Electronic book with restricted access features

Abstract

A viewer for displaying electronic books and having various features for restricting access to their content. A user may assign ratings to stored electronic books, or use standard ratings, and assign access levels to potential users. The ratings and access levels determine which electronic books, or portions of the electronic books, a particular user may access on the viewer.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method for controlling access to electronic books displayed on a viewer, comprising:
 displaying a portion of an electronic book on a viewer, the electronic book having a series of pages arranged in a particular order;   receiving information relating to access of the electronic book by potential users; and   permitting, based upon the information, viewing of the pages only in the particular order.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the permitting step includes permitting viewing of the pages only in sequential order. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the permitting step includes permitting viewing of the pages based upon a particular time period of viewing at least one of the pages. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the permitting step includes permitting viewing of the pages based upon user-entered information. 
     
     
         22 . A method for controlling access to an electronic book displayed on a viewer, comprising:
 displaying a portion of an electronic book on a viewer, the electronic book having a series of pages arranged in a particular order and each of the pages having a plurality of sections;   receiving information relating to access of the electronic book by a user; and   permitting, based upon the information, viewing of the pages only in the particular order and permitting the user to view a next page within the particular order only upon selection of the sections on each page in an order assigned to each page.   
     
     
         23 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . An apparatus for controlling access to electronic books displayed on a viewer, comprising:
 a display that displays a portion of an electronic book on a viewer, the electronic book having a series of pages arranged in a particular order;   a receiving module that receives information relating to access of the electronic book by potential users; and   a permitting module that permits, based upon the information, viewing of the pages only in the particular order.   
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the permitting module includes a module that permits viewing of the pages only in sequential order. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the permitting module includes a module that permits viewing of the pages based upon a particular time period of viewing at least one of the pages. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the permitting module includes a viewing module that permits viewing of the pages based upon user-entered information. 
     
     
         46 . An apparatus for controlling access to an electronic book displayed on a viewer, comprising:
 a display that displays a portion of an electronic book on a viewer, the electronic book having a series of pages arranged in a particular order and each of the pages having a plurality of sections;   a receiving module that receives information relating to access of the electronic book by a user; and   a viewing module that permits, based upon the information, viewing of the pages only in the particular order and permitting the user to view a next page within the particular order only upon selection of the sections on each page in an order assigned to each page.   
     
     
         47 - 53 . (canceled)