WO2002039206A2

WO2002039206A2 - eBOOK-ePUBLISHING PATENT NOVELTIES

Info

Publication number: WO2002039206A2
Application number: PCT/IL2001/001020
Authority: WO
Inventors: Doron Marco
Original assignee: Citala Ltd.
Priority date: 2000-11-10
Filing date: 2001-11-05
Publication date: 2002-05-16
Also published as: WO2002039206A3; AU2002214238A1

Abstract

This invention deals with the electronic transfer, development, handling and charging of electronic book (eBook) loaning and selling. The e-Book loaning structure and user interface handling is suggested. The means to enhancing the eBook reading experience is suggested via various novel means including live electronic maps and drawings which are text related, moving images (pseodo movie like) related to text update etc. In addition a novel concept of updating the e-books while you read is introduced: where the user is able to change and update the content of the eBook giving him an intimately new experience in reading eBooks and Books in general. The e-Book reader is able to sell or loan parts of the eBook he obtained, whether by purchasing or borrowing. Further he may be actively stimulated to loan or sell the book he has, via a very sophisticated royalty system where it becomes beneficial for both the owner of the eBook and the reader to cause others to read it too. Finally, the user interface of the eBooks, and transfer mechanisms of the eBook and related media, between the various providers and consumers is given, completing the picture.

Description

eBOOK - ePUBLISHING PATENT NOVELTIES

Vocabulary eBook - an electronic representation of literature, text, or any other written form. eReader- device used to display eBook content ePub - The eReader manufacturer, holder of the content, licensing, users database

, owner and operator of the eBook.com portal.. eTextbook - electronic educational and professional material. eNotebook - an eReader application rendering the handwriting of eBook content directly to the eReader.

Electronic token preferred embodiment - Smartcard solution.

VAS - value added services and advertisement. eBook miles - Prize points that can be used as money for purchasing eBooks or other products, according to the ePub company policy and infrastructure regarding that prospect. ( e.g. Visa points) ePub.net - The server/network that holds the user information, eBook content and licensing. eBook.com - A portal owned by the ePub company, for purchasing eBook content, and means to access the personal consumer library which is located on the ePub.net server Database. ePortal.com - A Franchise portal competing with the eBook.com portal, selling eReaders, yet must draw all the eBook content and licensing from the ePub.net servers, but can broadcast its own VAS and advertisements, information, to the eReader owners. eDrawing - Live and changing drawings that illustrate an eBook. eLibrary - A vendor that purchases restraint amounts of licenses from ePub.net, and lends the licenses to consumers, for a limited time, preserving the conservative paradigm. eBook - ePublishing patent novelties

Background of the Invention:

The eBook is in essence an electronic simulation of a paper book, read with an eReader device. Content handling differs form paper book handling in many ways, thus needs to be patented for the secure, piracy protected and sole use of the product. Due to the nature of the eBook new types of electronic literature, such as the Multy-D eBook, Billing models, artificial intelligent text agent technology, valued added services (vas) platform, educational techniques breakthroughs, in short, the total reshaping and redesigning of the publishing industry, yet at first, the known paradigm of publishing will be preserved for consumer and publisher familiar surrounding. The eBook concept applies to eMagazines, eNewspapaers, eFlyers and any other formerly known written on paper product, that can be replaced by an electronic representation manifested on the eReader. General concept Illustration in enclosed Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Novel eBook applications and concepts that need to be protected:

* Smartcard

The eReader unit is the means to view the content, and the Smartcard is the means to get the content. Like in cellular phones, or satellite television, the Smartcard holds all of the user information, credit status and billing information.

Every un-licenses content is grayed out in the GUI of the eReader, and when purchased or loaned a license for the eBook title, it will be bold.

Every eReader Unit comes with a Grayed-Out list of eBook titles that can be purchased immediately and with no effort.

1. eBook Loaning:

Like regular paper books, when you lend your eBook to a friend you don't have two separate copies, you give him your own, thus when you transmit your license security clearance to a friend for a preset time or not, your copy is deactivated, and when he returns it to you, or when the license expires, the original license is restored enabling you to read the eBook again. Of course whenever you desire you can claim back the license at a push of a button.

The license transfer can be done via infrared ports, wireless communication, direct cable connection, E-mail via intranet/internet or other WAN / LAN, Wireless Internet connection, or by using the ePortal services. one could have online eBook lending libraries that will lend you the eBook, and after you're finished with it you return it, or a self-expiring date to the License of the eBook.

One can loan only parts of the eBook content, for example a chapter, or a page, or even a paragraph, for example in the case of eTextBooks, or professional literature, students want to loan only the chapter which is needed to be read by next class, and not the whole eBook,etc.

Every user has his own electronic token (for e.g. preferred embodiment- Smartcard solution), and every eBook has its unique license, thus making the transfer possible without letting two copies to co-exist. A possible payment, data, content path is illustrated in figure 4.

Examples of preferred embodiments:

e.g. 1: eReader 1 owner wants to lend an eBook to his friend eReader 2 owner. The request to an ePortal.com is posted, and the License is transferred for eReader 2 via Smartcard identification, whilst the copy of the eBook on eReader 1 owner is grayed-out; put into stand by mode. If the loaning is for a prefixed time, a self expiring license will be issued and when the expiration takes place the original owner is restored, or, eReader owner 2 returns the eBook license to the original owner, again through ePub.net, or eReader owner 1 claims back the license. This procedure applies for part loaning: Chapter, page, paragraph, whatever is transferred or loaned. Illustrated in enclosed figure 5

e.g. 2: eLibrary purchases restraint amounts of Licenses for eBook content, becoming a license pool. eReader owners loan self-expiring licenses from the eLibrary, and when the expiration time arrives, the eBook is deleted from the eReader and the license returns to the eLibrary license pool.

Unlike the regular library paradigm, eLibraries will manage waiting lists, with specific information for waiting time, and the opportunity to exploit the VAS situation, for example, every consumer that will have to wait a week or more in the waiting list, will be offered to purchase the same eBook he is waiting for in a discount price. This does not only provide targeted VAS, but also benefits the eLibrary, who can reduce the waiting list line and benefit commission from the VAS deal.

Illustrated in enclosed figure 6.

Novel features:

1.1.1 eLibraries

1.1.1.1 eLibraries will purchase restraint amount of licenses for the distribution of the eBooks, in the loan format.

1.1.1.2 The lent copy has to be returned in X time or it will expire from the loaners eReader, and the license will return to the library license pool.

1.1.1.3 Of course the loaning time can be lengthen by the user with a click of a button, or by other means for e.g. service call center or website.

1.1.1.3 View the billing section for further billing information- sec. 5

2.1 License-domains

License-domains are servers that hold licenses to eBook content authenticated by the ePub.net server.

Examples of preferred embodiments:

e.g. 1 : An eLibrary purchases a franchise for license-domain, enabling it to buy restraint amounts of licenses and lend eBook content.

As Illustrated in enclosed figure 6 features:

2.1.1 ePub company will have an electronic online server that will sell eBooks licenses, including to regular eLibraries thus making it the LicenseDomain.

2.1.2 Franchise License-domains may be sold, for example to eLibraries, thus becoming secondary LicenseDomain.

2.1.3 Every license will have a security authentication procedure via electronic token, preferred embodiment Smartcard, enabling it.

2.2 Super distribution. eBook owner sells the eBook title, acting as a salesman, to another eReader owner, at the price set by the eBook.com / ePortal.com Portal, earning a commission from the sale, either cash, rebates, or eBook miles. Illustrated in enclosed figures 7, 8.

2.2.1 Every eReader owner has an electronic token, e.g. of preferred embodiment- Smartcard, identifying him, making him viable to be a distributor.

2.2.2 See section 5 for billing information.

2.2.3 The eBook owner will in essence be referral to the eBook.com / ePortal.com server, content is transferred from the eReader 1 owner to the eReader 2 owner, then eBook.com / ePortal.com issues a license from ePub.net.

2.2.4 The new eBook copy will be either downloaded from ePub.net through eBook.com / ePortal.com, or directly from the eBook original owner's eReader.

2.3 Second hand Selling.

Examples of preferred embodiments and general description:

e.g. l: Selling the license to the eBook to another eReader owner, thus rendering the original copy unreadable; Grayed-out. Only one License exists. Illustrated in enclosed figure 9. 2.3.1 An eBook can be sold to another eReader owner with a price that he sets for the eBook, the ePub.net server may or may not earn a commission from the sale.

2.3.2 When an eBook is sold second hand, it is transferring the security license from the selling customer to the buying customer.

3. GUI and Interface

Every eBook will have its own customization by the reader/author/publisher GUI for the book, which will allow the reader to navigate through the book.

Examples of preferred embodiments:

e.g. 1: The appearance of the buttons specified on the display can be designed in whatever forms the author / publisher chooses. For example lower right corner will have a "soft button" in the shape of a triangle, when touched causes a flip of the page to the next one. Another example is a "+" button that exists in loaned eBooks, which causes the request for extending self-expiring license due date. As Illustrated in enclosed figure 10

3.1 Virtual Bookmark

The eReader GUI will enable the reader to create graphical bookmarks for locations in the book.

3.2 Virtual Marker

The eReader GUI will enable the reader to Mark with a Virtual Marker words / paragraphs or any selected text, making it highlighting it like a regular marker.

3.3 Navigation

The navigation through the eBooks pages or menus will be done by customizable targeted soft buttons, created by the author / reader / publishing company, e.g. A soft button on the lower right corner will simulate the effect of turning a page over. 3.4 Multi-Dimensional navigation

Multi-D eBook titles will have a whole new revolutionary GUI and navigation system due to its nature. A main menu will have all the characters, scene location and geographical locations, time lines, which by touch screen / voice recognition, the users can interact with this Multi-Dimensional title. See section 4.2, Multi-Dimensional eBook, for further information.

3.5 VUI - Voice user interface

3.5.1 The eReader with voice recognition capabilities will allow navigation through the eBook by voice commands. E.g. "flip" will manifest the advancement to the next page.

3.5.2 the VUI will be set by the ePub company, author or the eReader owner.

3.6 Text enlarger

A graphical enlarging lends will be dragged over the text creating a simulated zooming effect.

3.7 Writing capability

Allowing the user of the eReader to write footnotes by using write recognition using a stylus e.g. Palm.

3.8 eDrawings

3.8.1 The eBooks will have drawings that illustrate the story line like any other book.

3.8.2 Live drawings update, which will enable the eBook to be customizable for every eBook, updating the drawings all the time or by request.

For e.g. a map will be interactive, the character will be represented on it and as the user advances in the story geographical location, so does the symbol on the map, zoom button will trigger a live update of the drawing etc. Illustrated in enclosed figures 11, 12

3.9 Font system

The written eBook font can be manipulated and changed by the reader whenever he wishes it.

3.10 Create customizable / preset information bank. e.g. Character names, roles and summary; major events by chronological order; personal words bank etc. for helping the reader get into the plot.

4. Content

General overview:

Any form of written text that was applied onto regular paper, and will be transformed into the eReader eBook technology, belongs to the content issue.

Examples of preferred embodiment: e.g. 1 : eGameBooks, Multi-Dimensional eBooks, eTextBooks, eNoteBooks, eMagazines, eNewsPapers etc. e.g. 2: Navigation Artificial intelligent agents such as a Summarizers, search engines with unique distinctions.

Novel features:

4.1 Game Books

DND game books require you to jump from page to page after tossing virtual cubes and deciding routs, eBooks will make these games easier and more playable via hypertext links, or other customizable GUI (specified in section 3.3) to pages within the book

4.1.1 Game eBooks will have customizable GUI / VUI composed by the author.

4.1.2 Game eBooks will have virtual cubes soft buttons.

4.1.3 Live eBooks billing- see section 5. 4.2 Multi-Dimension eBooks

A new and revolutionary eLiterature form, created by the ability to change the story live, not being restricted to one time line via one hard copy paper page, the eReader will enable the creation of Multi-Dimensional eBook stories. In these stories, there will be a timeline, Or a main plot but many scenes and ways to read the book through the eyes of every character or by location, making the reading experience rise to a new level of entertainment, creating numerous Story / character fans, story experts and new billing systems (illustrated in section 5).

Multi-Dimensional eBooks will be written by one or more writers, composed of one main plot and many sub plots, crating parallel ways of reading the eBook. The switching of characters / locations / writers will be interactive.

Illustrated in enclosed figure 13

4.2.1 An eBook which contains more than one plot, in more than one form, and which part of or all of it is written by one or more writers, when while reading, the reader can interactively switch from one form to another.

4.2.2 As in novelties 4.2.1, and the reader can choose to read the story from the point of view of a certain character.

4.2.3 As in novelties 4.2.1, and the reader can choose to switch scene location, or geographical location.

4.2.4 As in novelties 4.2.1, and the reader can choose the writer who wrote the chosen plot.

4.2.5 For billing information, go to section 5.

4.2.6 For GUI information, go to sections 3, 3.4.

4.3 Educational student textbooks.

The eReader will create the ability to make educational textbooks easy, notebooks handy and life of the student easy.

Combined with to learnt textbook, will be an all in one solution.

4.3.1 The eNotebook will have input writing recognition capabilities, giving it all the advantages of a regular notebook. The students will be able to have all the advantages of digital interface with the ease on already mastered regular handwriting habits.

4.3.2 The eNotebook will have VUI and voice writing capabilities - dictating to the device.

4.3.3 All eBook billing Novel features apply to the eNotebook

4.3.4 All eBook and eNotebook billing Novel features apply to the eTextbook

4.3.5 eTextBooks and eNoteBooks will have network-sharing capabilities for teacher intervention.

4.3.6 The desirable content may be charged into the students' eReader units for each lesson.

4.3.7 Each class, school or educational institute may have a server that encloses the educational content, from which the relevant content will be distributed to the relevant eReaders offline or in real time.

4.3.8 The educational institute will have the ability to purchase eReaders for each class and have them set to the designated sitting position, allowing them to purchase the licenses for the educational contents and uploading them to the eReaders, thus making them a special eLibrary. (e.g. no more "I forgot my book at home...")

4.4 Summarizer and other Navigation Artificial intelligence.

4.4.1 A unique engine that will create a sum-up of the latest chapters of the book in a few paragraphs (created by the author), Like T. V series "last time on

4.4.2 In the case of a Multi-Dimensional eBook, the reader will choose a character or location and the Summarizer will create all that is known so far about it.

4.4.3 Search engine with Al will allow finding related topics for a selected character or scene, for e.g. the reader doesn't remember what the character is referring to so he activates the search engine which refers him to page xxx where the mentioned scene took place, or shows the relevant paragraph. .4.4 preset information bank- Character names, roles and summary; major events by chronological order; personal words bank etc. for helping the reader get into the plot.

5. Billing

General overview:

In every transaction of eBooks, or rather license to an eBook, both the distributor and ePub may earn, a percentage commission (can be monitored and tracked using an electronic token e.g. Smartcard or PIN number solution), and may continue to earn money as long as the eBook keeps exchanging hands, whether its soled, loaned, resoled; when in the case of Multi-Dimensional eBooks the reader switches characters, locations, writers, geographical location, live updating the eBook title; when reading the eBook in pay per minute or per chapter.

In the case of adding value added services to the eBook, the reader may earn "eBook miles", rebates or discounts for future eBook purchasing, eLibraries waiting lists can be exploited for VAS targeted services and advertisement,

Examples of preferred embodiments:

E.g. 1: ePortal sells a license for eBook content from ePub.net. The eBook owner changes from ePub.net to the consumer, identified by Smart card, thus triggering the billing request.

Illustrated in enclosed figure 14

e.g. 2: Multi-Dimensional eBook Billing- a consumer makes a request to ePub.com / ePortal.com server, to change a character / writer / location / scene configuration, gets a license for the new chosen configuration view of the eBook, and pays for the change. A commission may be paid to the author/s, publisher.

Illustrated in enclosed figure 15

Novel features: 5.1 The ePub company may charge a percentage commission, when an eBook

License changes owner (by electronic token identification for e.g. Smartcard PIN number.

5.2 The ePub company may charge a percentage commission, when an eBook is first sold.

5.3 The ePub company may charge a percentage commission, when an eBook is sold second hand.

5.4 The ePub company may charge a percentage commission, when an eBook is loaned through eLibraries.

5.5 The ePub company may charge a percentage commission, when an eBook owner loans an eBook to another eReader owner.

5.6 The ePub company may charge a percentage commission, when an eBook owner sells (super-distribution) a copy of his eBook to another eReader owner.

5.7 The ePub company may charge a percentage commission, when an eBook exchange hands in any instance or for any person.

5.8 The ePub company may give "eBook miles" or other form of discount when an eBook exchanges hands in second hand selling.

5.9 Additional fees may be charged by the ePub company, each time an eBook Owner switches characters, or location / geographical location in a Multi- Dimensional eBook title

5.10 The ePub company, may charge additional fees when reading live eBooks (Read /Bill per chapter).

5.11 Additional fees will be charged by the ePub company, when a due loan date is lengthened by the loaner.

5.12 Pay per chapter billing system. As illustrated in figure 16

5.13 Pay per minute- billing by the time you spend reading the eBook.

5.14 Value added services (VAS)- adds, commercials, banners, all will generate revenue to the ePub/ePortal companies. Whenever a new VAS is transmitted to an eReader both ePub/ePortal and the Distributor / Super distributor / loaner may earn a percentage commission from the transfer. The reader may gain discounts or reader-miles points for future eBook purchasing. See also illustration in figure 17 Description Of the Figures and Drawings

Figure 1. Preferred embodiment of epub and ebook related communications.

Figure 2. ePub Possibilities

Figure 3. A possible communication scenario between the various econtent providers and consumers.

Figure 4. eBook loaning scenario.

Figure 5. eBook Loaning.

Figure 6. eBook loaning scenario- further details.

Figure 7. Super distribution: : simple.

Figure 8. Super distribution:: sophisticated.

Figure 9. Second hand selling of an e-book.

Figure 10. Graphic User Interface (GUI) of the e-book.

Figure 11. Live eDrawing update communication scenario.

Figure 12. Live eDrawing update- typical case.

Figure 13. Muti Dimensional (Multi-D) e-book.

Figure 14. Billing Trigger.

Figure 15. Muti-D e-book billing trigger.

Figure 16. Billing per chapter.

Figure 17 VAS system.

Claims

ClaimsWe claim

1. The ability to lend electronic copies of an e-book, or any single part of it, via licensing, where the license to read a book is transferred from first party to the second

2. The ability to lend electronic copies of a book, i.e., the e-book, via transfer of the content of the e-book, where the license and content to read a book are transferred from first party to the second

3. A licensing e-book as in claim 1,2 where the e-book license owner receives royalties for loaning the book, where the royalties may be actual money or credit in further e-book or other purchases

4. A licensing as in claim 1,2 where the book owner that may be either the publisher or writer or both or some previous owner of a license of the e-book or some other party derives royalties from the loaning of the e-book.

5. The ability of the reader to change interactively the content of the e-book.

6. The ability of the reader to change interactively the content of the e-book and lend only the part changed.

7. As in claim 5-6, and derive royalties an in claims 2, 3.

8. As in claim 5-6, and sell only the modified parts to a different party.

9. As in claim 5-6, and sell both modified parts and the original part to a different party.

10. The ability to have images that are changing, in response to the position of the cursor in the textual page.