(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`
`(19) World Intellectual Property Organization
`International Bureau
`
`I lllll 1111111111111111111111111111111 lllll 111111111111111 111111111111111 IIII IIII
`
`(43) International Publication Date
`4 January 2001 (04.01.2001)
`
`PCT
`
`(10) International Publication Number
`WO 01/01373 A2
`
`(51) International Patent Classification 7:
`
`G09B 5/00
`
`(21) International Application Number: PCT/US00/17266
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`
`23 June 2000 (23.06.2000)
`
`(25) Filing Language:
`
`(26) Publication Language:
`
`English
`
`English
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`09/344,499
`
`25 June 1999 (25.06.1999) US
`
`(71) Applicant: DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
`[US/US]; 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814-
`3522 (US).
`
`(72) Inventors: HENDRICKS, John, S.; 8723 Persimmon
`Tree Road, Potomac, MD 20854 (US). ASMUSSEN,
`Michael, L.; 2627 Meadow Hall Drive, Oak Hill, VA
`20171 (US).
`
`iiiiiiiiiiii
`!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
`
`(74) Agents: VIETZKE, Lance, L. et al.; Dorsey & Whitney
`LLP, Suite 300 South, 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.,
`Washington, DC 20004 (US).
`
`(81) Designated States (national): AE, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ,
`BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK,
`DM, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL,
`IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU,
`LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT,
`RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT, TZ, UA,
`UG, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW.
`
`(84) Designated States (regional): ARIPO patent (GH, GM,
`KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW), Eurasian
`patent (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European
`patent (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, Fl, FR, GB, GR. IE,
`IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF, CG,
`CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
`
`Published:
`Without international search report and to be republished
`upon receipt of that report.
`
`[Continued on next page}
`
`(54) Title: ELECTRONIC BOOK WITH VOICE EMULATION FEATURES
`
`--------------------------------------------
`iiiiiiiiiiii == -
`--=
`iiiiiiiiiiii -
`iiiiiiiiiiii -iiiiiiiiiiii
`iiiiiiiiiiii -iiiiiiiiiiii -iiiiiiiiiiii
`
`iiiiiiiiiiii
`
`iiiiiiiiiiii
`
`!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
`
`VES
`
`Perform Voice Secu11ty RaubM
`
`1125
`
`112?'
`
`NO
`
`Authonza•
`tt0n
`Granted?
`
`~
`t--,.
`~
`
`Execule Man1,1al T e)(l• T o-Spaech RoUtlne
`
`Execute Settings Routine
`
`Ex.ecuteOcta11onAout1ne
`
`View A Book
`
`Execute V•ew Book Routine
`
`,-.,I = -..
`,-.,I
`Q
`0 permits a user to select text in a displayed electronic book and have it converted into corresponding speech. In addition, a user may
`> have the viewer automatically petform text-to-speech conversion for an entire displayed electronic book or a particular page of the
`
`(57) Abstract: A viewer for displaying an electronic book having various text-to-speech and speech recognition features. The viewer
`
`;;.-,,- electronic book. The viewer also permits a user to enter voice commands.
`
`-i-
`
`Amazon v. Audio Pod
`US Patent 9,319,720
`Amazon EX-1059
`
`

`

`WO 01/01373 A2
`
`I lllll 1111111111111111111111111111111 lllll 111111111111111 llll 1111111111111111111
`
`For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guid(cid:173)
`ance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations" appearing at the begin(cid:173)
`ning of each regular issue of the PCT Gazette.
`
`-ii-
`
`

`

`WO 01/01373
`
`PCT/US00/17266
`
`ELECTRONIC BOOK WITH VOICE EMULATION FEATURES
`
`Related Applications
`
`This application is a continuation-in-part ofU .S. Application Serial No. 08/336,247
`
`entitled ELECTRONIC BOOK SELECTION AND DELIVERY SYSTEM, filed November
`
`5
`
`7, 1994, and U.S. Application Serial No. 08/160,194, entitled ADVANCED SET-TOP
`
`TERMINALFORCABLETELEVISIONDELIVERYSYSTEMS,filedDecember2, 1993,
`
`and U.S. Application Serial No. 08/906,469, entitled REPROGRAMMABLE TERMINAL
`
`FOR SUGGESTING PROGRAMS OFFERED ON A TELEVISION PROGRAM
`
`DELIVERY SYSTEM, filed August 5, 1997 which is a continuation of U.S. Application Serial
`
`10
`
`No. 08/160,281, entitled TERMINAL FOR SUGGESTING PROGRAMS OFFERED ON
`
`A TELEVISION PROGRAM DELIVERY SYSTEM, filed December 2, 1993, which is now
`
`U.S. Patent No. 5,798,785, dated August 25, 1998, all of which are incorporated herein by
`
`reference.
`
`This application is related to U.S. Application Serial No. 09/237,828, filed on January
`
`15
`
`27, 1999,entitledELECTRONICBOOKELECTRONICLINKS, U.S.ApplicationSerial
`
`No.09/289,957,filedonApril 13, 1999,entitledELECTRONICBOOKALTERNATIVE
`
`DELIVERY SYSTEMS, and U.S. Application Serial No. 09/289,956, filed on April 13,
`
`1999,entitledELECTRONICBOOKALTERNATIVEDELIVERYMETHODS,allof
`
`which are incorporated herein by reference.
`
`20
`
`Technical Field
`
`This invention is directed to an electronic book unit having one or more electronic
`
`books. More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing text(cid:173)
`
`to-speech and speech recognition features for electronic books.
`
`Background Art
`
`25
`
`Sparked by the concept of an information superhighway, a revolution will take place
`
`in the distribution of books. Not since the introduction of Gutenberg's movable typeset printing
`
`has the world stood on the brink of such a revolution in the distribution of text material. The
`
`definition of the word "book" will change drastically in the near future. Due to reasons such as
`
`-1-
`
`

`

`WO 01/01373
`
`PCT/US00/17266
`
`2
`
`security, convenience, cost, and other technical problems, book and magazine publishers are
`
`currently only able to distribute their products in paper form. This invention solves the
`
`problems encountered by publishers.
`
`Summary Of Invention
`
`5
`
`Methods and apparatus consistent with the present invention include features for text(cid:173)
`
`to-speech conversion and speech recognition for electronic books. In one embodiment, the
`
`methods and apparatus display a page of an electronic book on a viewer, the page including
`
`text. They receive a selection of text on the displayed page for conversion to speech and
`
`convert at least a portion the selected text into the corresponding speech. They may
`
`10
`
`alternatively automatically display a next page of the electronic book and convert at least a
`
`portion of text on the next page into corresponding speech, or automatically perform the
`
`conversion upon selection of the next page by a user.
`
`For speech recognition, the methods and apparatus receive speech from a user. They
`
`convert the speech into corresponding electronic text and inserting the text into the electronic
`
`15
`
`book.
`
`For voice or audible commands, the methods and apparatus receive an audible
`
`command relating to a function of the electronic book. They convert the audible command into
`
`a corresponding electronic signal and execute the function in response to the electronic signal.
`
`For voice security, the methods and apparatus store an electronic book for display on
`
`20
`
`a viewer. They receive an audible command from a user relating to a function of the electronic
`
`book and convert the audible command into a corresponding electronic signal. Commands
`
`from the user, relating to the electronic book, are executed only if the electronic signal satisfies
`
`particular criteria.
`
`Brief Description Of Drawings
`
`25
`
`Figure 1 is a block diagram of the primary components of the electronic book selection
`
`and delivery system.
`
`-2-
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`

`

`WO 01/01373
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`PCT /US00/17266
`
`3
`
`Figure 2 is a schematic showing an overview of the electronic book selection and
`
`delivery system.
`
`Figure 3a is a schematic of the delivery plan for the electronic book selection and
`
`delivery system.
`
`5
`
`Figure 3b is a schematic of an alternate delivery plan.
`
`Figure 4 is a block diagram of an operations center.
`
`Figure 5a is a flow diagram of the processing at the operations center and uplink.
`
`Figure 5b is a block diagram of the hardware configuration for an uplink site.
`
`Figure 6a is a block diagram of the hardware configuration for a four component home
`
`10
`
`subsystem.
`
`Figure 6b is a schematic of a two unit home subsystem.
`
`Figure 7 is a flow diagram of the processes performed by the video connector.
`
`Figure 8 is a block diagram for an example of a library unit.
`
`Figure 9 is a flow diagram of some of the processes performed by the library on the
`
`15
`
`received data stream.
`
`Figure 10 is a flow diagram of the processes performed by the library unit on
`
`information requests from the viewer.
`
`Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the components for an example of a viewer.
`
`Figure 12 is a flow diagram of some of the processes performed by the viewer on an
`
`20
`
`information request from a subscriber.
`
`Figure 13 is a chart depicting the menu structure and sequencing of menus in the menu
`
`system.
`
`Figure 14a is a schematic of an introductory menu.
`
`Figure 14b is a schematic showing an example of a main menu.
`
`25
`
`Figures 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 14g, 14h, 14i and 14j are schematics showing examples
`
`of submenus.
`
`-3-
`
`

`

`WO0l/01373
`
`PCT/US00/17266
`
`4
`
`Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of an electronic book system for a bookstore or
`
`public library.
`
`Figure 16a and Figure 16b are schematics of hardware modifications or upgrades to
`
`a set top converter.
`
`5
`
`Figure 17 is a schematic showing a set top terminal that includes a data receiver and
`
`data transmitter.
`
`Figure 18a is a schematic of a book-on-demand system.
`
`Figure 18b is a schematic of an operations center supporting a book-on-demand
`
`system.
`
`1 O
`
`Figure 19 is a diagram of a main menu screen for presenting on a viewer voice
`
`emulation options for electronic books.
`
`Figure 20 is a flow chart of a main menu routine.
`
`Figure 21 is a flow chart of a manual text-to-speech routine.
`
`Figure 22 is a diagram of a book menu screen.
`
`15
`
`Figure 23 is a diagram of a page of an electronic book.
`
`Figure 24 is a diagram of a page of an electronic book illustrating selected text for
`
`conversion to speech.
`
`Figure 25 is a flow chart of an automatic text-to-speech routine with an automatic page
`
`tum feature.
`
`20
`
`Figure 26 is a flow chart of an automatic text-to-speech routine with a manual page tum
`
`feature.
`
`Figure 27 is a flow chart of a settings routine.
`
`Figure 28 is a diagram of a settings menu.
`
`Figure 29 is a flow chart of a dictation routine.
`
`25
`
`Figure 30a is a diagram of a page of an electronic book with transcribed text.
`
`Figure 30b is a diagram of a page of an electronic book with a section for presenting
`
`transcribed text.
`
`-4-
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`

`

`WO0l/01373
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`5
`
`Figure 31 is a flow chart of a view book routine.
`
`Figure 32 is a diagram of a view book screen.
`
`Figure 33 is a flow chart of a voice commands routine.
`
`Figure 34 is a flow chart of a voice security routine.
`
`5
`
`Detailed Description
`
`An electronic book selection and delivery system is a new way to distribute electronic
`
`books to bookstores, public libraries, schools and consumers. The technological
`
`breakthroughs of this invention provide a secure system for both delivering selected electronic
`
`books and receiving payments. The system has an unusual combination of features that
`
`10
`
`provides the consumer with an electronic book unit that has a high tech aura while being very
`
`practical, portable, and easy to use.
`
`The clear advantage of the system is that it eliminates the distribution of any physical
`
`object such as a paper book or computer memory device from any book or text distribution
`
`system. The purchase of an electronic book may become a PAY-PER-READ™ event
`
`15
`
`avoiding the overhead, "middle-men," printing costs, and time delay associated with the current
`
`book distribution system. Published material and text such as the President's speech, a new
`
`law, a court decision on abortion, or O.J. Simpson's testimony can be made immediately
`
`available to the consumer at a nominal fee.
`
`The system is a novel combination of new technology involving the television, cable,
`
`20
`
`telephone, and computer industries. It uses high bandwidth data transmissions, strong security
`
`measures, sophisticated digital switching, high resolution visual displays, novel controls, and
`
`user friendly interface software.
`
`The primary components of the text delivery system are the subsystem for placing the
`
`text onto a signal path and the subsystem for receiving and selecting text that was placed on the
`
`25
`
`signal path. A preferred embodiment of the system includes additional components and
`
`optional features that enhance the system. The system may be configured for use by
`
`bookstores, public libraries, schools and consumers.
`
`-5-
`
`

`

`WO0l/01373
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`PCT/US00/17266
`
`6
`
`The system for consumer use is made up of four subsystems, namely: ( 1) an operations
`
`center, (2) a distribution system, (3) a home subsystem including reception, selection, viewing,
`
`transacting and transmission capabilities, and ( 4) a billing and collection system.
`
`The operations center performs several primary functions: manipulating text data
`
`5
`
`(including receiving, formatting and storing of text data), security encoding of text, cataloging
`
`of books, providing a messaging center capability, and performing uplink functions. The system
`
`delivers the text from the operations center to consumer homes by inserting text data into an
`
`appropriate signal path. The insertion of text is generally performed with an encoder at an
`
`uplink site that is within or near the operations center. If the signal path is a video signal path,
`
`10
`
`the system can use several lines of the Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI), all the lines of the
`
`analog video signal, a digital video signal or unused portions of bandwidth to transmit text data.
`
`Using the VBI delivery method, the top ten or twenty book titles may be transmitted with video
`
`during normal programming utilizing existing cable, satellite, wireless or broadcast transmission
`
`capability without disruption to the subscriber's video reception. Using the entire video signal,
`
`15
`
`thousands of books may be transmitted within just one hour of airtime. Nearly any analog or
`
`digital video distribution system may be used to deliver the video signal with included text.
`
`The text data may also be transmitted over other low and high speed signal paths
`
`including a telephone network ( e.g., a public switched telephone network) having a high speed
`
`connection such as an asynchronous digital subscriber line (ADSL) connection. Alternatively,
`
`20
`
`other delivery systems may be used, such as those disclosed in the related applications
`
`identified above.
`
`The home subsystem performs four primary functions: connecting to the video
`
`distribution system, selecting text, storing text, and transacting through a phone or cable
`
`communicating mechanism. The components of the home subsystem may be configured in a
`
`25
`
`variety of hardware configurations. Each function may be performed by a separate component,
`
`the components may be integrated, or the capability of existing cable set top converter boxes,
`
`personal computers, and televisions may be utilized. Preferably, a connector, library unit and
`
`-6-
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`

`

`WO 01/01373
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`PCT/US00/17266
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`7
`
`an electronic book unit, or viewer unit, are used. The connector portion of the home subsystem
`
`receives the analog video signal and strips or extracts the text from the video. The home library
`
`stores the text signal, provides a user friendly software interface to the system and processes
`
`the transactions at the consumer home. The viewer provides a screen for viewing text or menus
`
`5
`
`and novel user friendly controls. The viewer may also incorporate all the functionality of the
`
`home subsystem.
`
`The viewing device is preferably a portable book shaped viewer which stores one or
`
`more electronic books for viewing and provides a screen for interacting with the home library
`
`unit. A high resolution LCD display is used to both read the books and to interact with the
`
`1 0
`
`home library software. An optional phone connector or return-path cable connection initiates
`
`the telephone calls and, with the aid of the library, transmits the necessary data to complete the
`
`ordering and billing portion of the consumer transaction. The user friendly controls include a
`
`bookmark, current book and page tum button. The billing and collection system performs
`
`transaction management, authorizations, collections and publisher payments automatically
`
`15
`
`utilizing the telephone system. Alternatively, other ordering methods may be used, such as
`
`those disclosed in the related applications identified above.
`
`In one embodiment, the primary components of the electronic book selection and
`
`delivery system 200 are an encoder 204, a video distribution system 208, a connector 212,
`
`and a text selector 216 as shown in Figure 1. The encoder 204 places textual data on a video
`
`20
`
`signal to form a composite video signal. Although the composite signal may contain only textual
`
`data, it usually carries both video and textual data. A variety of equipment and methods may
`
`be used to encode text data onto a video signal. The video distribution system 208 distributes
`
`the composite video signal from the single point of the encoder 204 to multiple locations which
`
`have connectors 212. The connector 212 receives the digital or analog video signal from the
`
`25
`
`video distribution system 208 and separates, strips or extracts the text data from the composite
`
`video signal. If necessary, the extracted text data is converted into a digital bit stream. Text
`
`selector 216 works in connection with the connector 212 to select text.
`
`-7-
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`

`

`WO 01/01373
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`PCT/US00/17266
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`8
`
`Using a connector 212 and text selector 216 combination, various methods of selecting
`
`and retrieving desired text from a composite or video signal are possible. Text may be
`
`preselected, selected as received or selected after being received and stored. A preferred
`
`method is for the connector 212 to strip or extract all the text from the video signal and have
`
`5
`
`the text selector 216 screen all the text as received from the connector 212. The text selector
`
`216 only stores text in long term or permanent memory if the text passes a screening process
`
`described below.
`
`An overview of the electronic book selection and delivery system 200 is shown in
`
`Figure 2. The delivery system 200 includes: an operations center 250 including an uplink site
`
`10
`
`254, a video distribution system 208, a home system 258 including a video connector 212, a
`
`library 262, a viewer 266, and a phone connector 270, telephone system 27 4, an internet web
`
`site 279 and a billing and collection system 278. Also as shown in Figure 2, the home system
`
`258 may include connections to a television 259 and a personal computer 261. The television
`
`259 and the personal computer 261 may be used to display menu screens, electronic books,
`
`15
`
`electronic files, or any other information associated with the delivery system 200. In addition,
`
`the television 259 and the personal computer 261 may provide control function that replicate
`
`and supplement those of the viewer 266.
`
`The operations center 250 receives textual material from outside sources 282 such as
`
`publishers, newspapers, and on-line services. Alternately, the outside sources may maintain
`
`20
`
`electronic books at the Internet web site 279. The outside sources 282 may convert textual
`
`and graphical material to digital format, or may contract with another vendor to provide this
`
`service. The operations center 250 may receive the textual and graphical material in various
`
`digital formats and may convert the textual material to a standard compressed format for
`
`storage. In so doing, the operations center 250 may create a pool of textual material that is
`
`25
`
`available to be delivered to the home system 258. The textual material may be grouped by
`
`books or titles for easy access.
`
`-8-
`
`

`

`WO 01/01373
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`PCT/US00/17266
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`9
`
`As used herein, "book" means textual or graphical information such as contained in any
`
`novels, encyclopedias, articles, magazines or manuals. The term "title" may represent the actual
`
`title assigned by an author to a book, or any other designation indicating a particular group,
`
`portion, or category of textual information. The title may refer to a series of related textual
`
`5
`
`information, a grouping of textual information, or a portion of textual data. For example,
`
`"Latest Harlequin Romance", "Four Child Reading Books (Ages 10-12)", "Encyclopedia
`
`'BRIT ANNI CA'™", "President's Speech", "Instruction Manual", "Schedule of 4th of July
`
`Events", "Pet Handbooks", "Roe v. Wade", and "The Joy of Cooking" are suitable titles. Also,
`
`the title may be a graphical symbol or icon. Thus, a picture of a wrench may be a title for a
`
`1 0
`
`repair book, a picture of a computer a title for a computer book, a graphical symbol of a
`
`telephone a title for a telephone book, a drawing of a dagger a title for a mystery book, a
`
`picture of a bat and ball a title for a sports book and a picture of tickertape a title for a business
`
`book. The term "electronic book" refers to the electronic counterpart to a "book."
`
`The operations center 250 includes an uplink site 254 for placing the text onto a video
`
`15
`
`signal and sending the composite video signal into a video distribution system. The uplink site
`
`254 would generally include an encoder 204 (not shown in Figure 2) to encode the text onto
`
`a video signal.
`
`Many analog and digital distribution systems 208, or other telecommunications systems,
`
`can be used with the delivery system 200, such as a cable television distribution system, a
`
`20
`
`broadcast television distribution system, video distributed over telephone systems, distribution
`
`from the Internet, direct satellite broadcast distribution systems, and other wired and wireless
`
`distribution systems.
`
`The home system 258 performs five primary functions: ( 1) connecting with a video
`
`distribution system, (2) selecting data, (3) storing data, (4) displaying data, and (5) handling
`
`25
`
`transactions. An important optional function of the home sub-system 258 is communicating
`
`using a telephone communication system 274. The home system 258 is made up of primarily
`
`four parts: a video connector 212 or similar type of connector for connecting with the video
`
`-9-
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`

`

`WO 01/01373
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`10
`
`distribution system 208, a library unit 262 for storing and processing, an electronic book, or
`
`viewer unit, 266 for viewing menus and text and a telephone connector 270 for connecting with
`
`a telephone communications system 27 4. In an al temate arrangement, the viewer 266 may
`
`include all the functionality of the home system 258.
`
`5
`
`The billing and collection system 278 may be co-located with the operations center250
`
`or located remote from the operations center 250. In one embodiment, the billing and
`
`collection system 278 is in communication with the home system 258 via telephone-type
`
`communication systems (for example 27 4 ). Any of a number of telephone type communication
`
`systems, such as, a cellular system, will operate with the billing and collection system 278. The
`
`10
`
`billing and collection system 278 records the electronic books or portions of text that are
`
`selected or ordered by the subscriber. The collection system will charge a subscriber's credit
`
`account or bill the subscriber. In addition, the billing and collection system 278 will monitor that
`
`amount due to publishers or other outside sources 282 who have provided textual data or other
`
`services such as air time to enable the text delivery system 200 to operate.
`
`15
`
`When electronic books are provided via the Internet web site 279, the billing and
`
`collecting functions may be incorporated into the Internet web site 279. For example, a
`
`subscriber may pay for an electronic book selection by entering a credit card number into a
`
`data field of a page of the Internet web site 279. In this configuration, a separate billing and
`
`collection system may not be required.
`
`20
`
`Figure 3a is an expanded overview ofa delivery plan 301 for the delivery system 200.
`
`The delivery plan 301 supports various types of subscribers and various billing systems. Figure
`
`3a shows that publishers 282 will provide text transfer 302 to the operations center 250' and
`
`receive payments 306 from the billing and collection system 278'. A separate channel uplink
`
`site 254' is shown in this configuration receiving data 310 from the operations center 250'. The
`
`25
`
`operations center 250' has three separate sections (318, 322, 326) one for text receiving,
`
`formatting and re-entry 318, a second for security encoding 322 and a third section for catalog
`
`and messaging center functions 326.
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`-10-
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`WO0l/01373
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`11
`
`The billing and collection system 278' shown has two sections (330, 334) one for
`
`transaction management, authorizations and publisher payments 330, and the other for
`
`customer service 334. The customer service section 334 provides for data entry and access
`
`to customer account information. Transaction accounting information 338 is supplied to credit
`
`5
`
`card companies 342 by the transaction management section 330 of the billing and collection
`
`system 278'. The credit card companies 342 provide billing 346 to customers either
`
`electronically or by mail.
`
`Three methods for communicating between the subscriber base 348 and the billing and
`
`collection system 278' are shown: by telephone switching 350 alone, cellular switching 354 and
`
`10
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`telephone switching 350 combined, and by use of the cable system 358 and the telephone
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`switching 350. The system shown supports both one-way 362 and two-way cable
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`communication 366 with subscribers. Public libraries and schools 370 as well as bookstores
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`374 may use the delivery system 301.
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`Public libraries and schools 370 would have a modified system to allow the viewer 266
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`to be checked-out or borrowed while bookstores 3 7 4 would rent or sell the viewer 266 and
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`sell the electronic books. The bookstores 37 4 as well as the public libraries and schools 370
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`may be serviced by cable 378. Optional direct broadcast systems (DBS) 382 can also be
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`used with the delivery system 200. The DBS 382 may provide the electronic books using
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`digital satellite technology, with the electronic books being received via a backyard satellite
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`antenna, for example.
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`Figure 3b is an alternate delivery plan 30 I 'that provides for electronic book selection
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`and delivery using the Internet. In Figure 3b, the publishers 282 provide the electronic books
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`to be posted at the Internet web site 279. The publishers may convert the text and graphical
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`data to digital format, compress the digital data, and upload the compressed digital data to the
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`Internet web site 279. Alternately, the publishers 282 may arrange for an outside conversion
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`activity 283 to convert the text and graphical data to digital format. The conversion activity 283
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`may then provide the digital data to the Internet web site 279. For example, a large on-line
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`bookstore could gather publications in electronic form from a variety of publishers, or could
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`convert hard-copy books to electronic form, and post the electronic books on the Internet such
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`as at the Internet web site 279.
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`The electronic books may then be transferred via a public switched telephone network
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`(PSTN), for example, direct to a subscriber 285, a library 286 and a bookstore 287. The
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`library 286 and the bookstore 287 may also provide electronic books to the subscriber 285.
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`I.
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`The Operations Center
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`Figure 4 is a schematic of an operations center 250 which includes an uplink 254. The
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`operations center 250 gathers text or books by receiving, formatting, storing, and encoding.
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`A data stream 302 containing text is received at the operations center 250 by a data receiver
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`402. The data receiver 402 is under the control of a processor 404. After reception, the data
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`stream is formatted using digital logic for formatting 406 which is also under the control of the
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`processor 404. If any additional text is being generated at the operation center 250 locally for
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`insertion into the distributed signal, the text generation is handled through text generator
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`hardware 410 which may include a data receiver and a keyboard (not shown). Following
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`processing by the text generator 410, the additional text can be added to the text received by
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`the combining hardware 414 that includes digital logic circuitry (not shown).
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`The processing at the operations center 250 is controlled by a processor 404 which
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`uses an instruction memory 416. The processor 404 and instruction memory 416 may be
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`supplied by a personal computer or mini-computer. To perform the catalog and messaging
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`functions, the operations center 250 uses a catalog and message memory 420 and the text
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`generator 410 if necessary.
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`The data stream of text, catalog and messages is preferably encoded by security
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`module encoding 424 prior to being sent to the uplink module 254. Various encoding
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`techniques may be used by the security encoding module 424 such as the commercial derivative
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`ofNSA's encryption algorithm (Data Encryption System (DES)) and General Instrument's
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`DigiCipher II. Following encoding, the encoded text may be stored in text memory 428 prior
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`to being sent to the uplink 254. A first-in-first-out text memory arrangement may be used
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`under the control of the processor 404. Various types of memory may be used for the text
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`memory 428 including RAM. The operations center 250 may use file server technology for
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`the text memory 428 to catalog and spool electronic books for transmission as is described
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`below.
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`To transmit textual data (i.e., electronic books), the delivery system 208 uses high
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`bandwidth transmission techniques such as those defined by the North American Broadcast
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`Teletext Standard (NABTS) and the World System Teletext (WST) standard. Using the WST
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`format ( where each line of the Vertical Blanking Interval contains 266 data bits), a four hundred
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`page book, for example, may be transmitted during programming using four lines of the Vertical
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`Blanking Interval at a rate of approximately one book every 1.6 minutes (63,840 bits per
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`second). Alternatively, electronic books may be transmitted over a dedicated channel, which
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`interrupts programming so that 246 lines of video can be used to transmit approximately 2,250
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`books every hour (3.9 Mbits per second). A teletext type format is the simplest but possibly
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`the slowest text format to use with the delivery system 200. In either event, an encoder 204
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`is utilized at an uplink site 254 to insert textual data into the analog video signal. In many other
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`respects, the delivery of the textual information is completed using existing cable television plant
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`and equipment.
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`Figure Sa is a flowchart of the steps involved in processing text from the publisher or
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`20
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`provider 282 that occurs at the operations center 250. As shown in block 500, the publisher
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`282 processes data files of text for books, compresses, encrypts and sends the data files to the
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`operations center 250 or uplink 254. Text files for books are preferably sent one book at a
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`time. As shown in block 504, the uplink 254 or operations center 250 receives and processes
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`the data stream from the publisher 282. Generally, part of this processing includes encryption
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`and error correction.
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`As shown in block 508, files are broken into smaller packets of information. Header
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`information is added to the packets. The bit stream is converted from a serial digital bit stream
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`to an analog bit stream that is compatible with an NTSC video signal. Block 512 shows the
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`switching of analog data into the video lines of a video signal. The analog data is generally
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`placed either in the VBI or the active video lines. In some instances, it may be preferable to
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`utilize unused portions of bandwidth (such as 5-40 MHZ, 70-75 MHZ, 100-109 MHZ or
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`5
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`other guard bands) instead of the video lines.
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`Figure 5b is an example of a hardware configuration to perform some of the functions
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`for blocks 508 and 512. A video feed 516 is received and processed through a sync stripper
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`520. The stripped sync signal 532 is used by the digital logic control 524. The digital logic
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`control 524 receives the sync signal 532 and a serial digital bit