Synchronized consumption modes for e-books

• US 9,117,195 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2012
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Casey, Matthew R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Kavita
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURKE, TIONNA M
• Application Number:
  US13/372,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20130212454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 715/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/12 Use of codes for handling textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/10 Usage protection of distributed data files

Abstract

An e-book system receives and stores different versions of an e-book supporting different consumption modes. Additionally, the e-book system stores signposts for the e-book. The signposts include corresponding locations in different versions of the e-book. When a user switches from a first version to a second version, the e-book system determines based on the signposts a location in the second version of the e-book that corresponds to the current location in the first version. The e-book system then presents the content in the second version from the determined location.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for switching between synchronized consumption modes of an e-book, the method comprising:

storing a first version and a second version of the e-book, the first version supporting a first consumption mode of the e-book and the second version supporting a second consumption mode of the e-book;

storing signposts associated with the first and second versions of the e-book, the signposts including corresponding locations within the first and the second versions of the e-book;

receiving feedback regarding activity of a plurality of users associated with content in the first version of the e-book;

receiving a current location in the first version of the e-book;

determining a current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book;

adjusting the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the received feedback; and

transmitting for presentation the adjusted current location in the second version of the e-book.

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

determining locations in the first version of the e-book matching locations in the second version of the e-book; and

creating signposts specifying the matching locations in the first and second versions of the e-book.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the first version is a text version supporting a reading consumption mode of the e-book, and the second version comprises audio content supporting a listening consumption mode of the e-book and determining the matching locations comprises:

converting portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book into text snippets corresponding to the audio content;

determining a confidence score associated with each text snippet, the confidence score indicating a likelihood that the text snippet was correctly converted from a corresponding audio portion;

identifying text snippets with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted; and

determining parts of the text version of the e-book that match the text snippets converted from the portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted.

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

transmitting a signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book to a reviewer for manual verification;

receiving, from the reviewer, an input indicating whether the signpost correctly indicates corresponding locations within the first and second versions of the e-book.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

determining the current location in the second version of the e-book as the location in the second version specified in the determined signpost.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

inferring the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the current location in the first version, the determined signpost, and empirical data indicating consumption rates for a typical user for consuming content in the first consumption mode.

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

determining a sparsity of the stored signpost responsive to a distance between two consecutive signposts associated with e-book or responsive to a total number of signposts for the e-book;

responsive to a comparison of the sparsity to a threshold, transmitting content from the first version of the e-book and content from the second version of the e-book located between two stored signposts for presentation to a reviewer;

receiving a selection from the reviewer indicating matching locations in the transmitted content from the first version of the e-book and the second version of the e-book; and

storing the received matching locations as an additional signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions for switching between synchronized consumption modes of an e-book, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

storing a first version and a second version of the e-book, the first version supporting a first consumption mode of the e-book and the second version supporting a second consumption mode of the e-book;

storing signposts associated with the first and second versions of the e-book, the signposts including corresponding locations within the first and the second versions of the e-book;

receiving feedback regarding activity of a plurality of users associated with content in the first version of the e-book;

receiving a current location in the first version of the e-book;

determining a current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book;

adjusting the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the received feedback; and

transmitting for presentation the adjusted current location in the second version of the e-book.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for:

determining locations in the first version of the e-book matching locations in the second version of the e-book; and

creating signposts specifying the matching locations in the first and second versions of the e-book.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the first version is a text version supporting a reading consumption mode of the e-book, and the second version comprises audio content supporting a listening consumption mode of the e-book, and instructions for determining the matching locations comprises:

converting portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book into text snippets corresponding to the audio content;

determining a confidence score associated with each text snippet, the confidence score indicating a likelihood that the text snippet was correctly converted from a corresponding audio portion;

identifying text snippets with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted; and

determining parts of the text version of the e-book that match the text snippets converted from the portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for:

transmitting a signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book to a reviewer for manual verification; and

receiving, from the reviewer, an input indicating whether the signpost correctly indicates corresponding locations within the first and second versions of the e-book.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

determining the current location in the second version of the e-book as the location in the second version specified in the determined signpost.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

inferring the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the current location in the first version, the determined signpost, and empirical data indicating consumption rates for a typical user for consuming content in the first consumption mode.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions for:

determining a sparsity of the stored signpost responsive to a distance between two consecutive signposts associated with e-book or responsive to a total number of signposts for the e-book;

responsive to a comparison of the sparsity to a threshold, transmitting content from the first version of the e-book and content from the second version of the e-book located between two stored signposts for presentation to a reviewer;

receiving a selection from the reviewer indicating matching locations in the transmitted content from the first version of the e-book and the second version of the e-book; and

storing the received matching locations as an additional signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book.

15. A computer system for switching between synchronized consumption modes of an e-book, the computer system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for;

storing a first version and a second version of the e-book, the first version supporting a first consumption mode of the e-book and the second version supporting a second consumption mode of the e-book;

storing signposts associated with the first and second versions of the e-book, the signposts including corresponding locations within the first and the second versions of the e-book;

receiving feedback regarding activity of a plurality of users associated with content in the first version of the e-book;

receiving a current location in the first version of the e-book;

determining a current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book;

adjusting the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the received feedback; and

transmitting for presentation the adjusted current location in the second version of the e-book; and

a processor for executing the computer program instructions.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising instructions for:

determining locations in the first version of the e-book matching locations in the second version of the e-book; and

creating signposts specifying the matching locations in the first and second versions of the e-book.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the first version is a text version supporting a reading consumption mode of the e-book, and the second version comprises audio content supporting a listening consumption mode of the e-book, and instructions for determining the matching locations comprises:

converting portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book into text snippets corresponding to the audio content;

determining a confidence score associated with each text snippet, the confidence score indicating a likelihood that the text snippet was correctly converted from a corresponding audio portion;

identifying text snippets with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted; and

determining parts of the text version of the e-book that match the text snippets converted from the portions of the audio content from the second version of the e-book with confidence scores indicating that the text snippets were likely correctly converted.

18. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising instructions for:

transmitting a signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book to a reviewer for manual verification; and

receiving, from the reviewer, an input indicating whether the signpost correctly indicates corresponding locations within the first and second versions of the e-book.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

determining the current location in the second version of the e-book as the location in the second version specified in the determined signpost.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein determining the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the stored signposts and the received current location in the first version of the e-book comprises:

determining a signpost including a location closest to the current location in the first version of the e-book; and

inferring the current location in the second version of the e-book based on the current location in the first version, the determined signpost, and empirical data indicating consumption rates for a typical user for consuming content in the first consumption mode.

21. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising instructions for:

determining a sparsity of the stored signpost responsive to a distance between two consecutive signposts associated with e-book or responsive to a total number of signposts for the e-book;

responsive to a comparison of the sparsity to a threshold, transmitting content from the first version of the e-book and content from the second version of the e-book located between two stored signposts for presentation to a reviewer;

receiving a selection from the reviewer indicating matching locations in the transmitted content from the first version of the e-book and the second version of the e-book; and

storing the received matching locations as an additional signpost associated with the first and second versions of the e-book.