Method and apparatus for improved information transactions

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.

1 . A computer implemented method for providing restricted access to a document using a logic client device, comprising:
 a user of said client logic device receiving on a first cost basis a first user-viewable version of the actual contents of a specific document residing at a document server;   said first user-viewable version being protected by a security server to prevent the user from performing a standard operation on said version;   said user entering into a transaction with a transaction server that permits the user to perform a requested standard operation on a user-selected portion of said specific document on a second cost basis; and   said user receiving a second version of the actual contents of said specific document residing at said document server comprising said user-selected portion of said specific document, wherein a user requested standard operation is completed in coordination with said document server upon completion of said transaction;   said transaction comprising:
 detecting presence of secured content in a document; 
 providing a document identification to said security server; 
 receiving a security key from said security server; 
 applying said security key to provide viewing access to said secured content; 
 upon a request for an action to said secured content, interrupting said action to obtain a charge authorization; 
 verifying said charge authorization; and 
 allowing said action on said secured content. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said action is any of a print action, a copy action, an execute action, and a play action. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said action may specify a user-selected portion of said content to a fine granularity. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said action is invoked by a standard command. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 serving a secured document content that requires a client-side access logic to view;   transmitting a security key to said client-side access to view said document;   receiving a charge authorization request for an action on said secured document content;   verifying a payment transaction for said action on said content; and   authorization to perform said action.   
     
     
         6 . A method allowing retail sale of documents having multiple owners and fairly compensating individual owners, comprising:
 a user of a client logic device receiving on a first cost basis a first user-viewable version of the actual contents of a specific, multi-owned document residing at said document server;   said first user-viewable version being protected by a security server to prevent the user from performing a standard operation on said version;   said user entering into a transaction with a transaction server that permits the user to perform a requested standard operation on a user-selected portion of said specific, multi-owned document on a second cost basis; and   said user receiving a second version of the actual contents of said specific, multi-owned document residing at said document server comprising said user-selected portion of said specific, multi-owned document, wherein a user requested standard operation is completed in coordination with said document server upon completion of said transaction;   said transaction comprising:
 encoding said specific, multi-owned document into an electronic format, said format including tags identifying ownership of various portions of a document; 
   allowing a user to select portions of said document and request a paid action;   determining compensation for owners based on a user selection of a document and calculating a charge for said user;   performing the requested action; and   registering information allowing different owners to be appropriately compensated.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said user is unaware that different portions of said document may have different ownership. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said user selection is performed using a standard command interface shared with other applications and an operating system. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein said document is encoded in the PDF format. 
     
     
         10 . A method allowing a computer user to select and copy portions of documents including an automatic citation, comprising:
 a user of a client logic device receiving on a first cost basis a first user-viewable version of the actual contents of a specific document residing at said document server;   said user reviewing and browsing the contents of said document and selecting portions of said document of interest;   said first user-viewable version being protected by a security server to prevent the user from performing a standard operation on said version; and   accepting a command from said user to copy or download a portion of said document;   said user entering into a transaction with a transaction server that permits the user to perform a requested standard operation on a user-selected portion of said specific document on a second cost basis;   fetching said portion of said document along with citation information for said document; and   said user receiving a second version of the actual contents of said specific document residing at said document server comprising said user-selected portion of said specific document, wherein a user requested standard operation is completed in coordination with said document server upon completion of said transaction.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said command is a standard command used by other applications or the operating system and wherein the standard operation of said command is interrupted to allow for including citation information. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said document is stored in a tagged layout format that includes information regarding the printout page of the document and other citation information. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said document is stored in a PDF format. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said document is stored in an HTML format with additional tags added for citation information. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 determining a user's preferred citation format.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 allowing a user to retrieve additional information regarding a selected object in an encoded document format in a viewing window by:   building an information tools menu on-the-fly in response to a user opening a document on said user's client logic device;   sending said information tools menu to said user's client logic device;   accepting input from the user activating said information tools menu, said information tools menu listing a plurality of information functions;   accepting a user selection from the menu; and   performing an indicated function on said object.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 presenting results from said function to said user.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said information functions comprise:
 a translation function.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said information functions comprise:
 a definition function.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said information functions comprise:
 a locate function allowing a user to display a map of a selected place name.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said information functions comprise:
 a locate function allowing a user to display contact information for a selected proper name.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 24  wherein said proper name can include a proper name of a person, business, or institution. 
     
     
         23 . A method for implementing an on-line information access system, said method comprising:
 providing an Internet webpage accessible to at least one user, via a client logic device, for on-line interactive communications between said user and said Internet webpage;   offering, on said Internet webpage, options allowing said user to search for and select information content;   said receiving on a first cost basis a first user-viewable version of said selected information content;   said first user-viewable version being protected by a security server to prevent the user from performing a standard operation on said version;   detecting a request from said user to perform an action on said selected information content;   calculating a cost for said action on said content;   said user entering into a transaction with a transaction server that permits the user to perform a requested standard operation on said selected information content on a second cost basis;   said user receiving a second version of said selected information content; and   issuing a security key allowing said user to perform said action on said content.   
     
     
         24 . The method as set forth in  claim 23 , further comprising:
 displaying to said user, via said computer system, a cost for performing said action on said content.   
     
     
         25 . The method as set forth in  claim 23 , further comprising:
 receiving permission from said user, via said computer system, to charge a cost for performing said action on said content.   
     
     
         26 . A computer implemented method for providing access to a document using a logic client device, comprising:
 a user of said client logic device receiving on a first cost basis a first user-viewable version of the actual contents of a specific document residing at a document server;   said user entering into a transaction with a transaction server that permits the user to perform a requested operation on said specific document on a second cost basis; and   said user receiving a second version of the actual contents of said specific document residing at said document server, wherein a user requested operation is completed in coordination with said document server upon completion of said transaction.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said first user-viewable version is protected by a security server to prevent the user from performing an operation on said version. 
     
     
         28 . A computer implemented method for user access to document content using a logic client device, comprising:
 a document server for delivering to a user of said client logic device a first user-viewable version of the actual contents of a specific document residing at said document server on a first cost basis;   a security server for protecting said first user-viewable version to prevent the user from performing a standard operation on said version, said standard operation consisting of any of copying, printing, or saving;   a transaction server for calculating a charge to permit the user to perform a requested standard operation on said specific document on a second cost basis; and   said document server delivering to said user a second version of the actual contents of said specific document residing at said document server, wherein a user requested standard operation is completed in coordination with said document server upon payment of the calculated charge.   
     
     
         29 . A computer implemented method for purchasing information from a server, comprising:
 a document server delivering to a user of said client logic device one or more pages of a specific document in a first user-viewable version;   a security server protecting said first user-viewable version to permit said user viewing the actual contents of said pages of said specific document, but not printing, copying, or saving by the user;   a transaction server calculating a charge to permit a requested standard operation to be performed on a user-selected portion of said specific document; and   said document server delivering to said user a second version of the actual contents of said specific document, said delivering step being performed in coordination with said security server upon authorization of payment of the calculated charge, said second version comprising a version on which the standard operation is performed.