METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRESENTING AND NAVIGATING BOOKMARKS IN A SET OF ELECTRONIC READING MATERIAL

• US 20150121212A1
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Phoenix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Apollo Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Anderson, Johnathan, Leshno, Uri, Buerger, Holger
• Granted Patent: US 9,519,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/273
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191

Abstract

An improved mechanism is provided for presenting and navigating bookmarks in a set of electronic reading material (ERM). In one implementation, when a portion of an ERM is displayed, a graphical element, which represents the contents of the ERM, is also displayed. A current location indicator and one or more bookmark indicators are further displayed on or within proximity of the graphical element to show where, within the ERM, the currently displayed portion is located and where bookmarks are located. This provides a useful graphical overview to a user. In addition, the mechanism may facilitate navigation to a bookmark by enabling a user to select one of the bookmark indicators to navigate directly to that bookmark. The mechanism may also enable a user to navigate sequentially from bookmark to bookmark using a previous bookmark control and/or a next bookmark control. With these capabilities, bookmark presentation and navigation are improved.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing content from a particular portion of a set of electronic reading material (ERM) to be displayed, wherein the particular portion is located at a particular location within the ERM;

receiving user input to navigate to a previous bookmark or a next bookmark;

in response to user input to navigate to a previous bookmark;

determining which previous portion of the ERM, having a user-designated bookmark associated therewith, is located at a location within the ERM that is closest to and precedes the particular location; and

causing content from that previous portion of the ERM to be displayed;

in response to user input to navigate to a next bookmark;

determining which subsequent portion of the ERM, having a user-designated bookmark associated therewith, is located at a location within the ERM that is closest to and follows the particular location; and

causing content from that subsequent portion of the ERM to be displayed;

wherein the method is performed by a computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing a previous bookmark control element and a next bookmark control element to be displayed, wherein the previous bookmark control element is selectable by a user to navigate to a previous bookmark, and the next bookmark control element is selectable by a user to navigate to a next bookmark.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving user input to navigate to a previous bookmark or a next bookmark;

causing a graphical element that represents the ERM to be displayed; and

causing a current location indicator to be displayed on or within proximity of the graphical element, wherein the current location indicator is placed at a particular position along the graphical element that corresponds to the particular location within the ERM where the particular portion of the ERM is located.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the previous portion of the ERM is located at a first location within the ERM, and wherein the method further comprises:

in response to user input to navigate to a previous bookmark;

causing the current location indicator to be moved to a first position along the graphical element that corresponds to the first location within the ERM where the previous portion of the ERM is located.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the subsequent portion of the ERM is located at a second location within the ERM, and wherein the method further comprises:

in response to user input to navigate to a next bookmark;

causing the current location indicator to be moved to a second position along the graphical element that corresponds to the second location within the ERM where the subsequent portion of the ERM is located.

6. A method, comprising:

causing a graphical element that represents a set of electronic reading material (ERM) to be displayed;

determining that a first user-designated bookmark is associated with a first portion of the ERM, wherein the first portion is located at a first location within the ERM; and

causing a first bookmark indicator to be displayed on or within proximity of the graphical element, wherein the first bookmark indicator is placed at a first position along the graphical element that corresponds to the first location within the ERM;

wherein the method is performed by a computing device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

causing content from a particular portion of the ERM to be displayed, wherein the particular portion is located at a particular location within the ERM; and

causing a current location indicator to be displayed on or within proximity of the graphical element, wherein the current location indicator is placed at a particular position along the graphical element that corresponds to the particular location within the ERM.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving user input to navigate to the first bookmark;

in response to the user input;

causing content from the first portion of the ERM to be displayed; and

causing the current location indicator to be moved to the first position along the graphical element, which corresponds to the first location within the ERM where the first portion of the ERM is located.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user input comprises a selection or invocation of the first bookmark indicator.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the content from the particular portion of the ERM is caused to be displayed in a first portion of a display, and wherein the graphical element, the first bookmark indicator, and the current location indicator are caused to be displayed in a second portion of the display that is separate from the first portion of the display, such that the content from the particular portion of the ERM is not obstructed by the graphical element, the first bookmark indicator, and the current location indicator.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that a second user-designated bookmark is associated with a second portion of the ERM, wherein the second portion is located at a second location within the ERM that is different from the first location; and

causing a second bookmark indicator to be displayed on or within proximity of the graphical element, wherein the second bookmark indicator is placed at a second position along the graphical element that corresponds to the second location within the ERM, wherein the second position is different from the first position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the particular location is between the first location and the second location, wherein the particular position is between the first position and the second position, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving user input to navigate to a previous bookmark or a next bookmark;

in response to user input to navigate to a previous bookmark;

determining that the first portion of the ERM is a bookmarked portion that is located closest to and precedes the particular location within the ERM where the particular portion of the ERM is located; and

causing content from the first portion of the ERM to be displayed;

in response to user input to navigate to a next bookmark;

determining that the second portion of the ERM is a bookmarked portion that is located closest to and follows the particular location within the ERM where the particular portion of the ERM is located; and

causing content from the second portion of the ERM to be displayed.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

in response to user input to navigate to a previous bookmark;

causing the current location indicator to be moved to the first position along the graphical element that corresponds to the first location within the ERM where the first portion of the ERM is located; and

in response to user input to navigate to a next bookmark;

causing the current location indicator to be moved to the second position along the graphical element that corresponds to the second location within the ERM where the second portion of the ERM is located.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

causing a previous bookmark control element and a next bookmark control element to be displayed, wherein the previous bookmark control element is selectable by a user to navigate to a previous bookmark, and the next bookmark control element is selectable by a user to navigate to a next bookmark.

15. A computing device configured to perform operations comprising:

causing content from a particular portion of a set of electronic reading material (ERM) to be displayed, wherein the particular portion is located at a particular location within the ERM;

receiving user input to navigate to a previous bookmark or a next bookmark;

in response to user input to navigate to a previous bookmark;

determining which previous portion of the ERM, having a user-designated bookmark associated therewith, is located at a location within the ERM that is closest to and precedes the particular location; and

causing content from that previous portion of the ERM to be displayed;

in response to user input to navigate to a next bookmark;

determining which subsequent portion of the ERM, having a user-designated bookmark associated therewith, is located at a location within the ERM that is closest to and follows the particular location; and

causing content from that subsequent portion of the ERM to be displayed.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the computing device is configured to further perform:

causing a previous bookmark control element and a next bookmark control element to be displayed, wherein the previous bookmark control element is selectable by a user to navigate to a previous bookmark, and the next bookmark control element is selectable by a user to navigate to a next bookmark.

17. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the computing device is configured to further perform:

prior to receiving user input to navigate to a previous bookmark or a next bookmark;

causing a graphical element that represents the ERM to be displayed; and

causing a current location indicator to be displayed on or within proximity of the graphical element, wherein the current location indicator is placed at a particular position along the graphical element that corresponds to the particular location within the ERM where the particular portion of the ERM is located.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the previous portion of the ERM is located at a first location within the ERM, and wherein the computing device is configured to further perform:

in response to user input to navigate to a previous bookmark;

causing the current location indicator to be moved to a first position along the graphical element that corresponds to the first location within the ERM where the previous portion of the ERM is located.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the subsequent portion of the ERM is located at a second location within the ERM, and wherein the computing device is configured to further perform:

in response to user input to navigate to a next bookmark;

causing the current location indicator to be moved to a second position along the graphical element that corresponds to the second location within the ERM where the subsequent portion of the ERM is located.

20. A computing device configured to perform operations comprising:

causing a graphical element that represents a set of electronic reading material (ERM) to be displayed;

determining that a first user-designated bookmark is associated with a first portion of the ERM, wherein the first portion is located at a first location within the ERM; and

causing a first bookmark indicator to be displayed on or within proximity of the graphical element, wherein the first bookmark indicator is placed at a first position along the graphical element that corresponds to the first location within the ERM;

wherein the method is performed by a computing device.

21. The computing device of claim 20, wherein the computing device is configured to further perform:

causing content from a particular portion of the ERM to be displayed, wherein the particular portion is located at a particular location within the ERM; and

causing a current location indicator to be displayed on or within proximity of the graphical element, wherein the current location indicator is placed at a particular position along the graphical element that corresponds to the particular location within the ERM.

22. The computing device of claim 21, wherein the computing device is configured to further perform:

receiving user input to navigate to the first bookmark;

in response to the user input;

causing content from the first portion of the ERM to be displayed; and

causing the current location indicator to be moved to the first position along the graphical element, which corresponds to the first location within the ERM where the first portion of the ERM is located.

23. The computing device of claim 22, wherein the user input comprises a selection or invocation of the first bookmark indicator.

24. The computing device of claim 21, wherein the content from the particular portion of the ERM is caused to be displayed in a first portion of a display, and wherein the graphical element, the first bookmark indicator, and the current location indicator are caused to be displayed in a second portion of the display that is separate from the first portion of the display, such that the content from the particular portion of the ERM is not obstructed by the graphical element, the first bookmark indicator, and the current location indicator.

25. The computing device of claim 21, wherein the computing device is configured to further perform:

determining that a second user-designated bookmark is associated with a second portion of the ERM, wherein the second portion is located at a second location within the ERM that is different from the first location; and

causing a second bookmark indicator to be displayed on or within proximity of the graphical element, wherein the second bookmark indicator is placed at a second position along the graphical element that corresponds to the second location within the ERM, wherein the second position is different from the first position.

26. The computing device of claim 25, wherein the particular location is between the first location and the second location, wherein the particular position is between the first position and the second position, and wherein the computing device is configured to further perform:

receiving user input to navigate to a previous bookmark or a next bookmark;

in response to user input to navigate to a previous bookmark;

determining that the first portion of the ERM is a bookmarked portion that is located closest to and precedes the particular location within the ERM where the particular portion of the ERM is located; and

causing content from the first portion of the ERM to be displayed;

in response to user input to navigate to a next bookmark;

determining that the second portion of the ERM is a bookmarked portion that is located closest to and follows the particular location within the ERM where the particular portion of the ERM is located; and

causing content from the second portion of the ERM to be displayed.

27. The computing device of claim 26, wherein the computing device is configured to further perform:

in response to user input to navigate to a previous bookmark;

causing the current location indicator to be moved to the first position along the graphical element that corresponds to the first location within the ERM where the first portion of the ERM is located; and

in response to user input to navigate to a next bookmark;

causing the current location indicator to be moved to the second position along the graphical element that corresponds to the second location within the ERM where the second portion of the ERM is located.

28. The computing device of claim 26, wherein the computing device is configured to further perform:

causing a previous bookmark control element and a next bookmark control element to be displayed, wherein the previous bookmark control element is selectable by a user to navigate to a previous bookmark, and the next bookmark control element is selectable by a user to navigate to a next bookmark.

29. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

causing content from a particular portion of a set of electronic reading material (ERM) to be displayed, wherein the particular portion is located at a particular location within the ERM;

receiving user input to navigate to a previous bookmark or a next bookmark;

in response to user input to navigate to a previous bookmark;

determining which previous portion of the ERM, having a user-designated bookmark associated therewith, is located at a location within the ERM that is closest to and precedes the particular location; and

causing content from that previous portion of the ERM to be displayed;

in response to user input to navigate to a next bookmark;

determining which subsequent portion of the ERM, having a user-designated bookmark associated therewith, is located at a location within the ERM that is closest to and follows the particular location; and

causing content from that subsequent portion of the ERM to be displayed.

30. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

causing a graphical element that represents a set of electronic reading material (ERM) to be displayed;

determining that a first user-designated bookmark is associated with a first portion of the ERM, wherein the first portion is located at a first location within the ERM; and

causing a first bookmark indicator to be displayed on or within proximity of the graphical element, wherein the first bookmark indicator is placed at a first position along the graphical element that corresponds to the first location within the ERM.