Scanning electronic book

• US 20040239601A1
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/87
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/901 Electronic book with display

Abstract

An electronic book for presenting text and/or graphics includes a scanner for scanning data cards bearing a pattern encoding the text and/or graphics. The electronic book further includes a programmed processor for decoding the text and/or graphics and a screen for displaying same. In a preferred embodiment the electronic book is provided in a compact foldable housing with an appearance similar to a conventional book including a flexible and foldable screen. The housing includes a spine having a recess to allow the folded screen to loop without damage occurring due to creasing.

Claims

1. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device including:

scanning means arranged to scan a pattern encoding text and/or graphics;

a user input control means;

processing means coupled to the scanning means and responsive to the user input control means and operatively programmed to generate a data signal corresponding to the text and/or graphics; and

a display means controlled by the processing means and arranged to display the text and/or graphics in response to the processing means.

2. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 1 including a foldable housing comprising first and second housing portions pivotal relative to each other.

3. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 2, wherein the first and second housing portions are each pivotally connected to a common spine.

4. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 3, wherein the spine includes a battery compartment.

5. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 1, wherein the pattern is formed on a card and said device includes a roller mechanism arranged to retract the card into said device.

6. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 2, wherein the pattern is formed on a card and said device includes a roller mechanism arranged to retract the card into said device.

7. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 6, wherein the roller mechanism is incorporated into the first housing portion.

8. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 7, wherein the first housing portion includes a window for observing a card retracted into the first portion.

9. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 1, wherein the pattern encoding text and/or graphics is formed on a card and wherein said device further includes a card storage magazine.

10. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 2, wherein the pattern encoding text and/or graphics is formed on a card and wherein said device further includes a card storage magazine formed in the second housing portion.

11. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 2, wherein the display means comprises a flexible LCD screen located across inner surfaces of the first and second housing portions.

12. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 11, wherein the flexible LCD screen is bi-stable.

13. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 3, including a recess for receiving a loop of a flexible LCD screen upon pivoting the first and second housing portions to a closed position in order that creasing of the LCD screen is avoided.

14. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 2 wherein first and second printed circuit boards are located in the first and second housing portions respectively.

15. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 14, wherein the flexible LCD screen may include conductive traces coupling the first and second printed circuit boards to each other.

16. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device according to claim 1, wherein the user input control means comprises a joystick assembly.

17. An electronic text and/or graphics presentation device including:

a scan head arranged to scan a pattern corresponding to text and/or graphics;

a processor coupled to the scanner and configured to generate data corresponding to the text and/or graphics;

a display screen responsive to the processor and arranged to display the text and/or graphics.

18. A method for distributing text and/or graphics comprising the steps of:

encoding the text and/or graphics as a printed pattern on a plurality of cards;

distributing the cards to a plurality of users;

providing each of the users with an electronic text and/or graphics presentation device including means for converting the pattern into readable text.