SYNCHRONIZING MULTIPLE READING POSITIONS IN ELECTRONIC BOOKS

• US 20140068428A1
• Filed: 09/05/2012
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Puppin, Diego
• Granted Patent: US 9,047,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/273
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/14 Electronic books and readers

Abstract

An electronic book system is configured to allow a user to read a primary portion of an electronic book, then switch to reading a secondary portion of the book, the secondary portion being presented based on a current reading position for the main portion. A reader can repeatedly switch back and forth between primary and secondary portions without losing track of the reader'"'"'s progress through the book. As an example, a reader in a textbook can immediately switch to a problem set corresponding to the reader'"'"'s current position in the textbook.

Claims

1. A system to synchronize progress in primary and secondary portions of an electronic book, comprising:

a system database configured to maintain user progress data, primary book data corresponding to the primary portion and secondary book data corresponding to the secondary portion, the primary book data including primary position information and the secondary book data including secondary position information;

a correlation data store configured to maintain correlation data indicating correspondence between the primary position information and the secondary position information, and to allow generation of the user progress data from the correlation data;

a first display subsystem, the first display subsystem configured to present the primary portion to the user responsive to the user progress data; and

a second display subsystem, the second display subsystem configured to present the secondary portion to the user responsive to the user progress data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary portion comprises body text.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary portion comprises a glossary.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary portion comprises a character list.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary portion comprises a problem set.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary portion comprises solutions to a problem set.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary portion comprises illustrations.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary portion comprises commentary relating to the primary portion.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary portion comprises a version of the primary portion presented in a different language.

10. A system to correlate primary position information in a primary portion of an electronic book with secondary position information in a secondary portion of the electronic book, comprising:

a system database configured to maintain primary book data corresponding to the primary portion and secondary book data corresponding to the secondary portion; and

a correlation subsystem configured to generate correlation information establishing a correspondence between the primary position information and the secondary position information responsive to comparison of the primary portion and the secondary portion, and to store the correlation information in the system database.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a display system configured to display the correlation information to a content provider, the correlation subsystem further including a user interface control configured to allow the content provider to establish the correspondence.

12. A computer-implemented method of synchronizing progress in primary and secondary portions of an electronic book, comprising:

maintaining in a system database user progress data, primary book data corresponding to the primary portion and secondary book data corresponding to the secondary portion, the primary book data including primary position information and the secondary book data including secondary position information;

maintaining, in a correlation data store, correlation data indicating correspondence between the primary position information and the secondary position information;

generating the user progress data responsive to the correlation data;

presenting the primary portion to a user responsive to the user progress data; and

presenting the secondary portion to the user responsive to the user progress data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the primary portion comprises body text.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary portion comprises a glossary.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary portion comprises a character list.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary portion comprises a problem set.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary portion comprises solutions to a problem set.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary portion comprises illustrations.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary portion comprises commentary relating to the primary portion.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary portion comprises a version of the primary portion presented in a different language.