Automated monitoring and control of access to content from a source

• US 8,150,864 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bibireata, Daniel, Narang, Varun, Siegel, Hilliard B, Williams, Brian R, Rubens, Matthew J
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tim T
• Assistant Examiner(s): GORTAYO, DANGELINO N
• Application Number:
  US11/392,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20060212435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/3, 707/9, 707/100, 707/200, 707/4, 707/5, 707/732, 707/757, 707/781, 707/783, 707/784, 707/786, 382/190, 382/305, 705/64, 705/57, 705/54, 705/58, 705/52
• US Class Current: 707/757
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5846 using extracted text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A provider of content may provide access to portions of content from a source, but not the source content in its entirety. In some embodiments, one or more access rules or criteria may be implemented that enable users to access portions of the source content up to an allowed limit or threshold (e.g., number or percentage of pages), after which access is prevented to the remaining content that has not previously been accessed. In other embodiments, one or more access rules or criteria may be implemented that enable users to access portions of content of only a certain type (e.g., index, bibliography, introduction, certain chapters, etc.). Unauthorized portions are suppressed or access to them is denied. The content source may be a textual work, an audio work, or a video work of any form. For example, the content may be in electronic form, such as images of pages of content.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing user access to a body of content from a source, the computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a user with electronic access to a body of content from a source via a computing system, wherein all of the body of content is initially accessible to the user;

determining a threshold total amount of content in the body of content that can be accessed, wherein the threshold total amount of content is determined as one of a threshold percentage of the body of content and a threshold number of portions of the body of content;

measuring, via the computing system, a total of the body of content that has been accessed; and

when the total of the body of content that has been accessed meets or exceeds the threshold total amount of content, automatically restricting the user from accessing the remaining content in the body of content that has not previously been accessed while allowing the user to electronically access the content in the body that has previously been accessed.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the content that the user accesses is determined at the time of access.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the source is a textual work.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the source is an audio work.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the source is a video work.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the body of content is comprised of images of pages of content.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring access to the body of content by multiple users, wherein measuring the total of the body of content that has been accessed includes aggregating access information of the multiple users.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein aggregating access information of the multiple users comprises synchronizing multiple databases that record the content accessed by the multiple users.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the content accessed by one or more users is excluded from the total accessed content.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein access to content by a user who has paid for the access is excluded from the total accessed content.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the total of the body of content that has been accessed is measured as a percentage of the total body of content.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the total of the body of content that has been accessed is measured as a number of portions of the body of content.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein if the total of the body of content that has been accessed meets or exceeds the threshold total amount of content and if a request is made by the user to access content that previously has not been accessed, the computer-implemented method further comprises providing a message indicating that the requested content is unavailable.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling user selection of the content being accessed.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the content is selected as a result of a search of the body of content based on a search query.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing access to an excerpt of the content that previously has not been accessed and is otherwise restricted from access.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an authorized command that enables access to the content that is otherwise restricted from access.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold total amount of content is determined before the body of content is made available for access.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold total amount of content is determined after the body of content has been made available for access.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold total amount of content is determined based on a type of the source.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold total amount of content is determined based on a type of the content.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold total amount of content is determined based on an identity of a user.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold total amount of content is determined based on credentials of a user.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold total amount of content is determined based on a duration of access to the content.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold total amount of content varies over time.

26. A computer-implemented method for providing access to content from a source, the method comprising:

monitoring access to content from the source via a computing system;

allowing electronic access to a portion of the content from the source being monitored if the portion of the content satisfies a criteria; and

automatically embargoing a remaining portion of the content from the source from access while allowing electronic access to the previously accessed portion of the content,

wherein the criteria is a limit based on a comparison of an amount of the accessed portion of the content with at least one of a threshold percentage of the body of content that may be accessed and a threshold number of portions of the body of content that may be accessed.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, wherein the amount of the accessed portion of the content is determined as a percentage of the total content of the source.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, wherein the amount of the accessed portion of the content is determined as a number of portions of the content from the source.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, wherein allowing electronic access to the portion of the content comprises;

measuring the portion of the content that has previously been accessed;

comparing the measurement to the limit; and

if the measurement does not exceed the limit, allowing electronic access to the portion of the content.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein the limit varies over time.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein monitoring access to the content from the source comprises monitoring access to the content by multiple users.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 31, wherein measuring the portion of the content that has previously been accessed comprises:

measuring the portions of the content in aggregate that have been accessed by the multiple users; and

summing the measured portions to obtain a total amount of accessed content.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 32, wherein summing the measured portions to obtain the total amount of accessed content includes synchronizing multiple databases that record the content accessed by the multiple users.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 32, wherein the content accessed by one or more users is excluded from the total accessed content.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, wherein the criteria is further based on a type of the content.

36. The computer-implemented method of claim 35, wherein allowing electronic access to the portion of the content comprises;

identifying the type of the portion of the content being monitored;

comparing the type to the criteria; and

if the type satisfies the criteria, allowing electronic access to the portion of the content.

37. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, wherein the portion of the content being accessed is determined at the time of access.

38. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising providing a message indicating that the embargoed content is unavailable.

39. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising enabling user selection of the portion of the content.

40. The computer-implemented method of claim 39, wherein the portion of the content is selected as a result of a search of the content based on a search query.

41. The computer-implemented method of claim 39, wherein the portion of the content is selected based on its location in the content from the source.

42. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising providing selective access to the embargoed portion of content.

43. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising receiving an authorized command that enables access to the embargoed portion of content.

44. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising determining the criteria before the content of the source is made available for access.

45. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising determining the criteria after the content of the source has been made available for access.

46. A computer system for providing electronic access to content from a source, the system comprising:

a database for storing access rules that govern what content may be accessed from a source; and

a computing device in communication with the database, wherein the computing device is configured to;

monitor access to content from the source;

allow electronic access to a portion of the content from the source being monitored if the portion of the content satisfies an access rule stored in the database, wherein allowing electronic access comprises;

measuring an amount of content accessed;

comparing the measured amount of content accessed to the access rule; and

allowing electronic access to the portion of the content from the source when the measurement satisfies the access rule; and

automatically embargo a remaining portion of the content from the source from access while allowing access to the previously accessed portion of the content,

wherein the access rule defines an amount of the content from the source that is available for access, wherein the amount of the content from the source that is available for access is defined as a threshold number of portions of the content.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the computing device is configured to monitor access to the content from the source by monitoring access to the content by multiple users.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the computing device is further configured to measure the portion of the content that has previously been accessed by measuring the portions of content in aggregate that have been accessed by the multiple users to obtain a total amount of accessed content.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the content accessed by one or more users is excluded from the total amount of accessed content.

50. The system of claim 46, wherein the access rule being applied is further based on a type of the content.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the computing device is configured to allow electronic access to the portion of the content by:

identifying the type of the portion of content being monitored;

comparing the type to the access rule; and

if the type satisfies the access rule, allowing electronic access to the portion of the content.

52. The system of claim 46, wherein the portion of the content being accessed is determined at the time of access.

53. The system of claim 46, wherein the computing device is further configured to provide a message indicating that the embargoed content is unavailable.

54. The system of claim 46, wherein the computing device is further configured to enable user selection of the portion of the content.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the portion of the content is selected as a result of a search of the content based on a search query.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein the portion of the content is selected based on its location in the content from the source.

57. The system of claim 46, wherein the computing device is further configured to provide selective access to the embargoed portion of content.

58. The system of claim 46, wherein the computing device is further configured to receive an authorized command that enables access to the embargoed portion of content.

59. The system of claim 46, further comprising determining the access rule before the content of the source is made available for access.

60. The system of claim 46, further comprising determining the access rule after the content of the source has been made available for access.

61. A non-transitory computer-accessible medium having instructions encoded thereon that provide electronic access to content from a source, wherein, in response to execution of the instructions by a computing apparatus, the instructions cause the computing apparatus to:

detect access to a portion of the content from the source;

allow electronic access to the portion of the content from the source if the portion of the content satisfies a criteria; and

automatically restrict access to a remaining portion of the content from the source that does not satisfy the criteria when access to the remaining portion is detected, while continuing to allow electronic access to the previously accessed portion of the content,

wherein the criteria is a limit based on a comparison of an amount of the accessed portion of the content with a threshold percentage of the content that may be accessed.

62. The computer-accessible medium of claim 61, wherein the criteria is further based on a type of content.

63. The computer-accessible medium of claim 62, wherein, in response to execution, the instructions further cause the computing apparatus to allow electronic access to the portion of the content by;

identifying the type of the portion of the content that is being accessed,

comparing the type to the criteria, and

if the type satisfies the criteria, allowing electronic access to the portion of the content.

64. The computer-accessible medium of claim 61, wherein, in response to execution, the instructions further cause the computing apparatus to provide electronic access to an excerpt of the remaining portion of content that is otherwise automatically restricted from access.

65. The computer-accessible medium of claim 61, wherein the criteria is determined before the content of the source is made available for access.

66. The computer-accessible medium of claim 61, wherein the criteria is determined after the content of the source has been made available for access.