Abstract:
A system and method for use in connection with a reader for digital publication, such as electronic books, eBooks, or electronic magazines or newspapers. The system and method determines readers that are currently reading a specific section of a specific electronic publication and determines the location of those readers, The system and method then generates a. map, such as an image of the United States of America, or a globe, or even a simple text listing, that illustrates everyone else in a given geographic region (possibly the whole world) that is currently reading, or has recently finished reading, the specific part of the digital publication.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to reading digital publications, and more particularly to systems that allow social interaction of readers of digital publications. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The advent of electronic readers, Which allow user to read books, periodicals, or whatever other material that previously had been available only through printed medium, opens new worlds of opportunity for social interaction regarding the written word. 
         [0003]    SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
         [0004]    The present invention operates in connection with a reader for digital publication, such as electronic books, eBooks, or electronic magazines or newspapers. The invention presents a map, such as an image of the United States of America, or a globe, or even a simple text listing, that illustrates everyone else in a given geographic region (possibly the whole world) that is currently reading, or has recently finished reading, a specific part of the digital publication. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    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: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary system according to the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  depicts an exemplary user interface of the map according to the present invention; and 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates the components of an exemplary device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The invention presents a map on a user&#39;s electronic reader that illustrates, by location, other users who are currently reading, or have just finished reading, a specific part of the book or periodical the user is reading or has read. 
         [0010]    As appreciated by those skilled in the art, the specific process for defining “a specific part” or “just finished” can vary by design. In some embodiments, the specific part could be a passage that the user is reading, or a specific page, or the current chapter, or a recipe in a cook book, or a specific article in a magazine, or anything within a certain distance of the area of the publication that the user currently viewing on her device at the moment. “Just finished” could be defined by a designer as anyone who has arrived at that position in the book within the last minutes and not yet turned past it, or anyone who has turned past that page in the last few minutes, or people who have specifically activated a user interface element indicating that they have finished that passage and wish to see (and be seen by) others who have just finished that passage, among other options. 
         [0011]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide users with varying levels of control, so that a user&#39;s location, reading behavior or any other personal information is not exposed to others without their permission. 
         [0012]    Simply seeing these other people displayed on the map in these other places, and knowing that they are experiencing the same thing at this moment can enhance a user&#39;s reading experience. Additionally, the map of the present invention can be used as a launching point for starting discussions, sharing recommendations, and conducting other interactions with those people who are engaging with the same content at the same time as the user. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows components of a system  100  according to the present invention. User  105  is an authorized user of system  100  and uses her local device  130   a  for the reading of digital content and interacting with other users  109 . Many of the functions of system  100  of the present invention are carried out on server  150 . As appreciated by those skilled in the art, many of the functions described herein can be divided between the server  150  and the user&#39;s local device  130   a.  Further, as also appreciated by those skilled in the art, server  150  can be considered a “cloud” with respect to the user  105  and her local device  130   a.  As further appreciated by those skilled the art, the number of users able to use the system  100  is limited only by the capabilities of the cloud, which is easily configured to accommodate any number of users. The cloud can actually be comprised of several servers performing interconnected and distributed functions, For the sake of simplicity in the present discussion, only a single server  150  will be described. The user  105  can connect to the server  150  via the Internet  140 , a telephone network  145  (e.g., wirelessly through a cellphone network) or other suitable electronic communication means. User  105  has an account on server  150 , which authorizes user  105  to use system  100 . 
         [0014]    Associated with the user&#39;s  105  account is the user&#39;s  105  digital locker  120   a  located on the server  150 . As further described below, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, digital locker  120   a  contains links to copies of digital content  125  previously purchased (or otherwise legally acquired) by user  105 . 
         [0015]    Indicia of rights to all copies of digital content  125  owned by user  105 , including digital content  125 , is stored by reference in digital locker  120   a.  Digital locker  120   a  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  are not necessarily stored in the user&#39;s locker  120   a,  but rather the locker  120   a  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 ,  109  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. Although only one example of digital content  125  is illustrated in this Figure, it is appreciated that the server  150  can contain millions of files  125  containing digital content. It is also contemplated that the 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. 
         [0016]    Also contained in the user&#39;s digital locker  120   a  is her contacts list, in a preferred embodiment, the user&#39;s contact list will also indicate if the contact is also an authorized (registered) user of the system  100  with his or her own account on server  150 . This information can be use by map module  200  to display to a user  105 , her “friends,” contacts that are currently reading a specific piece of material as described herein. 
         [0017]    User  105  can access his or her digital locker  120   a  using a local device  130   a.  Local device  130   a  is an electronic device such as a personal computer, an c-hook reader, a smart phone or other electronic device that the user  105  can use to access the server  150 . In a preferred embodiment, the local device  130   a  has been previously associated, registered, with the user&#39;s  105  account on server  150  using user&#39;s  105  account credentials. Local device  130   a  provides the capability for user  105  to download user&#39;s  105  copy of digital content  125  via his or her digital locker  120   a.  After digital content  125  is downloaded to local device  130   a,  user  105  can engage with the downloaded content locally, e.g., read the book, listen to the music or watch the video. 
         [0018]    In a preferred embodiment, local device  130   a  includes a non-browser based device interface that allows user  105  to initiate the mapping functionality of system  100  in a non-browser environment. Through the device interface, the user  105  is automatically connected to the server  150  in a non-browser based environment. This connection to the server  150  is a secure interface and can be through the telephone network  145 , typically a cellular network for mobile devices. If user  105  is accessing his or her digital locker  120   a  using the Internet  140 , local device  130   a  also includes a web account interface. Web account interface provides user  105  with browser-based access to his or her account and digital locker  120   a  over the Internet  140 . 
         [0019]    User  109  is also an authorized user of system  100 . As with user  105 , user  109  has an account with server  150 , which authorizes user  109  to use system  100 . As appreciated by those skilled in the art, the number of users  105 ,  109  that employ the present invention at the same time is only limited by the scalability of server  150 . As with user  105 , user  109  can access his or her digital locker  120   b  using her local device  130   b.  In a preferred embodiment, local device  130   b  is a device that user  109  has previously associated, registered, with his or her account using user&#39;s  109  account credentials, Local device  130   b  allows user  109  to download copies of his digital content  125  from digital locker  120   b.  User  109  can engage with downloaded digital content  125  locally on local device  130   b.    
         [0020]    In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, local devices  130   a  and  130   b  are capable of supplying enough data to identify their locations, at least approximately. These devices  130   a,    130   b  are often connected to the cloud, most likely wirelessly, especially when using the mapping function of the present invention. Accordingly, the user&#39;s TP addresses or the IDs and strengths of the wireless networks the users can “see” can often be used to identify their approximate locations. However, other ways to locate users are possible, including Global Positioning System, GPS, receivers in some devices  130   a,    130   b.  In an alternative embodiment, the user can specify her location in a user profile contained in her account  120   a,    120   b  in server  150 . 
         [0021]    As users read their digital publications  125 , when they are connected to the server  150 , the local device  130   a,    130   b,  transmits data to the server  150  regarding the user&#39;s geographical location as well as the particular content  125  the user is reading and the exact location within the content  125 , e.g., page, that is being displayed on the device  130   a,    130   b.    
         [0022]    The Map Module  200  in server  150  tracks users, reading positions, and location information, so that it can either construct the “Map of Readers” images (see  FIG. 2 ) on demand for each user, or feed the users&#39; devices  130   a,    130   b  the data that the device  130   a,    130   b  requires to construct the maps locally. 
         [0023]    The Map Module  200  can be designed to filter the data so that a user  105  only sees people that meet certain criteria, such as other people within this person&#39;s social network, e.g., “friends,” or only people who share an interest in certain genres of books, or other criteria. This can help reduce the amount of data delivered to the clients, and reduce the visual “noise” seen by the user  105 . The designer may choose to give each user  105  control over some or all of those filters, such as the ability to only see which of their “friends” or book club mates have reached a given spot in a book. On the other hand, a designer may also choose to let each user  105  see a map of the whole world of all other readers who have reached that spot in the book. 
         [0024]    In an operational example, a user  105  has just finished reading a moving or shocking passage in a novel  125 , or the user  105  is on a particular recipe page in a cookbook  125  and has some questions. The user  105  selects the control, e.g., a button, that displays a pane on the user&#39;s device  130   a  containing a geographic map of other readers who are reading the same passage right now. The control for invoking the present invention can be incorporated into a “Who else is reading this?” option on an existing menu on the device  130   a.  For example, the user  105  could tap center of the screen of the ebook  125  she is reading to bring up the home menu and choose the “Who else is reading this?” selection from the menu. 
         [0025]    Alternatively, a button, icon, can be placed directly on the user&#39;s screen for seeing who else is reading the same content  125 , either in top left of page or somewhere in bottom margin of page. The icon can be toggled as being visible and being hidden, with other tool icons. Another alternative is to use a special gesture such as a two finger tap in the middle of the page of the eBook  125 . 
         [0026]    As appreciated by those skilled in the art, all of the users  105 ,  109  who are displayed on the map are connected to a common sever  150 , network or servers or network, as described above, which allows the users&#39; location to be displayed to others. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  depicts an exemplary map  200  produced by the present invention, It shows a map  200  of users  210  who have recently reached page  237  of the specific book  125  associated with this map  200 . As described above, the information regarding the users&#39; position in the content  125  and location is communicated from the users&#39; devices  130  that are capable of reporting this information to the cloud  150 . The map  200  includes someone named “Matt” in Southern California, someone named “Tina” in Florida, as well as the user  105  herself. 
         [0028]    The map  200  of the present invention can be gently dynamic and display flashing points of light as people enter or leave this specific part of the book, and as they add comments to the discussion. 
         [0029]    As noted above, there are several ways for the system  100  to determine the reader&#39;s approximate location, such as an IP address of the user&#39;s device  130 , or having the user  105  self identify her location, or using subsystems that identify approximate locations based on which wireless signals are visible to the device, a Global Positioning System, GPS, device in the electronic device  130 , or other such mechanisms. 
         [0030]    There are also several ways for the system  100  to define and determine who is reading “this same passage.” This can be a bit complicated given the fact that pagination in an electronic publication can vary depending on font size, device  130  display size, line spacing and a user&#39;s particular device  130 , among other factors. In one embodiment, the user&#39;s device  130  can determine what is the last character displayed on the screen for the page which the user  105  is currently viewing. If this defined as character position “X,” the user  105  wants to see on the map  200  anyone else that is on a page that includes that character position “X,” This definition of “this same passage” means that the other users  210  displayed on the map  200  have read, or are about to read, at least as far as position “X.” 
         [0031]    The present invention allows the user  105  to filter what/who is being displayed on the map  200 . In one embodiment, the user  105  can entirely turn off her visibility, or limit it to just her contacts. The user  105  is able to filter who they see—for example, toggle between “everyone in the world (who has enabled the feature),” “just friends,” “just people in or near my city” or “just people in my book club.” 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  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, 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 this Figure, a power supply such as a battery, an input mechanism, etc. 
         [0033]    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. 
         [0034]    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. 
         [0035]    Map component  505  includes at least the software and hardware for generating the map for display on electronic device  130 , in a preferred embodiment, the map component also includes a UPS receiver as described above, for determining the location of the electronic device  130 . This GPS data can be sent to the remote server  150  to inform the map module ( 200  in  FIG. 1 ) of the location of the electronic device. in an alternative embodiment, the map component  505  can work with the communication circuitry  540  to send the remote server  540  information related to the wireless networks in the vicinity of the electronic device  130 . As described above, the map component can simply display a map that is transmitted from the remote server  150 , or can actually generate the map itself, based on the data sent to it by the remote server  150 . Further, the map component  505  is capable of performing the filtering functions as described above. 
         [0036]    Storage  510  can include, for example, one or more computer readable storage mediums including a hard-drive, solid state drive, flash memory, permanent memory such as ROM, magnetic, optical, semiconductor, paper, or 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. The instructions for implementing the functions of the present invention may, as non-limiting examples, comprise software and/or scripts stored in the computer-readable media  510   
         [0037]    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. 
         [0038]    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,  10  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  10  circuitry  530  is illustrated in this Figure as a single component of electronic device  130 , several instances of I/O circuitry  530  can be included in electronic device  130 . 
         [0039]    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, display  550 . In some embodiments, electronic device  130  can include a capacitive sensing mechanism, or a multi-touch capacitive sensing mechanism. 
         [0040]    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. 
         [0041]    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. 
         [0042]    The display circuitry also can include display driver circuitry, circuitry for driving display drivers, or both. The display circuitry can he 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 he operative to provide instructions to a remote display. 
         [0043]    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. 
         [0044]    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 this Figure 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. 
         [0045]    In some embodiments, electronic device  130  can be coupled to 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 . 
         [0046]    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.