Content enabling cover for electronic book reader devices

• US 9,188,976 B1
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, John T., Hebenstreit, Joseph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Quang D
• Application Number:
  US12/553,081
• Time in Patent Office: 2,267 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1014 to tokens
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing

Abstract

A dedicated electronic book reader device and accompanying accessory are described. When the accessory is used with the electronic book reader device, the accessory unlocks content that would otherwise be unavailable to the device. The accessory may be configured to provide a password that unlocks content stored on the electronic book reader device, stored on the accessory, or stored remotely. In one implementation, the accessory is a cover which also physically protects the electronic book reader.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a communicative connection between one or more first connectors of an accessory and one or more second connectors of an electronic book reader device, a physical shape of at least one first connector of the one or more first connectors of the accessory being a unique identifier; and

providing, via the communicative connection and to the electronic book reader device, access to content based at least in part on the unique identifier.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the accessory comprises a cover for the electronic book reader device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises an electronic document.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein electronic signals are not passed between the accessory and the electronic book reader device.

5. A cover for a dedicated electronic book reader device, the cover comprising:

a memory that stores content;

a coupling element that at least partially secures the cover to a corresponding element of the dedicated electronic book reader device, the coupling element including;

a communicative connection between the memory and the dedicated electronic book reader device; and

a unique identifier that provides access to the content stored in the memory, the unique identifier being a physical shape of the coupling element; and

transmitting the content from the memory of the cover to the dedicated electronic book reader device via the communicative connection.

6. The cover of claim 5, further comprising one or more flaps having interior and exterior surfaces configured to protect at least one outer surface of the dedicated electronic book reader device.

7. The cover of claim 5, wherein the memory is read-only memory.

8. The cover of claim 5, wherein the content comprises an audio book.

9. The cover of claim 5, wherein the coupling element is positioned along a spine of the cover.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a communicative connection between one or more first coupling elements of an electronic device and one or more second coupling elements of a cover configured to protect at least one outer surface of the electronic device, a physical shape of a second coupling element of the one or more second coupling elements being a unique identifier that enables access to content stored in a memory of the cover; and

providing, via the communicative connection and to the electronic device, access to the content in the memory of the cover based at least in part on the unique identifier.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the electronic device comprises a dedicated electronic book reader device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the content further comprises user customization settings that include at least accessibility settings.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein, in response to being adjusted, the user customization settings cause an alteration of a user interface of the electronic device.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein, in response to being adjusted, the accessibility settings cause an alteration of text contrast settings of a user interface of the electronic device to improve usability of the electronic device for a user with low vision.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the communicative connection comprises an electrically conductive connection between the cover and the electronic device established by at least one electrically conductive connector, the electrically conductive connector also physically holding the cover to the electronic device.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the communicative connection comprises a wireless connection between the cover and the electronic device.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising refraining, by the electronic device, from saving the content to a memory within the electronic device.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein providing access to the content to the electronic device ceases in response to the communicative connection being disconnected.

19. A dedicated electronic book reader device, comprising:

a physical coupling element that at least partially secures the dedicated electronic book reader device to a corresponding element of a cover;

a communication interface, comprising one or more first connectors to facilitate communication with one or more second connectors of the cover;

a processor;

a memory accessible by the processor; and

a cover communication module stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the cover communication module is configured to access content stored on the cover via the communication interface based at least in part on a coupling between at least one second connector of the one or more second connectors and at least one first connector of the one or more first connectors, wherein a physical shape of the at least one second connector is a unique identifier that enables access to the content stored on the cover.

20. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 19, wherein the content comprises an electronic book (eBook).

21. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 20, wherein the eBook is provided by periodic subscription and the cover is sold by a publisher of the eBook.

22. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 19, wherein the physical coupling element further establishes an electronic path for the communication interface.

23. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 19, wherein the content is stored in an RFID tag, and the communication interface comprises an RFID tag reader to query the RFID tag to receive the content wirelessly, in response to the coupling between the second connector and the at least one first connector.

24. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 19, wherein the communication interface further establishes a network connection to a remote source over a network.

25. The dedicated electronic book reader device of claim 19, wherein the communication interface comprises a wireless communication component.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform acts comprising:

accessing content from a cover of the electronic device via a communicative connection between one or more first connectors associated with the electronic device and one or more second connectors associated with the cover, a physical shape of a second connector of the one or more second connectors being a unique identifier;

correlating the unique identifier to the content stored on the cover, wherein the unique identifier is associated with an access privilege of a specific user; and

providing access to the content associated with the specific user that is stored on the cover based on the access privilege, wherein the access privilege unlocks a first content and blocks a second content.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the first content or the second content is stored in memory of the cover and the access privilege unlocks access to the content.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the content comprises an electronic book (eBook) or audio book.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the access privilege is configurable by an administrator who has greater privileges than other users of the electronic device.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the access privilege is based at least in part on an age-based ratings system.