Patent Publication Number: US-2016231921-A1

Title: Method and system for reading progress indicator with page resume demarcation

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Examples described herein relate to a system and method for deploying an ancillary display screen of an electronic personal display device in a persistent rendering of e-reading information. 
     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 display devices 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. 
         FIGS. 1A, 1B  illustrate a computing device configured for deploying an ancillary display screen in a persistent rendering of reading progress including a page-resume demarcation, in an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic architecture of a computing device configured for deploying an ancillary display screen in a persistent rendering of reading progress including a page-resume demarcation, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an example embodiment in an alternate view of a computing device for deploying an ancillary display screen in a persistent rendering of reading progress including a page-resume demarcation. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a method for operating a computing device to deploy an ancillary display screen in a persistent rendering of reading progress including a page-resume demarcation, 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 engaged in an immersive e-reading experience, a combination of factors such as ambient lighting brightness, reflection and glare from the display screen while viewing displayed content may significantly affect reading comfort and enjoyment of the user&#39;s reading experience. A user should ideally be able to read comfortably for extended periods of time on the device display screen, to provide a digital reading experience that is comparable to the natural convenience of reading a physical paper book. It would be further preferable that a display screen should consume relatively minimal device battery power, to enable reading for lengthy, immersive periods without having to recharge the device battery. 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates a system  100  for utilizing applications and providing e-book services on a computing device, according to an embodiment. In an example of  FIG. 1A , system  100  includes an electronic personal display device, shown by way of example as an e-reading device  110 , and a network service  120 . The network service  120  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  120  can provide e-book services in communication with e-reading device  110 . The e-book services provided through network service  120  can, for example, include services in which e-books are sold, shared, downloaded or stored. More generally, the network service  120  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 digital content items (e.g., e-books, media files, documents) can be rendered for consumption. 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  120  and enables e-books provided through the service to be viewed and consumed. 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  120 . 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 e-reading device  110  can also have an e-ink display. 
     In additional detail, the network service  120  can include a device interface  128 , a resource store  122  and a user e-library  124 . User e-library  124  can associate e-reading device  110  with a user and with account  125 . Account  125  can also be associated with one or more application resources (e.g., e-books), which can be stored in user electronic library (e-library)  124  containing digital content items. The user account  125  in this manner is associated with ownership of, and accessibility to, one or more e-books and digital content items stored in e-library  124 . The device interface  128  can handle requests from the e-reading device  110 , and further interface the requests of the device with services and functionality of the network service  120 . The device interface  128  can utilize information provided with user account  125  in order to enable services, such as purchasing downloads of content or determining what e-books and content items are associated with the user device. Additionally, the device interface  128  can provide the e-reading device  110  with access to the content store  122 , which can include, for example, an online store. The device interface  128  can handle input to identify content items (e.g., e-books), and further to link content items to the account  125  of the user. 
     Yet further, user e-library  124  can retain metadata for individual accounts  125  to identify resources or content that have been purchased or made available for consumption for a given account. The e-reading device  110  may be associated with the user account  125 , and multiple devices may be associated with the same account. As described in greater detail below, the e-reading device  110  can store digital 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 e-books and other digital content items that have been purchased for the user account  125  and are not stored on a particular computing device, but rather at a user&#39;s e-library  124  which may be hosted at a remote, cloud-based server system. 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates mobile computing device  110 , in one embodiment, configured for operation of a primary display screen  116  and ancillary display screen  117 . In the example of  FIG. 1 , computing device  110  comprises an electronic personal display device, shown by way of example as e-reading device  110 . The terms e-reading device, computing device and electronic personal display device are used interchangeably herein. In some cases, display screen  116  of e-reading device  110  may be a liquid crystal display and ancillary display screen  117  may be an e-ink display or bi-stable display. Ancillary display screen  117  may disposed on an edge surface of computing device  110 , generally in an orthogonal plane, or substantially orthogonal plane, relative to the front housing face that includes primary display screen  116 . While ancillary display screen  117  is depicted as located on a side edge surface of computing device  110  in  FIG. 1B , it is contemplated that ancillary display screen  117  may be located along a top edge surface, a bottom edge surface, or an oppositely disposed side edge surface in other embodiments. In yet further embodiments, ancillary display screen  117  may also be a continuous part of primary display screen  116 , but separately operable by being separately electrically functioning such part thereof within computing device  110 . 
     Further with reference to an example depiction of  FIG. 1B , the display screens  116 ,  117  may be touch-sensitive, to process touch inputs including gestures, e.g., a swipe gesture comprising a sustained touch while moving along a particular direction upon the touchscreen surface). For example, the display screens  116 ,  117  may be integrated with one or more touch sensors to provide a touch-sensing region on their respective display surfaces. 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. 1B , the touch-sensing region coincides with a substantial surface area, if not all, of the display screens  116 ,  117  respectively. 
     In some embodiments, the e-reading device  110  includes features for providing functionality related to displaying paginated content. The e-reading device  110  can include page transition logic which enables the user to transition through paginated content. The e-reading device  110  can display pages from e-books, and enable the user to transition from one page state to another, including advancing forward or backward within the pages of e-book content. In particular, an e-book can provide content that is rendered according to a sequence of digitally constructed pages, and the e-book can display page states in the form of single pages, multiple pages or portions thereof. In alternate embodiments, the e-book may be an e-magazine or an e-comic book, wherein each of the digitally constructed pages includes several distinctive panels or frames of text and/or images, and reading progression within a page may include navigating in sequential steps from one such panel or frame to another within a same page. 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 some implementations, the page transitioning logic enables single page transitions, chapter transitions, or cluster transitions (multiple pages at one time) within the sequence of digitally constructed pages comprising the e-book. 
     The page transitioning logic can be responsive to various kinds of interfaces and actions in order to enable page transitioning. In one implementation, the user can signal a page transition event to transition page states by, for example, interacting with the touch-sensing region of the display screens  116 ,  117  of electronic personal display device  110 . For example, the user may swipe the surface of the display screens  116 ,  117  in a particular direction (e.g., up, down, left, or right) to indicate a sequential direction of a page transition. In variations, the user can specify different kinds of page transitioning input (e.g., single page turns, multiple page turns, chapter turns, etc.) through different kinds of input. Additionally, the page turn input of the user can be provided with a magnitude to indicate a magnitude (e.g., number of pages) in the transition of the page state. For example, a user can touch and hold the surface of the display screen  116  in order to cause a cluster or chapter page state transition, while a tap (as distinguished from a directional swipe, in an embodiment) in the same region can effect a single page state transition (e.g., from one page to the next in sequence). In another example, a user can specify page turns of different kinds or magnitudes through single taps, sequenced taps or patterned taps on the touch sensing region of the display screens  116 ,  117 . 
     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 of display screens  116 ,  117 . By way of example, display sensor logic can detect a user making contact with the touch-sensing region of the display screens  116 ,  117 , otherwise referred to herein as a touch event. More specifically, display sensor logic can detect a touch event also referred to herein as a tap, an initial tap held in contact at display screens  116 ,  117  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 screens  116 ,  117  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, just short of 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 at touchscreen displays  116 ,  117 . 
     Reading progress indicator logic module  115  provides, in an embodiment, for tracking unfinished versus finished pages or content portions of an e-book being read via primary screen display  116 . Reading progress indicator logic module  115  further provides for display of a visual representation, via ancillary display screen  117 , of the same unfinished versus finished e-content portions of an e-book being read, including a demarcation cue separating those portions. In one embodiment, the demarcation cue may function as a digital intra-page bookmark for the last or current page being read at the time the e-book was closed, or reading otherwise terminated. 
     Bookmark invocation logic module  119  includes logic providing, in part, to accomplish activation of device  110  for resumption of e-reading of a given e-book, once a displayed bookmark is invoked. Yet further, bookmark invocation logic module  119  includes logic whereby display screen  117  continues to operate in displaying reading progress indicia even when primary display  116  is de-activated, or even when computing device  110  is partially powered-off with the exclusion of electrical power being supplied to secondary display  117  albeit at a very low power depletion rate. 
     Bookmark invocation logic module  119  and reading progress indicator logic module  115  can be implemented as software modules comprising instructions stored in a memory of a computing device such as electronic personal display device  110 . One or more embodiments of bookmark invocation logic module  119  and/or reading progress indicator logic module  115  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  119  and reading progress indicator logic module  115  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. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , illustrated is a schematic architecture of a computing device  110  configured for deploying an ancillary display screen in a persistent rendering of reading progress including a page-resume demarcation, according to an embodiment. 
     E-reading device  110  further includes processor  210 , a memory  250  storing instructions and logic pertaining at least to display sensor logic, bookmark invocation logic module  119  and reading progress indicator logic module  115 . 
     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. More specifically, the e-reading device  110  can access the network service 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 a network service. The application resources, including e-books having content organized as a series of digitally constructed pages, that are downloaded onto the e-reading device  110  can be stored in memory  250 . 
     In some implementations, primary display screen  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 . 
     Ancillary display  117 , in one embodiment of computing device  110 , can correspond to an electronic paper type display, such as an e-ink or bi-stable display that mimics conventional paper in the manner in which content is displayed. Typically, e-ink displays are more suited to e-reading under extreme ambient lighting conditions, such as very bright daylight or in near-darkness at bedtime, for long, immersive periods, resulting is less eye strain as compared to reading, for example, on an LCD display screen. Examples of such electronic paper display technologies include electrophoretic displays, electro-wetting displays, and electro-fluidic displays. Ancillary display  117  can also be touch-sensitive; for example, in some embodiments, one or more of the touch sensor components may be integrated with display  117 , providing touch screen capability. Yet further, e-ink displays embodied in ancillary display  117  consume relatively very minimal device battery power in comparison with, for example, an LCD display used in primary display screen  116 . In some cases, e-ink displays consume computing device battery power at a less than 10 percent rate as compared to consumption of an LCD primary screen. For yet this additional reason, an e-ink screen as embodied in ancillary display screen  117  would be very desirable for use as an “always-on” display, even during periods of inactivity between active reading sessions via e-reading device  110 , or even when primary screen display  116  is in a power-off state. 
     Processor  210  can receive input from various sources, including touch sensor components at displays  116 ,  117 , 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 displays  116 ,  117 , performing page transitions of the displayed e-book content, powering off the device  110  and/or displays  116 ,  117 , activating a screen saver, launching or closing an application, and/or otherwise altering a state of displays  116 ,  117 . 
     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  119  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. 
     Next, in reference to  FIG. 3 , depicted is an example embodiment in alternate view  310  of computing device  110  deploying ancillary display screen  117  in a persistent rendering of reading progress indicium portions  315   a  and  315   b  (collectively referred to as reading progress indicium  315  herein) and also including a page-resume demarcation cue  316 . 
     In this case depicted, ancillary display screen  117  is disposed on an edge surface of computing device  110 , generally in an orthogonal plane, or substantially orthogonal plane, relative to the front housing face that includes primary display screen  116 . 
     At a current page of the e-book rendered upon the primary touch screen display for e-reading, upon receiving a command terminating display of the e-book content, current page  311  is disposed between a start page and an end page of the series of pages of the e-book, depending on how far the user has read. Reading progress indicator logic module  115  operates in conjunction with bookmark invocation logic module  119  to display e-book information such as a current page  311  at which e-reading has been terminated, within reading progress indicium  315  rendered along a longitudinal axis of ancillary display screen  117 . Similarly, other information specific to the c-book in progress may be depicted along reading progress indicium  315 , such as e-book title  312 , an author name for the c-book, and the like. In an embodiment, the length of reading progress indicium  316  may represent the total number of pages, or words, of the e-book. Accordingly, finished portion of e-book content  315   a  may be proportionally represented relative to unfinished, yet-to-be read portion  316   a , giving the reader a qualitative representation of their reading progress in the reading session currently underway or recently terminated. For instance, if the book titled “Moby Dick” is 150 pages as digitally rendered via the e-book, and the user is at page  50 , then finished portion  315   a  will be rendered one-half as long as unfinished portion  315   b  within or along the length of reading progress indicium  315 . 
     Yet further, demarcation cue  316  representative of the current page where reading is terminated from may be rendered in position along the reading progress indicium  315  in accordance with the order of the current page  311  within the series of pages of the e-book. 
     Optionally, upon terminating display of the c-book content for reading at primary display  116 , and upon displaying reading progress indicator  315  on ancillary display  117 , primary display screen  116  may be de-activated into a lower power mode, such as a sleep mode or power-off mode, for power conservation benefits. However, indicium  315  and demarcation cue  316  may be rendered in a continued and persistent manner at ancillary display screen  117 . Yet further, upon receiving a touch gesture action enacted upon the demarcation cue  316 , the e-book may be open or launched for resumption of reading at the page bookmarked via demarcation cue  316 , whereupon the current page is displayed at the primary touchscreen display  116  for resumption of reading. 
     Next with reference to  FIG. 4 , illustrated is a method for operating computing device  110  to deploy ancillary display screen  117  in a persistent rendering of reading progress indicium  315  including page-resume demarcation cue  316 , 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 a , 1 b    through  3  for purposes of illustrating components for performing a step or sub-step as described. 
     At step  401 , at a current page of the e-book rendered upon the primary touch screen display  116 , receiving a command terminating display of the e-book content for reading thereon, the current page being an intermediate one of the series of pages of the e-book. 
     At step  402 , displaying an indicium  315  of a totality of the series of pages of the e-book along a substantial length of the ancillary touch screen display  117 . 
     At step  403 , rendering a demarcation cue  316  representative of the current page within the indicium  315  of the totality of pages, the demarcation cue  316  being positioned along the indicium  315  in accordance with an order of the current page within the series of pages of the e-book. 
     Yet further, once a user exits the reading experience, and primary display screen  116  is de-activated, powered-off or transitioned to a sleep mode, it is contemplated that ancillary display screen  117  may remain persistently in the activated state, for continued rendering of the reading progress indicium  315  thereon. Analogous to a reader viewing a spine of conventional paper book they&#39;ve just closed (or are about to open again) for confirmation regarding that specific book, such a persistently-on state of ancillary screen  117  enables a user to view their e-book reading information as portrayed by the reading progress indicium  315  thereon, even with primary display screen  116  de-activated, conceivably with relatively insignificant device  110  power depletion consequences, especially where ancillary screen  117  uses a low-power consumption technology such as an e-ink display screen, and also given the smaller size of ancillary display screen  117  compared to that of primary display screen  116 . In one embodiment, ancillary display screen  117  is a fraction of the surface area of primary display screen  116 , say 30% or less. 
     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. 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.