Method for allowing a customer to preview, acquire and/or pay for information and a system therefor

Abstract

A method for controlling distribution and access to an information product, said method comprising the steps of: superposing a utility-reducing masking effect on said information product; controlling the presence, absence and/or permanence of said masking effects by the outcome of an interactive communication between a provider and a receiver of said information product. The term information product includes books, video recordings, audio recordings, music, images and multimedia works. The masking effects described in the present invention are of a generally interfering nature and can be superposed on the information object as an overlay, interruption, interference, discontinuity, disturbance or disorientation. The purpose of imposing a masking effect is to derive a masked version of the information product for preview purposes that can be readily distributed to interested customers in an unrestricted manner. The masking effect is removable after conditions for purchase and/or other authorization criteria are met.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . A method for marketing an information product, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a masked version of said information product; said masked version being created by superposing a masking effect on an original and unmasked form of said information product; said masked version remaining representative of said original and unmasked form of said information product; said masking effect being adapted to interfere with the recreation of said information product in said original and unmasked form,    allowing access to said masked version, of said information product, having said masking effect, and    including at least one commercial message with said masked version, of said information product, having said masking effect.    
   
   
       14 . A method for controlling distribution of an information product, by a distributor of said information product, said method comprising the steps of: 
 superposing a masking effect on an original and unmasked form of said information product and thereby creating a masked version of said information product; said masking effect being adapted to interfere with the recreation of said information product in said original and unmasked form, establishing at least one authorization criterion for a receiver to gain access to said information product in said original and unmasked form without said masking effect,    initiating an interactive communication between said distributor of said information product and said receiver of said information product,    providing access to said masked version of said information product, having said masking effect, for previewing purposes,    processing a request for access to said information product, in said original and unmasked form, initiated by said receiver of said information product, determining whether said receiver has met said authorization criterion for gaining access to said information product in said original and intended form, and    granting access to said information product in said original and unmasked form to said receiver, upon satisfactory completion and fulfillment of said authorization criterion for gaining access to said information product by said receiver.    
   
   
       15 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein said authorization criterion for said receiver to gain access to said information product in said original and unmasked form being the satisfactory completion of a purchase transaction between said distributor and said receiver of said information product.  
   
   
       16 - 17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . A method of distributing a plurality of information products derived from a main information product, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of masking layers adapted to be superposable on said main information product thereby making it possible to obtain said plurality of information products; said plurality of information products having specifically tailored utilities for and corresponding to a plurality of user groups,    processing a request for access to a specific information product from said plurality of information products; said request being received from at least one user group amongst said plurality of user groups,    selecting a masking layer from said plurality of masking layers that corresponds to said user group amongst said plurality of user groups,    superposing said masking layer, selected from said plurality of masking layers, on said main information product to obtain said specific information product, and    transmitting said specific information product with said masking layer, selected from said plurality of masking layers, to said user group.    
   
   
       19 . A system for transmitting an information product, to a customer by a distributor, over a network comprising: 
 means for superposing an electronic mask on said information product to create a masked information product,    means for processing a request, from said customer, for previewing said information product,    means for providing access and transmitting said masked information product to said customer for making a purchase decision,    means for processing a purchase transaction between said customer and said distributor, and    means for providing access and transmitting said information product to said customer upon satisfactory completion of said purchase transaction between said customer and said distributor.    
   
   
       20 - 22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said commercial message is related to said information product.  
   
   
       24 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said commercial message is unrelated to said information product.  
   
   
       25 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said information product is a book or printable matter.  
   
   
       26 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said information product is a song or audio recording.  
   
   
       27 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said information product is a movie or video recording.  
   
   
       28 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said information product is a software or multimedia work.  
   
   
       29 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said masking effect is in the form of an overlay and said overlay comprises electronic content.  
   
   
       30 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said masking effect is adapted to interfere with recreation of said information product in said original and unmasked form by causing at least one of an interruption of-, a discontinuity of-, an interference with-, a disorientation of-, an overlay on-, a blurring effect on-, an overlay window on-, a superposition on, a screen on-, a noise signal on-, and a veil on- said original and unmasked form of said information product.  
   
   
       31 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said masking effect is adapted to interfere with recreation of said information product in said original and unmasked form by interfering with at least one of viewing, hearing, displaying and playing of said original and unmasked form of said information product.  
   
   
       32 . A method as in  claim 13 , comprising the additional step of: making said information product available in said original and unmasked form in accordance with the outcome of an interactive communication between a provider of said masked version of said information product and a user thereof.  
   
   
       33 . A method as in  claim 13 , comprising the additional step of: controlling at least one of—presence, absence, duration of application and permanence of said masking effect in accordance with the outcome of an interactive communication between a provider of said masked version of said information product and a user thereof.  
   
   
       34 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein said information is a book or printable matter.  
   
   
       35 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein said information product is a song or audio recording.  
   
   
       36 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein said information product is a movie or video recording.  
   
   
       37 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein said information product is a software or multimedia work.  
   
   
       38 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein said masking effect includes a commercial message.  
   
   
       39 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein said masking effect is in the form of an overlay and said overlay comprises electronic content.  
   
   
       40 . A method as in  claim 18 , wherein said user group comprises at least one user.  
   
   
       41 . A method as in  claim 18 , wherein said masking layer, selected from said plurality of masking layers, includes a commercial message targeted to said user.  
   
   
       42 . A method as in  claim 18 , wherein said information is a book or printable matter.  
   
   
       43 . A method as in  claim 18 , wherein said information product is a song or audio recording.  
   
   
       44 . A method as in  claim 18 , wherein said information product is a movie or video recording.  
   
   
       45 . A method as in  claim 18 , wherein said information product is a software or multimedia work.  
   
   
       46 . A method as in  claim 18 , wherein said masking layer, selected from said plurality of masking layers, includes a commercial message.  
   
   
       47 . A method as in  claim 19 , wherein said means for superposing an electronic mask on said information product, to create said masked information product, cause at least one of an interruption of-, a discontinuity of-, an interference with-, a disorientation of-, an overlay on-, a blurring effect on-, an overlay window on-, a superposition on, a screen on-, a noise signal on-, and a veil on- said information product.  
   
   
       48 . A method as in  claim 19 , wherein said masked information product is representative of said information product and said electronic mask is adapted for interfering with viewing, hearing, displaying and playing of said information product.