Document delivery system facilitating aggregation of periodic content

Abstract

A document server is presented comprising a user profile, established by a user requesting delivery of content from one or more content providers on a periodic basis, and an edit module. The edit module periodically receives content from solicited content providers in accordance with a content provider publication schedule, and aggregates the received content for periodic delivery to a requesting user when the content provider's publication schedule deviates from a delivery schedule defined in the user profile.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for generating a publication, the method comprising: 
 soliciting content from one or more content providers in response to a user request to receive such content in accordance with a user-defined delivery schedule; and    receiving the content at a content repository in accordance with a publication schedule of the content and aggregating the content for subsequent delivery to the requesting user if the publication schedule differs from the user-defined delivery schedule.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to    claim 1   , further comprising: 
 compiling the received content into a document format; and    delivering the formatted content in a user-defined form to the requesting user.    
     
     
         3 . A method according to    claim 2   , wherein compiling the received content into a document format comprises: 
 formatting the received content within a publication to denote a chronological order in which the content was received.    
     
     
         4 . A method according to    claim 2   , wherein delivering the aggregated content comprises: 
 sending the formatted publication, along with a print instruction, to printing device designated by the requesting user.    
     
     
         5 . A method according to    claim 4   , wherein the print instructions designates a time for printing the publication.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to    claim 2   , wherein delivering the aggregated content comprises: 
 sending the formatted publication to one or more electronic mailboxes designated by the requesting user.    
     
     
         7 . A method according to    claim 1   , wherein soliciting content from one or more content providers comprises: 
 sending a subscription request to one or more content providers requesting the content in accordance with the publication schedule of the content provider.    
     
     
         8 . A method according to    claim 1   , wherein soliciting content from one or more content providers comprises: 
 periodically issuing requests to the content providers for content on behalf of the requesting user.    
     
     
         9 . A method according to    claim 8   , wherein the period is determined by the publication schedule of the content provider(s).  
     
     
         10 . A method according to    claim 8   , wherein the requests are issued daily.  
     
     
         11 . A storage medium comprising a plurality of executable instructions which, when executed, implement an edit module to solicit content from one or more content providers in response to a user request to receive such content in accordance with a user-defined delivery schedule, to receive the content at a content repository in accordance with a publication schedule of the content, and to aggregate the content for subsequent delivery to the requesting user if the publication schedule differs from the user-defined delivery schedule.  
     
     
         12 . A storage medium according to    claim 11   , wherein the edit module compiles the received content into a document format, and delivers the formatted content in a user-defined form to the requesting user.  
     
     
         13 . A storage medium according to    claim 12   , wherein the edit module compiles the received content by formatting the received content within a publication to denote a chronological order in which the content was received.  
     
     
         14 . A storage medium according to    claim 12   , wherein the edit module delivers the aggregate content by sending the formatted publication, along with a print instruction, to printing device designated by the requesting user.  
     
     
         15 . A storage medium according to    claim 12   , wherein the edit module delivers the aggregate content by sending the formatted publication to one or more electronic mailboxes designated by the requesting user.  
     
     
         16 . A document delivery system comprising: 
 an content repository, to receive content from one or more content providers in accordance with a content provider publication schedule; and    an edit module, coupled to the content repository, to periodically collect and aggregate content received in the content repository for delivery to a requesting user in accordance with a user-defined delivery schedule.    
     
     
         17 . A document delivery system according to    claim 16   , wherein the edit module compiles the received content into a document format, and delivers the formatted content in a user-defined form to the requesting user.  
     
     
         18 . A document delivery system according to    claim 17   , wherein the edit module compiles the received content by formatting the received content within a publication to denote a chronological order in which the content was received.  
     
     
         19 . A document delivery system according to    claim 17   , wherein the edit module delivers the aggregate content by sending the formatted publication, along with a print instruction, to printing device designated by the requesting user.  
     
     
         20 . A document delivery system according to    claim 17   , wherein the edit module delivers the aggregate content by sending the formatted publication to one or more electronic mailboxes designated by the requesting user.