Segmented Digital Media Publishing via Email Subscription Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current email-delivered ezines lack user control over content nature, size, and delivery timing, with no service providing user-controlled access to large digital media content like books, leading to inefficient content delivery and subscriber dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A system that segments digital media content into manageable parts, allowing users to control delivery by selecting specific segments, accessing next segments interactively, and updating subscription data to advance or repeat content delivery, while optimizing memory usage and security through a subscription server and media server configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If content is delivered via email ezine service, then content can be delivered to users with formatting controls, but users have no control over content nature, size, and delivery timing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments large digital media content works into smaller, manageable segments that can be delivered individually via email. Users can select specific segments to receive, gaining control over content nature and size. The system divides the content work into segments with start and end positions, allowing selective delivery without delivering the entire work at once.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic subscription control data that allows users to modify delivery preferences at any time. Users can update their subscriptions to advance to next segments, repeat earlier segments, or skip segments based on their varying content delivery requirements. This dynamic control enables users to adapt content delivery to their changing needs without system reconfiguration.
2Quantity of substance
If entire digital media content work is delivered at once, then user receives complete content, but user memory usage becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides large digital media content works into smaller segments with defined start and end positions. Instead of delivering the entire work at once, only selected segments are delivered to users. This segmentation reduces the quantity of content stored in user memory while still providing access to complete works through sequential segment delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic segment delivery where content is delivered in scheduled intervals rather than all at once. Users receive segments over time based on their subscription settings, reducing peak memory usage requirements while ensuring complete content delivery through multiple periodic deliveries.
3Adaptability or versatility
If user controls content delivery selection, then user receives desired content segments, but subscription management system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic subscription control data structures that can be easily updated to reflect user content selection changes. Users can modify their subscriptions to select different segments, advance to next segments, or repeat segments. The system handles these dynamic changes through automated processing of subscription control data without requiring complex manual management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables users to self-manage their content delivery preferences through automated subscription control. Users can independently update their subscriptions to reflect their content selection choices without requiring manual system configuration. The system automatically processes these user-initiated changes and adjusts segment delivery accordingly.
4Productivity
If segment delivery is automated via email, then content is delivered on schedule, but user cannot access next segments without waiting for delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary segment preparation where all segments of a content work are prepared and stored in advance on the server. Users can directly access previously prepared segments without waiting for email delivery, as the segments are already available on the server. The email delivery serves to notify users of available segments rather than to transfer the actual content.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method of publishing digital media content works is provided in which an individual content work is divided into multiple segments, and when a subscriber initiates a subscription to the content work, each individual content work segment is published via email to the subscriber on a fixed periodic basis until either the work is completely published or the subscriber terminates the subscription. The subscriber may interactively access the segments of the digital media content work via directly accessing the publication website or via an embedded link in the published segment. During interactive access, the subscriber may update subscription control data controlling segment publication so that the next segment published to the subscriber will be the next successive segment after the segment being accessed interactively. A table of unique book positions is maintained to control segment publication and thereby avoid excess accesses to underlying subscription data for a subscriber. The subscription control data and book position data is recorded independently of segment positions to enable modification of segment boundaries data while assuring subscriber receipt of the entirety of the segmented digital media content work.