Electronic paper display device event tracking

• US 8,255,820 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Skiff LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Rivlin, John, Duga, Brady, Conboy, Garth, Leshner, William, Le Chevalier, Vincent, Richards, Ruze, Rojas, Emilio
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, TUYETLIEN T
• Application Number:
  US12/481,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20100313161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 715/776, 715/771
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/14 Electronic books and readers

Abstract

A system for and method for tracking events occurring on an electronic paper display device is presented. The system and method may include detecting an event occurring at the electronic paper display device, identifying the event and a status of the electronic paper display device, wherein the identification of the event comprises using a data structure mapping electronic content structure to one or more identifiers, and transmitting the one or more identifiers associated with the event via a network to a network accessible device.

Claims

1. A hardware implemented method for tracking events occurring on an electronic paper display device, the method comprising:

using a computer processor, detecting an event occurring at the electronic paper display device;

using the computer processor, identifying an event identifier corresponding to the detected event by using one of more portions of the detected event to query a mapping data structure, wherein the mapping data structure comprises a mapping of extensible markup language (XML) elements to one or more event identifiers, the one or more event identifiers comprising a publication identifier, a page identifier, a zoom state, a scroll position, an indicator of highlighted content, and a user interface focus;

using the computer processor, identifying a device status of the electronic paper display device; and

transmitting the event identifier and the device status via a network to a network accessible device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event identifier provides electronic content usage information for generation of targeted marketing materials associated with the electronic content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event identifier provides diagnostic information for diagnosing technical problems associated with the electronic paper display device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event identifier provides planning information for identifying network resource requirements to address user demand for electronic content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises viewing a page of electronic content on the electronic paper display device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting further comprises transmitting at least one of:

an event time, an event action, an event user interface control identifier, user interface display coordinates, an identifier of a resource request associated with an event, one or more portions of a resource response associated with an event, and a combination of the preceding.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a resource request comprises at least one of:

a click on a Uniform Resource Locator (“

URL”

), a submission via a POST request, a File Transfer Protocol (“

FTP”

) download, and a combination of the preceding.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises at least one of:

a resource request, a device power state change, a user interface control change, a resource response, a device status, an error code, and a combination of the preceding.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user interface control change comprises at least one of:

a button up, a button down, a touch screen tap, a scroll wheel rotation, a touchpad input, a mouse input, a trackball input, adjustment of a sliding control, a flipping of a toggle switch, and a combination of the preceding.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the network accessible device comprises a server for logging electronic paper display device events.

11. At least one non-transitory processor readable storage medium for storing a computer program of instructions configured to be readable by at least one processor for instructing the at least one processor to execute a computer process for performing the method as recited in claim 1.

12. An electronic paper display device comprising:

a persistent display for displaying electronic content;

a communications module for transmitting electronic paper display device event information; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the display and the communications module, wherein the processor is configured to;

detect an event occurring at the electronic paper display device;

identify an event identifier corresponding to the detected event by using one of more portions of the detected event to query a mapping data structure, wherein the mapping data structure comprises a mapping of extensible markup language (XML) elements to one or more event identifiers, the one or more event identifiers comprising a publication identifier, a page identifier, a zoom state, a scroll position, an indicator of highlighted content, and a user interface focus;

identify a device status of the electronic paper display device; and

transmit the event identifier and the device status via a network to a network accessible device.

13. The electronic paper display device of claim 12, wherein the event comprises viewing a page of electronic content on the electronic paper display device.

14. The electronic paper display device of claim 12, wherein the transmission further comprises transmitting at least one of:

an event time, an event action, an event user interface control identifier, user interface display coordinates, an identifier of a resource request associated with an event, one or more portions of a resource response associated with an event, and a combination of the preceding.

15. The electronic paper display device of claim 14, wherein a resource request comprises at least one of:

a click on a Uniform Resource Locator (“

URL”

), a submission via a POST request, a File Transfer Protocol (“

FTP”

) download, and a combination of the preceding.

16. The electronic paper display device of claim 12, wherein the event comprises at least one of:

a resource request, a device power state change, a user interface control change, a resource response, a device status, an error code, and a combination of the preceding.

17. The electronic paper display device of claim 16, wherein the user interface control change comprises at least one of:

a button up, a button down, a touch screen tap, a scroll wheel rotation, a touchpad input, a mouse input, a trackball input, adjustment of a sliding control, a flipping of a toggle switch, and a combination of the preceding.

18. The electronic paper display device of claim 12, wherein the network accessible device comprises a server for logging electronic paper display device events.

19. The electronic paper display device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to store data associated with the event in electronic storage associated with the electronic paper display device.

20. The electronic paper display device of claim 12, wherein the event identifier provides electronic content usage information for generation of targeted marketing materials associated with the electronic content.

21. The electronic paper display device of claim 12, wherein the event identifier provides diagnostic information for diagnosing technical problems associated with the electronic paper display device.

22. The electronic paper display device of claim 12, wherein the event identifier provides planning information for identifying network resource requirements to address user demand for electronic content.

23. The electronic paper display device of claim 12, wherein the mapping of XML elements to one or more event identifiers identifies one or more XML elements associated with a page of electronic content and a zoom level.

24. A system for tracking events of an electronic paper display device comprising:

one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

generate a data structure mapping events to one or more event identifiers,

wherein the data structure comprises a mapping of extensible markup language (XML) elements to one or more event identifiers, the one or more event identifiers comprising a publication identifier, a page identifier, a zoom state, a scroll position, an indicator of highlighted content, and a user interface focus;

provide the data structure to an electronic paper display device;

receive one or more event identifiers associated with a detected event and a device status from the electronic paper display device; and

record data associated with the event identifiers.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

generating of targeted marketing materials based at least in part on the recorded data.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

diagnosing technical problems associated with the electronic paper display device based at least in part on the recorded data.

27. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

identifying network resource requirements to address user demand for electronic content based at least in part on the recorded data.