Cover display

• US 9,495,322 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Belin, Gilles Jean Roger, Lewbel, Hannah Rebecca
• Primary Examiner(s): Broome, Said
• Application Number:
  US12/886,877
• Time in Patent Office: 2,247 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0208 for combination with other devices having a different main function, e.g. watches, pens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer

Abstract

A cover for an electronic device, such as a dedicated handheld electronic book (“eBook”) reader device, is described. The eBook cover has one or more integral displays, which are used to display various information that may or may not be related to the eBook that is being consumed on the eBook reader device.

Claims

1. A cover for a handheld electronic book reader device, the cover comprising:

a front flap that is moveable to be positioned over a reader display of the handheld electronic book reader device, the front flap having opposed inner and outer surfaces;

one or more attachment elements that detachably couple the cover to the handheld electronic book reader device;

a cover display on one or both of the inner and outer surfaces of the front flap; and

control logic configured to;

receive supplemental content from the handheld electronic book reader device, the supplemental content being related to an electronic book that is displayed via the handheld electronic book reader device, the supplemental content being different than content of the electronic book; and

cause the cover display to display the supplemental content.

2. A cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the cover display is on the outer surface of the front flap to display the supplemental content when the cover is closed.

3. A cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the cover display is on the inner surface of the front flap to show the supplemental content when the handheld electronic book reader device is in use.

4. A cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the cover display is further configured to display book cover art and to visually age the book cover art in response to usage of the electronic book.

5. A cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the supplemental content indicates user progress through the electronic book.

6. An electronic book reader device comprising:

a reader display that is configured to present content of an electronic book; and

a cover that is configured to be positioned over the reader display and that includes one or more cover displays and operational logic configured to;

receive information indicating that at least a portion of the content of the electronic book is currently being displayed on the reader display;

receive, from a source remote from the electronic book reader device, supplemental content that is determined to be related to the content of the electronic book, the supplemental content being different than the content of the electronic book; and

display, on the one or more cover displays, the supplemental content.

7. An electronic book reader device as recited in claim 6, wherein:

the cover has a front flap with an inner surface and an outer surface;

the cover has a back flap;

at least a first one of the one or more cover displays is positioned on the inner surface; and

at least a second one of the one or more cover displays is positioned on the outer surface.

8. An electronic book reader device as recited in claim 6, wherein:

the cover has a plurality of edges; and

at least one of the one or more cover displays is positioned on one of the plurality of edges.

9. An electronic book reader device as recited in claim 6, wherein:

the cover has a spine edge; and

at least one of the one or more cover displays is positioned on the spine edge.

10. An electronic book reader device as recited in claim 6, wherein the supplemental content indicates progress through the electronic book.

11. An electronic book reader device as recited in claim 6, wherein the operational logic is configured to implement a user navigational interface in conjunction with at least one of the one or more cover displays.

12. An electronic book reader device as recited in claim 6, wherein the operational logic is configurable by a user to display information designated by the user on at least one of the one or more cover displays.

13. An electronic book reader device as recited in claim 6, wherein the operational logic is configurable to display electronic book information on at least one of the one or more cover displays.

14. An electronic book reader device as recited in claim 6, wherein the supplemental content comprises at least one of a user electronic book wishlist or suggestion list.

15. An electronic book reader device as recited in claim 6, wherein the supplemental content indicates what other users are reading.

16. An electronic book reader device as recited in claim 6, wherein the supplemental content comprises user information.

17. A cover for a handheld electronic device that includes a display, the cover comprising:

a wireless communication component configured to transmit data wirelessly to the handheld electronic device;

a front flap that is moveable to be positioned over the display of the handheld electronic device;

a first electronic cover display configured to display an advertisement to promote a product or service; and

a second electronic cover display positioned on an outer spine of the cover and having a first side and a second side, the first side being hingeably connected to the front flap and the second side being hingeably connected to the electronic cover display.

18. A cover as recited in claim 17, wherein:

the front flap has inner and outer surfaces; and

the first electronic cover display is positioned on one of the inner or outer surfaces.

19. A cover as recited in claim 17, wherein:

the cover has a plurality of edges; and

the first electronic cover display is positioned on one of the plurality of edges.

20. A cover as recited in claim 17, further comprising a data coupler comprising a first accessory connector and a second accessory connector spaced apart from each other and the first accessory connector configured to provide a conductive pathway.

21. A cover as recited in claim 17, wherein the cover is configurable by a user to display information designated by the user on the electronic cover display.

22. A cover as recited in claim 17, wherein the cover is configurable to display user-designated pictures on the first electronic cover display.

23. A cover as recited in claim 17, further comprising a data coupling for communications with the handheld electronic device.

24. A cover as recited in claim 17, wherein the handheld electronic device is configured to display electronic books, and further comprising:

a data coupling for communications with the handheld electronic device;

the cover being configured to receive electronic book supplemental information from the handheld electronic device for display on the first electronic cover display.

25. A cover as recited in claim 17, wherein the handheld electronic device is configured to display electronic books, and further comprising:

a data coupling for communications with the handheld electronic device;

the cover being configured to receive electronic book reading progress information from the handheld electronic device for display on the first electronic cover display.

26. A cover as recited in claim 17, further comprising a memory port configured to communicate with a removable memory device.

27. A cover as recited in claim 17, further comprising a memory port configured to communicate with a removable memory device, wherein the cover is configured to display content stored on the removable memory device.

28. A cover for an electronic book reader device, the cover comprising:

control logic configured to receive, from at least one of a content server or the electronic reader device, book cover art for an electronic book that is displayed via the electronic book reader device, the book cover art representing a cover of the electronic book;

a display configured to display the book cover art; and

a coupler configured to detachably couple to the electronic book reader device and receive power from the electronic book reader device.

29. A cover as recited in claim 28, wherein the control logic is further configured to cause the display to display user interface data.

30. A cover as recited in claim 28, wherein the control logic is further configured to cause the display to display electronic book supplementary materials.

31. A cover as recited in claim 28, wherein the control logic is further configured to wirelessly receive the cover art from a content server.

32. A cover as recited in claim 28, wherein the control logic is further configured to cause the display to display electronic book progress data.

33. A cover as recited in claim 28, wherein the control logic is further configured to cause the display to display electronic book bibliographic data.

34. A method comprising:

receiving, by a cover for a handheld electronic book reader device, supplemental content from a source remote from the handheld electronic book reader device, the supplemental content being associated with an electronic book displayed on the handheld electronic book reader device, the supplemental content being different than content of the electronic book; and

at least partly in response to the receiving, presenting the supplemental content on one or more displays of the cover.

35. A method as recited in claim 34, further comprising presenting cover art associated with the electronic book.

36. A method as recited in claim 34, further comprising:

receiving, from the handheld electronic book reader device, progress information based on a current position in the electronic book displayed on the handheld electronic book reader device; and

displaying, on the one or more displays of the cover and based on the progress information, a progress indicator that indicates progress through the electronic book.