Patent Publication Number: US-2016240093-A1

Title: Multimedia Presentation Device with Paper Pages and an Electronic Display

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Print media is commonly presented on paper, including books and magazines. Paper books offer a unique reading experience, and many readers enjoy the tactile experience of paper books. The touch and feel of paper, combined with the way the light reflects off the page, makes reading a paper book a different experience from reading an electronic reader. Paper print is still a prolific and useful medium, and will continue to be found on coffee tables, waiting rooms, offices, schools, among other places, for years to come. However, paper print does have limitations. As an example, paper print lacks interactivity. Other limitations include the fact that paper print is not updateable and graphics in paper books are still. 
     SUMMARY 
     There is provided a multimedia presentation device with paper pages and an electronic display, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, and as set forth more completely in the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a diagram of an exemplary multimedia book, according to one implementation of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  presents a multimedia book using conductive ink, according to one implementation of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  presents a multimedia book with paper print pages connected to the processor by conductive traces, according to one implementation of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 4  shows a flowchart illustrating a method for presenting a multimedia content of a multimedia book, according to one implementation of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description contains specific information pertaining to implementations in the present disclosure. One skilled in the art will recognize that the present disclosure may be implemented in a manner different from that specifically discussed herein. The drawings in the present application and their accompanying detailed description are directed to merely exemplary implementations. Unless noted otherwise, like or corresponding elements among the figures may be indicated by like or corresponding reference numerals. Moreover, the drawings and illustrations in the present application are generally not to scale, and are not intended to correspond to actual relative dimensions. 
       FIG. 1  shows a diagram of an exemplary multimedia book, according to one implementation of the present disclosure. As shown, multimedia book  100  includes cover  105 , display  110 , electronic module  120 , paper print pages  170 , user control interface  180 , and audio output device  190 . Electronic module  120  includes memory  130 , processor  140 , control module  145 , power source  150 , and may include communications port  160 . 
     Cover  105  includes a front portion, a back portion, and a spine. Cover  105  can be a multi-fold cover, so that when the front portion is opened, there is an additional flap that can be opened further, positioning the additional flap such that pages of the book will not cover the additional flap while the book is being read. The multi-fold portion can also be an additional flap on the back portion of cover  105 . 
     According to the implementation shown in  FIG. 1 , display  110  can be in the front portion of cover  105 . In other implementations, display  110  can be in the back portion of cover  105 . Display  110  can be configured to show video or photographic content of media content  135 . In some implementations, the display may be a light emitting diode (LED) display, an organic LED (OLED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a backlit LCD, a flexible OLED display, a flexible LED display, flexible LCD display, or other flexible display known in the art. To create a more interactive multimedia book, display  110  can be a touch-screen display. The display can be used to show media content related to the print content of the multimedia book. In some implementations, the display  110  can be placed at different locations in multimedia book  100 . For example, display  110  can be included as an integrated part of cover  105 , e.g., inside the front portion of cover  105  or inside the back portion of cover  105 , where inside refers to the side of the portion of cover  105  facing the pages of the book. Display  110  can be placed on the outside of the front portion of cover  105  of multimedia book  100  or outside the hack portion of cover  105  of the multimedia book  100 , where outside refers to the side of the cover that is visible when multimedia book  100  is closed. 
     In some implementations, multimedia book  100  can include a plurality of displays. An implementation may have a display inside the front portion of cover  105  and inside the back portion of cover  105 , or on the outside of the front portion and inside the front portion of cover  105 . However, placement of the display  110  is not limited to the portions of cover  105 . In some implementations, display  110  or a plurality of displays can be interspersed with paper print pages  170  of multimedia book  100 . Paper print pages  170  may contain a portion of a story, after which display  110  can be included as a following page to show a segment of media content  135 . As such, a book having paper print pages  170  about a film can include segments of the film shown on display  110 . 
     For example, multimedia book  100  may be a book about an animated film. Such a book may begin with a written section in paper print pages  170  that describe the animation process involved in making the film, and display  110  may playback a segment of media content  135  corresponding to the animation process. Next, multimedia book  100  may include another written section in paper print pages  170  about the voiceover process and voiceover actors involved in the making of the animated film, display  110  may playback another segment of media content  135  about the voiceover process and voiceover actors. While the instant example describes only two sections of written content and a display, multimedia book  100  may include any number of written sections and any number of display pages interspersed with paper print pages  170 . 
     Yet, in some implementations, display  110  can be interspersed with paper print pages  170  by embedding display  110  into the page. Similar to including a display  110  as a full page, display  110  may be included in the page, like an illustration, a picture, or a graphic in multimedia book  100 . In some implementations, display  110  can be embedded as a portion of a page, allowing media content  135 , or segments thereof, to be displayed as the reader progresses through multimedia book  100 . In some implementations, each display  110  of the plurality of displays can be configured to playback a corresponding segment of media content  135 . 
     In order to playback media content  135 , display  110  is electronically connected to electronic module  120 . Electronic module  120  includes memory  130 , hardware processor  140 , and power source  150 . Electronic module  120  may also include communication port  160 . 
     Memory  130  is a non-transitory medium for storing data, and may be a non-volatile memory. Memory  130  includes media content  135 , and may also include supplemental content  137 . Media content  135  and supplemental content  137  can be audio content, visual content, audio and visual content, where visual content can include video, video clips, animation, photographs, or other graphics. In some implementations, media content  135  can be a movie or a short film. Supplemental content  137  can include advertisements, sponsorship messages, trailers for related movies, and other entertainment content, additional print content, complementary print content, or other audio/visual content to complement the paper print pages  170  of multimedia book  100 . In some implementations, supplemental content  137  can include audio content, such as a sound track or additional commentary content. Other implementations include any combination of media content  135  and supplemental content  137  including any combination of audio and visual content. Media content  135  and supplemental content  137  can each be divided into a plurality of segments. Media content  135  and supplemental content  137  can be presented in whole, or according to the plurality of segments. 
     Presentation of media content  135  and supplemental content  137  occurs when processor  140  plays back a segment of content  135  and supplemental content  137  on display  110  and/or audio output device  190 . In some implementations, a segment of media content  135  and supplemental content  137  can include only visual content, and accordingly playback will only use display  110 . Similarly, a segment of playback on display  110  can include media content  135  and supplemental content  137  can include only audio content, and playback will only use audio output device  190 . Also, playback may include playback of all of media content  135 , all of supplemental content  137 , or a segment that is less than all of media content  135  or supplemental content  137 . 
     Electronic module  120  also includes processor  140 , which may be electronically connected to display  110 , memory  130 , communication port  160 , paper print pages  170 , user control interface  180 . Additionally, processor  140  can be configured to receive input from paper print pages  170 , conductive ink text  117 , or user control interface  180 , and playback media content  135  and supplemental content  137  on display  110 . Processor  140  can be configured to playback each segment media content  135  and supplemental content  137  on display  110 . Control Module  145  is electronically connected to user control interface  180  and to media content  135 . In some implementations, control module  145  receives input from conductive ink text  117  associated with a corresponding point  119  of media content  135  in memory  130 . In some implementations, control module  145  receives input from page-turn controls associated with a corresponding point  119  of media content  135  in memory  130 . 
     Multimedia book  100 , using processor  140 , begins playback of media content  135  and supplemental content  137  by detecting a corresponding point  119  to begin playback. Corresponding point  119  can be the beginning of media content  135  or supplemental content  137 . In some implementations, corresponding point  119  can be at the beginning of a segment of media content  135  or supplemental content  137 . Processor  140  can determine corresponding point  119  at which to begin playback by detecting the page currently being viewed, by conductive ink text  217  input, or by a default setting. A default setting can be a typical starting point where media content  135  or supplemental content  137  would begin playback, such as the beginning. 
     Power source  150  of electronic module  120  provides power to the multimedia book  100 . In some implementations, power source  150  may be a battery. In some implementations, multimedia book  100  can have a display stand (not shown), where the display stand can be designed to recharge the battery using electronic pins or contacts when multimedia book  100  is placed on the display stand. Recharging of the battery of multimedia book  100  may be performed using a wire or wirelessly. For example, the battery of multimedia book  100  may be charged using conductive charging or inductive charging. In one implementation, the display stand for multimedia book  100  may be equipped with inductive charging, and the battery of multimedia book  100  may be charged while placed on the display stand providing an electromagnetic field to transfer wireless energy to the battery of multimedia hook  100 . 
     Furthermore, electronic module  120  may include communication port  160 . Communication port  160  can be used to communicate with other devices, for example, for updating media content  135  and supplemental content  137  in memory  130 . Communication port  160  can be configured to connect electronic module  120  to a computer or computer network. In some implementations, communication port  160  can be configured to receive a communication cable such as a universal serial bus (USB) port, Firewire port, Ethernet cable port, telephone cable port, HDMI port. In some implementations, communications port  160  can be configured to receive a transferable memory device, such as an SD card, mini SD card, micro SD card, USB memory device (thumb drive), a memory stick, or other configurations of transferable memory known in the art. In some implementations, communication port  160  may communicate wirelessly, such that multimedia book  100  is wirelessly connectable to a computer or computer network using WiFi, cellular, Bluetooth, or other wireless technologies known in the art. Communications port  160  may also used to recharge the battery, e.g., using a USB cable. 
     In some implementations, a user can utilize the connectivity of the multimedia book to purchase additional media from the publisher of the book, from the studio that created the media content  135 , or from third party media providers over the Internet. In some implementations, the user can load personal content, including photographs, images, video, or other personal content, onto multimedia book  100 . As such, users are able to create personalized books, such as a scrapbook to commemorate life events like a family trip. Wireless connectivity can also allow updates for media content  135  and supplemental content  137  to be pushed to multimedia book  100  by the publisher of the book, the studio that created the movie or other media content, or third party media providers. 
     To create a multimedia experience that is functional and appealing, electronic module  120  can be integrated into multimedia book  100 . In some implementations, electronic module  120  can be embedded in the spine of multimedia book  100 . In some implementations, electronic module  120  can be partially in the spine, partially in cover  105  or completely in cover  105 . 
     In order to playback media content  135  on display  110 , processor  140  can be configured to receive input from user control interface  180 . User control interface  180  can include traditional media playback controls such as play, pause, stop, forward, reverse, scene skip, and menu. User control interface  180  can be a traditional interface having buttons. Buttons on user control interface  180  can be physical buttons, capacitive buttons, resistive buttons, or other buttons known in the art. In some implementations, user control interface  180  can be integrated into display  110 , e.g. using a touch-screen user control interface  180 . In some implementations, user control interface  180  can include controls other than buttons, such as conductive ink and page-turn controls. 
     In some implementations, the current page can be detected by an electronic signal being sent from paper print pages  170  to processor  140  by, for example, an electronic contact. In such an implementation, each page of paper print pages  170  can send a signal to processor  140  corresponding to the page that is currently being viewed. In some implementations, this could be a physical connection, e.g., an electronic contact to indicate multimedia hook  100  is open to the corresponding page. In some implementations, a proximity detector, indicating that multimedia book  100  is open to the corresponding page, may send the signal. In some implementations, multimedia book  300  can be written with the content of paper print pages  170  divided into sections, and each section can correspond to a segment of media content  135 . Multimedia book  100  can be configured such that each segment of media content  135  corresponds to a page of paper print pages  170 . In some implementations, multimedia book  100  can detect the currently viewed page, can have conductive ink text  117 , or both page detection and conductive ink text. Page detection and conductive ink text  117  are discussed in detail below. Although the present disclosure refers to paper print pages  170 , it should be noted that pages of print content can be of different materials, e.g. plastic or any material on which ink can be printed. 
     Conductive ink is ink that can be used in printed text or graphics that, when touched, acts like a button. Referring to  FIG. 2 , paper print pages  270  can include text printed in conductive ink, such as conductive ink text  217 . Conductive ink text  217   a -care connected to electronic module  220  using conductive traces  218 . Conductive text  217   a  corresponds to corresponding point  219   a , conductive text  217   b  corresponds to corresponding point  219   b , conductive text  217   c  corresponds to corresponding point  219   c . Corresponding point  219  can be a point in media content  235  or in supplemental content  237 . In some implementations, each page of paper print pages  270  contains conductive text. In other implementations, some pages of paper print pages  270  contain conductive ink text  217  and other pages do not, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The conductive ink may appear in a different color for ease of user perception. In  FIG. 2 , each corresponding point  219   a - c  corresponds the beginning of a segment of media content  235 , and media content  235  is depicted as a timeline to demonstrate how conductive ink text  217  corresponds to corresponding point  219  media content  235 . When a user touches conductive ink  217 , playback of media content  235  or supplemental content  237  begins at corresponding point  219 . Conductive ink text  217  can be electronically connected to electronic module  220  by conductive traces  218 . In some implementations, a page can have one instance of conductive ink text  217 , more than one instance of conductive ink text  217 , or no instances of conductive ink text  217 . 
       FIG. 3  shows paper print page  370  that is associated with corresponding point  319 . To associate paper print pages  370  with corresponding point  319 , paper print pages  370  can be electronically connected to electronic module  320  by conductive traces  318 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , Page  1  is associated with corresponding point  319   a , Page  2  is associated with corresponding point  319   b , and Page  5  is associated with corresponding point  319   c . Thus, when a reader is viewing Page  1 , control module  337 , through processor  340 , cues the playback of media content  335  to corresponding point  319   a . At this point, if the reader initiates playback of media content  335 , processor  340  retrieves the corresponding segment of media content  335  from the plurality of segments stored in memory  330 , and the playback begins at corresponding point  319   a . If the reader is viewing Page  2  and initiates playback, playback of media content  335  begins at corresponding point  319   b . In some implementations, each page can be associated with a corresponding point  319  in media content  335 , with each successive page advancing through media content  335 . In some implementations, as shown in  FIG. 3 , some pages are associated with a corresponding point, while others are not. In some implementations, even pages that are not associated with a corresponding point are still connected to processor  340 . Multimedia book  300  can be configured to playback the entirety of media content  335  at once, or it can be configured to playback media content  335  in a plurality of segments that make up media content  335 . 
       FIG. 4  shows flowchart  400  illustrating a method for presenting a multimedia content of a multimedia book, according to one implementation of the present disclosure. Flowchart  400  begins at  401  with combining paper print pages  170  and media content  135  in multimedia book  100 , where media content  135  is stored in memory  130  and multimedia book  100  includes display  110 . Print media of paper print pages  170  is divided into a plurality of sections and media content  135  is divided into a plurality of segments. At  411 , processor  140  identifies segments of media content  135  that correspond to sections of print media in paper print pages  170 . 
     As a reader of multimedia book  100  progresses through paper print pages  170 , at  421 , processor  140  receives input from paper print pages  170 . Input from paper print pages  170  may come from conductive ink text  117 , or by a signal indicative of a page currently being viewed by the reader. Input form paper print pages  170  may be communicated to processor  140  using conductive traces  218 . Based on the input received from paper print pages  170 , at  431 , processor  140  retrieves, from the plurality of media segments stored in memory  130 , the segment of media content  135  corresponding to the currently viewed page or the selected conductive ink text  117 . At  441 , processor  140  plays back on display  110 , the corresponding segment of media content  135  retrieved from memory  130 , based on the input received from paper print pages  170 , where the playback of the corresponding segment beings at corresponding point  119 . 
     From the above description it is manifest that various techniques can be used for implementing the concepts described in the present application without departing from the scope of those concepts. Moreover, while the concepts have been described with specific reference to certain implementations, a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of those concepts. As such, the described implementations are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. It should also be understood that the present application is not limited to the particular implementations described herein, but many rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.