Electronic transfer of newspapers and magazines from publishers to end users

摘要

An electronic system transferring data from a publisher via a retailer to an end user. The publisher transmits scrambled/encrypted information along with the scrambling/encrypting code to a retailer where it is electronically stored in a retail control unit, which may be operated by the retailer or coin-operated by an end user. The encryption code may change on a daily basis. The end user will own electronic display equipment such as an electronic book or newspaper (see figure 1 or 2) which can be connected to the coin-operated or manual retail storage control unit (figure 3). Upon entering an end user authentication code which proves ownership of the electronic book, the user may select the publication required and the retail storage system unscrambles the required information using the encryption code and transmits the unscrambled/decrypted publication to the electronic display device. The retail storage unit also has facilities for collecting, storing and printing sales figures.