Method for distributing information to subscribers over a network

Claim 1

In an information distribution system having a plurality of restricted publication sources, each restricted publication source disseminating publications each containing at least one information item, said restricted publication sources having a list of network subscribers authorized to receive said publications, a plurality of authorized network subscribers, each having a local server with SQL software adapted to answer subscriber queries from an updatable relational database residing on said local server, and an information management enterprise (IME), having an information processing, storage and distribution control center (IPSDCC), said IPSDCC having a computer with database storage means for storing a content database, a log entry database, and an entitlement database, said IME also having a network distribution server: a method for distributing timely information from said restricted publication sources via the IME to said authorized network subscribers over a publicly accessible global information network, the method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving and storing in said entitlement database a list of authorized network subscribers to each publication from said restricted sources; (b) receiving in said IPSDCC the publications transmitted by said restricted sources to the IPSDCC; (c) categorizing, editing and storing information items from the publications in said content database; (d) creating and storing in the log entry database a log entry for each said information item having codes assigned to the log entry indicating date of the information item, publication in which the information item appeared, location of the information item in the content database, and whether the information item has been distributed; (e) periodically accessing the log entry database and retrieving corresponding new information items from the content database; (f) selecting network subscribers authorized to receive the information items from the list of authorized network subscribers in the entitlement database; (g) preparing file transfer packages of new information items for said selected network subscribers; (h) distributing the new information items by placing the file transfer packages on the distribution server for access by the local servers of the network subscribers, so as to allow the authorized network subscribers to update their updatable relational databases over the global information network; and (i) altering the log entries for the new information items to indicate when they were distributed.