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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the provision of information services to
multiple users and, specifically, to a method and apparatus for
distributing information to users in the field and for accounting
financially for the information distributed to, and selected and received
by each user. More particularly, the present invention relates to the
provision of a protected archival databank at the user site which permits
rapid selection and retrieval of information. The present invention also
relates to the provision of information distribution services wherein an
alphanumeric character stream containing up-to-date information is
serially broadcast to users in the field for selection by each individual
user. In addition, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus
for providing users with up-to-date information in a "seamless" manner
from both an archival databank and periodic updates which are either
broadcast or transmitted by storage media. And furthermore, the present
invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling and monitoring
the access to information by a plurality of individual information users.
Various information services are available which provide individualized
up-to-date information to a user. For example, electronic mail services
are available via telephone lines to users of computer terminals. These
mail services are based, financially, on either a flat rate subscription
or, like dial-up database search services, a user fee which is dependent
upon the amount, time spent and type of data provided to the individual
user. However, these electronic mail and database search services are
costly because the separate information transfers tie up central computer
facilities and telephone lines.
Other current information services simply provide a stream of information
which is broadcast over AM, FM, TV or satellite channels via cable or
electromagnetic radiation. For example, continuous weather broadcasts and
sales information provided by retail merchants are available to cable
subscribers for a flat fee. Also, stock quotations broadcast on an FM
sideband frequency are available to persons having specially adapted
receivers. Furthermore, weather and navigation information are provided by
U.S. government FM broadcast stations on specially assigned frequencies.
Government weather and navigation information services are supported by
public funds. However, the cable TV information services and the stock
quotation service must be supported by charges to the user-subscribers.
Cable TV service, like the telephone, can be disconnected for non-payment,
but the charge is a flat rate for all subscribers. Broadcast information
services, such as the stock quotation service, cannot "unplug" a
subscriber in this way. The information is therefore available to any user
who has a suitably adapted receiver, whether or not they have a
subscription to the service.
In considering information distribution services, it is helpful to
distinguish between "archival" information, as may be contained in a large
databank, and current, up-to-date information, which may be distributed in
a serial data stream by telephone line, cable or RF broadcast, or via
inexpensive storage media physically sent to the user. The former type of
information has classicly been made available from large, on-line,
computer databases and distributed by a time sharing system which may
include a local area network (LAN), telephone lines, duplex cable,
microwave or satellite transmission lines. With the advent of high density
storage media such as the compact disk, it has become convenient to
furnish significant quantities of archival information on compact disk
read only memories (CD-ROMS). CD-ROMS, and other similar high density
media can be supplied to users via the U.S. Postal Service, United Parcel
Service, Federal Express, or the like.
It is presently the practice of information providers to charge a one-time
fee for the information stored on such high density media. The charge for
a typical CD-ROM containing, for example, the entire works of Shakespeare
must necessarily be prohibitively expensive to many users since the entire
value of the information has to be recovered at once. This high initial
charge has the effect of limiting the number of potential customers for
such information, thereby reducing the user base upon which the
information cost can be amortized. This has the effect of maintaining the
information charge at an inordinately high level, a "Catch 22" situation
which is disadvantageous for both the information provider and the user.
The provision of archival information via high density media which can be
read at the user site leaves open the question of periodic updates of
current information. The high density media themselves are too expensive
to be frequently replaced by media containing the current updates, nor are
such updated media necessarily required. It is conceivable to issue
"editions" of the archival storage media (e.g. high density CD-ROMS) at
longer periodic intervals (e.g. yearly) and to issue incremental updates
to this distributed databank to maintain its currency on a frequent basis
(e.g., daily, weekly or monthly). The current, update information can be
supplied via telephone lines, broadcast channels, or inexpensive low
density media such as magnetic tape or floppy disk, as frequently as is
required and the information contained on these media may be stored in the
user's system (for example on a hard disk memory or optical read/write
memory).
In the user search and retrieval from this repeatedly updated databank it
is desirable to provide a "seamless" source of information so that the
user need not know where the information is actually stored. In such a
system, the type and nature of the storage media are said to be
"transparent" to the user, who only sees the entire, updated databank as a
unit. To the user, therefore, the two types of information described
above--namely the archival databank stored locally on a high density media
and the current, updates stored locally on lower density media, are
preferably indistinguishable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a low cost,
personalized information service.
It is another object of the present invention to distribute vast quantities
of information to a user site, both as an original, one-time archival
databank and as periodic updates on a continuing basis.
It is another object of the present invention to provide and maintain a
local databank at a user site which may be accessed by the user, as
desired, in a seamless manner.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a periodically
updated databank, on site to a user, so as to minimize telephone usage and
central computer processing time.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for
financial accounting of information distributed to, and selected and
received by a user.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for
accounting financially for information distributed to, and selected and
received by a user which permits a user to conveniently "charge through"
the use of the information to the user's separate accounts or clients.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for
distributing information to a user which is extremely secure from attack
and tampering by a third party and/or by the user him/herself.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for
accounting financially for information distributed to, and selected and
received by a user which accounting system is extremely secure from attack
and tampering by a third party and/or by the user him/herself.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for
controlling and monitoring access to information by a plurality of
individual information users.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an information
distribution system which has certain information storage capability of
its own but which is capable of obtaining information from outside sources
such as a local area network (LAN) file server or a dial-up database.
These objects, as well as further objects which will become apparent from
the discussion that follows, are achieved, according to the present
invention, by providing at the user site:
(a) a first, protected storage device, such as a high density storage
medium and reader, for storing information for subsequent selection and
retrieval;
(b) a second storage device, such as a random access memory (RAM) or hard
disk drive, for storing information to be received by the user;
(c) a device, such as a programmed microcomputer, for selecting and
retrieving information from the first storage device and for transferring
such information to the second storage device; and
(d) a device, such as the aforementioned microcomputer, for accumulating
use fees for the information transferred to the second storage device so
that the user can be charged for the particular information that is
received and used.
Conceptually, the second storage device thus becomes the "conduit" for
monitoring the use of information: both archival and update information.
All information placed in, and passing through this conduit is charged to
the user. After placing the selected information in this second storage
device the user may direct that it be supplied to a hard copy reproduction
device such as a printer, to another computer via an SCSI bus or local
area network, to a remote location via a telephone line, cable or other
transmission link, or even to another storage device, such as a hard disk.
The charge for the information selected and retrieved from the first
storage device and placed in the second storage device may be based on the
number of alpha-numeric characters, number of words, or some other unit of
measurement. Preferably, and in accordance with a particular feature of
the present invention, the use fee for the information is based on a
so-called "information package", hereinafter sometimes referred to as an
"IP". Thus, the information stored in the first storage device may be
arranged, and is retrievable as a plurality of information packages
(IP's), and the user is charged in accordance with either a standard use
fee for each IP, or in accordance with a specific use fee associated with
each different IP that is transferred to the second storage device. To
facilitate the charge by use fee, each IP is preferably provided with a
"header" portion of the package which may include such information as its
identification (title, author, publication date, abstract and the like),
its length, and the specific use fee associated with that IP. The header
identification information is useful for search purposes as well as to
permit a user to scan the subject matter of an IP before selecting and
retrieving the entire IP.
The user fee charged for each information package that is transferred to
the second storage device may thus be a specific use fee associated with
the respective IP; a standard use fee for each IP (irrespective of the
identity, type or length of the IP); a class-dependent IP which is the
same for all IP's of a common class, but is different for IP's of
different classes; and/or a length-dependent user fee which is determined
by the length of the information transferred to the second storage device.
User subscription fees may be charged to cover all or a portion of the
user fees charged for information of a certain type or class.
In accordance with a further feature of the present invention, the first
storage device contains both archival information, which is transmitted to
the user either on a one-time basis or at repeated intervals that are
relatively long in time (e.g. one year), and current, update information
which is repeatedly transmitted to the user at relatively short intervals
of time (e.g. one day, week, month or the like). The current information,
which comprises updates to the archival information, may be either
continuously or intermittently transmitted from a central location to a
plurality of user stations at remote locations as a serial data stream or
provided via inexpensive low density storage media.
The user stations are operative to select data from the data stream or low
density media and store the selected data either in the first storage
device (if it is to update the archival information) or the second storage
device (if it is to be immediately used). Each user station also
accumulates charge information corresponding to the selected information
that has been deciphered and stored in the second storage device
(protected information stored in the second storage device will not be
billed for until it is decrypted). In this way, the user can be charged
for the particular information that was selected, received and used.
According to still another feature of the present invention, the first,
protected storage device includes one or more of a CD-ROM, a hard magnetic
disk, magnetic tape, optical tape, electronic paper and an optical
read/write memory. The second storage device includes one or more of a
random access memory (RAM), such as a semi-conductor dynamic RAM, and a
hard disk memory.
According to still another feature of the present invention, the accounting
function of the information distribution system is implemented by a
device, such as a key pad, for entering a user-specified account
identification. In addition, the device for accumulating use fees is made
capable of storing this account information in association with the
identity of an IP that is transferred to the second storage device (i.e.,
information for which a user fee is charged).
According to still another feature of the present invention, the archival
information as well as the current information updates which are stored in
the first storage device are encrypted to prevent access to this
information by unauthorized persons, including users who are deliquent in
payment.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, the user
apparatus includes a telephone line interface, such as a modem, and is
operable to transmit the accumulated use fees via the telephone interface
and a telephone line to a host computer at a central accounting (and
billing) office. This host computer is presumably operated by the
information service company which provides an distributes the information
to the users and keeps financial track of the information selected and
used by the users.
The transfer of financial accounting information may be automatically
initiated, or initiated by a telephone or broadcast inquiry by the
information service company. If automatically initiated, the accumulated
use fees may be transmitted spontaneously and periodically at prescribed
intervals. Alternatively, or in addition, the accumulated use fees may be
transmitted spontaneously when the accumulated fees reach a prescribed
amount.
As is indicated above, the first, protected storage device may contain both
archival and current, update information which is available to the user in
a "seamless" manner. To acquire the current, update information, according
to a still further feature of the present invention, the system further
includes a broadcast receiver for receiving information transmitted from a
remote location and for storing the transmitted information in the first
storage device. This broadcast receiver may be an RF receiver, for
example, for receiving information broadcast via satellite or by a local
broadcast station from the remote location. Preferably, the information is
transmitted during the vertical blanking interval of a television signal
or on an FM sideband in accordance with well-known principles and using
commercially available equipment. The broadcast receiver may also provide
a cable interface for information which is transmitted (broadcast) via
cable from the remote location or from a local satellite receiving
station.
According to still another feature of the present invention, each IP
received from the remote location includes an IP-identifying header which
facilitates the selection of that information which should be stored for
future use in the first storage device. For example, this header may
identify the source of the IP, or the class or type of the IP. In
addition, the header may contain an abstract of the IP which can be tested
for key words which are of interest to the information user. If an IP is
selected for storage, it may be stored on electronically readable, high
volume media such as a hard disk, floppy disk or streaming tape.
According to still another feature of the present invention, the IP's
stored in the first storage device each includes an unique IP identifier,
such as an identifying title, author and source citation or an identifying
number code. The accumulator device stores the identifier of each IP that
is transferred to the second storage device. This IP identifier
information can be made available to the user and/or can be transmitted
via a telephone line to a host computer at a central accounting office so
that use statistics may be compiled and payments may be made to the
creators of the respective IP's.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, the
accumulator device encrypts the information stored therein, such as the
accumulated use fee information and the IP identifier information, which
is transmitted to the central host computer. Such encryption makes it
difficult, if not impossible, for a user to fraudulently change the IP use
information so as to reduce the user fees.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, the system
includes a keyboard or the like for entering the personal identification
code (PIC) of each system user. By requiring each user to enter a PIC, the
system can control and monitor the information distributed by the system.
In particular, the system stores the PIC in the accumulator device in
association with each IP identifier and user fee corresponding to an IP
transferred from the first storage device to the second storage device. A
record is therefore kept of the identity of each IP obtained from the
system and the identity of each user who obtained that respective IP.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, the system
includes a device for storing the PIC of all users who are authorized to
receive information and a device for comparing the PIC entered by each
user with the PIC's of the authorized users and for enabling the operation
of the system if the PIC entered by a user is equal to a PIC of an
authorized user. In this way, the system is capable of limiting the access
to information to only those users who have previously been authorized.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, at least a
portion of the information stored in the first storage device is encrypted
and the system comprises a device for decrypting the information selected
and retrieved. Alternatively, or in addition, the first storage device can
include a mechanical or electrical "lock", or some other conventional
security device, for preventing the information stored therein to be read
out by anyone other than an authorized user. The lock preferably includes
a mechanical or electrical "key" to which only an authorized user has
access.
Similarly, at least a portion of the information received by the receiving
device is encrypted and the system includes a device for decrypting that
information, received by the receiver, which is selected and retrieved.
As a consequence of the encryption and security devices, as described
above, the information transmitted, received and/or stored by the system
remains secure against unauthorized use and unlawful copying.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, the system
includes a device, such as a printer or facsimile machine, for producing a
user-visible copy of the information transferred to the second storage
device.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, the system
includes a telephone line interface, a third storage device and a device
for calling a remote host computer via the telephone line interface and
requesting transfer of selected information from that host computer to the
third storage device. Preferably, the system also includes a device for
storing a transaction record of the information transferred from the host
computer to the third storage device.
If the information transferred from the host computer is arranged in a
plurality of IP's, the transaction record can include the identity of each
IP that is transferred to the third storage device. If the host computer
includes at least one database, the transaction record can further include
the identity of the database from which the information is transferred to
the third storage device. If the system includes a device for entering a
user-specified account identification, the transaction record can also
include this account identification in association with the identity of
each IP that is transferred to the third storage device.
Preferably, the information stored in the third storage device is encrypted
for subsequent decryption by the system. In the alternative, or in
addition, the third storage device itself includes a security device, such
as a mechanical or electrical "lock", for preventing the information
stored therein to be read out by anyone other than an authorized user.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, the system
includes a local area network (LAN) interface, a third storage device and
a device for accessing a data storage file server via the LAN interface
and for requesting transfer of selected information from the data storage
file server to the third storage device. Preferably, a transaction record
of the information transferred from the data storage file server to the
third storage device is maintained in much the same manner as the
transaction record described above in connection with information
transferred from a remote host computer.
Preferably also, security of the information obtained from the file server
is maintained by encrypting the information stored in the third storage
device and/or by providing a security device, such as an electrical or
mechanical lock, for preventing the information stored in the third
storage device to be read out by anyone other than an authorized user.
According to a still further feature of the present invention, the system
may be employed to transmit selected and secure information from the
user's location to a remote location, for example via a telephone line
interface and telephone lines. A transaction record is maintained of the
identity of all IP's that are transferred to the remote location and the
accumulator device accumulates use fees for the transfer of this
information. Preferably, all information transferred in this way is
encrypted during transmission and decrypted at the receiving end. If the
information is not encrypted while stored in the system, the system
encrypts this information prior to transmission.
Similarly, the system may be used to receive and decrypt IP's which are
transmitted to it from a remote location and to generate a transaction
record of each such transmission.
Summarizing the above, the underlying concept of the present invention is
to distribute both archival and current information to a user in a
seamless manner and to charge the user individually for each piece of
information (character, word, information package or the like) which is
accessed from a protected storage device at the user site. This concept
allows the wide-spread distribution of the protected information (by
physical distribution of high density and low density storage media as
well as by broadcast) at an extremely low entry cost to the user, because
the cost of the service need not be recouped by a one-time fee.
The combination of archival information storage and retrieval with
broadcast or distributed updates of the archival databanks is alone of
significant importance to an information user. The ability to provide such
a service with a small or no initial fee and to charge the user only for
the information actually selected from the databank--i.e., providing the
information on a "pay as you go" basis--brings this information service
within the financial reach of virtually every person or legal entity that
has a need for the information.
For a full understanding of the present invention, reference should now be
made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of
the invention and to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a broadcast information monitoring
and retrieval system in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a user station employed in the
system illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a representational diagram of the data stream format used in the
system illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the central transmission and
accounting facility employed in the system illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a representational diagram showing the flow of information in the
broadcast information monitoring and retrieval system illustrated in FIG.
1.
FIG. 6 is a representational diagram showing the flow of information in an
archival information search and retrieval system according to the present
invention.
FIG. 7 is a representational diagram showing the flow of information in an
archival information search and retrieval system according to the present
invention which receives updates by broadcast and/or other media.
FIG. 8 is a representational diagram showing the block structure and
connecting communication links employed in the information distribution
system illustrated in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a representational diagram showing the general structure of the
information distribution system illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the basic elements of the information
distribution system illustrated in FIGS. 7-9.
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the broadcast data reception unit of the
information distribution system illustrated in FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing the control unit of the information
distribution system illustrated in FIG. 10.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing the user unit of the information
distribution system illustrated in FIG. 10.
FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating the master program employed with the
information distribution system illustrated in FIG. 10.
FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing the billing program employed with the
information distribution system illustrated in FIG. 10.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
News Service Embodiment
A presently preferred embodiment of an information distribution system
according to the present invention, that provides personalized news
service, is shown in FIG. 1. News reports, stock market quotations, sports
scores and analysis of financial and political trends from sources such as
news magazines, newspaper reports and press releases, are all collected at
a news service bureau or base station 10. At this base station 10 they are
edited, compressed and serialized to form a serial data stream that
conforms to the transmission format used by the system. Also, in addition
to the various information sources 12, a signal from a signal source 14 is
also periodically added to the data stream for use in the customer
accounting operation, as will be described in detail below. In particular,
one function of this signal source 14 is to add to each block of
information the cost of this block if it is selected by a customer. The
data stream is then encrypted before being transmitted to communications
satellites 16.
Each communications satellite 16 then retransmits the data stream to local
FM or TV stations 20 and directly to customers who are equipped to receive
satellite communications. The local broadcast stations 20 retransmit the
compressed and encrypted data as FM side-band information or as
information carried in the vertical blanking interval of the video signal
to customer terminals 30. The signal received by the customer's antenna 26
from the satellite 16 or the local broadcast station 20 is then processed
by the customer terminal 30.
The customer terminal 30 is only operable when a key card 34 containing the
encryption code currently in use, and any other information necessary to
permit that particular customer terminal to decode the transmitted data
stream, is inserted into the customer terminal 30. For instance, each
customer terminal may require a code that uniquely identifies that
terminal to be present on that key card, in addition to the encryption
code. Alternatively, an update of the encryption code for the specific
terminal can be supplied at periodic intervals by telephone transmission.
For this purpose, and for other purposes which will become clear from the
discussion that follows, the customer terminal also includes a telephone
interface modem 36 and a user control keyboard 38.
Inside the customer terminal 30 a communications circuit 40, shown in FIG.
2, strips the data stream from the carrier signal transmitted by the
satellite 16 or the local station 20. The data stream is then processed by
the security circuit 42, which is controlled by the key card 34. The
security circuit uses the machine-readable cipher information on the key
card 34 to retrieve the clear text of the data stream that it receives.
The key card 34 may also provide machine-readable information that
controls the operation of the communications circuit 40 so that the
customer terminal 30 may be used to receive more than one data signal. For
instance, the news service bureau 10 may provide an additional channel
that carries only specialized information such an scientific, medical, or
legal reports, in addition to the general news channel.
The data output by the security circuit 42 represents clear text, without
the compression and encryption that was added when the information was
transmitted, accompanied by billing and statistical usage information
which remains encrypted. The format used by the system divides the data
stream into blocks of information. These blocks of information are
temporarily stored in an information buffer 44. While a block of
information is stored in the information buffer 44, a comparator 46
compares the clear text in that block of information to the key words and
word patterns stored in the key word buffer 48.
Information is input to the key word buffer 48 from the keyboard 38 as
words or as word patterns--such as the word patterns conventionally used
to search commercial data bases, which are defined by combinations of
Boolean operators and word location parameters.
If the comparator 46 finds the key word or word pattern in the block of
text, that block of information is transferred immediately to a main
memory 50. If no correspondence is found, the block of information in the
information buffer 44 is written over, once the information buffer is
full, by the next block of information transferred from the security
circuit 42, without being saved in the main memory 50.
The blocks of information in which the selected key words or word patterns
have been found may be accumulated in the main memory 50 and/or passed
immediately to one of a number of different display, reporting or archive
devices. These devices may include one or more video displays, voice
synthesis devices, telefax equipment, printers and optical or magnetic
recording devices.
In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, blocks of text from the
information buffer 44 that are transferred to the main memory 50 may be
transferred by direct memory access to a signal converter 54 which changes
the standard ASCII format in the block of text to a facsimile format for
use by a facsimile printer, and to an RS-232C asynchronous data port 56.
Other formats, such as Postscript, may be used for output of text and
image blocks.
The information transferred to the main memory 50 is also simultaneously
supplied to an accounting processor 60 which strips off the encrypted
billing and statistical usage information included in each selected text,
and passes this information to an accounting register 62. The accounting
register 62 accumulates charges and also may accumulate simple statistics
on the types of data selected by the customer. Alternatively, statistics
may be accumulated and maintained by the central accounting department of
the news service bureau 10.
When a signal from the accounting signal source 14 is received by the
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