Systems and methods for manipulating user annotations in electronic books

• US 9,501,461 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Patterson, James, Dougall, Scott, Moody, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sams, Michelle L
• Application Number:
  US13/949,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20130311867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/60 Rotation of whole images or parts thereof

Abstract

An electronic book system provides interfaces particularly suited to students'"'"' use of textbooks. Annotations are displayed and hidden using specific gestures and through selective movement of the reader as sensed by its accelerometer. Motion of the electronic book reader below a threshold speed causes a change in display of user-selected content in a first manner and motion above the threshold speed causes a change of display in a second manner.

Claims

1. An electronic book reader, comprising:

an annotation subsystem configured to associate user-selected content with a portion of an electronic book; and

an input recognition subsystem comprising an accelerometer configured to detect a motion of the electronic book reader, the input recognition subsystem configured to cause a change in display of user-selected content in a first manner in response to the motion being below a threshold speed and in a second manner in response to the motion being above the threshold speed, the second manner including an animated pouring of the user-selected content to a margin, thereby marginalizing the user selected content.

2. The electronic book reader of claim 1, wherein the motion comprises a rotation of the electronic book reader.

3. The electronic book reader of claim 1, wherein the second manner further includes adding at least one display symbol indicating existence of the user-selected content.

4. The electronic book reader of claim 1, wherein the input recognition system includes user configuration controls configured to enable a user to adjust the threshold.

5. A computer implemented method of using an electronic book, comprising:

associating user-selected content with a portion of an electronic book;

detecting a motion of the electronic book reader; and

changing a display of the user-selected content in a first manner in response to the motion being below a threshold speed and in a second manner in response to the motion being above the threshold speed, the second manner including an animated pouring of the user-selected content to a margin, thereby marginalizing the user selected content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the motion comprises a rotation of the electronic book reader.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second manner further includes adding at least one display symbol indicating existence of the user-selected content.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising adjusting the threshold responsive to user input.

9. A computer program product that comprises a non-transient computer readable storage medium containing executable computer program instructions for using an electronic book, comprising:

instructions to associate user-selected content with a portion of an electronic book;

instructions to detect a motion of the electronic book reader; and

instructions to change a display of the user-selected content in a first manner in response to the motion being below a threshold speed and in a second manner in response to the motion being above the threshold speed, the second manner including an animated pouring of the user-selected content to a margin, thereby marginalizing the user selected content.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the motion comprises a rotation of the electronic book reader.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the second manner further includes adding at least one display symbol indicating existence of the user-selected content.

12. An electronic book reader, comprising:

an annotation subsystem configured to associate user-selected content with a portion of an electronic book; and

an input recognition subsystem comprising an accelerometer configured to detect a motion of the electronic book reader, the input recognition subsystem configured to cause a change in display of user-selected content in a first manner in response to the motion being below a threshold speed and in a second manner in response to the motion being above the threshold speed, wherein the first manner includes switching between portrait and landscape.

13. The electronic book reader of claim 12, wherein the motion comprises a rotation of the electronic book reader.

14. The electronic book reader of claim 12, wherein the second manner includes removing the user-selected content and adding at least one display symbol indicating existence of the user-selected content.

15. A computer implemented method of using an electronic book, comprising:

associating user-selected content with a portion of an electronic book;

detecting a motion of the electronic book reader; and

changing a display of the user-selected content in a first manner in response to the motion being below a threshold speed and in a second manner in response to the motion being above the threshold speed, wherein the first manner includes switching between portrait and landscape.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the motion comprises a rotation of the electronic book reader.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second manner includes removing the user-selected content and adding at least one display symbol indicating existence of the user-selected content.

18. A computer program product that comprises a non-transient computer readable storage medium containing executable computer program instructions for using an electronic book, comprising:

instructions to associate user-selected content with a portion of an electronic book;

instructions to detect a motion of the electronic book reader; and

instructions to change a display of the user-selected content in a first manner in response to the motion being below a threshold speed and in a second manner in response to the motion being above the threshold speed, wherein the first manner includes switching between portrait and landscape.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the motion comprises a rotation of the electronic book reader.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the second manner includes removing the user-selected content and adding at least one display symbol indicating existence of the user-selected content.