System and method for enhanced data access efficiency using an electronic book over data networks

1. An electronic book (e-book) system, comprising:

a private network;

a central server connected to said private network, which stores a collection of electronic documents;

an e-book server which stores an electronic document selected from said central server converted in an e-book format for later downloading to a remote e-book terminal, via a public network; and

a host computer connected to said private network, which selects the electronic document from said central server, and uses a print function of an operating system to transfer the selected electronic document from said central server for storage in an e-book format at said e-book server for later downloading to said remote e-book terminal, via said public network.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said host computer comprises an e-book driver software to provide an interface with said operating system and to direct the selected electronic document to said e-book server, and an emulation software to emulate said e-book server as a token network printer in said private network.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said e-book driver software is installed at said host computer using an Add Printer Wizard provided by the operating system for setting up said e-book server as a token network printer in said private network to print from the operating system of said host computer.

4. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said emulation software is installed at one of said host computer and said e-book server to emulate said e-book server as a token network printer in said private network, and includes a conversion subroutine for converting data reflecting the selected electronic document into an e-book format for storage at said e-book server.

5. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said e-book driver software and said emulation software are embodied on any of a variety of computer readable media for use with said host computer.

6. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said emulation software installed at said host computer emulates said e-book server as a token network printer and then converts the selected electronic document into an e-book format, via said conversion subroutine, before a physical redirection to said e-book server over said private network.

7. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said emulation software installed at said host computer emulates said e-book server as a token network printer and then converts the selected electronic document into an e-book format transferred from said host computer to said e-book server, via said conversion subroutine.

8. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said e-book driver software and said emulation software installed at said host computer interacts with the operating system to transfer the selected electronic document to said e-book server, via said private network, according to the following steps:

activating said driver software, when a user selects said print function from the operating system;

reading, at said driver software, data reflecting the selected electronic document from a random-access-memory;

directing, at said driver software, data reflecting the selected electronic document to the operating system for a physical redirection to said e-book server, via said private network;

activating said emulation software, when said driver software returns to a stand-by (idle) mode;

receiving, at said emulation software, data reflecting the selected electronic document from said driver software, via the operating system;

converting, at said emulation software, data reflecting the selected electronic document into an e-book format and reformatting the data for said remote e-book terminal; and

transmitting, at said emulation software, reformatted data reflecting the selected electronic document to the operating system for said physical redirection to said e-book server, via said private network.

9. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said private network corresponds to a local area network (LAN), and wherein said public network corresponds to one of a plain old telephone service (POTS), a public switched telephone network (PSTN), an integrated services digital network (ISDN), a mobile network, a satellite network, an Internet, a terrestrial digital TV network, a cellular network, and a short-range radio (Bluetooth, Home RF protocol, wireless LAN) network.

10. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said e-book terminal for use to download or request automatic delivery of a selected electronic document stored in said e-book format at said e-book server comprises:

an electronic module which provides a central processing unit (CPU) to control all operations of said e-book terminal under instructions of the operating system, a BIOS read-only-memory (ROM), and a random-access-memory (RAM) which provides the primary memory space to write, store and retrieve information and program instructions used by the CPU;

a display and a display controller which support a visual display of the selected electronic document on a display screen;

a power unit which provides power supply to said e-book terminal;

an updatable read-only-memory (ROM) which supports additional memory capacity;

a communication interface which supports communications with said e-book server via said public network; and

a security unit which provides overall security to said e-book terminal.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said selected electronic document is printed from said host computer under instructions from a user for delivery to said e-book server over said private network for later downloading, via said public network, to said remote e-book terminal.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said selected electronic document is printed from said host computer under instructions from a user for delivery to said e-book server over said private network and an Internet for later downloading, via said Internet, to said remote e-book terminal.

13. An electronic book (e-book) system, comprising:

a private network;

a central server connected to said private network, which stores a collection of electronic documents;

a docking station connected to said private network, which supports an e-book terminal to receive an electronic document selected from said central server converted in an e-book format for later viewing off-line; and

a computer connected to said private network, which selects the electronic document from said central server, and uses a print function of an operating system to transfer the selected electronic document from said central server in an e-book format to said docking station for downloading into said e-book terminal for later viewing off-line.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said computer comprises an e-book driver software to provide an interface with said operating system and to direct the selected electronic document to said docking station for downloading into said e-book terminal, and an emulation software to emulate said e-book terminal as a token network printer in said private network.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said e-book driver software is installed at said computer using an Add Printer Wizard provided by the operating system for setting up said e-book terminal as a token network printer in said private network to print from the operating system of said computer.

16. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said emulation software is installed at said computer to emulate said e-book terminal as a token network printer in said private network, and includes a conversion subroutine for converting data reflecting the selected electronic document into an e-book format for downloading into said e-book terminal.

17. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said e-book driver software and said emulation software are embodied on any of a variety of computer readable media for use with said computer.

18. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said emulation software installed at said computer emulates said e-book terminal as a token network printer and then converts the selected electronic document into an e-book format, via said conversion subroutine, before a physical redirection to said docking station for downloading into said e-book terminal over said private network.

19. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said e-book driver software and said emulation software installed at said computer interacts with the operating system to transfer the selected electronic document to said docking station for downloading into said e-book terminal, via said private network, according to the following steps:

activating said driver software, when a user selects said print function from the operating system;

reading, at said driver software, data reflecting the selected electronic document from a random-access-memory;

directing, at said driver software, data reflecting the selected electronic document to the operating system for a physical redirection to said e-book server, via said private network;

activating said emulation software, when said driver software returns to a stand-by (idle) mode;

receiving, at said emulation software, data reflecting the selected electronic document from said driver software, via the operating system;

converting, at said emulation software, data reflecting the selected electronic document into an e-book format and reformatting the data for said e-book terminal; and

transmitting, at said emulation software, reformatted data reflecting the selected electronic document to the operating system for said physical redirection to said docking station for downloading into said e-book terminal, via said private network.

20. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said private network corresponds to a local area network (LAN).

21. An electronic book (e-book) system, comprising:

a first network;

a second network different from said first network;

a remote e-book terminal;

a host computer;

a central server connected to said first network, which stores a collection of electronic documents; and

an e-book server which stores an electronic document selected from said central server converted in an e-book format for later downloading to said remote e-book terminal, via said second network;

wherein said host computer connected to first network, and having an e-book driver software installed therein to provide an interface with an operating system (OS) and to direct a selected electronic document from said central server to said e-book server, and an emulation software installed therein to emulate said e-book server as a token network printer in said first network, when a print function of the operating system (OS) is activated to transfer the selected electronic document from said central server for storage in an e-book format at said e-book server for later downloading to said remote e-book terminal, via said second network.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21 , wherein said first network is a private network connecting said host computer, said central server, and said e-book server, and wherein said second network is a public network connecting said e-book server and said remote e-book terminal.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said e-book driver software is installed at said host computer using an Add Printer Wizard provided by the operating system (OS) for setting up said e-book server as a token network printer in said private network to print from the operating system (OS) of said host computer.

24. The system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said emulation software is also installed in said e-book server to emulate said e-book server as a token network printer in said private network, and includes a conversion subroutine for converting data reflecting the selected electronic document into an e-book format for storage at said e-book server.

25. The system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said e-book driver software and said emulation software are embodied on any of a variety of computer readable media for use with said host computer.

26. The system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said emulation software installed in said host computer emulates said e-book server as a token network printer and then converts the selected electronic document into an e-book format, via said conversion subroutine, before a physical redirection to said e-book server over said private network.

27. The system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said e-book driver software and said emulation software installed in said host computer interacts with the operating system (OS) to transfer the selected electronic document to said e-book server, via said private network, according to the following steps:

activating said driver software, when a user selects said print function from the operating system (OS);

reading, at said driver software, data reflecting the selected electronic document from a random-access-memory (RAM);

directing, at said driver software, data reflecting the selected electronic document to the operating system (OS) for a physical redirection to said e-book server, via said private network;

activating said emulation software, when said driver software returns to a stand-by (idle) mode;

receiving, at said emulation software, data reflecting the selected electronic document from said driver software, via the operating system (OS);

converting, at said emulation software, data reflecting the selected electronic document into an e-book format and reformatting the data for said remote e-book terminal; and

transmitting, at said emulation software, reformatted data reflecting the selected electronic document to the operating system (OS) for said physical redirection to said e-book server, via said private network.

28. The system as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said e-book terminal for use to download or request automatic delivery of a selected electronic document stored in said e-book format at said e-book server comprises:

an electronic module which provides a central processing unit (CPU) to control all operations of said e-book terminal under instructions of the operating system, a BIOS read-only-memory (ROM), and a random-access-memory (RAM) which provides the primary memory space to write, store and retrieve information and program instructions used by the CPU;

a display and a display controller which support a visual display of the selected electronic document on a display screen;

a power unit which provides power supply to said e-book terminal;

an updatable read-only-memory (ROM) which supports additional memory capacity;

a communication interface which supports communications with said e-book server via said public network; and

a security unit which provides overall security to said e-book terminal.