.

32. A system for providing printed information to a user, the system including:

a user printer module for interfacing the user with a first database containing first information, the module being responsive to the user requesting the first information from the first database for obtaining the first information and generating a first printed media which is provided to the user, and which displays the first information;

an identifier database for supplying an identifier to the first printed media such that designation of the identifier by the user results in the module generating a second printed media that displays to the user second information obtained from a second database; and

an account database for storing account data indicative of either or both of;

the number of times the first information is obtained from the first database;

or the number of times the second information is obtained from the second database.

33. A system according to claim 32 including:

a first server of a first party for containing the first database, the first server being accessed selectively by the module for obtaining the first information; and

a second server of a second party for containing the second database, the second server being accessed selectively by the module for obtaining the second information, wherein the account server is responsive to the account data for determining a financial debit that is applied by one or both of the parties against the user.

34. A system for providing printed information to a user, the system including:

a user printer module for interfacing the user with a first database containing first information, the module being responsive to the user requesting the first information from the first database for obtaining the first information and generating a first printed media which is provided to the user, and which displays the first information;

an identifier database for supplying an identifier to the first printed media such that designation of the identifier by the user results in the module generating a second printed media which is provided to the user, and which displays second information obtained from a second database;

an account database for storing account data indicative of either or both of;

the number of times the first information is obtained from the first database;

or the number of times the second information is obtained from the second database; and

an account server for accessing the account database and being responsive to the account data for calculating an access fee to be levied against the user for the use of the module.

35. A system according to claim 34 wherein the account server calculates the access fee as the balance of:

a predetermined periodic fee; and

a variable credit that is derived from the account data.