Abstract:
An Ebook includes a memory device, a reading timer, and a display. The memory device stores files. The files include text. The reading timer performs timer functions. The display displays the text. The display further displays a visual alarm when either of a current time is equal to a pre-specified time or a pre-specified amount of time has expired.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention generally relates to electronic books (Ebooks) and, more particularly, to an Ebook reading timer.  
           [0003]    2. Background of the Invention  
           [0004]    An electronic book (also referred to as an “Ebook”) is an electronic version of a traditional print book (or other printed material such as, for example, a magazine, newspaper, and so forth) that can be read by using a personal computer or by using an Ebook reader.  
           [0005]    Individuals who read a great deal often find themselves becoming deeply involved in the reading material to the extent that they suffer a loss of situational awareness and lose track of time. The reader who has only a limited amount of time to read finds himself forced to constantly interrupt his or her reading to glance at a clock/watch or risk reading for too long. Thus, the reading experience of the reader is made less pleasant.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, it would be desirable and highly advantageous to have an Ebook that includes a way to automatically inform a user that a pre-specified time has arrived or that a pre-specified amount of time has expired so that an Ebook user having a limited amount of time to read can partake in reading without the need to monitor the time.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The problems stated above, as well as other related problems of the prior art, are solved by the present invention, an Ebook having a reading timer and a method for using an Ebook having a reading timer.  
           [0008]    According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an Ebook that includes a memory device, a reading timer, and a display. The memory device stores files. The files include text. The reading timer performs timer functions. The display displays the text. The display further displays a visual alarm when either of a current time is equal to a pre-specified time or a pre-specified amount of time has expired.  
           [0009]    According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for using an Ebook. At least one file is stored in the Ebook. The at least one file includes text. A first input is received that specifies a specific time or a specific amount of time. The text is displayed. A visual alarm is displayed and/or an audible alarm is sounded, when a current time equals the specific time or the specific amount of time has expired.  
           [0010]    These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a computer system  100  to which the present invention may be applied, according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an Ebook  200 , according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for using an Ebook having a reading timer, according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a menu corresponding to step  315  of the method of FIG. 3, according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a menu corresponding to steps  340  through  355  of the method of FIG. 3, according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]    The present invention is directed to an Ebook having a reading timer and a method for using an Ebook having a reading timer.  
         [0017]    It is to be understood that the present invention may be implemented in various forms of hardware, software, firmware, special purpose processors, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the present invention is implemented as a combination of hardware and software. Moreover, the software is preferably implemented as an application program tangibly embodied on a program storage device. The application program may be uploaded to, and executed by, a machine comprising any suitable architecture. Preferably, the machine is implemented on a computer platform having hardware such as one or more central processing units (CPU), a random access memory (RAM), and input/output (I/O) interface(s). The computer platform also includes an operating system and microinstruction code. The various processes and functions described herein may either be part of the microinstruction code or part of the application program (or a combination thereof) which is executed via the operating system. In addition, various other peripheral devices may be connected to the computer platform such as an additional data storage device and a printing device.  
         [0018]    It is to be further understood that, because some of the constituent system components and method steps depicted in the accompanying Figures are preferably implemented in software, the actual connections between the system components (or the process steps) may differ depending upon the manner in which the present invention is programmed. Given the teachings herein, one of ordinary skill in the related art will be able to contemplate these and similar implementations or configurations of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a computer system  100  to which the present invention may be applied, according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The computer processing system  100  includes at least one processor (CPU)  102  operatively coupled to other components via a system bus  104 . A read only memory (ROM)  106 , a random access memory (RAM)  108 , a display adapter  110 , an I/O adapter  112 , and a user interface adapter  114  are operatively coupled to the system bus  104 .  
         [0020]    A display device  116  is operatively coupled to system bus  104  by display adapter  110 . A disk storage device (e.g., a magnetic or optical disk storage device)  118  is operatively coupled to system bus  104  by I/O adapter  112 .  
         [0021]    A mouse  120  and keyboard  122  are operatively coupled to system bus  104  by user interface adapter  114 . The mouse  120  and keyboard  122  are used to input and output information to and from system  100 .  
         [0022]    The computer system  100  further includes a speaker  196  and a timer  199 .  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an Ebook  200 , according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The Ebook  200  includes the following elements interconnected by bus  201 : at least one memory device (hereinafter “memory device”  230 ); at least one processor (hereinafter “processor”  240 ); a user input device  250  (e.g., keyboard, keypad, and/or remote control); a display  260 ; a speaker  290 ; and a timer  297 . Given the teachings of the present invention provided herein, one of ordinary skill in the related art will contemplate these and various other configurations of the computer system  100  and Ebook  200  respectively shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, while maintaining the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is to be appreciated that as used herein the term “Ebook” refers to either a standalone Ebook device (e.g., Ebook  200 ) or an Ebook included in a computer system (e.g., computer system  100 ).  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for using an Ebook having a reading timer, according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a menu corresponding to step  315  of the method of FIG. 3, according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a menu corresponding to steps  340  through  355  of the method of FIG. 3, according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]    One or more files (hereinafter “file”) are input into the Ebook (step  305 ). The file includes, at the least, text. The file may be provided via a memory device (e.g., floppy disk, compact disk, flash memory, and so forth), downloaded from the Internet, and so forth. The file may be an Ebook application file, an e-mail file, a Web page, a word processor document, and so forth. The file is then stored in the Ebook (step  310 ). Steps  305  and  310  may be performed at any time and need not be performed “immediately” prior to the remaining steps of the method of FIG. 3. For example, steps  305  and  310  may be performed hours, days, weeks, months, and so forth, prior to the remaining steps of the method of FIG. 3.  
         [0026]    Subsequent to steps  305  and  310 , a first menu  410  is displayed corresponding to the reading timer (step  315 ). The first menu  410  may be provided at any time, either automatically, in response to a user action, or after some other precedent condition. Preferably, the first menu  410  is provided to an Ebook user each time the Ebook is powered up.  
         [0027]    The first menu includes a first option  415 , a second option  420 , and a third option  425 . The first option  415  allows the Ebook user to activate the reading timer. The second option  420  allows the Ebook user to either specify a specific time at which an alarm is to be provided or to specify an amount of time upon the expiration of which the alarm will be provided. The third option  425  allows the Ebook user to specify whether the alarm is to be audible and/or visual. It is to be appreciated that the terms “alarm” and “alert” are used interchangeably herein.  
         [0028]    A first input is received corresponding to the first option  415  to activate the reading timer (step  320 ). A second input is received corresponding to the second option  420  and specifying a time (e.g., 12:45 PM) or an amount of time ( 30  minutes) (step  325 ). A third input is received corresponding to the third option  425  and specifying whether the alarm is to be audible and/or visual (step  330 ).  
         [0029]    The text included in the file is then displayed on a display (step  335 ). An audible and/or a visual alert, as specified at step  330 , are/is provided when the current time equals the specific time specified at step  325  or when the amount of time specified at step  325  has expired (step  340 ).  
         [0030]    Subsequent to, or concurrent with, providing the audible and/or visual alert at step  340 , a fourth option is provided to reset the reading timer for an additional amount of time (step  345 ).  
         [0031]    According to one illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the fourth option  515  is provided to the Ebook user via another menu  510  that includes the visual alarm  520  (when the visual alarm is specified at step  330 ) and that allows the user to select the fourth option  515  and to specify the additional amount of time  525  corresponding to the fourth option.  
         [0032]    A fourth input is received corresponding to acceptance of the fourth option provided at step  345  to reset the time period for the additional amount of time (step  350 ). The additional amount of time may be preset (by the Ebook user or by the factory) or may be entered by the Ebook user. In the latter case, a fifth input is received specifying the additional amount of time (step  355 ).  
         [0033]    Although the illustrative embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.