Demand publishing royalty accounting system

Abstract

A transaction accounting system for the automated royalty accounting of copyright-coded paper documents. The system includes a document copier, a copier access control system which includes a transaction data terminal for input of transaction information such as the date of the transaction, coded copyright information such as contained in the standard serial numbering or standard book numbering systems, user identification and number of copies to be produced. The access control system includes enabling circuits to access the copier upon completion of the data input and one or more data recorders and/or data transmitters to permit use of telephone line transmission of the transaction data and/or other transmitting facilities to communicate with a royalty accounting system. The documents are copyright coded with an optically transparent, electrically conductive coating. The system includes a decoder with its output connected to the transaction data terminal to input the document data. A keyboard is also furnished for input of other data. The access control system is provided with a delete sequence to delete a previously recorded transaction; an override sequence operation to access to the copiers with incomplete or no transaction data; a tranmit sequence operation for data transmission to a remote computer and the like; and an incorrect mode selection to correct for mistakes in input information. The input terminal is also provided with a self-prompting display to facilitate input of transaction data in the proper sequence.