Invariant Referencing in Digital Works

• US 20080163039A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lattyak, John, Goodwin, Robert L., Ryan, Thomas A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,817 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191

Abstract

A method of presenting a digital work includes displaying a portion of the digital work on a display screen under a set of display conditions, and providing one or more invariant location reference identifiers corresponding to the portion of the digital work on the display screen. The invariant location reference identifiers are separate from the digital work, and each invariant location reference identifier is provided along with the corresponding portion of the digital work, regardless of the display conditions under which the portion of the digital work is displayed.

Claims

1. A method of presenting eBook content on an eBook reader device, the method comprising:

displaying a portion of the eBook content on a display screen of the eBook reader device under a set of display conditions including a font size and a line spacing; and

providing on the display screen of the eBook reader device one or more invariant location reference identifiers corresponding to the portion of the eBook content displayed on the display screen, the invariant location reference identifiers being separate from the eBook content, such that the eBook content is unaltered by the provision of the location reference identifiers,

wherein each invariant location reference identifier is provided along with the corresponding portion of the eBook content, regardless of the display conditions under which the portion of the eBook content is displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a reading pane and a navigation pane on the display screen of the eBook reader device, the portion of the eBook content being displayed in the reading pane and the invariant location reference identifier(s) being provided in the navigation pane.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each invariant location reference identifier corresponds to a text character, a word or string of words, a sentence, a paragraph, a figure, an image, a chart, a table, or a non-text object of the eBook content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each invariant location reference identifier corresponds to a byte number of data representing the displayed portion of the eBook content.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the eBook content has associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers, and based on this determination:

providing the invariant location reference identifiers based on the associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers, if associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers is determined to be present, and

providing the invariant location reference identifiers based on a byte number of data representing the displayed portion of the eBook content, if associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers is determined to be absent.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a search field for entry of an invariant location reference identifier and, in response to user entry of an invariant location reference identifier in the search field, updating the display screen to display a portion of the eBook content corresponding to the entered invariant location reference identifier.

7. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 1.

8. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, performs the method of claim 1.

9. A method of presenting a digital work comprising text, the method comprising:

displaying a portion of the digital work on a display screen under a set of display conditions; and

providing on the display screen one or more invariant location reference identifiers corresponding to the portion of the digital work on the display screen, the invariant location reference identifiers being separate from the digital work,

wherein each invariant location reference identifier is provided along with the corresponding portion of the digital work, regardless of the display conditions under which the portion of the digital work is displayed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a reading pane and a navigation pane on the display screen, the portion of the digital work being displayed in the reading pane and the invariant location reference identifier(s) being provided in the navigation pane.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the invariant location reference identifier(s) are provided by being overlaid on a part of the digital work displayed on the display screen.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the invariant location reference identifier(s) are provided in response to user selection of a part of the digital work displayed on the display screen.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein each text character of the digital work has a corresponding invariant location reference identifier.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein each word or string of words of the digital work has a corresponding invariant location reference identifier.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein each sentence of the digital work has a corresponding invariant location reference identifier.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein each paragraph of the digital work has a corresponding invariant location reference identifier.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein each invariant location reference identifier comprises a byte number of data representing the displayed portion of the digital work.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein each image, figure, table, chart, and non-text object of the digital work has a corresponding invariant location reference identifier.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein each invariant location reference identifier comprises a numeric identifier having at most four digits.

20. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining if the digital work has associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers, and based on this determination:

providing the invariant location reference identifiers based on the associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers, if associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers is determined to be present, and

providing the invariant location reference identifiers based on a byte number of data representing the displayed portion of the digital work, if associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers is determined to be absent.

21. The method of claim 9, further comprising presenting a search field for entry of an invariant location reference identifier and, in response to user entry of an invariant location reference identifier in the search field, updating the display screen to display a portion of the digital work corresponding to the entered invariant location reference identifier.

22. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a table of contents referencing content of the digital work based on corresponding invariant location reference identifiers.

23. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 9.

24. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, performs the method of claim 9.

25. A method of indexing a digital work comprising text, the method comprising:

partitioning the digital work into a plurality of segments;

generating a plurality of sequential, unique location reference identifiers; and

sequentially assigning each segment of the digital work a unique location reference identifier, such that each location reference identifier is uniquely assigned with a corresponding segment of the digital work, regardless of display conditions under which the digital work is displayed.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the location reference identifiers are separate from the digital work, such that the digital work is unaltered by the location reference identifiers.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the location reference identifiers are generated independently of any location indicia in the digital work.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the location reference identifiers are generated based at least in part on location indicia in the digital work.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising capturing the digital work from a printed copy of the work prior to partitioning.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein partitioning the digital work comprises dividing the digital work into horizontal bands of predetermined height, the predetermined height being based at least in part on a height of each page of the printed copy of the work.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the digital work is partitioned on a per-character basis.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the digital work is partitioned on a per-word basis.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the digital work is partitioned on a per-sentence basis.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein the digital work is partitioned on a per-paragraph basis.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein the location reference identifiers are stored in an index file separate from the digital work.

36. The method of claim 25, wherein the location reference identifiers are embedded in a data file of the digital work.

37. The method of claim 25, wherein the method is performed by reader device upon loading the digital work for display, and subsequent to distribution of the digital work to a consumer.

38. The method of claim 25, wherein the method is performed by a pre-processing device prior to distribution of the digital work to a consumer.

39. The method of claim 25, further comprising searching the digital work for any location indicia in the digital work, and replacing or overlaying the locating indicia in the digital work with a corresponding location reference identifier.

40. The method of claim 25, further comprising generating a table of contents referencing content of the digital work, and inserting in the table of contents hyperlinks to location reference identifiers corresponding to locations of the referenced content in the digital work.

41. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 25.

42. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, performs the method of claim 25.

43. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure, the data structure comprising:

a first data field containing a header identifying content of the data structure;

a second data field comprising data representing a digital work including text; and

a third data field comprising invariant location reference identifiers, each identifier being associated with a location in the digital work, such that when the data structure is read by a computer, each invariant location reference identifier is provided along with the associated portion of the digital work, regardless of display conditions under which the portion of the digital work is displayed by the computer.

44. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein each character of the digital work corresponds to an invariant location reference identifier.

45. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein each word of the digital work corresponds to an invariant location reference identifier.

46. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein each sentence of the digital work corresponds to an invariant location reference identifier.

47. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein each paragraph of the digital work corresponds to an invariant location reference identifier.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein each image, figure, table, chart, and non-text object of the digital work corresponds to an invariant location reference identifier.

49. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein each invariant location reference identifier corresponds to a byte count of data representing the digital work.

50. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein each invariant location reference identifier comprises a numeric identifier having at most four digits.

51. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein the data structure further comprises a fourth data field comprising data corresponding to a table of contents referencing content of the digital work based on the invariant location reference identifier(s) with the referenced content.

52. A method of presenting electronic content on an electronic reader device, the method comprising:

displaying a portion of the electronic content on a display screen of the electronic reader device under a set of display conditions including a font size and a line spacing; and

providing on the display screen of the electronic reader device one or more invariant location reference identifiers corresponding to the portion of the electronic content displayed on the display screen, the invariant location reference identifiers being separate from the electronic content, such that the electronic content is unaltered by the provision of the location reference identifiers,

wherein each invariant location reference identifier is provided along with the corresponding portion of the electronic content, regardless of the display conditions under which the portion of the electronic content is displayed.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising displaying a reading pane and a navigation pane on the display screen of the electronic reader device, the portion of the electronic content being displayed in the reading pane and the invariant location reference identifier(s) being provided in the navigation pane.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein each invariant location reference identifier corresponds to a text character, a word or string of words, a sentence, a paragraph, a figure, an image, a chart, a table, or a non-text object of the electronic content.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein each invariant location reference identifier corresponds to a byte number of data representing the displayed portion of the electronic content.

56. The method of claim 52, further comprising determining if the electronic content has associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers, and based on this determination:

providing the invariant location reference identifiers based on the associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers, if associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers is determined to be present, and

providing the invariant location reference identifiers based on a byte number of data representing the displayed portion of the electronic content, if associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers is determined to be absent.

57. The method of claim 52, wherein the electronic content is an electronic book.

58. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 52.

59. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, performs the method of claim 52.

60. A method of navigating a digital work comprising text, the method comprising:

displaying a reading pane in which content of the digital work can be displayed;

presenting a search field for entry of an invariant location reference identifier corresponding to a portion of the digital work content;

receiving user input of a an invariant location reference identifier in the search field; and

updating the reading pane to display a portion of the digital work content corresponding to the entered invariant location reference identifier in response to user entry of the invariant location reference identifier in the search field, regardless of the display conditions under which the portion of the digital work is displayed.

61. The method of claim 60, further comprising displaying a navigation pane, the search field being provided in the navigation pane.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein each invariant location reference identifier corresponds to a text character, a word or string of words, a sentence, or a paragraph of the digital work.

63. The method of claim 60, wherein each invariant location reference identifier corresponds to a byte number of data representing the displayed portion of the digital work.

64. The method of claim 60, further comprising determining if the digital work has associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers, and based on this determination:

updating the reading pane based on the associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers, if associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers is determined to be present, and

providing updating the reading pane based on a byte number of data representing the displayed portion of the digital work, if associated data comprising invariant location reference identifiers is determined to be absent.

65. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 60.

66. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, performs the method of claim 60.