Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for electronically distributing and viewing digital contents

US6331865A · kind A · utility

136Cited by
8References
43Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 16, 1998
Grant dateDec 18, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 16, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F16/958
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention is a method and system for electronically distributing digital contents. The digital contents include textual, graphical and pictorial information. At least one portable electronic book is operative to request a digital content from a catalog of distinct digital contents, to receive and display the requested digital content in readable form. An information services system is in electrical communication with the portable electronic book to perform authentication and rendering the requested digital content. An authentication server authenticates the identity of the requesting portable electronic book. A copyright protection server renders the requested digital content sent to the requesting portable electronic book readable only by the requesting portable electronic book. At least one primary virtual bookstore is in electrical communication with the information services system. The primary virtual bookstore is a computer-based storefront accessible by the portable electronic book. The primary virtual bookstore includes the catalog of distinct digital contents and a repository which stores the distinct digital contents listed in the catalog.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.