Enhanced electronic encyclopedia

Claim 2

An enhanced electronic encyclopedia comprising: a plurality of encyclopedic base articles stored in a memory together forming an encyclopedia; supplemental articles corresponding to selected base articles stored in a memory, wherein selected supplemental articles include a reference to an independent work; a path for paid access to said independent work; a processor connected to said memory storing said base articles and said memory storing said supplemental articles; an input device connected to said processor for receiving a base article selection, a supplemental article selection, and a request for said paid access to an independent work from a user; and an output device connected to said processor for communicating to a user a base article, a supplemental article and access to an independent work corresponding to said base article selection, said supplemental article selection, and said request for said paid access to said independent work, respectively.

Claim 3

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 1, wherein said supplemental article is selected from a group consisting of a review, a summary, or an explanation of said independent work.

Claim 4

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 1, wherein said independent work is selected from a group consisting of a journal, a magazine, a lecture, a book, a newspaper, or a news report, or an excerpt thereof.

Claim 5

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 1, wherein said independent work is stored in a memory of said enhanced electronic encyclopedia.

Claim 6

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 4, wherein said independent work is encrypted and said path for said paid access comprises an access code for opening said path.

Claim 7

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 1, wherein said independent work is stored separately from said enhanced electronic encyclopedia.

Claim 8

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 6, wherein said independent work is provided by an on-line service and said path for said paid access provides access to said independent work via said on-line service.

Claim 9

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 1, wherein each of said base articles has an assigned objective rating, wherein said objective rating is an objective measure of relative importance or relative popularity of the base article to which said objective rating is assigned, and wherein said selected base articles have an assigned objective rating that is greater than a predetermined minimum objective rating.

Claim 10

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 8, wherein said objective rating assigned to each of said base articles is an importance rating corresponding to the frequency with which an article identifier assigned to each of said base articles occurs in a selected sample of text.

Claim 11

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 8, wherein said objective rating assigned to each of said base articles is a popularity rating corresponding to the frequency with which an article identifier assigned to each of said base articles occurs in a literary sample.

Claim 12

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 1, wherein said supplemental articles comprise an assigned label identifying supplemental article characteristics.

Claim 13

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 11, wherein said supplemental article characteristics identified by said label include a supplemental article difficulty level and a supplemental article type.

Claim 14

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 11, wherein said supplemental article characteristics identified by said label include a supplemental article author identification.

Claim 15

An enhanced electronic encyclopedia having articles selected for expansion with supplemental articles and providing electronic access to other works, said enhanced electronic encyclopedia comprising: a plurality of encyclopedic base articles stored in a memory together forming an encyclopedia, each of said base articles comprising an article text; supplemental articles corresponding to selected base articles stored in a memory, wherein selected supplemental articles comprise a reference to an independent work; means for electronic access to said independent work in exchange for a payment; manipulating means connected to said memory storing said base articles and said memory storing said supplemental articles for manipulating said base articles and said supplemental articles; receiving means connected to said manipulating means for receiving from a user a base article selection, a supplemental article selection, and a request for said electronic access to said independent work; and communicating means connected to said manipulating means for communicating to a user said article text of a base article, a supplemental article, and electronic access to an independent work corresponding to said base article selection, said supplemental article selection, and said request for said electronic access, respectively.

Claim 16

An enhanced electronic encyclopedia having articles selected for expansion with supplemental articles and providing electronic access to other works, said enhanced electronic encyclopedia comprising: a plurality of encyclopedic base articles stored in a memory together forming an encyclopedia, each of said base articles comprising an article text; supplemental articles corresponding to selected base articles stored in a memory, wherein selected supplemental articles comprise a reference to an independent work; means for electronic access to said independent work in exchange for a payment; manipulating means connected to said memory storing said base articles and said memory storing said supplemental articles for manipulating said base articles and said supplemental articles; receiving means connected to said manipulating means for receiving from a user a base article selection, a supplemental article selection, and a request for said electronic access to said independent work; and communicating means connected to said manipulating means for communicating to a user said article text of a base article, a supplemental article, and electronic access to an independent work corresponding to said base article selection, said supplemental article selection, and said request for said electronic access, respectively.

Claim 17

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 14, wherein said supplemental article is selected from a group consisting of a review, a summary, or an explanation of said independent work.

Claim 18

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 14, wherein said independent work is selected from a group consisting of a journal, a magazine, a lecture, a book, a newspaper, or a news report, or an excerpt thereof.

Claim 19

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 14, wherein said independent work is stored in a memory of said enhanced electronic encyclopedia.

Claim 20

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 17, wherein said independent work is encrypted and said means for said electronic access comprises a code providing access to said memory.

Claim 21

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 14, wherein said independent work is stored separately from said enhanced electronic encyclopedia.

Claim 22

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 19, wherein access to said independent work is provided by an on-line service and said means for said electronic access comprises a connection for access to said on-line service.

Claim 23

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 14, wherein each of said base articles has an assigned objective rating, wherein said objective rating is an objective measure of relative importance or relative popularity of the base article to which said objective rating is assigned, and wherein said selected base articles have an assigned objective rating that is greater than a predetermined minimum objective rating.

Claim 24

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 21, wherein said objective rating assigned to each of said base articles is an importance rating corresponding to the frequency with which an article identifier assigned to each of said base articles occurs in a selected sample of text.

Claim 25

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 21, wherein said objective rating assigned to each of said base articles is a popularity rating corresponding to the frequency with which an article identifier assigned to each of said base articles occurs in a literary sample.

Claim 26

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 14, wherein each of said supplemental articles has an assigned label identifying supplemental article characteristics.

Claim 27

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 24, wherein said supplemental article characteristics identified by said label include a supplemental article difficulty level and a supplemental article type.

Claim 28

The enhanced electronic encyclopedia defined in claim 24, wherein said supplemental article characteristics identified by said label include a supplemental article author identification.

Claim 31

The method defined in claim 27, wherein said independent work is encrypted and said step of providing paid access to said independent work comprises providing a code for access to said independent work.

Claim 32

The method defined in claim 27, wherein access to said independent work is provided by an on-line service and said step of providing paid access comprises providing access to said on-line service.

Claim 33

An enhanced electronic encyclopedia wherein relatively important or relatively popular articles are selected objectively for expansion with supplemental articles, said enhanced electronic encyclopedia comprising: a database stored in at least one memory, said database comprising a plurality of encyclopedic base articles, each of said base articles having an assigned objective rating, wherein said objective rating is an objective measure of relative importance or relative popularity of the base article to which said objective rating is assigned as compared to other said base articles, said database further comprising at least one supplemental article corresponding to selected base articles wherein said selected base articles have an assigned objective rating that is greater than a predetermined minimum objective rating; a processor connected to said memory for manipulating said database; an input device connected to said processor for receiving a base article selection and a supplemental article selection from a user; and an output device connected to said processor for communicating to a user a base article and a supplemental article corresponding to said base article selection and to said supplemental article selection, respectively.

Claim 34

An enhanced electronic encyclopedia wherein relatively important or relatively popular articles are selected objectively for expansion with supplemental articles, said enhanced electronic encyclopedia comprising: a database stored in at least one memory, said database comprising a plurality of encyclopedic base articles, each of said base articles having an assigned objective rating, wherein said objective rating is an objective measure of relative importance or relative popularity of the base article to which said objective rating is assigned as compared to other said base articles, said database further comprising at least one supplemental article corresponding to selected base articles wherein said selected base articles have an assigned objective rating that is greater than a predetermined minimum objective rating; a processor connected to said memory for manipulating said database; an input device connected to said processor for receiving a base article selection and a supplemental article selection from a user; and an output device connected to said processor for communicating to a user a base article and a supplemental article corresponding to said base article selection and to said supplemental article selection, respectively.