Last screen rendering for electronic book readers

• US 8,898,566 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2011
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rachabathuni, Sailesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US13/070,328
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 715/808, 715/867, 715/716, 715/863, 715707-708, 715/710, 715/738, 715/784, 715/741
• US Class Current: 715/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0291 for reading, e.g. e-books constructional details of portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 5/00 Methods or arrangements for data conversion without changing the order or content of the data handled

Abstract

A handheld dedicated electronic book (“eBook”) reader device renders an image on a screen during periods of inactivity of the device. The device detects certain screen conversion events such as a timeout period or a user indication. Upon detection of such events, the device renders, as the last screen image to remain visible after the user ceases using the device, an image that conveys some meaningful association with a content item accessible by the device. In the context of eBooks, the eBook reader device renders a representation of an author of the eBook as the last screen image. A highlighted portion of the eBook may additionally or alternatively be presented as the last screen image.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of an electronic book reader device configured with executable instructions, performing the following;

displaying content from an electronic book on a display of the electronic book reader device, the electronic book having an associated author image of an author of the electronic book;

detecting at least one of (1) a threshold period of inactivity in which a user ceases interacting with the electronic book reader device or (2) a user input to transition the electronic book reader device to a non-active state; and

responsive to the detecting, displaying the author image associated with the electronic book.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold period of inactivity is configurable by the user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold period of inactivity is based at least in part on a reading speed of the user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the threshold period of inactivity is based at least in part on the electronic book.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the author image comprises a graphical representation of multiple authors, each of the authors associated with the electronic book.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the author image associated with the electronic book further comprises additionally displaying an author image associated with a second electronic book, the electronic book and the second electronic book both available on the electronic book reader device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the electronic book includes at least two portions, each portion associated with a different author and the author image comprises a graphical representation of the author associated with the portion of the electronic book that was last presented prior to transitioning to the non-active state.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, whereupon the user begins interacting with the electronic book reader device following display of the author image, restoring display of the content of the electronic book that was last presented prior to displaying the author image.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, when the electronic book reader device is in the non-active state, at least one of (1) passage of a threshold period of time or (2) a user input indicating a screen conversion event; and

responsive to the detecting, when the electronic book reader device is in the non-active state, replacing the author image with a different image associated with the electronic book.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the different image comprises a graphical representation of a cover of the electronic book.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the different image comprises an author image of an additional author of the electronic book.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the different image comprises a title of the electronic book.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the different image comprises a portion of the electronic book highlighted by the user.

14. A computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of a device having a display and configured with executable instructions, performing the following;

rendering content from a content item;

transitioning the device to a non-active state responsive to (1) a threshold period of inactivity in which a user ceases interacting with the device or (2) a user input; and

presenting, on the display, a highlighted portion of the content item.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the content item comprises at least one of an electronic book or a video content item.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the image comprises a collage of the highlighted portion of the content item and at least one of an image of an author of the content item, a graphical representation of a cover of the content item, or a title of the content item.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting a screen conversion event while the device is in the non-active state; and

presenting, on the display in response to the screen conversion event, a second image associated with the content item.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the screen conversion event comprises lapse of a defined amount of time.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein a subsequent visual representation associated with the content item is presented on the display each time the defined amount of time lapses.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the screen conversion event comprises a user input.

36. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the highlighted portion of the content item comprises a portion of the content item previously indicated as highlighted by an author of the content item or by a user of the content item.

21. A dedicated electronic book reader device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory accessible by the processor;

a bi-stable display to present one or more pages of an electronic book responsive to user input; and

a last screen rendering module stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the last screen rendering module detecting transition of the electronic book reader device to a non-active state and in response, causing the bi-stable display to present a visible representation associated with the electronic book, the visible representation comprising one of;

an author image associated with the electronic book, a graphical representation of a cover of the electronic book, a title of the electronic book, or a highlighted portion of the electronic book.

22. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 21, wherein the transition of the electronic book reader device to a non-active state is responsive to user input.

23. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 21, wherein the last screen rendering module comprises a timer component to detect when a user ceases interacting with the dedicated electronic book reader device for a threshold period of time, the transition of the electronic book reader device to a non-active state generated responsive to the timer detecting passage of the threshold period of time.

24. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 23, wherein the timer component is further configured to detect a second screen conversion event and the last screen rendering module causing the bi-stable display to present a second visible representation associated with the electronic book in response to the second screen conversion event.

25. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 24, wherein the second visible representation comprises at least one of the author image associated with the electronic book, the graphical representation of a cover of the electronic book, the title of the electronic book, or the highlighted portion of the electronic book, wherein the second visible representation is different from the visual representation.

26. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 21, wherein the dedicated electronic book reader device further comprises an author image module stored in the memory and the visual representation comprises an author image stored for use by the author image module and associated with the electronic book.

27. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 21, wherein the dedicated electronic book reader device further comprises a highlights module stored in the memory and the visual representation comprises a highlighted portion of the electronic book, the highlighted portion stored for use by the highlights module and associated with the electronic book.

28. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed by an electronic book reader device having a display, cause the electronic book reader device to perform acts comprising:

rendering a first image representation of content in an electronic book;

detecting a transition of the electronic book reader device to a non-active state;

rendering a second image representation of a highlighted portion of the electronic book.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the first image representation comprises one or more pages of the electronic book.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the transition of the electronic book reader device to a non-active state occurs after a period of inactivity in which a user ceases interacting with the electronic book reader device.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the transition of the electronic book reader device to a non-active state occurs in response to a user input.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the highlighted portion of the electronic book comprises a portion of the electronic book previously indicated as highlighted by a user of the electronic book reader device.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the highlighted portion of the electronic book comprises a portion of the electronic book previously indicated as highlighted by an author of the electronic book.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions cause the electronic book reader device to perform further acts comprising:

detecting a screen conversion event while the electronic book reader device is in the non-active state; and

responsive to detecting the screen conversion event, rendering a third image representation of a different highlighted portion of the electronic book.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the screen conversion event comprises at least one of (1) passage of a threshold period of time or (2) a user input.