Patent ID: 7865567
Filing Date: 2011-01-04
Classification: G06Q,H04N

Abstract:
1. A virtual on-demand electronic book system, comprising: a main memory located at a local library that stores electronic books for delivery to electronic book viewers of subscribers in the system via at least one of an internet network, a cable telephone network, and a broadcasting network, wherein the electronic books are received from at least one remote provider, and each of the electronic book viewers of the subscribers includes a local memory; a queuing processor coupled to the main memory that receives electronic book orders from the subscribers and determines a queue location for an ordered electronic book, wherein each electronic book is divided into a plurality of sections; first queues that temporarily store first sections of electronic books; and second queues that temporarily store second sections of electronic books, wherein the electronic books include order-on-demand electronic books and predetermined popular electronic books selected based on one of a request rate and a promotion level, the order-on-demand electronic books are received from the at least one remote provider upon requests from the subscribers and the popular electronic books are pre-loaded into at least one of the main memory and the local memory of the electronic book viewers of the subscribers, wherein the first sections of electronic books are delivered to the subscribers without charge and the second sections of electronic books are delivered when an order for the electronic books is made by a subscriber, wherein the first sections of the electronic books stored in the local memory of the electronic book viewer are deleted if the second sections of the electronic books are not requested by the subscriber after a predetermined period of time, wherein the first queues further include a true on-demand first sections queue, a popular content first sections queue; and wherein the second queues further include a true on-demand second sections queue and a popular content second sections queue, in which the true on-demand first section queue has a highest priority, and wherein the virtual on-demand electronic book system further comprises a priority queue server coupled to the first and the second queues, wherein the priority queue server empties the first and the second queues based on a priority model.