Abstract: A system and method for electronically searching a personalized library of content includes, in at least one embodiment, receiving one or more search terms and electronically searching a text searchable database to produce search results. After receiving a search result selection, a page image in a page image database corresponding to the search result selection is identified. A substitute image of the identified page image is prepared, wherein a portion of the content in the identified page image is suppressed in the substitute image. The substitute image is then provided for computer display, wherein the one or more search terms in the substitute image are highlighted when the substitute image is displayed. The substitute image appears substantially the same as the identified page image except for the portion that is suppressed. Information identifying the location of the search terms in the substitute image may be provided for highlighting.

Abstract: Access to an electronic version of a physical work is provided to a user. The electronic version of the physical work comprises images of the physical work that, when visually displayed, appear the same as the physical work. Access to the electronic version of the physical work is based on user ownership of the physical work. Access to a portion or all of the physical work may be provided in accordance with one or more access rules. A user may own a physical work by virtue of purchasing the physical work or purchasing an item that the physical work normally accompanies. A flag may be set for later reference to indicate user ownership of the physical work.

Abstract: A system and method for preparing and searching a user-personalized library of content includes preparing a general library comprised of images of pages of content and electronically-searchable text corresponding to the text in the page images, which is then personalized by receiving from the user a selection of the content to include in the user's personalized library. User selection of content for a personalized library may be accomplished manually or automatically as a result of user actions, such as user review or purchase of content. Preferably, full text searching of the content in the user's personalized library is enabled. Page images in the personalized library containing text that match the user's search terms are provided to the user for display. Highlighting of search terms in page images by a user device and access rules that act to limit the viewing of content are further provided.

Abstract: Legibility of text in an image of a page is determined by comparing a measure of the text in the page image with a measure of the page image itself. In one aspect, a measure of the text in the page image may be the height of a line of text, while the measure derived from the page image may be the height of the page image. A text-to-page height ratio is determined and compared to one or more thresholds for determining legibility. In another aspect of the invention, a measure of the text in a page image is obtained by measuring the word density in the page image, while the measure derived from the page image comprises compressing the page image and determining the size of the compressed image file. Legibility is then determined by comparing the measure of word density with the compressed image file size.

Abstract: Access to an electronic version of a physical work is provided to a user. The electronic version of the physical work comprises images of the physical work that, when visually displayed, appear the same as the physical work. Access to the electronic version of the physical work is based on user ownership of the physical work. Access to a portion or all of the physical work may be provided in accordance with one or more access rules. A user may own a physical work by virtue of purchasing the physical work or purchasing an item that the physical work normally accompanies. A flag may be set for later reference to indicate user ownership of the physical work.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus of the invention enable users to request access to one or more electronic images of pages in a physical text. When the user is identified and user ownership of the physical text is confirmed, the user is given access to the requested electronic images in accordance with the one or more access rules. Electronic images of pages may be automatically added to a user-personalized library of electronic content for later access. A flag associated with the user and the pages images may be set to indicate confirmed user ownership of the physical text. A user may purchase a physical text itself or purchase an item that the physical text normally accompanies. Electronic page images may be acquired by scanning printed pages of the text or from a user upload. Access to the electronic images of a physical text is based on user ownership of the physical text.

Abstract: Processes are disclosed for enabling a user to purchase a digital product from a first computer system (e.g., a merchant web site), and to then initiate electronic delivery of the digital product from a second computer system without revealing personal information to the second computer system or its operator. The first and second computer systems communicate with each other to track fulfillment/delivery statuses of orders, and to limit the number of times the user can download the purchased digital product from the second computer system.

Abstract: Suppression of one or more features in an image of a page of content may be achieved by acquiring a page image, identifying one or more features in the page image that are to be suppressed or not to be suppressed, and preparing a substitute page image which only includes images of the features that are not to be suppressed. Preparing a substitute page image may include generating a blank image and using location and size information to copy images of the non-suppressed features from the original page image to the blank image. In other embodiments, preparing a substitute page image may include removing image information from the original page image outside the non-suppressed features, or identifying and removing features that are to be suppressed from the original page image. Feature suppression may be used to implement access rules that limit the content in a page image.

Abstract: A provider of content may provide access to portions of content from a source, but not the source content in its entirety. In some embodiments, one or more access rules or criteria may be implemented that enable users to access portions of the source content up to an allowed limit or threshold (e.g., number or percentage of pages), after which access is prevented to the remaining content that has not previously been accessed. In other embodiments, one or more access rules or criteria may be implemented that enable users to access portions of content of only a certain type (e.g., index, bibliography, introduction, certain chapters, etc.). Unauthorized portions are suppressed or access to them is denied. The content source may be a textual work, an audio work, or a video work of any form. For example, the content may be in electronic form, such as images of pages of content.

Abstract: Methods and systems for receiving and distributing annotations of a digital work include receiving an annotation of the digital work, storing the annotation, and providing the annotation to a user. The user may be required to submit a valid authorization credential for the annotation. Annotations may be textual or graphical, and may be associated with particular content in a digital work. Indicators may be displayed to identify content in the digital work for which annotations are available. A user may exchange compensation or perform a specified action for access to an annotation. Some or all of the compensation received for an annotation may be distributed to the author of the annotation. Multiple annotations may be listed in an order based a criterion, such as ranking, price, or date of receipt. Users that purchase a digital work may automatically receive an authorization credential to receive annotations of the digital work.

Abstract: A system and method for managing access rights of media files communicated over a network. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention allows a user to obtain rights to access media files of selected content, which may include a song, album, movie, etc. Once the user obtains rights to access media files of the selected content, information that identifies the user and information that describes the selected content is communicated to a plurality of content providers. By receiving information that identifies the user and information that describes the selected content, each content provider can verify independently that the user is authorized to access one or more files that contain the selected content. The user may then directly contact any one of many service providers to access media files that contain the selected content.

Abstract: A system and method for preparing and searching a user-personalized library of content includes preparing a general library comprised of images of pages of content and electronically-searchable text corresponding to the text in the page images, which is then personalized by receiving from the user a selection of the content to include in the user's personalized library. User selection of content for a personalized library may be accomplished manually or automatically as a result of user actions, such as user review or purchase of content. Preferably, full text searching of the content in the user's personalized library is enabled. Page images in the personalized library containing text that match the user's search terms are provided to the user for display. Highlighting of search terms in page images by a user device and access rules that act to limit the viewing of content are further provided.

Abstract: Suppression of one or more features in an image of a page of content may be achieved by acquiring a page image, identifying one or more features in the page image that are to be suppressed or not to be suppressed, and preparing a substitute page image which only includes images of the features that are not to be suppressed. Preparing a substitute page image may include generating a blank image and using location and size information to copy images of the non-suppressed features from the original page image to the blank image. In other embodiments, preparing a substitute page image may include removing image information from the original page image outside the non-suppressed features, or identifying and removing features that are to be suppressed from the original page image. Feature suppression may be used to implement access rules that limit the content in a page image.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus of the invention enable users to request access to one or more electronic images of pages in a physical text. When the user is identified and user ownership of the physical text is confirmed, the user is given access to the requested electronic images in accordance with the one or more access rules. Electronic images of pages may be automatically added to a user-personalized library of electronic content for later access. A flag associated with the user and the pages images may be set to indicate confirmed user ownership of the physical text. A user may purchase a physical text itself or purchase an item that the physical text normally accompanies. Electronic page images may be acquired by scanning printed pages of the text or from a user upload. Access to the electronic images of a physical text is based on user ownership of the physical text.