Digital information library and delivery system

Abstract

A computer network based digital information library system employing authentication and encryption protocols for the secure transfer of digital information library programs to a client computer system and a mobile digital information playback device removably connectable to the client computer system. The present invention is a computer network based library and information delivery system for accessing and obtaining selected digital information files. The library and information delivery system comprises: 1) a library server having a plurality of digital information files; 2) a client computer system coupled to the library server over a network; and 3) a mobile device removably connectable to the client computer system, the client computer system including logic for requesting a download of a selected one or more of the digital information files from the library server, the client computer system further including logic for downloading the selected one or more of the digital information files to the mobile device.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A computer based library and information delivery system for accessing and obtaining selected digital information files, said library and information delivery system comprising: 
 a library server having a plurality of digital information files;    a client computer system coupled to said library server over a network; and    a mobile device removably connectable to said client computer system, said client computer system including logic for requesting a download of a selected one or more of said digital information files from said library server, said client computer system further including logic for downloading said selected one or more of said digital information files to said mobile device.    
     
     
         2 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  further including an authoring system coupled to said library server for generating or modifying said plurality of digital information files.  
     
     
         3 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said plurality of digital information files includes audio files, spoken audio files, visual image files, text files, video files, multimedia files, operating code files, or configuration information files.  
     
     
         4 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said library server further includes library management software for interfacing with said client computer system and said plurality of digital information files.  
     
     
         5 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said client computer system further includes a client browser for interfacing with said library server and for making selections of one or more of said digital information files from said library server.  
     
     
         6 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said client computer system further includes a player for tangibly playing said selected one or more of said digital information files on said client computer system.  
     
     
         7 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said mobile device further includes a means for tangibly playing said selected one or more of said digital information files downloaded from said client computer system.  
     
     
         8 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  further including an authorization server coupled to said library server for authorizing access to said plurality of digital information files by said client computer system.  
     
     
         9 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said library server is a software process running on several computer systems.  
     
     
         10 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said library server and said authoring system run on different computer systems.  
     
     
         11 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said library server and said authorization server run on different computer systems.  
     
     
         12 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  further including an authoring system coupled to said library server for generating or modifying said plurality of digital information files, said library and information delivery system further including an authorization server coupled to said library server for authorizing access to said plurality of digital information files by said client computer system, said library and information delivery system running on a single computer system.  
     
     
         13 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  further including an authoring system coupled to said library server for generating or modifying said plurality of digital information files, said library and information delivery system further including an authorization server coupled to said library server for authorizing access to said plurality of digital information files by said client computer system, said authoring system and said authorization server running on a different computer system than said library server.  
     
     
         14 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said client computer system further includes a local library for local storage of a selected portion of said plurality of digital information files.  
     
     
         15 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said mobile device further includes a network interface for direct communication with a network without the aid of a client computer system.  
     
     
         16 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said logic for downloading further includes logic for limiting said download based on available memory of said mobile device.  
     
     
         17 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said logic for downloading further includes logic for performing authentication on each segment of said digital information files downloaded to said mobile device.  
     
     
         18 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said client computer system further includes logic for previewing said digital information files prior to being downloaded to said mobile device.  
     
     
         19 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  further including authentication logic for authenticating access to said library, said authentication logic including a means for performing a point-to-point authentication protocol.  
     
     
         20 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  further including authentication logic for authenticating access to said library, said authentication logic including a means for performing a targeting authentication protocol.  
     
     
         21 . The library and information delivery system as claimed in  claim 1  further including authentication logic for authenticating access to said library, said authentication logic including a means for performing a digital signature authentication protocol.  
     
     
         22 . In a computer based library and information delivery system, said library and information delivery system including a library server having a plurality of digital information files, a client computer system coupled to said library server over a network, and a mobile device removably connectable to said client computer system, a method for accessing and obtaining selected digital information files comprising the steps of: 
 requesting a download of a selected one or more of said digital information files from said library server; and    downloading said selected one or more of said digital information files to said mobile device.    
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of generating or modifying said plurality of digital information files.  
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  wherein said plurality of digital information files includes audio files, spoken audio files, visual image files, text files, video files, multimedia files, operating code files, or configuration information files.  
     
     
         25 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of activating library management software for interfacing with said client computer system and said plurality of digital information files.  
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of interfacing with said library server and for making selections of one or more of said digital information files from said library server.  
     
     
         27 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of tangibly playing said selected one or more of said digital information files on said client computer system.  
     
     
         28 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of tangibly playing said selected one or more of said digital information files downloaded from said client computer system.  
     
     
         29 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of authorizing access to said plurality of digital information files by said client computer system.  
     
     
         30 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including the steps of generating or modifying said plurality of digital information files, and authorizing access to said plurality of digital information files by said client computer system, said library and information delivery system running on a single computer system.  
     
     
         31 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of locally storing a selected portion of said plurality of digital information files.  
     
     
         32 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of directly communicating with a network without the aid of a client computer system.  
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of limiting said download based on available memory of said mobile device.  
     
     
         34 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of performing authentication on each segment of said digital information files downloaded to said mobile device.  
     
     
         35 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of previewing said digital information files prior to being downloaded to said mobile device.  
     
     
         36 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of performing a point-to-point authentication protocol.  
     
     
         37 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of performing a targeting authentication protocol.  
     
     
         38 . The method as claimed in  claim 22  further including a step of performing a digital signature authentication protocol.