Abstract:
A system and method provides a user interface on an electronic device with a listing of the most recently used or viewed items that is organized by the category of item. A menu containing the most recently read items is separated into separate categories such as books and periodicals. The menu displays the most recently opened item in each of the categories. In this manner, one category will not dominate over the other categories on the menu.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 61/407,006, filed on Oct. 26, 2010, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for organizing user interfaces, and more particularly to systems and methods for organizing a user interface on a mobile electronic book reader. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    There are several conventional methods of displaying items such as files that were most recently used by a user. For example, word processors traditionally keep track of and are capable of displaying a list of the last few documents on which a user has worked. Web browsers are similarly capable of providing users with a list of the last few websites visited. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a user with a listing of the most recently used or viewed items that is organized by the category of item. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is used in an electronic reader. The menu containing the most recently read items is broken down, by books and periodicals, or by books, newspapers and magazines. The menu displays the most recently read item in each of the categories. In this manner, one category will not dominate over the other categories. 
         [0005]    For example, since a typical reader reads more periodicals than books during a given period, without the present invention, the menu of most recently read items would be dominated by the periodicals. Specifically, as most newspapers are read on a daily basis, the user&#39;s newspaper editions would dominate a “Most Recently Read” list, and the book she has not opened in more than two weeks would easily drop off the list. 
         [0006]    By organizing the most recently read list by category, a user can quickly locate the items she has most recently read. For example, the book she has most recently read is found at the top of the Book category. The magazine she has read is at the top of the Magazine category. The newspaper she has most recently read is at the top of the Newspaper category. The file she has most recently looked at is at the top of the File category. 
         [0007]    As appreciated by those skilled in the art, any number of categories can be established. Multifunctional devices can further include categories such as Music, Video, Audio books. Within music, sub-categories can be established, e.g., Rock, Rap, Blues or Show tunes. Within each of these categories, the most recently listened to material would appear at the top of the category or subcategory list. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    For the purposes of illustrating the present invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred, it being understood however, that the invention is not limited to the precise form shown by the drawing in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system according to the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate the closed and opened state of a menu in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  depict a further example of the closed and opened state of the menu; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a Table illustrating formatting conventions for the display of digital content; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary local device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]      FIG. 1  shows components of digital content control system in which the present invention can operate. User  105  is an authorized user of the digital content control system of the present invention. Many of the functions of digital content control system are carried out on digital content control server  150 . As appreciated by those skilled in the art, many of the functions described herein can be divided between the digital content control server  150  and the user&#39;s local device  130 . Further, as also appreciated by those skilled in the art, digital content control server  150  can be considered a “cloud” with respect to the user  105  and his local device  130 . The cloud can actually be comprised of several servers performing interconnected and distributed functions. The user  105  can connect to the digital content control server  150  via the Internet  140 , a telephone network  145  (e.g., a wireless cellphone network) or other suitable electronic communication channels. User  105  has an account on digital content control server  150 , which authorizes user  105  to use the digital content control system. 
         [0015]    Associated with the user&#39;s  105  account is the user&#39;s  105  digital locker  120  located in a Digital Locker Database  180  on the digital content control server  150 . As further described below, in the preferred embodiment, digital locker  120  contains links to copies of digital content  125  purchased or otherwise legally acquired by user  105 . 
         [0016]    Indicia of rights to all copies of digital content  125  owned by user  105  are stored by reference in digital locker  120 . Digital locker  120  is a remote online repository that is uniquely associated with the user&#39;s  105  account. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, the actual copies of the digital content  125  purchased by user  105  are not necessarily stored in the user&#39;s locker  120 , but rather the locker  120  stores an indication of the rights of the user to the particular content  125  and a link or other reference to the actual digital content  125 . Typically, the actual copy of the digital content  125  is stored in another mass storage (not shown). The digital lockers  120  of all of the users  105  who have purchased a copy of a particular digital content  125  would point to this copy in mass storage. Of course, back up copies of all digital content  125  are maintained for disaster recovery purposes. 
         [0017]    Although only one example of digital content  125  is illustrated in this Figure, it is appreciated that the digital content control server can contain millions of files  125  containing digital content. It is also contemplated that the digital content control server  150  can actually be comprised of several servers with access to a plurality of storage devices containing digital content  125 . As further appreciated by those skilled in the art, in conventional licensing programs, the user does not own the actual copy of the digital content, but has a license to use it. Hereinafter, if reference is made to “owning” the digital content, it is understood what is meant is the license or right to use the content. 
         [0018]    User  105  can access his or her digital locker  120  using a local device  130 . Local device  130  is an electronic device such as a personal computer, an eBook reader, a smart phone or other electronic device that the user  105  can use to access the digital content control server  150 . In a preferred embodiment, the local device  130  has been previously associated or registered with the user&#39;s  105  account using user&#39;s  105  account credentials. Local device  130  provides the capability for user  105  to download the user&#39;s copy of digital content  125  via his or her digital locker  120 . After digital content  125  is downloaded to local device  130 , user  105  can engage with the downloaded content locally, e.g., read the book, listen to the music or watch the video. 
         [0019]    In a preferred embodiment, local device  130  includes a non-browser based user interface subsystem that allows user  105  to initiate the purchase of digital content  125  in a non-browser environment. Through the device interface, the user  105  is automatically connected to the digital content control server  150  in a non-browser based environment. This connection to the digital content control server is a secure interface and can be through the telephone network  145 , typically a wireless cellular network for mobile devices. If user  105  is accessing his or her digital locker  120  using the Internet  140 , local device  130  also includes a web account user interface subsystem. Web account interface provides user  105  with browser-based access to his or her account and digital locker  120  over the Internet  140 . Web interface allows user  105  to initiate the purchase of digital content  125  in a browser based environment. Local device  130  further includes an input output subsystem that provides the interface between the local device  130  and the remote server  150 . Local device  130  also includes an operating system that is operable to control the operations of the local device  130 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  further illustrates the detailed components of digital content control server  150 . Digital content control server  150  handles front-end functions related to web server operations and user interactions with the web and device interfaces in connection with the user&#39;s local devices  130 . Digital content control server  150  also handles all backend functions related to managing accounts, maintaining digital locker records, maintaining content metadata and providing encryption services. 
         [0021]    Digital content control server  150  provides both the browser based web interface and the non browser based device interface. User  105  may engage with the web interface or the device interface to initiate a purchase. 
         [0022]    Digital content control server  150  employs web server  160  including web services interface software  170  to handle interactions between front-end components, such as device interface, web account interface, and web interface, and back-end database components of the system. Web server  160  services include serving up the web pages  165  that comprise the web account interface and the web interface, and the underlying web services associated with the device interface. Web services interface software  170  includes handling users&#39; logins to their accounts and processing the initiation of and response to purchase requests. 
         [0023]    Back-end database components of digital content control server  150  includes customer accounts database  175 , digital lockers database  180 , and content metadata database  135 . Records for users&#39; accounts are stored and managed in customer accounts database  175 . Records for digital lockers  120  are stored and managed in digital lockers database  180 . Content metadata database  135  serves as a source of metadata for individual digital content items  125  in digital content control server  150 . 
         [0024]    Web services interface software  170  in the web server  160  interfaces with customer data services  185  to update customer accounts database  175  and digital lockers database  180 . Customer data services  185  processes database updates such as maintaining and validating customer data in users&#39; accounts. Web services interface software  170  in the web server  160  also interfaces with content encryption services  155  to secure certain communications with local device  130  and to package digital content  125  for secure delivery to user  105 . 
         [0025]    In the preferred embodiment of the invention, digital content control server  150  is an eBook and periodical digital content control system. Although the eBook and digital periodical applications are the preferred embodiment, as appreciated by those skilled in the art, the digital content control server  150  of the present invention is not limited to user  105  purchasing and using eBooks or digital publications. Digital content control server  150  can be used for purchase and use of any digital content, such as digital movies, digital music, digital audio books, digital pictures or other downloadable digital content. 
         [0026]    In the preferred embodiment of the invention, local device  130  is a mobile electronic reader (eReader) device. The embodiment of the invention is not intended to limit local device  130  to a mobile eReader device. Local device  130  may be a desktop personal computer or another type of mobile consumer electronic device, such as, for example, a cell phone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer or other mobile digital device. 
         [0027]    In preferred embodiment, the present invention operates on a user&#39;s local device  130 . The menu or list of the present invention appears on the user interface of device  130 . The ‘Recently Read’ menu has two different basic states, either opened or closed. The closed state menu  210  is illustrated in  FIG. 2A . In a preferred embodiment, the menus of the present invention appear in the corner on a home screen  200  on the device. The home screen  200  can be the basic home screen of the device  130 , the home screen on the native reader application, or the home screen of other applications. 
         [0028]    In the closed state menu  210 , the most recently read item  220  in any category is listed in the menu  210 . In order to open and read this item  220 , the user simply taps (assuming a touch screen) on the item  220  to open it. In a preferred embodiment, the item  220  is opened to the last page that was being viewed by the user  105 . Below the most recently read item  220  is a button  230 , which expands the closed state ‘Recently Read’ menu  210  into the open state menu  240  as illustrated in  FIG. 2B . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 2B , the open, expanded ‘Recently Read’ menu  240  on interface  200  includes categories  250 ,  260 , for different types of materials. Category  250  is the Book category, and lists the book  220  most recently read by the user  105 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2B , only the most recent book read by the user is listed, as it is less likely that the user would have two unfinished books at any given time (as opposed to two or more unfinished newspapers or magazines.) One of the functions of the present invention is to allow the user  105  to easily and quickly locate and open the material that she wants to read. This is most likely the material that she has already started reading. Tapping on the title of the Category, e.g., Books  250  opens the user&#39;s library application on device  130  to the book section, where the user  105  can view of her books. Similarly, tapping on the Periodical  260  link opens the library to the periodical section where the user can view her periodicals. 
         [0030]    In the examples of the items read by user  105  illustrated in  FIG. 2B , a hypothetical user  105  read the following items in the following order over the weekend: 
         [0031]    “Angels &amp; Demons” by Dan Brown 
         [0032]    The New Yorker (April 12) 
         [0033]    The LA Times (April 12) 
         [0034]    The LA Times (April 13) 
         [0035]    PC Magazine (April edition) 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 2B , book  220 , Angels &amp; Demons, is at the top of the list in the Books category  250  as it was the book most recently opened by the user  105 . Similarly, PC Magazine  262  is at the top of the Periodical category  260  as it was most recently read periodical. Below PC Magazine  262  the April 13th issue of the LA Times  264  is listed and then the April 12th edition of the New Yorker Magazine  266 . Although the user  105  read the April 12th issue of the LA Times more recently than the issue of the New Yorker Magazine  266 , in the preferred embodiment, the present invention does not list it on menu  240  since the April 13th issue of the LA Times  264  is already issued. The operating assumption is that the user can use other navigating tools from the April 13th issue of the LA Times  264  or the periodicals section of the library application to gain access to the April 12th issue of the same periodical. For example, the present invention has a “Find related items in the series” search feature. This search feature allows the user, for example, to find yesterday&#39;s newspaper while reading today&#39;s newspaper. 
         [0037]    Button  270  can be used to collapse the open menu  240  back in the closed state  210  as illustrated in  FIG. 2A . Further, tapping any place other than on menu  240  on screen  200  closes menu  240 . 
         [0038]    Continuing with the example of the hypothetical user  105 , this same user continued to read the following items in this order: 
         [0039]    “Open” by Andre Agassi 
         [0040]    “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” by Julia Child 
         [0041]    The New York Times (April 15) 
         [0042]    The San Jose Mercury News (April 15) 
         [0043]    “Act Like a Lady, Think Like A Man” by Steve Harvey 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIG. 3A , in the closed state the user&#39;s ‘Recently Read” menu  210  lists the book  300  “Act Like a Lady, Think Like A Man” by Steve Harvey as it was the last item read by the user  105 . If the user  105  clicks on the expand button  230  on the closed menu  210 , the reading list is expanded as illustrated in  FIG. 3B . As seen in  FIG. 3B , the PC magazine  262  was pushed down in the Periodical category  260  as the user subsequently read the San Jose Mercury News  268  and New York Times  269  newspapers. In the present embodiment, newspapers and magazine are both grouped in the single generic category Periodicals  260 . As described above, the Periodical category  260  can further be broken down into sub-categories such as newspapers and magazines. In one embodiment, the sub-categories are configurable by the user  105 . 
         [0045]    As further shown in  FIG. 3B , the Dan Brown book Angels &amp; Demons ( 220  in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B) was pushed off the list  240  because the user had subsequently opened three other books  300 ,  302 ,  303 . In a preferred embodiment, each of the categories, e.g., Books  250 , Periodicals  260 , has a predefined number of recently read items that it can display. In one embodiment, the number of items that can be displayed is configurable by the user  105 . 
         [0046]    As further shown in  FIG. 3B , the menu  240  also includes a category for Files  310 . This category  310  includes other types of items such as pdf or rtf files or other types of files that can be opened and accessed by the user  105  using the device  130 . 
         [0047]    Some of the rules adopted for formatting the menus  210 ,  240  in a preferred embodiment of the present invention are described in Table  1  illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0048]    The menu of the present invention makes it easy to return to books, magazines, or newspapers last read. The present invention thus prevents periodicals, which tend to be read more frequently, from pushing books off of the ‘Recently Reading Now’ list. 
         [0049]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary local device  130 . As appreciated by those skilled the art, the local device  130  can take many forms capable of operating the present invention. As previously described, in a preferred embodiment the local device  130  is a mobile electronic device, and in an even more preferred embodiment device  130  is an electronic reader device. Electronic device  130  can include control circuitry  500 , storage  510 , memory  520 , input/output (“I/O”) circuitry  530 , communications circuitry  540 , and display  550 . In some embodiments, one or more of the components of electronic device  130  can be combined or omitted, e.g., storage  510  and memory  520  may be combined. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, electronic device  130  can include other components not combined or included in those shown in  FIG. 5 , e.g., a power supply such as a battery, an input mechanism, etc. 
         [0050]    Electronic device  130  can include any suitable type of electronic device. For example, electronic device  130  can include a portable electronic device that the user may hold in his or her hand, such as a digital media player, a personal e-mail device, a personal data assistant (“PDA”), a cellular telephone, a handheld gaming device, a tablet device or an eBook reader. As another example, electronic device  130  can include a larger portable electronic device, such as a laptop computer. As yet another example, electronic device  130  can include a substantially fixed electronic device, such as a desktop computer. 
         [0051]    Control circuitry  500  can include any processing circuitry or processor operative to control the operations and performance of electronic device  130 . For example, control circuitry  500  can be used to run operating system applications, firmware applications, media playback applications, media editing applications, or any other application. Control circuitry  500  can drive the display  550  and process inputs received from a user interface, e.g., the display  550  if it is a touch screen. 
         [0052]    Storage  510  can include, for example, one or more storage mediums including a hard-drive, solid state drive, flash memory, permanent memory such as ROM, any other suitable type of storage component, or any combination thereof. Storage  510  can store, for example, media content, e.g., eBooks, music and video files, application data, e.g., software for implementing functions on electronic device  130 , firmware, user preference information data, e.g., content preferences, authentication information, e.g. libraries of data associated with authorized users, transaction information data, e.g., information such as credit card information, wireless connection information data, e.g., information that can enable electronic device  130  to establish a wireless connection, subscription information data, e.g., information that keeps track of podcasts or television shows or other media a user subscribes to, contact information data, e.g., telephone numbers and email addresses, calendar information data, and any other suitable data or any combination thereof. 
         [0053]    Memory  520  can include cache memory, semi-permanent memory such as RAM, and/or one or more different types of memory used for temporarily storing data. In some embodiments, memory  520  can also be used for storing data used to operate electronic device applications, or any other type of data that can be stored in storage  510 . In some embodiments, memory  520  and storage  510  can be combined as a single storage medium. 
         [0054]    I/O circuitry  530  can be operative to convert, and encode/decode, if necessary analog signals and other signals into digital data. In some embodiments, I/O circuitry  530  can also convert digital data into any other type of signal, and vice-versa. For example, I/O circuitry  530  can receive and convert physical contact inputs, e.g., from a multi-touch screen, i.e., display  550 , physical movements, e.g., from a mouse or sensor, analog audio signals, e.g., from a microphone, or any other input. The digital data can be provided to and received from control circuitry  500 , storage  510 , and memory  520 , or any other component of electronic device  130 . Although I/O circuitry  530  is illustrated in  FIG. 5  as a single component of electronic device  130 , several instances of I/O circuitry  530  can be included in electronic device  130 . 
         [0055]    Electronic device  130  can include any suitable interface or component for allowing a user to provide inputs to I/O circuitry  530 . For example, electronic device  130  can include any suitable input mechanism, such as a button, keypad, dial, a click wheel, or a touch screen, e.g., display  550 . In some embodiments, electronic device  130  can include a capacitive sensing mechanism, or a multi-touch capacitive sensing mechanism. 
         [0056]    In some embodiments, electronic device  130  can include specialized output circuitry associated with output devices such as, for example, one or more audio outputs. The audio output can include one or more speakers, e.g., mono or stereo speakers, built into electronic device  130 , or an audio component that is remotely coupled to electronic device  130 , e.g., a headset, headphones or earbuds that can be coupled to device  130  with a wire or wirelessly. 
         [0057]    Display  550  includes the display and display circuitry for providing a display visible to the user. For example, the display circuitry can include a screen, e.g., an LCD screen, that is incorporated in electronics device  130 . In some embodiments, the display circuitry can include a coder/decoder (Codec) to convert digital media data into analog signals. For example, the display circuitry or other appropriate circuitry within electronic device  1  can include video Codecs, audio Codecs, or any other suitable type of Codec. 
         [0058]    The display circuitry also can include display driver circuitry, circuitry for driving display drivers, or both. The display circuitry can be operative to display content, e.g., media playback information, application screens for applications implemented on the electronic device  130 , information regarding ongoing communications operations, information regarding incoming communications requests, or device operation screens, under the direction of control circuitry  500 . Alternatively, the display circuitry can be operative to provide instructions to a remote display. 
         [0059]    Communications circuitry  540  can include any suitable communications circuitry operative to connect to a communications network and to transmit communications, e.g., data from electronic device  130  to other devices within the communications network. Communications circuitry  540  can be operative to interface with the communications network using any suitable communications protocol such as, for example, Wi-Fi, e.g., a 802.11 protocol, Bluetooth, radio frequency systems, e.g., 900 MHz, 1.4 GHz, and 5.6 GHz communication systems, infrared, GSM, GSM plus EDGE, CDMA, quadband, and other cellular protocols, VOIP, or any other suitable protocol. 
         [0060]    Electronic device  130  can include one more instances of communications circuitry  540  for simultaneously performing several communications operations using different communications networks, although only one is shown in  FIG. 5  to avoid overcomplicating the drawing. For example, electronic device  130  can include a first instance of communications circuitry  540  for communicating over a cellular network, and a second instance of communications circuitry  540  for communicating over Wi-Fi or using Bluetooth. In some embodiments, the same instance of communications circuitry  540  can be operative to provide for communications over several communications networks. 
         [0061]    In some embodiments, electronic device  130  can be coupled a host device such as digital content control server  150  for data transfers, synching the communications device, software or firmware updates, providing performance information to a remote source, e.g., providing riding characteristics to a remote server, or performing any other suitable operation that can require electronic device  130  to be coupled to a host device. Several electronic devices  130  can be coupled to a single host device using the host device as a server. Alternatively or additionally, electronic device  130  can be coupled to several host devices, e.g., for each of the plurality of the host devices to serve as a backup for data stored in electronic device  130 . 
         [0062]    Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and other uses will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the gist and scope of the disclosure.