Methods and related systems for accessing information

Abstract

A written document (hereinafter referred to as a “work,” on electronic format which includes, stories, novels, education texts, biographies, compilations, collections, anthologies, tracts, and any other traditional format for relatively extensive texts) provides access to reference, bibliography and/or definition material through an electronic software capability associated with the work. Depending upon reader access information or characteristics (e.g., age, grade, proficiency, or position within the work or any other identifiable reader characteristic or access limitation), any request for reference material, definitions, explanations, translations, or other material provided in the associated software capability is automatically limited by system acknowledgement of the reader access information or characteristics. As the reader's access information or characteristics change, the quality and/or quantity and/or format of requested information with respect to a work changes.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of accessing information, comprising the steps of:
 storing using a computer an electronic media and a reference system having a plurality of information entries for a term appearing at a plurality of locations in the electronic media, each information entry of the plurality of information entries being distinct and corresponding to one location of the plurality of locations of the term in the electronic media; and   responding to an identification of the term at a selected location in the electronic media by accessing an information entry for the term at the selected location but not accessing information entries for the term at other locations in the electronic media.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 displaying the information entry for the term at the selected location.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 altering the step of accessing an information entry for the term at the selected location depending upon an identity of a performer of identification of the term.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic media comprises an electronic text. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the term has the form of one or more words.