Electronic book electronic links

Abstract

An electronic book selection and delivery system distributes text to subscribers. The system includes the ability to use electronic links as well as a system for creating electronic links between specific electronic books and other electronic files. The links may be used or accessed by a menu system or by operation of a cursor and a select button. The other electronic files could be portions of a specific electronic book, such as a Table of Contents. The other electronic files could also exist external to a specific electronic book. For example, definitions provided in an electronic English-language dictionary could be linked to terms contained in an electronic book. The electronic links may be created by the book publisher or may be subscriber-defined. The links may use standard programming language such as hypertext markup language (HTML). The links may be established through use of a relational database.

1 - 79 . (canceled) 
     
     
         80 . An electronic book system, comprising:
 an electronic book viewer;   an electronic book, the electronic book stored in a computer readable medium in the electronic book viewer; and   links among components of the electronic book; wherein when the links are activated, a first component is linked to a second component; wherein the first component is located in the electronic book; and wherein the second component is located in a data repository at a distant operations center; and wherein selection of the first component causes the second component to be displayed on the electronic book viewer.   
     
     
         81 . An electronic book system, comprising:
 an electronic book viewer;   an electronic book, the electronic book stored in a computer readable medium in the electronic book viewer; and   links among components of the electronic book; wherein, when the links are activated, a first component is linked to a second component; wherein the first component is located in the electronic book; wherein the second component is located in a distant data repository accessible by a server on a network; and wherein selection of the first component causes the second component to be displayed on the electronic book viewer.   
     
     
         82 . An electronic book system according to claim  2 , wherein the network is the Internet. 
     
     
         83 . An electronic book system, comprising:
 an electronic book viewer;   an electronic book, the electronic book being stored in a computer readable medium in the electronic book viewer; and   links among components of the electronic book; wherein when the links are activated, a first component is linked to a second component; wherein the first component is located in the electronic book; wherein the second component is located in a distant data repository, the data repository including a list of available books related to the first component, wherein at least one of the books may be ordered for delivery; and wherein selection of the first component causes the second component to be displayed on the electronic book viewer.   
     
     
         84 . The electronic book system of claim  4 , wherein the electronic books are delivered by transmission via a telecommunications medium. 
     
     
         85 . The electronic book system of claim  5 , wherein the telecommunications medium is selected from a group consisting of a publicly switched telephone network, a cable television system, a wireless telephone system, a digital satellite system, a fiber optic system, an Ethernet network, and a wireless television system. 
     
     
         86 . An electronic book system, comprising:
 an electronic book viewer;   an electronic book, the electronic book stored in a computer readable medium in the electronic book viewer; and   links among components of the electronic book; wherein, when the links are activated, a first component is linked to a second component; wherein the first component is located in the electronic book; wherein the second component is a network site including an address of one or more news groups related to the first component; and wherein selection of the first component causes the second component to be displayed on the electronic book viewer.   
     
     
         87 . An electronic book distribution system, comprising:
 a distant operation center, wherein the operation center is configured to store:
 a plurality of electronic books stored in a computer-readable medium; and 
 a plurality of links corresponding to at least one of the plurality of electronic books, wherein each of the plurality of links connects a first component of the corresponding electronic book to a second component; wherein, when the plurality of links are activated, the first components are linked to the second components; and 
   wherein the operation center is configured to allow the selection and distribution of the links separate from the electronic book to which it corresponds.   
     
     
         88 . The electronic book system of claim  8 , wherein the plurality of links are purchasable separately from the electronic book. 
     
     
         89 . The electronic book system of claim  8 , wherein the plurality of links are transmitted separately from delivery of the electronic book. 
     
     
         90 . The electronic book system of claim  1 , wherein the components in the links menu are electronically stored at a location where electronic books are orderable and purchasable. 
     
     
         91 . A method for using electronic links in an electronic book system, the electronic book system including an electronic book displayable on a display, the method comprising:
 displaying a linked first component as a piece of actual text of the electronic book;   selecting the linked first component; and   displaying a second component linked to the first component, wherein the second component is located in one selected from a group consisting of a data repository in a remote operations center and a data repository accessible by a server on a network.   
     
     
         92 . The method of claim  12 , wherein a third component is selectable via a links menu, and wherein selecting the third component displays the third component, the third component being related to the first component of the electronic book. 
     
     
         93 . The method of claim  12 , wherein the second component is located in the data repository at an operations center. 
     
     
         94 . The method of claim  12 , wherein the second component is located in the data repository accessible by a server on a network. 
     
     
         95 . The method of claim  15 , wherein the network is the Internet. 
     
     
         96 . The method of claim  12 , wherein the second component is a network site including an address of one or more news groups related to the first component. 
     
     
         97 . A method for using electronic links in an electronic book system, the electronic book system including an electronic book displayable on a display, the method comprising:
 displaying a linked first component of the electronic book stored in a computer readable medium in an electronic book viewer;   selecting the first component; and   displaying a second component linked to the first component; wherein links linking the first and the second components are refreshed by data provided by an external facility.   
     
     
         98 . The method of claim  18 , wherein the external facility is one of an operations center and a network site.