Last screen rendering for electronic book reader

• US 9,564,089 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2014
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US14/246,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20140218286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/211, 345/174, 345/104, 345/619, 725/116, 725/114, 386/349
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0473 Use of light emitting or modulating elements having two or more stable states when no power is applied
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/027 Arrangements or methods related to powering off a display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/14 Electronic books and readers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/035 for flexible display surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3453 based on rotating particles or microelements

Abstract

A handheld dedicated electronic book (“eBook”) reader device and last screen rendering techniques for enhancing user experience are described. The eBook reader device detects certain screen conversion events, such as a timeout period, a scheduled event, or an event derived from user behavior. Upon detection of such events, the eBook reader device renders, as the last screen image to remain visible after the user ceases using the device, an image that conveys to the user some meaningful association with a content item. In the context of eBooks, the eBook reader device renders a representation of the book cover as the last screen image. A progress indicator may further be included to represent user progress through the content item.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing, by an electronic device, display of content from an electronic book via a display that is associated with the electronic device;

detecting at least one of (i) user input to transition the electronic device to a non-active state or (ii) a period of user inactivity with the electronic device; and

responsive to the detecting and by the electronic device, causing the display to transition from displaying the content from the electronic book to displaying other content that is different than the content from the electronic book.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises detecting a period of user inactivity with the electronic device from identifying that user input has not been received for a threshold period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises detecting a period of user inactivity with the electronic device from identifying that movement of the electronic device has not been detected for a threshold period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting occurrence of a scheduled event during a period of user inactivity with the electronic device; and

responsive to detecting occurrence of the scheduled event, causing display of content representing another electronic book.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that user interaction with the electronic device has resumed; and

upon determining that user interaction with the electronic device has resumed, causing display of content of the electronic book that was last displayed prior to displaying the content that is different than the content from the electronic book.

6. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory accessible by the one or more processors; and

one or more modules stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to;

cause content of an electronic book to be presented via a bi-stable display;

detect at least one of (i) user input that requests a transition of the system to a non-active state, (ii) occurrence of a behavior-based event learned from observing user behavior when interacting with the system or (iii) occurrence of a scheduled event from a calendar application; and

responsive to the detecting, cause information to be presented via the bi-stable display.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the information identifies an author of the electronic book.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the information includes a progress indicator illustrating user progress through the electronic book.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the information includes a picture.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the information comprises a cover image of the electronic book.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the information includes at least one of information that identifies a last page that was consumed of the electronic book or a reading statistic.

12. The system of claim 6, further comprising the bi-stable display.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the bi-stable display is configured to maintain presentation of the information when no power is supplied to the bi-stable display.

14. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having stored therein instructions, which when executed by an electronic device that is associated with an ePaper-type display, cause the electronic device to perform acts comprising:

causing display of content from a content item via the ePaper-type display;

detecting a screen conversion event that comprises at least one of (i) user input that requests a transition of the electronic device to a non-active state, (ii) a period of user inactivity with the electronic device, (iii) a behavior-based event or (iv) a scheduled event from a calendar; and

responsive to the detecting;

transitioning the electronic device from an active state to the non-active state, the non-active state comprising a low-power state in which a first amount of power is supplied to the electronic device that is less than a second amount of power that is supplied to the electronic device in the active state; and

causing display of an image via the ePaper-type display, the image being different than the content from the content item.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the acts further comprise:

monitoring user behavior with the electronic device;

identifying one or more content items based at least in part on the user behavior; and

associating the one or more content items with the screen conversion event;

wherein the screen conversion event comprises the behavior-based event.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the image represents the one or more content items that are associated with the screen conversion event.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the monitoring comprises observing which content items are consumed at different times of the day or week.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the monitoring comprises deriving a pattern of user consumption of the one or more content items.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the screen conversion event comprises the user input that requests the transition of the electronic device to the non-active state.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the screen conversion event comprises the period of user inactivity with the electronic device.