Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for improved information transactions

US8311946B1 · kind B1 · utility

36Cited by
99References
39Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 4, 2000
Grant dateNov 13, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 4, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06Q30/06
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A mechanism gives users meaningful access to information while protecting the interests of publishers and creators of information including text, graphics, photos, executable files, data tables, audio, video, and three dimensional data and allows 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. The user is allowed to review documents at a first cost basis, but only provides other access to documents, such as copying, printing, or downloading on a second cost basis. The user is also allowed 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.

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