Systems and methods for distributing and viewing electronic documents
First Claim
1. A system for distributing an electronic document comprising:
- a memory configured to store the electronic document; and
a central distribution system in operable communication with the memory, the distribution system configured to;
retrieve a copy of the electronic document from the memory;
associate with the copy of the electronic document one or more rights, wherein each of said rights defines an action capable of being performed on at least a portion of the copy of the electronic document; and
provide the copy of the electronic document in a form that allows a first client to exercise the one or more rights associated with the copy of the electronic document, wherein one of the rights associated with the copy of the electronic document includes the ability of the first client to share with a second client rights to at least a portion of a body of content of the electronic document to enable the second client to access the shared content based on rights derived from the first client through an act of said sharing even if the second client is not otherwise entitled to access the shared content, and wherein the central distribution system is configured such that said second client receives said at least a portion of said shared body of content from said central server only after the second client'"'"'s rights to receive the shared content, as derived from the first client, are exercised by the second client such that the exercise of such rights by said second client directly causes the shared content to be delivered to the second client.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to systems and methods for distributing and viewing electronic documents. In one embodiment, the invention provides a system for distributing electronic versions of printed documents comprising a memory device and a distribution system. The memory device is in operable communication with a content provider and stores at least one electronic document file that is based at least in part on a source electronic document provided by the content provider, wherein the source electronic document is an electronic version of a printed document. The distribution system is in operable communication with the memory device and is programmed for responding to requests from a client for delivery of an electronic document file, retrieving a copy of the requested electronic document file from the memory device, assigning at least one right to the copy of the electronic document file, the right defining the scope of at least one action capable of being be performed on at least a portion of the copy of the electronic document file, encrypting the copy of the electronic document file with a key based at least in part on the identity of the client and on the at least one right, and providing the copy of the electronic document file, with the associated key, to the client.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A system for distributing an electronic document comprising:
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a memory configured to store the electronic document; and a central distribution system in operable communication with the memory, the distribution system configured to; retrieve a copy of the electronic document from the memory; associate with the copy of the electronic document one or more rights, wherein each of said rights defines an action capable of being performed on at least a portion of the copy of the electronic document; and provide the copy of the electronic document in a form that allows a first client to exercise the one or more rights associated with the copy of the electronic document, wherein one of the rights associated with the copy of the electronic document includes the ability of the first client to share with a second client rights to at least a portion of a body of content of the electronic document to enable the second client to access the shared content based on rights derived from the first client through an act of said sharing even if the second client is not otherwise entitled to access the shared content, and wherein the central distribution system is configured such that said second client receives said at least a portion of said shared body of content from said central server only after the second client'"'"'s rights to receive the shared content, as derived from the first client, are exercised by the second client such that the exercise of such rights by said second client directly causes the shared content to be delivered to the second client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for distributing an electronic document comprising:
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maintaining a memory configured to store the electronic document; associating with a copy of the electronic document one or more rights, wherein each of said rights defines an action capable of being performed on at least a portion of the copy of the electronic document, wherein the associating step is performed by a central distribution system; and providing the copy of the electronic document in a form that allows a first client to exercise the one or more rights associated with the copy of the electronic document, wherein one of the rights associated with the copy of the electronic document includes the ability of the first client to share with a second client rights to at least a portion of a body of content of the electronic document to enable the second client to access the shared content based on rights derived from the first client through an act of said sharing even if the second client is not otherwise entitled to access the shared content, and wherein said second client receives said at least a portion of said shared body of content from said central server only after the second client'"'"'s rights to receive the shared content, as derived from the first client, are exercised by the second client such that the exercise of such rights by said second client directly causes the shared content to be delivered to the second client. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A computer program product for distributing an electronic document, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium or memory device and comprising computer instructions for:
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maintaining the electronic document in a memory; associating with a copy of the electronic document one or more rights, wherein each of said rights defines an action capable of being performed on at least a portion of the copy of the electronic document; and providing the copy of the electronic document in a form that allows a first client to exercise the one or more rights associated with the copy of the electronic document, wherein one of the rights associated with the copy of the electronic document includes the ability of the first client to share with a second client rights to at least a portion of a body of content of the electronic document to enable the second client to access the shared content based on rights derived from the first client through an act of said sharing even if the second client is not otherwise entitled to access the shared content, and wherein said second client receives said at least a portion of said shared body of content from said central server only after the second client'"'"'s rights to receive the shared content, as derived from the first client, are exercised by said second client such that the exercise of such rights by said second client directly causes the shared content to be delivered to the second client. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification