Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for digital content zooming. In one example case, the hypotenuse of the digital content (or a combination of both height and width values of the content) is initially set to provide the 100% zoom level and is subsequently used to resize or zoom that content. In particular, an arbitrary constant that is independent of the content itself is used to define the initial or 100% zoom level at which the content is initially displayed. The arbitrary constant may be, for example, a hypotenuse size in pixels, or a specific combination of height and width in pixels. In one specific example, the arbitrary constant can be selected based on, for instance, an average of current physical screen and/or virtual viewing window resolutions' hypotenuse sizes, in pixels. In any case, the arbitrary constant can be used to set the initial size of the content, and to compute zoom steps.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for creating digital flash cards that include links to content from one or more digital content sources, referred to herein as a flash card mode. The mode allows a user to create a digital flash card by selecting a portion of a digital content source and performing a create command. The created flash card includes at least two virtual sides and a first side of the flash card identifies the location of the selected portion of digital content. The location may be identified, for example, by a canonical fragment identifier (CFI). Text can then be entered for a second side of the flash card. Flash cards can be shared with other users, and because the flash cards only identify locations of content within digital content sources, the mode is well-suited to handle sources including digital rights management (DRM) protection, for example.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a content information viewing mode in electronic devices. In an embodiment, in response to a gesture performed on an electronic touch sensitive device, a content icon may be moved from its original location and information about that item of digital content may be displayed to the user. The information may be displayed on the portion of the screen previously occupied by the content icon. Releasing contact with the touch screen allows the icon to return to its original location. Moving the content icon past a certain point, may allow the user to edit the newly displayed content information. An audio and/or visual indicator may be output by the electronic device alerting the user that the newly visible information may now be edited. Movement that extends further may indicate that icon movement is desired, not the information viewing/editing mode.

Abstract: Features and techniques are disclosed for interacting with paginated digital content, including a multi-purpose tool and an annotation mode. The multi-purpose tool, which may be represented by a graphic (e.g., a movable interactive graphic), can provide access to multiple modes (e.g., copy, define, note, and/or highlight modes) that a user can invoke. The mode invoked determines the functions performed by the tool when interacting with the paginated digital content. The annotation mode, which may be invoked using the multi-purpose tool or independently thereof, can allow a user to create and edit annotations, such as highlights and notes (e.g., sticky notes, margin notes, and/or highlight notes), for paginated digital content. Editing the annotations may include selecting a desired color for the annotation, for example. The annotation mode may also allow a user to intuitively merge and delete annotations previously added to paginated digital content.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a digital flash card function in electronic devices. In an embodiment, a digital flash card includes a word or phrase along with the definition of the word or phrase pulled automatically from a glossary or dictionary. The digital flash card may be created through an options menu after selecting a word or phrase, automatically whenever a word or phrase is highlighted by the user, or whenever a word or phrase is looked up. Once the flash cards have been created, they may be organized into various folders or stacks, and in some cases the flash cards may automatically be organized based on the source of the selected word or phrase. Once one or more flash cards have been created, the user may view flash cards, flip them over to view the opposite side, and scroll through the flash cards using various touch screen gestures.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for a swipe based file manager navigation mode in electronic computing devices, such as a touch screen device. Digital files may be organized in a hierarchical or treelike file manager capable of having multiple directory or folder levels. Folders (or directories) may allow a user to group files into separate collections, and folders may be organized within other folders. In some embodiments, the navigation mode may allow a user to navigate through or access the directory levels of the file manager using vertical swipe gestures. In some such embodiments, a vertical gesture performed to access a child (lower) directory level may have to be performed over the directory or folder to be accessed. As the user navigates through the directory levels, the navigation mode may be configured, in some embodiments, to provide animations.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for navigating pages of paginated digital content (e.g., an eBook), referred to herein as a go-to mode. The go-to mode may include a page number input field and a keypad. The keypad, which may be presented in response to a reveal command (e.g., tapping on the input field), can be used to provide numerical input to the input field and allow a user to navigate to the input page number. The go-to mode may be configured to disable keys on the keypad when selection of one of the keys would result in an invalid input in the input field. The go-to mode may also be configured to update which keys are disabled and/or enabled when a cursor position in the input field is changed, contents in the input field are selected, or a number is input into or deleted from the input field.

Abstract: Features and techniques are disclosed for interacting with paginated digital content, including a multi-purpose tool and an annotation mode. The multi-purpose tool, which may be represented by a graphic (e.g., a movable interactive graphic), can provide access to multiple modes (e.g., copy, define, note, and/or highlight modes) that a user can invoke. The mode invoked determines the functions performed by the tool when interacting with the paginated digital content. The annotation mode, which may be invoked using the multi-purpose tool or independently thereof, can allow a user to create and edit annotations, such as highlights and notes (e.g., sticky notes, margin notes, and/or highlight notes), for paginated digital content. Editing the annotations may include selecting a desired color for the annotation, for example. The annotation mode may also allow a user to intuitively merge and delete annotations previously added to paginated digital content.

Abstract: Features and techniques are disclosed for interacting with paginated digital content, including a multi-purpose tool and an annotation mode. The multi-purpose tool, which may be represented by a graphic (e.g., a movable interactive graphic), can provide access to multiple modes (e.g., copy, define, note, and/or highlight modes) that a user can invoke. The mode invoked determines the functions performed by the tool when interacting with the paginated digital content. The annotation mode, which may be invoked using the multi-purpose tool or independently thereof, can allow a user to create and edit annotations, such as highlights and notes (e.g., sticky notes, margin notes, and/or highlight notes), for paginated digital content. Editing the annotations may include selecting a desired color for the annotation, for example. The annotation mode may also allow a user to intuitively merge and delete annotations previously added to paginated digital content.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a side flag mode in electronic devices. In an embodiment, a touch screen gesture performed over a side flag marker may activate the side flag. An activated side flag may be color coded and/or assigned an icon in order to organize the side flags or denote a level of importance or interest. Such side flags are linked to the reflowable digital content rather than a page number, such that when formatting settings are adjusted, the side flags follow an assigned section of text as the text is reflowed and reorganized over a device viewport. The side flag mode may allow the user to organize a table of contents to display only the sections of content associated with activated side flags, and these sections of content may also be organized based on the color or type of side flags the user has created.

Abstract: Features and techniques are disclosed for interacting with paginated digital content, including a multi-purpose tool and an annotation mode. The multi-purpose tool, which may be represented by a graphic (e.g., a movable interactive graphic), can provide access to multiple modes (e.g., copy, define, note, and/or highlight modes) that a user can invoke. The mode invoked determines the functions performed by the tool when interacting with the paginated digital content. The annotation mode, which may be invoked using the multi-purpose tool or independently thereof, can allow a user to create and edit annotations, such as highlights and notes (e.g., sticky notes, margin notes, and/or highlight notes), for paginated digital content. Editing the annotations may include selecting a desired color for the annotation, for example. The annotation mode may also allow a user to intuitively merge and delete annotations previously added to paginated digital content.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a thumbnail scrubber mode in electronic devices, such as a touch screen device. In an embodiment, a thumbnail scrubber may be displayed to the user in response to a distinguishable touch screen gesture, or in response to a toolbar command. A toolbar may be displayed on the device including a scrubber bar, and the thumbnail scrubber mode may be invoked when a user interacts with the scrubber bar. The thumbnail scrubber displays multiple thumbnail images of pages of digital content and allows the user to preview and scroll through the digital content while continuing to display the current page in the main viewer of the device. After scrubbing through the digital content pages, the user may select one of the thumbnail images in the scrubber in order to access that page of the digital content.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a navigation mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. The navigation mode can be used to advance forward and backward through displayed pages of content on a page-by-page or multi-page basis, such as pages of an eBook, photos, lists such as search results and files, or other consumable content that can be displayed in a page-like fashion. The user can engage the navigation mode with a particular gesture that includes a combination of contact points that uniquely and/or globally identify that the navigation mode is desired. The combination may include, for example, a press-and-hold activation contact point by one hand of the user, and one or more additional moving gesture contact points that indicate the desired navigation using the other hand of the user. Horizontal and/or vertical paging speeds correspond to the number of moving contact points, which can be effected with swiping or circular gestures.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a fixed format viewing mode in electronic computing devices. The fixed format viewing mode may be engaged upon receiving virtual ink annotations at the touch screen of the electronic device. The annotations may be input using an active stylus. Upon receiving virtual ink annotations, the current page of digital content may be converted into a fixed format page wherein the formatting characteristics are held constant and the annotations remain in the same location with respect to the underlying digital content. Formatting characteristics for other pages of the digital content may be altered, however the fixed format page maintains the same format as when the annotations were added. The user may hide and/or edit virtual ink annotations, and when the annotations are hidden the content of the fixed format page may flow normally and match the formatting characteristics of the rest of the digital content.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for revealing extra margin area for paginated digital content, referred to herein as an extra margins mode. For example, the extra margins mode may be used to reveal/expose extra margin area (galley area) at the perimeter of one or more pages of an eBook or a photo of a photo album. Once galley area is exposed, a user can add content to the galley area, such as annotations using a stylus. In some cases, the extra margins mode may be configured to expose galley area for one or more pages in response to a reveal command input, such as a pinch gesture, a drag gesture, or an inward flick gesture from near the edge of a page using a stylus. The extra margins mode may also be configured to hide exposed galley areas in response to a hide command input, such as spread gesture.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for archiving and restoring content in electronic touch sensitive devices. The archive/restore function can be used to move, delete, or restore content that may be displayed on a screen. The user can engage the function with a particular pinch-based gesture. In some cases, the archive function includes closing a document or application, saving a file to a selected location, reversibly deleting a file, permanently deleting a file, or deleting a user-selected portion of content. In some cases, the restore function includes recovering a file from the trash bin by saving it to a previous save location, or returning content view to a previous state. In some cases, the archive function includes deleting a user-selected portion of a document, deleting a file, saving a file to a selected location, or saving one or more items to a previous save location.

Abstract: A system for illuminating a reflective display or other material from a planar front device and a method of manufacture thereof. The system includes a light guide plate that conducts light from an edge light source across the face of a reflective display. Micro scattering features are formed on an outer surface of the light guide, farthest from the reflective display or material. A stepped index layer is formed on the surface of light guide plate containing the micro scattering features. The stepped index layer has an index of refraction lower than an index of refraction of the light guide plate to assist in the total internal reflection of light injected into the light guide plate. The micro scattering features, light reflecting areas, redirect luminous flux toward the display. In one embodiment, the micro scattering features are formed as white dots on the light guide plate.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a color pattern unlock mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. The color pattern unlock mode can display an unlock screen to the user, prompting the user to arrange or create a specific color pattern in order to unlock the device. The customizable color pattern may include any uniquely identifiable unlocking pattern including a combination of colors. Example color patterns include a combination of colors arranged in a certain order, a combination of colors combined with a password, a combination of colors combined with one or more words written out in one or more colors, or a combination of colors each matched with a specific image. When the user has arranged the proper color pattern, the device unlocks and may be used. If the correct color pattern is not arranged, the device remains locked.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing an image pattern unlock mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. The image pattern unlock mode can display an unlock screen to the user, prompting the user to arrange or create or otherwise select a specific image pattern in order to unlock the device. The customizable image pattern may include any uniquely identifiable unlocking pattern including a combination of images, or even a single image selected from an image group. The unlocking mechanism may include images gathered from the user's photo collection and/or one or more online profiles, and the unlock pattern could be a selection of such images. In other embodiments, a combination of color and images can also be used, such as matching colors to images. When the user has arranged the proper image pattern, the device unlocks and may be used. If the correct image pattern is not arranged, the device remains locked.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a concentration mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. The concentration mode can be used to highlight given textual content on a line by line basis, or other consumable content. The user can engage the mode with a particular gesture. Once engaged, a UI feature is displayed that assists the user in viewing the given content. In some cases, the UI feature includes a reading pane that encompasses one to three complete lines of displayed text or other content. Background content outside the reading pane can be faded or otherwise softened. In some cases, the UI feature also includes, or alternatively includes, a straight-edged reading guide. The initial placement of the UI feature can be set, for instance, based on the initial contact point touched by the user. As the contact point moves, the UI feature moves accordingly. Concentration mode disengages when user releases contact point.