ELECTRONIC BOOK EXTENSION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20120221936A1
• Filed: 05/09/2011
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2011
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Patterson, James, Moody, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US13/103,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20120221936A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content

Abstract

An electronic book system allows third parties to make available to users extensions, or “add-ons”, that provide additional features and functions relating to a book. Add-ons are launched in a manner that takes into account the reader'"'"'s context, such as a current page the reader is looking at. Payment mechanisms as well as policies for the add-ons are integrated so that restrictions imposed by both book publishers and add-on publishers are respected.

Claims

9. A computer-implemented method of providing an extension for an electronic book, comprising:

selecting the extension for operation with the electronic book;

retrieving the extension from a database; and

associating the extension for use with the book.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising retrieving one or more book policies corresponding to the electronic book from a policy database, wherein at least one of the book policies specifies a manner in which the electronic book may be used in combination with the extension.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising retrieving one or more extension policies corresponding to the extension from a policy database, wherein at least one of the extension policies specifies a manner in which the electronic book may be used in combination with the extension.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein associating the extension includes annotating the electronic book with the extension.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein associating the extension includes presenting a user interface on the electronic book corresponding to use of the extension with the electronic book.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising automatically initiating operation of the extension responsive to user attention to a portion of the electronic book.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a user interface at a location in the electronic book corresponding to use of the extension.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising associating a launch parameter with the extension responsive to user attention to a portion of the electronic book.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising communicating information relating to the electronic book via an application programming interface with the extension.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing executable computer program instructions for providing an extension for an electronic book, the computer program instructions comprising:

instructions to select the extension for operation with the electronic book;

instructions to retrieve the extension from a database; and

instructions to associate the extension for use with the book.

1. An electronic book system, comprising:

a publisher processing subsystem configured to permit first publisher supply of a book, and second publisher supply of an extension, the extension providing functionality relating to the book;

a distribution subsystem configured to provide the extension to a user of the electronic book system for use with an electronic book reader; and

an annotation subsystem, operably coupled with the electronic book reader, configured to associate the extension with the book.

2. The electronic book system of claim 1, wherein the publisher processing subsystem is further configured to permit first publisher supply of one or more book policies, wherein at least one of the book policies specifies a manner in which the book may be used in combination with the extension.

3. The electronic book system of claim 1, wherein the publisher processing subsystem is further configured to permit second publisher supply of one or more extension policies, wherein at least one of the extension policies specifies a manner in which the book may be used in combination with the extension.

4. The electronic book system of claim 1, wherein the annotation subsystem is configured to present a user interface on the electronic book reader corresponding to use of the extension with the book.

5. The electronic book system of claim 1, wherein the extension is configured for automatic operation upon user attention to a portion of the book.

6. The electronic book system of claim 1, wherein the extension is configured to automatically present a user interface at a location in the book corresponding to use of the extension.

7. The electronic book system of claim 1, wherein a launch parameter of the extension is responsive to a displayed portion of the book.

8. The electronic book system of claim 1, wherein the electronic book system is configured to provide an application programming interface for communication with the extension.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions to retrieve one or more book policies corresponding to the electronic book from a database, wherein at least one of the book policies specifies a manner in which the electronic book may be used with the extension.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions to retrieve one or more extension policies corresponding to the extension from a database, wherein at least one of the extension policies specifies a manner in which the electronic book may be used with the extension.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions to associate the extension include instructions to annotate the electronic book with the extension.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions to associate the extension include instructions to present a user interface on the electronic book corresponding to use of the extension with the electronic book.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to automatically initiate operation of the extension responsive to user attention to a portion of the electronic book.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to provide a user interface at a location in the electronic book corresponding to use of the extension.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to communicate information relating to the electronic book via an application programming interface with the extension.

24-1. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to associate a launch parameter with the extension responsive to user attention to a portion of the electronic book.