Data processing system and method to enforce payment of royalties when copying softcopy books

A method for managing the copying of pages of a structured document on a copier included in a network so as to comply with royalty payment requirements of the document, comprising the steps of:

• loading into memory of a user's data processor in said network, a formatted text stream of a structured document which includes a plurality of portions, at least one portion having an associated document portion royalty payment element including a document portion royalty payment amount tag defining a document portion royalty payment amount;
• receiving a copy command from a user to copy a portion of said document on a copier controlled by said user's data processor;
• searching said formatted text stream to identify said document portion royalty payment element associated with the portion to be copied and storing said document portion royalty payment element in a memory in said user's data processor;
• transmitting a request in response to said copy command and to said identified document portion royalty payment element from said user's data processor to a second data processor in said network for authorization to copy said portion of said document, said request for authorization including said document portion royalty payment amount defined by said document portion royalty payment amount tag;
• receiving said request at said second data processor and in response thereto, creating a charge of said document portion royalty payment amount to an account of said user;
• transmitting from said second data processor to said user's data processor an authorization message for copying said portion of said document;
• receiving said authorization message at said user's data processor and in response thereto, outputting a copy control signal from said user's data processor to said copying device to copy said portion of said document on said copying device.

A method for managing the communicating of pages of a structured document on a communications apparatus in a network so as to comply with royalty payment requirements of the document, comprising the steps of:

• loading into memory of a user's data processor in said network, a formatted text stream of a structured document which includes a plurality of portions, at least one portion having an associated document portion royalty payment element including an identification tag and a document portion royalty payment amount tag defining a document portion royalty payment amount;
• receiving a communicate command from a user to communicate a portion of said document on a communications apparatus controlled by said user's data processor;
• searching said formatted text stream to identify said document portion royalty payment element associated with the portion to be communicated and storing said document portion royalty payment element in a memory in said user's data processor;
• transmitting a request in response to said communicate command and to said identified document portion royalty payment element from said user's data processor to a second data processor in said network, for authorization to communicate said portion of said document, said request for authorization including said document portion royalty payment amount defined by said document portion royalty payment amount tag:
• receiving said request at said second data processor and in response thereto, creating a charge of said document portion royalty payment amount to an account of said user;
• transmitting from said second data processor to said user's data processor an authorization message for communicating said portion of said document;
• receiving said authorization message at said user's data processor and in response thereto, outputting a communicate control signal from said user's data processor to said communications apparatus to communicate said portion of said document on said communications apparatus.

A data processing system for managing the printing of pages of a structured document on a user's printer in a network, so as to comply with royalty payment requirements of the document, the system comprising:

• input means for loading into memory of a user's data processor in said network, a formatted text stream of a structured document which includes a plurality of portions, at least one portion having an associated document portion royalty payment element including a document portion royalty payment amount tag defining a document portion royalty payment amount;
• first receiving means coupled to said memory, for receiving a print command from a user to print a portion of said document on a printer device controlled by said user's data processor;
• searching means coupled to said input means, for searching said formatted text stream to identify said document portion royalty payment element associated with the portion to be printed and storing said document portion royalty payment element in a memory in said user's data processor;
• first transmitting means, responsive to said print command and to said identified document portion royalty payment element, coupled to said memory means, for transmitting from said user's data processor to a second data processor in said network a request for authorization to print said portion of said document, said request for authorization including said document portion royalty payment amount defined by said document portion royalty payment amount tag;
• second receiving means in said second data processor for receiving said request at said second data processor and in response thereto, creating a charge of said document portion royalty payment amount to an account of said user;
• second transmitting means coupled to said second receiving means for transmitting from said second data processor to said user's data processor an authorization message for printing said portion of said document;
• authorization receiving means at said user's data processor for receiving said authorization message at said user's data processor and in response thereto, outputting a print control signal from said user's data processor to a user's printer, controlled by said user's data processor, to print said portion of said document on said printer.

A data processing system for managing the copying of pages of a structured document on a copier included in a network, so as to comply with royalty payment requirements of the document, the system comprising:

• input means for loading into memory of a user's data processor in said network a formatted text stream of a structured document which includes a plurality of portions, at least one portion having an associated document portion royalty payment element including a document portion royalty payment amount tag defining a document portion royalty payment amount;
• first receiving means coupled to said memory, for receiving a copy command from a user to copy a portion of said document on a copier controlled by said user's data processor;
• searching means coupled to said input means, for searching said formatted text stream to identify said document portion royalty payment element associated with the portion to be copied and storing said document portion royalty payment element in a memory in said user's data processor;
• first transmitting means coupled to said memory means and responsive to said copy command and to said identified document portion royalty payment element, for transmitting from said user's data processor to a second data processor in said network a request for authorization to copy said portion of said document, said request for authorization including said document portion royalty payment amount defined by said document portion royalty payment amount tag;
• second receiving means in said second data processor for receiving said request at said second data processor and in response thereto, creating a charge of said document portion royalty payment amount to an account of said user;
• second transmitting means coupled to said second receiving means for transmitting from said second data processor to said user's data processor an authorization message for copying said portion of said document;
• authorization receiving means at said user's data processor for receiving said authorization message at said user's data processor and in response thereto, outputting a copy control signal from said user's data processor to said copier to copy said portion of said document on said copier.

A data processing system for managing the communicating of pages of a structured document using a communications device in a network, so as to comply with royalty payment requirements of the document, the system comprising:

• input means for loading into memory of a user's data processor in said network, a formatted text stream of a structured document which includes a plurality of portions, at least one portion having an associated document portion royalty payment element including a document portion royalty payment amount tag defining a document portion royalty payment amount;
• first receiving means coupled to said memory, for receiving a communications command from a user to communicate a portion of said document using a communications device controlled by said user's data processor;
• searching means coupled to said input means, for searching said formatted text stream to identify said document portion royalty payment element associated with the portion to be communicated and storing said document portion royalty payment element in a memory in said user's data processor;
• first transmitting means coupled to said memory means and responsive to said communications command and to said identified document portion royalty payment element, for transmitting from said user's data processor to a second data processor in said network, a request for authorization to communicate said portion of said document, said request for authorization including said document portion royalty payment amount defined by said document portion royalty payment amount tag;
• second receiving means in said second data processor, for receiving said request at said second data processor and in response thereto, creating a charge of said document portion royalty payment amount to an account of said user;
• second transmitting means coupled to said second receiving means for transmitting from said second data processor to said user's data processor an authorization message for communicating said portion of said document;
• authorization receiving means at said user's data processor, for receiving said authorization message at said user's data processor and in response thereto, outputting a communications control signal from said user's data processor to said communications device, controlled by said user's data processor, to communicate said portion of said document on said communications device.