Method and apparatus for viewing electronic reading materials

A system for distributing textual information, comprising:

• a host computer having a host memory for storing a plurality of textual information units and a list of code numbers, the host computer receiving a request for a selected textual information unit;
• a first modem coupled to the host computer for transmitting a copy of the selected textual information unit over a transmission medium;
• a second modem for transmitting the request and for receiving the transmitted copy of the selected textual information unit over the transmission medium;
• and
• a portable electronic book coupled to the second modem for generating the request and displaying the received copy of the selected textual information unit, the portable electronic book being remotely located from the host computer, the portable electronic book comprising:
• a housing including a display screen for displaying textual information on display pages, the housing having a plurality of function keys corresponding to functions provided by the electronic book in generating the request and displaying the received copy of the selected textual information unit, some of the functions being represented by icons displayed on a display page of the display screen, the icons displayed on the display page varying in accordance to a selected function;
• memory for storing the received copy of the selected textual information unit and information related to the icons for display on a display page, the memory including a unique code number related to a key code, the key code being transmitted along with the request for the selected textual information unit;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory and the display screen for controlling the retrieval and display of the received copy of the selected textual information unit, the processor receiving input from the function keys and for controlling the display of the icons on the display screen;
• wherein the host computer transmits a copy of the selected textual information unit to the portable electronic book after validating the identity of the portable electronic book by matching the key code with one code number in the list of code numbers, the transmitted copy of the selected textual information unit being readable only by the portable electronic book.

A method for retrieving textual information stored in a remotely located host computer and for displaying the retrieved textual information on a display screen of a portable electronic book, the method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting, over a transmission medium, from a first modem coupled to the portable electronic book, a request for the textual information along with a key code indicating the identity of the portable electronic book, the key code being related to a unique code number associated with the portable electronic book;
• receiving the request over the transmission medium using a second modem coupled to the host computer;
• validating the identity of the portable electronic book by verifying the key code;
• transmitting from the second modem, an encrypted copy of the textual information;
• receiving the encrypted copy of the textual information using the first modem;
• decrypting the received encrypted copy of the textual information using the unique code number, the received encrypted copy of the textual information being readable only by the portable electronic book;
• storing in a memory of the portable electronic book the decrypted textual information and information related to icons for display on a display page, the icons being representative of functions provided by the portable electronic book;
• providing a plurality of function keys corresponding to functions provided by the electronic book in retrieving textual information and in displaying the stored textual information;
• displaying a portion of the stored textual information and icons on a first display page, the icons displayed on the first and each subsequent display page varying in accordance to the function selected;
• selecting a function key corresponding to the icons displayed on the first display page;
• and
• displaying a portion of the stored textual information in response to the selected function key.

A portable electronic book for retrieving textual information stored in a remotely located host computer and for displaying the retrieved textual information, the portable electronic book comprising:

• a housing including a touch-sensitive display screen for displaying the retrieved textual information in a readable form on display pages, the housing having a plurality of function keys corresponding to functions provided by the electronic book in retrieving textual information stored in the host computer and in displaying the retrieved textual information, a set of the function keys being located on the display screen, each function key of said set of the function keys being selected by touching the respective screen location, some of the functions being represented by icons displayed on a display page of the display screen, the icons displayed on the display page varying in accordance to a selected function;
• memory for storing the retrieved textual information, the memory including a unique code number associated with the portable electronic book;
• a processor coupled to the memory and display screen for controlling the retrieval of textual information stored in the host computer and the display of the retrieved textual information, the processor receiving input from the function keys;
• and
• a modulator and demodulator circuit for transmitting to the host computer a request for the textual information and for receiving the requested textual information transmitted over a transmission medium, the transmitted textual information being encrypted with a key code, the key code being related to the unique code number associated with the portable electronic book.

A method for distributing textual information, comprising the steps of:

• storing a plurality of textual information units in a host memory residing in a host computer;
• transmitting, over a transmission medium, from a first modem coupled to a portable electronic book, a request for a selected textual information unit along with a key code indicating the identity of the portable electronic book, the key code being related to a unique code number associated with the portable electronic book;
• receiving the request over the transmission medium using a second modem coupled to the host computer;
• validating the identity of the portable electronic book by verifying the key code;
• transmitting from the second modem, an encrypted copy of the selected textual information unit;
• receiving the encrypted copy of the selected textual information unit using the first modem;
• storing the received textual information unit in the portable electronic book, the portable electronic book comprising:
• a housing including a touch-sensitive display screen to display the stored textual information unit on display pages, the housing including a plurality of function keys corresponding to functions provided by the portable electronic book in retrieving the selected textual information unit from the host computer and in displaying the stored textual information unit, a set of the function keys being located on the display screen, each function key of said set of the function keys being selected by touching the respective screen location, some of the functions being represented by icons displayed on a display page of the display screen, the icons displayed on the display page varying in accordance to a selected function;
• memory for storing the received textual information unit and the unique code number;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory and display screen for controlling the retrieval of the selected textual information unit from the host computer and the display of the stored textual information unit, the processor receiving input from the function keys;
• and
• decrypting for display the received encrypted copy of the selected textual information unit using the unique code number, the received encrypted copy of the textual information being readable only by the portable electronic book.