Detection and utilization of document reading speed

• US 8,271,865 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton, Jr., Doug
• Assistant Examiner(s): Debrow, James
• Application Number:
  US11/228,213
• Time in Patent Office: 2,556 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 345/448, 345/738, 345/968, 358/1.15, 358/296, 358/453, 375/240.27, 375/E7.001, 434/178, 434/362, 434/365, 435/69.1, 701/1, 701/35, 701/29, 702/19, 707/2, 707/3, 707/5, 707/10, 707/100, 707/104.1, 709/201, 709/203, 709/204, 709/219, 709/221, 709/223, 713/176, 714/4, 715/234, 715/243, 715/274, 715/275, 715/500, 715/507, 715/526, 715/201, 715/1, 718/1
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing

Abstract

A system stores an electronic document that has markers inserted within the electronic document. The system visually renders the electronic document to a user and uses the inserted markers to determine a speed at which a reader reads the electronic document.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a computer, a selection of one or more features associated with a first electronic document, where the selected one or more features include at least one of;

a language associated with the first electronic document,

a layout associated with the first electronic document,

a text length associated with the first electronic document,

a topic associated with the first electronic document, or

a type of content associated with the first electronic document;

obtaining, by a processor of the computer, a first reading speed associated with the first electronic document, the obtaining of the first reading speed including;

accessing a data structure storing a plurality of reading speeds for a respective plurality of electronic documents, a plurality of features being associated with the plurality of electronic documents,

identifying one of the plurality of electronic documents that is associated with selected one or more features, and

identifying, as the first reading speed, one of the plurality of reading speeds that is associated with the identified one of the plurality of electronic documents;

determining, by the processor of the computer, reading speed statistics associated with the selected one or more features using the obtained first reading speed; and

estimating, by the processor of the computer, a second reading speed associated with a second electronic document, that includes the selected one or more features, based on the first reading speed and the determined reading speed statistics.

2. The method of claim 1, where estimating the second reading speed of the second electronic document includes:

modifying the first reading speed based on the determined reading speed statistics.

3. The method of claim 1, where determining the first reading speed statistics comprises:

determining an average reading speed distribution as a function of the selected one or more features.

4. The method of claim 1, where the first reading speed and the second reading speed are associated with a particular user.

5. A system, comprising:

a memory to store a data structure that includes plurality of reading speeds for a respective plurality of electronic documents, a plurality of features being associated with the plurality of electronic documents; and

a processing unit to;

receive an indication of one or more features, of the plurality of features, associated with a first electronic document, where the one or more features associated with the first electronic document include one or more of;

a document language,

a document layout,

a document text length,

a document topic, or

a type of document content,

calculate a first reading speed associated with the first electronic document, the processing unit, when calculating the first reading speed, being further to;

determine one of the plurality of electronic documents that includes the one or more features, and

identify, as the first reading speed, one of the plurality of reading speeds that is associated with the determined one of the plurality of electronic documents,

determine, based on the first reading speed, one or more reading speed statistics associated with the one or more features associated with the first electronic document, and

predict a second reading speed of a second electronic document based on the first reading speed and the one or more reading speed statistics.

6. The device of claim 5, where the processor, when estimating the second reading speed of the second electronic document, is further to:

modify the first reading speed based on the determined reading speed statistics.

7. The device of claim 5, where the processing unit, when determining the one or more reading speed statistics, is further to:

determine an average reading speed distribution as a function of the one or more features.

8. The device of claim 5, where the first reading speed and the second reading speed are associated with a particular user.

9. A system, comprising:

one or more devices comprising;

means for receiving an indication of features associated with a first electronic document, where the features include one or more of a document language, a document layout, a document text length, a document topic, or a type of document content;

means for identifying a first reading speed associated with the first electronic document, the identifying means including;

means for accessing a data structure storing a plurality of reading speeds for a respective plurality of electronic documents, a plurality of features being associated with the plurality of electronic documents,

means for identifying one of the plurality of electronic documents that is associated with features for the first electronic document, and

means for identifying, as the first reading speed, one of the plurality of reading speeds that is associated with the identified one of the plurality of electronic documents;

means for determining reading speed statistics, associated with the features associated with the first electronic document, using the first reading speed;

means for estimating a second reading speed, associated with a second electronic document, based on the first reading speed and the reading speed statistics.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

one or more instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to receive an indication of one or more features associated with the first electronic document, where the one or more features associated with the first electronic document include one or more of;

a document language,

a document layout,

a document text length,

a document topic, or

a type of document content;

one or more instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to obtain a first reading speed associated with the first electronic document, the one or more instruction to obtain the first reading speed including;

one or more instructions to access a data structure storing a plurality of reading speeds for a respective plurality of electronic documents, a plurality of features being associated with the plurality of electronic documents,

one or more instructions to identify one of the plurality of electronic documents that is associated with features for the first electronic document, and

one or more instructions to identify, as the first reading speed, one of the plurality of reading speeds that is associated with the identified one of the plurality of electronic documents;

one or more instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine, based on the first reading speed, one or more reading speed statistics associated with the one or more features associated with the first electronic document; and

one or more instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to predict a second reading speed of a second electronic document based on the first reading speed and the one or more reading speed statistics.

11. The computer readable of claim 10, where the one or more instructions to estimate the second reading speed of the second electronic document further include:

one or more instructions to modify the first reading speed based on the determined reading speed statistics.

12. The computer readable of claim 10, where the one or more instructions to determine the one or more reading speed statistics further include:

one or more instructions to determine an average reading speed distribution as a function of the one or more features.

13. The computer readable of claim 10, where the first reading speed and the second reading speed are associated with a particular user.