Methods and Systems for Distributing and Accessing Content Associated with an e-Book

• US 20120173659A1
• Filed: 12/31/2010
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Roberts, Brian F., McKiel, Frank A. Jr., Relyea, Donald H., Thaxter, Gwendolyn M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,002,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0291 for reading, e.g. e-books constructional details of portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

Exemplary methods and systems for distributing and accessing content associated with an e-Book are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes a content management subsystem receiving data representative of additional content associated with a particular passage of an e-Book from a first e-reader device and transmitting the data representative of the additional content to a second e-Book reader device for presentation in conjunction with the particular passage of the e-Book. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by an content management subsystem from a first e-Book reader device, data representative of additional content associated with a particular passage of an e-Book; and

transmitting, by the additional content management subsystem, the data representative of the additional content to a second e-Book reader device for presentation in conjunction with the particular passage of the e-Book.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional content comprises a comment associated with the particular passage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional content comprises one or more images associated with the particular passage.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more images comprise at least one of an illustration associated with the particular passage and a photograph associated with the particular passage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional content comprises at least one citation to or from another publication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the data representative of the additional content to the second e-Book reader device occurs in association with at least one of a downloading of the e-Book by the second e-Book reader device, a presentation of the particular passage by the second e-Book reader device, the receiving of the data representative of the additional content from the first e-Book reader device by the additional content management subsystem, and a request provided by a user of the second e-Book reader device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the content management subsystem, the data representative of the additional content for access by at least one of an author and a publisher of the e-Book.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the content management subsystem, data representative of promotional content associated with the e-Book to the second e-Book reader device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the content management subsystem from the first e-Book reader device, one or more user-configurable parameters configured to govern the distribution of the additional content.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitting the data representative of the additional content to the second e-Book reader device is in accordance with the one or more user-configurable parameters.

11. The method of claim 1, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, by an e-Book reader device, data representative of additional content associated with a particular passage of an e-Book, the additional content provided by way of one or more additional e-Book reader devices; and

presenting, by the e-Book reader device, the additional content in conjunction with the particular passage.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the presenting of the additional content comprises overlaying the additional content onto at least a portion of the e-Book.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the presenting of the additional content comprises presenting a first viewing pane including at least a portion of the particular passage and a second viewing pane including at least a portion of the additional content.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the presenting of the additional content is at least partially automatic.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the presenting of the additional content in conjunction with the particular passage comprises simultaneously displaying at least a portion of the particular passage and at least a portion of the additional content by way of a display screen associated with the e-Book reader device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the additional content comprises one or more comments associated with the particular passage.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the presenting of the additional content is in response to a user input requesting the additional content.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting, by the e-Book reader device, a user selection of at least a portion of the particular passage;

wherein the presenting of the additional content is in response to the user selection.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving, by the e-Book reader device, one or more user-configurable parameters configured to govern the presentation of the additional content;

wherein the presenting of the additional content is in accordance with the one or more user-configurable parameters.

21. The method of claim 12, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

22. A system comprising:

a content management facility configured to manage additional content associated with a particular passage of an e-Book, wherein the additional content is provided to the content management facility by way of one or more e-Book reader devices; and

a presentation facility communicatively coupled to the content management facility and configured to present, by way of an additional e-Book reader device, the additional content in conjunction with the particular passage of the e-Book.

23. A system comprising:

at least one server device configured to

receive, from one or more e-Book reader devices, data representative of additional content associated with a particular passage of an e-Book, and

transmit the data representative of the additional content to one or more additional e-Book reader devices for presentation in conjunction with the particular passage of the e-Book.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein a particular e-Book reader device within the one or more additional e-Book reader devices is configured to

receive the data representative of the additional content from the at least one server device, and

present the additional content in conjunction with the particular passage.