Systems and methods for customizing books

• US 20040117728A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Paul W. Gromer
• Original Assignee: Paul W. Gromer
• Inventors: Gromer, Paul W.
• Application Number:
  US10/720,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117728A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/500
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/003 electrically operated apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip

Abstract

Systems and methods for customizing books that include illustrations and associated words describing the illustrations are described. One or more of the illustrations includes one or more drawings of one or more characters. In one embodiment, a method of customizing a book includes providing one or more features related to a character included in the book and associated with selectable options. The book can be customized based on associating one or more of the drawings of the one or more characters with one or more of a selectable character name, a selectable character appearance, a pronoun consistent with a selectable character gender, and a possessive adjective consistent with the selected character gender.

Claims

1. A method for customizing a book, the method comprising:

receiving a request to customize a book including illustrations and associated words describing the illustrations, at least one of the illustrations including at least one drawing of at least one character,

based on the request, performing at least one of;

querying to provide a name for one or more of the at least one character,

providing a character appearance feature, the appearance feature;

(i) related to the appearance of one or more of the at least one character, and (ii) associated with selectable appearance options,

providing a character name feature, the character name feature;

(i) related to the name of one or more of the at least one character, and (ii) associated with selectable name options, and

providing a character gender feature, the character gender feature;

(i) related to the gender of one or more of the at least one character, and (ii) associated with selectable gender options, and

customizing the book based on associating one or more of the at least one drawing with at least one of;

a selected appearance option,

at least one word including one of;

a provided name and a selected name option,

at least one word including a pronoun consistent with a selected gender option, and

at least one word including a possessive adjective consistent with the selected gender option.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the appearance options are based on the appearance of one or more of:

humans and non-humans.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the appearance options based on the appearance of humans include male and female appearance options.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the appearance options based on the appearance of humans include ethnicity-based appearance options.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the appearance options include one or more of:

whole-body-based appearance options, partial-body-based appearance options, and physiognomy-based appearance options.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the illustrations include outlines for coloring.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the book includes one of:

an electronic book and a non-electronic book.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on the request, performing at least one of;

querying to provide a name for the author of the customized book, and

providing an author name feature, the author name feature;

(i) related to the name of the author of the customized book, and (ii) associated with selectable name options.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on the request, providing a plot feature, the plot feature;

(i) related to the plot of the customized book, and (ii) associated with selectable plot options.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on the request, providing a first book feature, the first book feature;

(i) related to the reading level of the book, and (ii) associated with selectable reading-level options.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

based on a selected reading-level option, providing a second book feature, the second book feature;

(i) related to the title of the book, and (ii) associated with selectable title options, at least two of the title options being associated with unique sets of words and accompanying illustrations.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a preview including at least one page of the customized book.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an option to change at least one of;

at least one selected appearance option, at least one selected name option, and at least one selected gender option.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a gift identifier associated with a gift certificate redeemable for purchase of the customized book, and data associated with the entity who requested the gift certificate,

providing an option to send a message to the entity who requested the gift certificate associated with the received gift identifier, and

based on receiving a selection of the option, sending the message to the entity who requested the gift certificate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the option includes:

providing the option without revealing at least one of the identity and contact information of the entity who requested the gift certificate.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the gift identifier is generated based on one or more of a data compression scheme and a data encryption scheme of data associated with the entity who requested the gift certificate.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the message includes one or more of:

a video component and an audio component.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the option includes:

providing,

a first option for providing a pre-determined message to the entity who requested the gift certificate, and

a second option for providing a customized message to the entity who requested the gift certificate,

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the pre-determined message expresses gratitude to the entity who requested the gift certificate associated with the received gift identifier.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein sending the message includes:

identifying the entity who requested the gift certificate based on comparing the received gift identifier with at least one previously stored gift identifier, each of the at least one previously stored gift identifier being associated with a gift certificate and data identifying the entity who requested the gift certificate.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein identifying the entity further includes:

identifying the entity who requested the gift certificate based on a match between the received gift identifier and one of the at least one previously stored gift identifier.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein sending the message to the entity includes:

sending the message to the entity without revealing at least one of;

the identity of the entity who requested the gift certificate, and,

contact information of the entity who requested the gift certificate.

23. A processor program for customizing a book, the processor program being stored on a processor-readable medium and comprising instructions to cause a processor to:

receive a request to customize a book including illustrations and associated words, at least one of the illustrations including at least one drawing of at least one character,

based on the request, perform at least one of;

generate a query to provide a name for at least one of the at least one character,

provide a character appearance feature, the appearance feature;

(i) related to the appearance of one or more of the at least one character, and (ii) associated with selectable appearance options,

provide a character name feature, the character name feature;

(i) related to the name of one or more of the at least one character, and (ii) associated with selectable name options, and

provide a character gender feature, the character gender feature;

(i) related to the gender of one or more of the at least one character, and (ii) associated with selectable gender options, and

customize the book based on associating one or more of the at least one drawing with at least one of;

a selected appearance option,

at least one word including one of;

a provided name and a selected name option,

at least one word including a pronoun consistent with a selected gender option, and

at least one word including a possessive adjective consistent with the selected gender option.

24. The processor program of claim 23, further comprising instructions to cause a processor to:

based on the request, provide a first book feature related to the reading level of the book and associated with selectable reading-level options.

25. The processor program of claim 24, further comprising instructions to cause a processor to:

based on a selected reading-level option, provide a second book feature related to the title of the book and associated with selectable title options, at least two of the title options being associated with unique sets of words and accompanying illustrations.

26. A method for redeeming a gift identifier, the method comprising:

receiving a gift identifier associated with a gift certificate and data identifying the entity who requested the gift certificate,

providing an option to send a message to the entity who requested the gift certificate associated with the received gift identifier, and

based on receiving a selection of the option, sending the message to the entity who requested the gift certificate.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the gift identifier is generated based on one or more of a data compression scheme and a data encryption scheme of data associated with the entity who requested the gift certificate.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the data identifying the entity who requested the gift certificate includes contact information for the entity.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the contact information includes one or more of:

an email address, a facsimile number, a postal mail address, and a telephone number.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the data identifying the entity who requested the gift certificate includes a name of the entity who requested the gift certificate.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein receiving the gift identifier includes:

receiving the gift identifier via one or more of;

a wired telecommunications network, a wireless telecommunications network, an email communication, a facsimile communication, a postal mail communication, and a telephone communication.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the message includes one or more of:

a video component and an audio component.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein providing the option includes:

providing the option without revealing at least one of the identity and contact information of the entity who requested the gift certificate associated with the received gift identifier.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein providing the option includes:

providing,

a first option for providing a pre-determined message to the entity who requested the gift certificate, and

a second option for providing a customized message to the entity who requested the gift certificate.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the pre-determined message expresses gratitude to the entity who requested the gift certificate.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein sending the message to the entity includes:

identifying the entity based on comparing the received gift identifier with at least one previously stored gift identifier, each of the at least one previously stored gift identifier being associated with a gift certificate and data identifying the entity who requested the gift certificate.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein identifying the entity further includes:

identifying the entity based on a match between the received gift identifier and one of the at least one previously stored gift identifier.

38. The method of claim 26, wherein sending the message to the entity includes:

sending the message to the entity without revealing at least one of the identity and contact information of the entity.

44. The processor program of claim 34, wherein the instructions to send the message to the entity include instructions to:

identify the entity based on comparing the received gift identifier with at least one previously stored gift identifier, each of the at least one previously stored gift identifier being associated with a gift certificate and data identifying the entity who requested the gift certificate.

45. The processor program of claim 44, wherein the instructions to identify the entity further include instructions to:

identify the entity based on a match between the received gift identifier and one of the at least one previously stored gift identifier.

39. A processor program for redeeming gift identifiers, the processor program being stored on a processor readable medium and including instructions to cause a processor to:

receive a gift identifier associated with a gift certificate and data identifying the entity who requested the gift certificate,

provide an option to send a message to the entity who requested the gift certificate associated with the received gift identifier, and

based on receiving a selection of the option, send the message to the entity who requested the gift certificate.

40. The processor program of claim 39, wherein the gift identifier is generated based on one or more of a data compression scheme and a data encryption scheme of data associated with the entity who requested the gift certificate.

41. The processor program of claim 39, wherein the data identifying the entity who requested the gift certificate includes contact information for the entity.

42. The processor program of claim 41, wherein the contact information includes one or more of:

an email address, a facsimile number, a postal mail address, and a telephone number.

43. The processor program of claim 39, wherein the instructions to provide the option include instructions to:

provide the option without revealing at least one of the identity and contact information of the entity who requested the gift certificate associated with the received gift identifier.

46. A method of redeeming gift certificates, the method comprising:

receiving a gift certificate identifier, the gift certificate identifier associated with a gift certificate,

providing an option to provide a message to the entity who requested the associated gift certificate, and

based on receiving a selection of the option and the gift identifier;

identifying the entity who requested the associated gift certificate, and

providing the message to the identified entity.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein identifying the entity includes:

identifying the entity based on comparing the received gift identifier with at least one previously stored gift identifier, each of the at least one previously stored gift identifier being associated with data identifying the entity who requested the gift certificate.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein identifying the entity further includes:

identifying the entity based on a match between the received gift identifier and one of the at least one previously stored gift identifiers.