Patent Publication Number: US-2016232135-A1

Title: Method and system for digital bookmark effecting e-book content repagination

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Examples described herein relate to a system and method for operating a computing device in effecting repagination of content within an e-book. 
     BACKGROUND 
     An electronic personal display is a mobile computing device that displays information to a user, While an electronic personal display may be capable of many of the functions of a personal computer, a user can typically interact directly with an electronic personal display without the use of a keyboard that is separate from, or coupled to, but distinct from the electronic personal display itself. Some examples of electronic personal displays include mobile digital devices/tablet computers and electronic readers (e-readers) such (e.g., Apple iPad®, Microsoft® Surface™, Samsung Galaxy Tab® and the like), handheld multimedia smartphones (e.g., Apple iPhone®, Samsung Galaxy S®, and the like), and handheld electronic readers (e.g., Amazon Kindle®, Barnes and Noble Nook®, Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Aura H2O, Kobo GLO and the like). 
     Some electronic personal display devices are purpose built devices designed to perform especially well at displaying digitally stored content for reading or viewing thereon. For example, a purpose build device may include a display that reduces glare, performs well in high lighting conditions, and/or mimics the look of text as presented via actual discrete pages of paper. While such purpose built devices may excel at displaying content for a user to read, they may also perform other functions, such as displaying images, emitting audio, recording audio, and web surfing, among others. 
     Electronic personal displays are among numerous kinds of consumer devices that can receive services and utilize resources across a network service. Such devices can operate applications or provide other functionality that links a device to a particular account of a specific service. For example, the electronic reader (e-reader) devices typically link to an online bookstore, and media playback devices often include applications that enable the user to access an online media electronic library (or e-library). In this context, the user accounts can enable the user to receive the full benefit and functionality of the device. 
     Yet further, such devices may incorporate a touch screen display having integrated touch sensors and touch sensing functionality, whereby user input commands via touch-based gestures are received thereon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate various embodiments and, together with the Description of Embodiments, serve to explain principles discussed below, The drawings referred to in this brief description of the drawings should not be understood as being drawn to scale unless specifically noted. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a system utilizing applications and providing e-book services on a computing device configured for operation in effecting a repagination of an e-book, in an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic architecture of a computing device configured for operation in effecting a repagination of an e-book, according to an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 3 a -3 c    illustrate example embodiments for operation in effecting a repagination of e-book. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a method for operation in effecting a repagination of an e-book, according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     “E-books” are a form of electronic publication content stored in digital format in a computer non-transitory memory, viewable on a computing device having display functionality. An e-book can correspond to, or mimic, the paginated format of a printed publication for viewing, such as provided by printed literary works (e.g., novels) and periodicals (e.g., magazines, comic books, journals, etc.). Optionally, some e-books may have chapter designations, as well as content that corresponds to graphics or images (e.g., such as in the case of magazines or comic books). Multi-function devices, such as cellular-telephony or messaging devices, can utilize specialized applications (e.g., specialized e-reading application software) to view e-books in a format that mimics the paginated printed publication. Still further, some devices (sometimes labeled as “e-readers”) can display digitally-stored content in a more reading-centric manner, while also providing, via a user input interface, the ability to manipulate that content for viewing, such as via. discrete pages arranged sequentially (that is, pagination) corresponding to an intended or natural reading progression, or flow, of the content therein. 
     An “e-reading device”, variously referred to herein as an electronic personal display or mobile computing device, can refer to any computing device that can display or otherwise render an e-book. By way of example, an e-reading device can include a mobile computing device on which an e-reading application can be executed to render content that includes e-books (e.g., comic books, magazines, etc.). Such mobile computing devices can include, for example, a multi-functional computing device for cellular telephony/messaging (e.g., feature phone or smart phone), a tablet computer device, an ultra-mobile computing device, or a wearable computing device with a form factor of a wearable accessory device (e.g., smart watch or bracelet, glass-wear integrated with a computing device, etc.). As another example, an e-reading device can include an e-reader device, such as a purpose-built device that is optimized for an e-reading experience (e.g., with E-ink displays). 
     While conventional physical paper books typically include a fixedly-configured table of contents page(s) intended to assist a user or observer to locate a desired portion or page of the book for reading, a digitally rendered e-book may be configured in other, more fluid arrangements that allow alternative ways for a user to conveniently access a particular content portion or page of the e-book. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a system  100  for utilizing applications and providing e-book services on a computing device configured for operation of a time-release-based e-book gifting scheme, according to an embodiment. In an example of  FIG. 1 , system  100  includes an electronic personal display device, shown by way of example as e-reading device  110 , and a network service  121 . The network service  121  can include multiple servers and other computing resources that provide various services in connection with one or more applications that are installed on the e-reading device  110 . By way of example, in one implementation, the network service  121  can provide e-book services that communicate with the e-reading device  110 . The e-book services provided through network service  121  can, for example, include services in which e-books are sold, shared, downloaded and/or stored. More generally, the network service  121  can provide various other content services, including content rendering services (e.g., streaming media) or other network application environments or services. 
     The e-reading device  110  can correspond to any electronic personal display device on which applications and application resources (e.g., e-books, media files, documents) can be rendered and consumed. For example, the e-reading device  110  can correspond to a tablet or a telephony/messaging device (e.g., smart phone). In one implementation, for example, e-reading device  110  can run an e-reader application that links the device to the network service  121  and enables e-books provided through the service to be viewed and consumed by way of e-reading. In another implementation, the e-reading device  110  can run a media playback or streaming application that receives files or streaming data from the network service  121 . By way of example, the e-reading device  110  can be equipped with hardware and software to optimize certain application activities, such as reading electronic content (e.g., e-books). For example, the e-reading device  110  can have a tablet-like form factor, although variations are possible. In some cases, the c-reading device  110  can also have an E-ink display. 
     In additional detail, the network service  121  can include a device interface  128 , a content store server  122 , and a user account electronic library (e-library)  124  storing e-books or digital content items. In some embodiments, content store server  122  and user account e-library may be implemented via server computing devices, as well as a server cloud computing system. Content store server  122  may be an online store for purchasing of digital content items for download therefrom onto a resident memory of a e-reading device  110  and/or user account e-library  124 . User account e-library  124  associates the e-reading device  110  with a user having a account  123 . The account  123  can also be associated with ownership of, and/or accessibility to, one or more digital content items stored in content store server  122 . In one embodiment, the digital content items are e-books, and the content store server  122  is an online store having e-books for purchase or other licensed use. The device interface  128  can handle requests from the e-reading device  110  with regard to services and functionality of the network service  121 . The device interface  128  can utilize information provided with user account  123  in order to enable services, such as purchasing and downloading of e-books into user account e-library  124 , and determining what e-books and content items providable via content store server  122  are associated with, and accessible to, user account  123 . Additionally, the device interface  128  can provide the e-reading device  110  with access to the on-line content store server  122 . The device interface  128  can handle input to identify content items (e.g., e-books), and further to associate content items to account  123  of the user e-library  124 . 
     Yet further, content store server  122  and user account e-library  124  can retain metadata for individual accounts  123  to identify e-books or other digital content items that have been purchased or made available for consumption for a given account Thus, information relating to e-books within user account e-library  124  can include a metadata set in addition to substantive digital text and image content portions. The metadata set can include, for example, information such as the graphic representation of the e-book, such as including artwork- or image-based representation of a counterpart physical paper book cover, as well as summary information, author information, title, short synapse or book review, publication date and language of the e-book, and book or volume series information. 
     The e-reading device  110 , interchangeably referred to as display device  110  herein, may be associated with the user account  123 , and in fact multiple such display devices may be associated with a same account. As described in greater detail below, e-reading device  110  can locally store content items (e.g., e-books) that are purchased or otherwise made available to the user of the e-reading device  110  as well as to archive, in user account  124 , e-books and other digital content items that have been purchased for the user account  123 , but are not necessarily stored in local resident memory at display device  110 . 
     With reference to an example of  FIG. 1 , e-reading device  110  can include a touchscreen display  116 . In an embodiment, the display screen  116  is touch-sensitive, to process touch inputs including gestures (e.g., swipes). For example, the display screen  116  may be integrated with one or more touch sensors to provide a touch-sensing region on a surface of the display screen  116 . For some embodiments, the one or more touch sensors may include capacitive sensors that can sense or detect a human body&#39;s capacitance as input. In the example of  FIG. 1 , the touch-sensing region coincides with a substantial surface area, if not all, of the display screen  116 . 
     In some embodiments, the e-reading device  110  includes features for providing functionality related to displaying paginated content, including paginated content comprising an e-magazine or e-comic book. The e-reading device  110  can include page transitioning logic, which enables the user to transition through paginated content. The e-reading device  110  can display pages of e-books, e-magazines and e-comics, and enable the user to transition from one page state to another. In particular, an e-book can provide content that is rendered sequentially in pages, and the e-book can display page states in the form of single pages, multiple pages or portions thereof. Accordingly, a given page state can coincide with, for example, a single page, or two or more pages displayed at once. The page transitioning logic can operate to enable the user to transition from a given page state to another page state in the specific example embodiment where a given page state coincides with a single page, for instance, each page state corresponding to one page of the digitally constructed, ordered sequence of pages paginated to comprise, in one embodiment, an e-book. In some implementations, the page transitioning logic enables single page transitions, chapter transitions, or cluster transitions (multiple pages at one time). 
     According to some embodiments, the e-reading device  110  includes display sensor logic to detect and interpret user input or user input commands made through interaction with the touch sensors. By way of example, display sensor logic can detect a user making contact with the touch-sensing region of the display screen  116 , otherwise known as a touch event. More specifically, display sensor logic can detect a touch events also referred to herein as a tap, an initial tap held in contact with display screen  116  for longer than some pre-defined threshold duration of time (otherwise known as a “long press” or a “long touch”), multiple taps performed either sequentially or generally simultaneously, swiping gesture actions made through user interaction with the touch sensing region of the display screen  116 , or any combination of these gesture actions. Although referred to herein as a “touch” or a tap, it should be appreciated that in some design implementations, sufficient proximity to the screen surface, even without actual physical contact, may register a “contact” or a “touch event”. Furthermore, display sensor logic can interpret such interactions in a variety of ways. For example, each such interaction may be interpreted as a particular type of user input associated with a respective input command, execution of which may trigger a change in state of display  116 . 
     Bookmark invocation logic module  120  provides functionality, via display screen  116  of display device  110 , for selecting a content portion, such as a sentence, word or phrase, within a digitally rendered page of e-book content, with an intention of placing or invoking a digital bookmark for association therewith. Content repagination logic  125  provides functionality for repaginating the digital pages of the e-book for presentation of content in a different manner within the displayed pages of e-book, as will be described further in regard to  FIGS. 2-4 . 
     Bookmark invocation logic module  120  and content repagination logic  125  can be implemented as software modules comprising instructions stored in a memory of a computing device, such as content store server  122  and/or display device  110 . In one or more embodiments of bookmark invocation logic module  120 , and content repagination logic module  125  described herein may be implemented using programmatic modules or components. A programmatic module or component may include a program, a subroutine, a portion of a program, or a software or a hardware component capable of performing one or more stated tasks or functions in conjunction with one or more processors. As used herein, a module or component can exist on a hardware component independently of other modules or components. Alternatively, a module or component can be a shared element or process of other modules, programs and hardware components. 
     Furthermore, the one or more embodiments of bookmark invocation logic module  120  and content repagination logic module  125  described herein may be implemented through instructions that are executable by one or more processors. These instructions may be stored on a computer-readable non-transitory medium. In particular, the numerous computing and communication devices shown with embodiments of the invention include processor(s) and various forms of computer memory, including volatile and non-volatile forms, storing data and instructions. Examples of computer-readable mediums include permanent memory storage devices, such as hard drives on personal computers or servers. Other examples of computer storage mediums include portable storage units, flash or solid-state memory (such as included on many cell phones and consumer electronic devices) and magnetic memory. Computers, terminals, network enabled devices (e.g., mobile devices such as cell phones and wearable computers) are all examples of machines and devices that utilize processors, memory, and instructions stored on computer-readable mediums. Additionally, embodiments may be implemented in the form of computer-programs, or a computer usable storage medium capable of storing such a program. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic architecture of a computing device configured for operation of an excerpting interface for apportioned content of an e-book, according to an embodiment. 
     E-reading device  110  further includes processor  210 , a memory  250  storing instructions and logic pertaining at least to content repagination logic  125  and bookmark invocation logic module  120 . 
     Processor  210  can implement functionality using the logic and instructions stored in memory  250 . Additionally, in some implementations, processor  210  communicates with the network service  121  (see  FIG. 1 ). More specifically, the e-reading device  110  can access the network service  121  to receive various kinds of resources (e.g., digital content items such as e-books, configuration files, account information), as well as to provide information (e.g., user account information, service requests etc.). For example, e-reading device  110  can receive application resources, such as e-books or media files, that the user elects to purchase or otherwise download via the network service  121 . The application resources that are downloaded onto the e-reading device  110  can be stored in memory  250 . 
     In some implementations, display  116  can correspond to, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or light emitting diode (LED) display that illuminates in order to provide content generated from processor  210 . In some implementations, display  116  can be touch-sensitive. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of the touch sensor components may be integrated with display  116 , In other embodiments, the touch sensor components may be provided (e.g., as a layer) above or below display  116  such that individual touch sensor components track different regions of display  116 . Further, in some variations, display  116  can correspond to an electronic paper type display, which mimics conventional paper in the manner in which content is displayed. Examples of such display technologies include electrophoretic displays, electro-wetting displays, and electro-fluidic displays. 
     Processor  210  can receive input from various sources, including touch sensor components at display  116 , keystroke input  209  such as from a virtual or rendered keyboard, and other input mechanisms  299  (e.g., buttons, mouse, microphone, etc.). With reference to examples described herein, processor  210  can respond to input detected at the touch sensor components. In some embodiments, processor  210  responds to inputs from the touch sensor components in order to facilitate or enhance e-book activities such as generating e-book content on display  116 , performing page transitions of the displayed e-book content, powering off the device  110  and/or display  116 , activating a screen saver, launching or closing an application, and/or otherwise altering a state of display  116 . 
     In some embodiments, memory  250  may store display sensor logic that monitors for user interactions detected through the touch sensor components, and further processes the user interactions as a particular input or type of input. In an alternative embodiment, display sensor logic module may be integrated with the touch sensor components. For example, the touch sensor components can be provided as a modular component that includes integrated circuits or other hardware logic, and such resources can provide some or all of display sensor logic. In variations, some or all of display sensor logic may be implemented with processor  210  (which utilizes instructions stored in memory  250 ), or with an alternative processing resource. 
     E-reading device  110  further includes wireless connectivity subsystem  213 , comprising a wireless communication receiver, a transmitter, and associated components, such as one or more embedded or internal antenna elements, local oscillators, and a processing module such as a digital signal processor (DSP) (not shown). As will be apparent to those skilled in the field of communications, the particular design of wireless connectivity subsystem  213  depends on the communication network in which display device  110  is intended to operate, such as in accordance with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC) communication protocols, and the like. 
     Bookmark invocation logic module  120  can be implemented as a software module, comprising instructions stored in memory  250 , on mobile display device  110 . In one implementation, the local memory  250  can include records for each e-book in the user&#39;s e-library account  124 , each record include metadata of the e-books therein. The user may have the content portion of select e-books archived remotely at a computer server cloud system, so as not to reside in the local memory  250 , but be provided by the network service  121  upon request or as needed. 
       FIGS. 3 a -3 c    depict various example embodiments operation in effecting a repagination of un e-book content of an e-book in conjunction with a digital bookmark placement. Bookmark invocation logic module  120  in conjunction with content repagination logic  125  function, at least in part, to provide an interface, via display screen  116  of display device  110 , for selecting content portions of an e-book content page  301  under display at display screen  116 , and effecting a repagination of the original sequence of digital pages of the e-book for presentation, as will be described further in regard to  FIGS. 2-4 . 
       FIG. 3 a    illustrates a view of a digitally constructed current page  301  of e-book content rendered within display screen  116  of e-reading display device  110 . A may user decide to discontinue e-reading and place a digital bookmark at their most recently read position within current page  301  that will later enable them to seamless continue reading without having to mentally keep track of their of their last-read line, for instance. Various selection means may be used to identify their last read content portion  302  for bookmarking within the current page  301 , such as by highlighting the desired content portion  302  at which e-reading is being discontinued then invoking a menu or sub-menu of bookmarking command options, The highlight action may be from an observer&#39;s finger, thumb or a stylus device, superposed upon a touchscreen embodiment of display  116 , sensed via touch sensors thereon. White bookmark content portion  302  is depicted in FIG. la as a sentence portion, it is contemplated that other variations may be applied, including a last-read word or term, a particular last-read line, or even a last-read complete sentence. Also depicted is following content portion  303  that immediately follows bookmark content portion  302  within current page  301 , Bookmark invocation logic  120  keeps track of digital bookmark content portion  302  as placed by a user, and also following content portion  303  within e-book content page  301 . 
       FIG. 3 b    illustrates a view within display screen  116  where the pages of the e-book content have been repaginated to generate a re-constructed current page  301   b  showing following content  303  at the beginning of repaginated current page  301   b . Content repagination logic module  125  monitors for receipt of any bookmarking placement actions at e-book content pages rendered on display screen  116  of e-reading device  110 , and initiates repagination of e-book pages for display accordingly as described. As part of the content repagination, text from and subsequent to following content portion  303  of current page  301  current page is reflowed onto repaginated current page  301   b . In this manner the lines of text content are repaginated to reflow, or line-wrap, over into respective next pages in the ordered sequence of digital pages comprising the e-book content, while maintaining text attributes such as font size, text spacing, word spacing, etc. for continuity in reading by the observer. 
       FIG. 3 c    illustrates, in an alternate embodiment, repaginated current page  301   c  wherein the bookmark content portion  302  may be provided for the viewer&#39;s convenience and continuity of the reading experience at the very beginning of the repaginated current page  301   c,  just before following content portion  303 . Bookmarked content portion  302  may be rendered visually different from remainder content of repaginated current page  301   c,  such as by color, shading, illumination or brightness, text font size of included text, or any combination thereof. 
     In this manner, bookmark invocation logic  120  operates in conjunction with content repagination logic module  125  to repaginate digitally constructed e-book pages subsequent to a digital bookmark placement at a content portion of a displayed page of e-book content, whereupon the above described repagination of current page text content conceivably ripples throughout a series of following or subsequent digitally constructed pages of the e-book being viewed or read serially in progression. 
     Next with reference to  FIG. 4 , illustrated is a method for operation in configuring and launching an e-book reading interface on a computer device having a touchscreen display, according to an embodiment. In describing the example of  FIG. 4 , reference will be made to components such as described with regard to  FIGS. 1 through 3   a - 3   c  for purposes of illustrating components for performing a step or sub-step as described. 
     At  401 , one embodiment receives a request for placement of a digital bookmark at a content portion  302  within a current page  301  of the e-book content rendered at the display screen  116 . In addition, the bookmarking of the content portion is performed. 
     At  402 , one embodiment repaginates the current page  301   b,    301   c  based on a location of the bookmarked content portion  302  within the current page  301 . 
     At  403 , one embodiment terminates display of the e-book content at the display screen  116 . 
     At  404 , one embodiment renders the repaginated current page  301   b,    301   c  at the display screen  116  upon resumption of display of the e-book content. 
     Although illustrative embodiments have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, variations to specific embodiments and details are contemplated and encompassed by this disclosure. For instance, with regard to  FIG. 4  as described above, it is contemplated that step  403  may alternatively be performed before step  402 , in a variation embodiment. It is intended that the scope of embodiments described herein be defined by claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, it is contemplated that a particular feature described, either individually or as part of an embodiment, can be combined with other individually described features, or parts of other embodiments. Thus, absence of describing combinations should not preclude the inventor(s) from claiming rights to such combinations.