US 7788272

Here is a concise summary of US Patent 7788272:

• Title: Document catalog system
• Assignee: Xerox Corp.
• Inventor: Elton Tarik Ray
• Filing Date: August 4, 2006
• Issue Date: August 31, 2010
• Abstract: The patent describes a method for providing an open-text search service for information sources (e.g., books, multimedia) owned by or located within a physical library. The system uses full-text search engines and databases of scanned content, but limits searches to the library's specific collection, identified by ISBN or other document identification numbers, stored in an access rights database. Users can access this system from within the library or remotely using a library patron ID. The system enforces copyright by limiting the number of simultaneous users accessing a particular information source, based on the library's license rights.
• Legal Status: Expired due to fee-related issues on October 3, 2022, with an effective lapse date of August 31, 2022. The adjusted expiration date was April 13, 2027.
• CAFC 2026 Dockets: A search for "CAFC 2026 dockets patent 7788272" did not return any specific active litigation for this patent, which is consistent with its expired status.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

Claim 1:
This claim outlines a method for a controlled search service. It involves:

1. Assigning and Storing Licenses: A customer site (e.g., a library) is assigned specific rights (licenses) to information sources, and these rights, along with customer details, are stored in an access rights database.
2. Receiving Search Requests: A user at the customer site sends a search query from their device over a network.
3. Selecting and Searching Information Sources: The system identifies and searches only the information sources (resource materials) that the customer site owns or has licensed for the user's search terms (search property).
4. Determining Access Rights for Search Results: Based on the customer's stored licenses, the system determines which of the found documents the user is permitted to view.
5. Delivering Search Results: A list of these accessible search results is sent to the user's device.
6. Allowing User Selection and Concurrent View Check: The user can select an information source from the list. The system then checks how many simultaneous copies of that particular information source the customer site is licensed to provide, and how many are currently being used by other users at that site.
7. Providing Access (Conditional): If the total number of current users plus the requesting user does not exceed the customer site's licensed limit for that information source, the user is provided with a copy of it.

Claim 16:
This claim is similar to Claim 1 but provides more specific details regarding the license rights and the information sources:

1. Assigning and Storing Licenses: A customer site is assigned licensing rights, which are stored in an access rights database.
2. Receiving Search Requests: A user at the customer site sends a search query from their device over a network.
3. Selecting and Searching Information Sources: The system selects and searches information sources corresponding to resource materials at the customer site for the user's search property.
4. Determining Access Rights for Search Results: It determines which documents the user can view based on the customer site's stored license rights.
5. Delivering Search Results: The search results are delivered to the user's device.
6. Allowing User Selection and Detailed Concurrent View Check: The user can select an information source. The system then determines the number of viewable copies for which the customer site has license rights. Crucially, this step specifies that these license rights are associated with a customer identification and are stored at the access rights database, which also stores a list of information sources located at the customer site.
7. Determining Current Usage: The system determines the number of copies of that information source currently being used by other devices associated with the customer site.
8. Providing Access (Conditional): If the number of currently used copies plus the requested copy does not exceed the customer site's licensed limit, the user is provided with a copy of the information source.

A search for litigation involving US patent 7788272 did not return any specific active cases. This is consistent with the patent's "Expired - Fee Related" status as of October 3, 2022. While general information about patent litigation search resources like Unified Patents and PACER was found, no direct matches for US7788272 were identified.

Proceedings overview

There are no AIA trial proceedings on file for US Patent 7788272 according to the USPTO Open Data Portal as of the most recent ingest, and no additional proceedings were identified through web searches. This means the patent has not been subjected to IPR, PGR, or CBM trials at the PTAB.

Strategic summary

Given the absence of any AIA trial proceedings, all claims (Claims 1-19) of US7788272 remain untested at the PTAB. None of the claims have been canceled or sustained through an IPR, PGR, or CBM Final Written Decision.

The estoppel landscape is entirely open; a defendant facing assertion of this patent would not be barred by § 315(e)(2) from raising any prior-art grounds, as no PTAB trial has concluded. There is no pattern of filings by a specific petitioner, no aggressive PTAB appeals by the patent owner, and no involvement of defensive aggregators like Unified Patents.

Recommended next steps

Since no PTAB activity exists for US Patent 7788272, the absence of such proceedings suggests that the patent has not been extensively challenged at the PTAB. For a potential defendant, this means:

• No existing invalidity findings: There are no PTAB-determined invalidity grounds to leverage in defense.
• Open field for challenge: All prior art grounds are available for a potential IPR or PGR filing, assuming the statutory requirements for such a petition are met (e.g., filing deadlines, prior art type).
• Expired Status: It is important to note that US7788272 expired due to fee-related issues on October 3, 2022. This significantly impacts its assertability, as an expired patent cannot be infringed after its expiration date. Any assertion would be limited to alleged infringement occurring before October 3, 2022.
• Consideration of filing a new petition: While the patent is expired, a defendant facing claims of past infringement might still consider an IPR filing if they believe there are strong invalidity arguments and if the timing and cost-benefit analysis support it. However, the expired status might reduce the incentive to invest in a PTAB challenge, as the patent cannot be asserted going forward.

Inventors

• Elton Tarik Ray (Xerox Corp.)

Original assignee

The original assignee is Xerox Corp. Xerox Corp. is a well-known operating company primarily engaged in digital printing and imaging solutions, including a wide range of products and services such as printers, multifunction devices, managed print services, and related software. It is an operating company.

Assignment timeline

• 2006-07-07 (executed) / recorded 2006-08-04 — Reel 018055/0563
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: RAY, ELTON TARIK
  • Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
  • Correspondent: E. O. PALMER, JR., XEROX CORPORATION, 200 FIRST ST. P.O. BOX 1600, STAMFORD, CT, UNITED STATES, 06904-1600
  • Context: Original assignment from inventor to employer.

There are no additional assignment records for US7788272 on the USPTO Assignment Center.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 7788272
    2006 : Assigned to Xerox Corp
    2010 : Issued
    2022 : Expired

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present. The only recorded assignment is from the inventor to the operating company, Xerox Corp.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. Xerox Corp. is an operating company, not a known NPE.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present. Only one assignment is recorded, and the correspondent is associated with Xerox Corp.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. Only one assignment is recorded.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — not present. The patent has expired, and no litigation was identified.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. Xerox Corp. remains an active operating company.
7. Privateering — not present. No evidence of such an arrangement.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present.

Verdict

Insufficient data. The only recorded assignment is the initial one from the inventor to Xerox Corp. (Reel 018055/0563, executed 2006-07-07). There are no subsequent assignments to indicate any NPE activity or transfers to defensive aggregators.

USPTO Assignment Center search page for US7788272: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/#!/patent/7788272

Most Relevant Prior Art for US Patent 7788272

This section identifies and analyzes the patent citations listed in US patent 7788272, focusing on their potential to anticipate the independent claims (Claims 1 and 16) under 35 U.S.C. § 102. The analysis considers the publication or effective filing date of each cited patent relative to US7788272's filing date of August 4, 2006.

Independent Claims 1 and 16: Key Elements for Anticipation Analysis

To assess potential anticipation, the following core elements from independent claims 1 and 16 of US7788272 are considered:

• A1/16.1: Assigning license rights to a customer site (e.g., a library).
• A1/16.2: Storing license rights and customer information at an access rights database for the customer site.
• A1/16.3: Receiving a search request for a search property from a user device associated with the customer site via a communications network.
• A1/16.4: Selecting a set of information sources corresponding to resource materials at the customer site.
• A1/16.5: Searching the accessible information sources with the search request (e.g., open-text searching) to identify documents with the search property.
• A1/16.6: Determining which documents the user has access rights to view based on stored license rights.
• A1/16.7: Delivering search results to the user device.
• A1/16.8: Allowing the user to select an information source from search results.
• A1/16.9: Determining the number of viewable copies of the information source for which the customer site has license rights (Claim 16 specifically notes these rights are associated with a customer identification and the database stores a list of information sources).
• A1/16.10: Determining the number of delivered copies currently used by other user devices associated with the customer site.
• A1/16.11: Providing a copy of the information source to the user device if the total (delivered + requested) does not exceed the license rights.

Cited Patent Analysis

Here is an analysis of each patent cited in US7788272:

1. US5390297A

• Full Citation: US5390297A, Auto-Trol Technology Corporation, "System for controlling the number of concurrent copies of a program in a network based on the number of available licenses"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 1995-02-14; Filing: 1993-01-20. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system for controlling concurrent use of software programs in a network by managing licenses. It tracks the number of authorized users and prevents additional users from accessing a program once the license limit is reached.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent directly addresses the concept of managing concurrent access based on licenses. It anticipates elements A1/16.1 (assigning license rights), A1/16.2 (storing license rights), A1/16.9 (determining viewable copies), A1/16.10 (determining delivered copies), and A1/16.11 (providing access based on license limits). However, it focuses on "programs" rather than "information sources" (like books, multimedia) in a "library" context, and doesn't explicitly detail the "open-text search" or delivery of search results (A1/16.3-A1/16.8) as found in US7788272.

2. WO2001029732A2

• Full Citation: WO2001029732A2, Ebrary.Com, "Method and apparatus for improved information transactions"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2001-04-26; Priority: 1999-02-04. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method and apparatus for online information transactions, including access to copyrighted electronic documents, often for a fee, and may involve tracking usage.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant as it deals with "information transactions" for electronic documents, implying management of access and potentially licensing. It likely anticipates A1/16.1, A1/16.2, A1/16.6, and A1/16.11. The extent to which it covers "open-text searching" within a specific "customer site's" holdings and "concurrent user limitations" (A1/16.9, A1/16.10) would require deeper analysis of its full text, but the general concept of controlled electronic document access is present.

3. US6385614B1

• Full Citation: US6385614B1, Netlibrary Inc., "Electronic bookshelf with multi-user features"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2002-05-07; Filing: 1998-01-14. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent describes an electronic library system that provides digital content, such as e-books, to multiple users. It includes features for managing access to copies of content, allowing multiple simultaneous users if licenses permit, or placing users in a queue. This is a very strong match for US7788272's core functionality.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent appears to anticipate many, if not all, elements of Claims 1 and 16. The "electronic bookshelf with multi-user features" directly addresses the "customer site" (e.g., library), "information sources," "license rights," "access rights database," "determining viewable copies," "determining delivered copies," and "providing a copy if limits are not exceeded" (A1/16.1, A1/16.2, A1/16.9, A1/16.10, A1/16.11). It also implicitly or explicitly covers "receiving a search request," "selecting information sources," and "delivering search results" (A1/16.3-A1/16.8) within an electronic library context. The queuing of users for unavailable content is explicitly mentioned in US7788272's dependent claim 2 and 17, which is also a feature of this prior art.

4. US20040117784A1

• Full Citation: US20040117784A1, Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, "Management apparatus, management method, and control program therefor"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2004-06-17; Filing: 2002-10-15. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent generally describes a content management system that restricts user access to content based on specific authorization information. It focuses on securely managing and controlling digital data.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent broadly covers access control and content management (A1/16.1, A1/16.2, A1/16.6). However, without further detail, it's unclear if it specifically includes the "open-text searching of information sources limited to a customer site's holdings" or the precise "concurrent user limitation" mechanisms (A1/16.3-A1/16.5, A1/16.9-A1/16.11) as detailed in US7788272. It represents a general background in content access control.

5. US20050055347A9

• Full Citation: US20050055347A9, Ingenuity Systems, Inc., "Method and system for performing information extraction and quality control for a knowledgebase"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2005-03-10; Filing: 2000-12-08. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent focuses on methods for extracting information and ensuring data quality within a knowledgebase. Its primary concern is the creation and maintenance of structured information rather than a user-facing search and access control system for copyrighted materials.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is unlikely to anticipate the core elements of US7788272, particularly the license management and user access features (A1/16.1-A1/16.11). While it deals with a "knowledgebase" (a type of information source), its focus is different.

6. US20050063612A1

• Full Citation: US20050063612A1, Udi Manber, "Method and system for access to electronic images of text based on user ownership of corresponding physical text"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2005-03-24; Filing: 2003-09-23. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system that allows users to access electronic versions of text documents if they own the corresponding physical copies. It aims to bridge physical ownership with digital access.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant. The concept of linking "user ownership of corresponding physical text" to "access to electronic images of text" is analogous to US7788272's "customer site" (library) "owning resource materials" and providing electronic access. This anticipates A1/16.1 (implicit in ownership for access), A1/16.2 (storing ownership/license info), A1/16.4 (selecting owned resources), and A1/16.6 (determining access based on rights). While it may not explicitly detail "concurrent user" limits (A1/16.9-A1/16.11) or advanced "open-text search" (A1/16.5), the fundamental mechanism of controlled access to electronic content tied to physical holdings is present.

7. US20050063615A1

• Full Citation: US20050063615A1, Hilliard Siegel, "Method and system for suppression of features in digital images of content"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2005-03-24; Filing: 2003-09-23. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent describes techniques for suppressing or obscuring certain features in digital images of content, potentially for copyright protection or selective display.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent focuses on controlling what is displayed from digital content rather than the overall search and concurrent access management. It might relate to how a "portion" of an information source is delivered (as mentioned in US7788272's detailed description), but it does not anticipate the broader method claims (A1/16.1-A1/16.11).

8. WO2005031526A2

• Full Citation: WO2005031526A2, Amazon.Com, Inc., "Personalized searchable library based on user ownership"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2005-04-07; Filing: 2003-09-23. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system for providing a personalized searchable library of electronic documents, where access to the documents is based on the user's ownership of physical copies or digital licenses. It emphasizes searching within a user-specific collection.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is another highly relevant piece of prior art. "Personalized searchable library based on user ownership" strongly aligns with the "customer site" (library) and its "information sources" (A1/16.1, A1/16.4). It explicitly includes "searching" (A1/16.3, A1/16.5) and "access based on ownership/licenses" (A1/16.6). While the "personal" aspect might differ slightly from a "customer site" like a library, the underlying mechanism of searching a defined collection with access control is very similar. The level of detail regarding "concurrent user limits" (A1/16.9-A1/16.11) would need to be thoroughly examined, but the core search and access aspects are clearly present.

9. US20050125722A1

• Full Citation: US20050125722A1, Information Handling Services Inc., "Unreferenced object in page rendered electronic file"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2005-06-09; Filing: 2003-12-01. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent relates to the rendering and handling of electronic files, specifically addressing issues with unreferenced objects within pages.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is concerned with technical details of electronic file rendering and does not appear to anticipate the search service, license management, or concurrent access aspects of US7788272 (A1/16.1-A1/16.11).

10. US20050240575A1

• Full Citation: US20050240575A1, Shigeru Iida, "Contents search service providing system, contents search service providing method, and contents search service providing program"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2005-10-27; Filing: 2004-04-23. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent broadly describes a system and method for providing a content search service. It generally covers receiving search queries, searching content, and delivering results.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent anticipates the general search service elements: A1/16.3 (receiving search request), A1/16.5 (searching information sources), A1/16.7 (delivering search results), and A1/16.8 (allowing selection). However, it is not clear from the abstract whether it includes the specific "customer site" limitations, "license rights management," or "concurrent user limitations" (A1/16.1, A1/16.2, A1/16.4, A1/16.6, A1/16.9-A1/16.11) that are central to US7788272.

11. US20050289127A1

• Full Citation: US20050289127A1, Dominic Giampaolo, "Methods and systems for managing data"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2005-12-29; Filing: 2004-06-25. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent describes general methods and systems for managing data, including aspects of data storage, retrieval, and organization.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is very broad and likely covers general data management concepts, but it does not appear to specifically anticipate the unique combination of library-specific, open-text search with detailed copyright and concurrent user license management as claimed in US7788272 (A1/16.1-A1/16.11).

12. US20060167946A1

• Full Citation: US20060167946A1, Hellman Ziv Z, "Method and system for collaborative ontology modeling"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2006-07-27; Filing: 2001-05-25. (Both dates are prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for creating and managing collaborative ontologies, which are structured representations of knowledge.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent focuses on the creation and organization of knowledge structures (ontologies) for improved information retrieval, which could indirectly support searching. However, it does not directly address the specific elements of license management, customer site-specific collections, or concurrent user access control as claimed in US7788272 (A1/16.1-A1/16.11).

13. US20070150442A1

• Full Citation: US20070150442A1, Chin Frances M, "Library services in communication networks"
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication: 2007-06-28; Filing: 2005-12-20. (The filing date is prior to US7788272's filing date of 2006-08-04, making it valid prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e)).
• Brief Description: This patent describes methods and systems for providing library services over communication networks, enabling users to access library resources and interact with library functions remotely.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant because it explicitly discusses "library services in communication networks." This directly aligns with the "customer site" being a "library" and users accessing services via a "communications network." It likely anticipates elements related to receiving search requests (A1/16.3) and delivering information sources (A1/16.7, A1/16.8, A1/16.11). A detailed examination of its claims would be needed to determine if it explicitly or inherently includes the granular "license rights" (A1/16.1, A1/16.2, A1/16.6, A1/16.9), and especially the "concurrent user limitation" (A1/16.10, A1/16.11) for copyrighted materials. Given its title, it represents a strong candidate for anticipating many aspects of US7788272.

Most Relevant Prior Art Summary

Based on the analysis, the following prior art references appear to be the most relevant to US7788272, showing significant overlap with its independent claims:

• US6385614B1 (Netlibrary Inc.): This patent, titled "Electronic bookshelf with multi-user features," is highly relevant as it explicitly describes a system for providing digital content to multiple users in an electronic library, including managing concurrent access based on licenses and queuing unavailable content. It directly anticipates many elements of Claims 1 and 16, particularly those related to license management and concurrent user access (A1/16.1, A1/16.2, A1/16.9, A1/16.10, A1/16.11) and the general search and delivery of information sources.
• WO2005031526A2 (Amazon.Com, Inc.): Titled "Personalized searchable library based on user ownership," this patent is also very strong. It describes a system for a searchable library where access is linked to ownership or licenses, covering the core concepts of searching a defined collection with access control (A1/16.1, A1/16.3, A1/16.4, A1/16.5, A1/16.6).
• US20050063612A1 (Udi Manber): This patent, "Method and system for access to electronic images of text based on user ownership of corresponding physical text," is highly pertinent for its focus on connecting physical ownership (e.g., a library's holdings) to digital access, a foundational aspect of US7788272. It anticipates elements of defining accessible information sources based on ownership/license (A1/16.1, A1/16.2, A1/16.4, A1/16.6).
• US20070150442A1 (Chin Frances M.): With the title "Library services in communication networks," this patent directly addresses the library context and network access. While its publication date is after US7788272's filing date, its priority date precedes it. It provides strong general anticipation of library services over a network, including searching and access, but requires further investigation into explicit concurrent user license management.

These references, particularly US6385614B1 and WO2005031526A2, demonstrate that many core concepts of US7788272, such as searching within a defined collection of information sources and managing access based on licenses and concurrent usage, were known in the prior art. The specific combination of "open-text searching" with detailed "concurrent user limitations" for copyrighted materials within a "library" setting, as precisely claimed in US7788272, would be the primary point of differentiation from these prior art documents for novelty analysis.

Obviousness Analysis of US Patent 7788272 under 35 U.S.C. § 103

This analysis identifies combinations of prior art references that would render the independent claims (Claims 1 and 16) of US Patent 7788272 obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) at the time of the invention (i.e., before the August 4, 2006, filing date). The analysis focuses on the motivations a POSITA would have had to combine these references to arrive at the claimed invention.

Independent Claims 1 and 16: Key Elements

For clarity, the essential elements of independent Claims 1 and 16 are recalled:

• A1/16.1: Assigning license rights to a customer site (e.g., a library).
• A1/16.2: Storing license rights and customer information at an access rights database for the customer site.
• A1/16.3: Receiving a search request for a search property from a user device associated with the customer site via a communications network.
• A1/16.4: Selecting a set of information sources corresponding to resource materials at the customer site.
• A1/16.5: Searching the accessible information sources with the search request (e.g., open-text searching) to identify documents with the search property.
• A1/16.6: Determining which documents the user has access rights to view based on stored license rights.
• A1/16.7: Delivering search results to the user device.
• A1/16.8: Allowing the user to select an information source from search results.
• A1/16.9: Determining the number of viewable copies of the information source for which the customer site has license rights (Claim 16 specifies rights associated with a customer ID and the database stores a list of information sources).
• A1/16.10: Determining the number of delivered copies currently used by other user devices associated with the customer site.
• A1/16.11: Providing a copy of the information source to the user device if the total (delivered + requested) does not exceed the license rights.

Obviousness Combination 1: US6385614B1 + General Knowledge of Open-Text Search + US20050063612A1

This combination would render Claims 1 and 16 obvious.

Primary Reference: US6385614B1 to Netlibrary Inc. ("Electronic bookshelf with multi-user features")

• Anticipated Elements: US6385614B1 describes an electronic library system that provides digital content, such as e-books, to multiple users. It explicitly includes "multi-user features" for managing access to copies of content, allowing multiple simultaneous users if licenses permit, or placing users in a queue. This reference directly teaches or makes obvious elements A1/16.1 (assigning license rights implicitly through managing content copies for multi-user access), A1/16.2 (storing license information in an access rights database), A1/16.6 (determining access rights based on licenses), A1/16.9 (determining viewable copies based on licenses), A1/16.10 (determining delivered copies being used by others), and A1/16.11 (providing conditional access and queuing). As an "electronic bookshelf," it inherently involves receiving search requests, selecting information sources, delivering search results, and allowing user selection (A1/16.3, A1/16.4, A1/16.7, A1/16.8).

Motivation to Combine with General Knowledge of Open-Text Search Technology:

• Known Problem: The background section of US7788272 itself highlights the limitations of traditional library searches (e.g., card catalog entries limited to title, author, subject) and states that "A system and method for full-text or multimedia searching of all of the information sources at a library is currently not available, but would greatly improve a library patron's ability to locate relevant resource materials." It further acknowledges that "Companies like Google™ and Yahoo™ have recently come out with search engines that are accessible over a communications network such as the internet. These search engines allow for multimedia and full-text searching of information sources that have been scanned and indexed."
• Obvious Solution: A POSITA, seeking to improve the search capabilities of an electronic library system like Netlibrary's (US6385614B1), would be motivated to integrate the then well-known "full-text" or "open-text" search engine technology. This would be a predictable application of existing technology to enhance the utility and user experience of searching digital content within an electronic library, moving beyond mere metadata searches to comprehensive content searches (A1/16.5).

Motivation to Combine with US20050063612A1 to Udi Manber ("Method and system for access to electronic images of text based on user ownership of corresponding physical text")

• Known Problem/Desire: US7788272 aims to provide a search service where searches are "limited to the actual set of information sources owned by or within a physical library," thereby "mimicking the behavior of a traditional card catalog."
• Obvious Solution: To achieve this specific limitation of searching content "corresponding to resource materials at the customer site" (A1/16.4), a POSITA would naturally turn to systems that link digital access to physical holdings or ownership. US20050063612A1 directly teaches a system that allows users to access electronic versions of text documents if they own the corresponding physical copies. This provides a clear motivation and methodology for defining the "set of information sources" at the "customer site" by correlating digital content with the library's physical inventory or licenses, thus addressing the specific emphasis on customer site-specific materials. This also supports the "customer identification" and "list of information sources" elements of Claim 16.

Overall Conclusion for Combination 1:
A POSITA would find it obvious to combine an existing electronic library system with multi-user and license management features (US6385614B1) with readily available open-text search technology (as acknowledged in US7788272's background) and a system for linking digital access to physical ownership (US20050063612A1). This combination would yield a system for performing open-text searches on information sources limited to a library's specific collection, while effectively managing concurrent user access based on licenses – covering all elements of Claims 1 and 16. The "library" context itself is well-established in the prior art, for instance, by US20070150442A1 ("Library services in communication networks").

Obviousness Combination 2: WO2005031526A2 + US6385614B1 + General Knowledge of Open-Text Search

This combination also renders Claims 1 and 16 obvious.

Primary Reference: WO2005031526A2 to Amazon.Com, Inc. ("Personalized searchable library based on user ownership")

• Anticipated Elements: This patent describes a system for providing a personalized searchable library of electronic documents, where access to documents is based on "user ownership of physical copies or digital licenses." It explicitly includes "searching" within a user-specific collection. This reference directly teaches or makes obvious elements A1/16.1 (assigning license rights via user ownership/licenses), A1/16.2 (storing license information in an access rights database), A1/16.3 (receiving search requests), A1/16.4 (selecting information sources based on user ownership), A1/16.5 (searching the sources), A1/16.6 (determining access rights based on ownership/licenses), A1/16.7 (delivering search results), and A1/16.8 (allowing user selection).

Motivation to Combine with US6385614B1 to Netlibrary Inc. ("Electronic bookshelf with multi-user features")

• Known Problem: While WO2005031526A2 covers personalized search and access based on ownership, it may not explicitly detail the comprehensive "concurrent user limitation" for copyrighted materials as claimed in US7788272 (A1/16.9-11). Managing simultaneous access to licensed content is a critical aspect of digital rights management, especially for shared resources like those in a library.
• Obvious Solution: A POSITA enhancing an online searchable library system (like Amazon's personalized library) would be motivated to incorporate robust copyright enforcement and resource management for shared content. US6385614B1 directly addresses this by teaching "multi-user features" for an electronic library, including managing "access to copies of content, allowing multiple simultaneous users if licenses permit, or placing users in a queue." Incorporating these established concurrent access and queuing mechanisms from Netlibrary's system into a personalized searchable library would be an obvious way to comply with licensing models and effectively manage shared digital resources.

Motivation to Combine with General Knowledge of Open-Text Search Technology:

• Known Problem/Desire & Obvious Solution: Similar to Combination 1, a POSITA would be motivated to improve the search capabilities of any digital library or content access system by integrating widely known "open-text search" technology (as generally known and discussed in US7788272's background). This would provide a more thorough and powerful search experience.

Overall Conclusion for Combination 2:
A POSITA would find it obvious to combine a personalized searchable library system that provides access based on user ownership/licenses (WO2005031526A2) with the specific concurrent user access control and queuing mechanisms of an electronic library system (US6385614B1). Further, to enhance the search functionality, the POSITA would incorporate known open-text search technology. This combination likewise results in a system that performs open-text searches on a defined set of information sources with robust license and concurrent access management, thus rendering Claims 1 and 16 obvious.

General Obviousness Considerations

• Predictable Results from Known Elements: The combinations proposed involve integrating existing technologies and functionalities (electronic library systems, search engines, license management, concurrent access control, and linking digital access to physical ownership). A POSITA would have a reasonable expectation of success in combining these known elements to achieve the predictable result of an enhanced, rights-compliant library search and access system.
• Solving a Known Problem: The patent itself identifies the problem of limited search options in traditional libraries and the inability to access full-text results online without copyright violation. The combinations address these known problems using known solutions.
• Routine Design Choices: Elements such as delivering search results as an enumerated list with selectable links, or using standard identifiers like ISBNs, are routine design choices and widely implemented user interface elements in database and online systems.