Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for lighting displays such as those associated with electrophoretic display (EPD) devices such as e-readers or any other display technologies or applications. In an embodiment, an EPD device is provided with a number of internal LEDs or other suitable light source generally disposed along at least a portion of the display perimeter. The light can be activated in situations where the available ambient light is inadequate for viewing the display. Light from the light source is distributed across the display, and in some embodiments, can be adjusted to provide a desired degree of brightness. The light can be turned on or off via an existing single press-button or otherwise tactile, physical user interface that serves multiple functions. This user interface can be readily found and engaged by the user without the benefit of sight.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for lighting displays such as those associated with electrophoretic display (EPD) devices such as e-readers or any other display technologies or applications. In an embodiment, an EPD device is provided with a number of internal LEDs or other suitable light source generally disposed along at least a portion of the display perimeter. The light can be activated in situations where the available ambient light is inadequate for viewing the display. Light from the light source is distributed across the display, and in some embodiments, can be adjusted to provide a desired degree of brightness. The light can be turned on or off via an existing single press-button or otherwise tactile, physical user interface that serves multiple functions. This user interface can be readily found and engaged by the user without the benefit of sight.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for lighting displays such as those associated with electrophoretic display (EPD) devices such as e-readers or any other display technologies or applications. In an embodiment, an EPD device is provided with a number of internal LEDs or other suitable light source generally disposed along at least a portion of the display perimeter. The light can be activated in situations where the available ambient light is inadequate for viewing the display. Light from the light source is distributed across the display, and in some embodiments, can be adjusted to provide a desired degree of brightness. The light can be turned on or off via an existing single press-button or otherwise tactile, physical user interface that serves multiple functions. This user interface can be readily found and engaged by the user without the benefit of sight.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for lighting displays such as those associated with electrophoretic display (EPD) devices such as e-readers or any other display technologies or applications. In an embodiment, an EPD device is provided with a number of internal LEDs or other suitable light source generally disposed along at least a portion of the display perimeter. The light can be activated in situations where the available ambient light is inadequate for viewing the display. Light from the light source is distributed across the display, and in some embodiments, can be adjusted to provide a desired degree of brightness. The light can be turned on or off via an existing single press-button or otherwise tactile, physical user interface that serves multiple functions. This user interface can be readily found and engaged by the user without the benefit of sight.

Abstract: A touch system user interface displays a plurality of user interface elements in a timeline, wherein each of the user interface elements is associated with a respective event having a number of event attributes, including a date attribute. Each user interface element includes a visual representation of a displayed set of the event attributes and is positioned within the timeline based on the date event attribute. The position and/or spatial zoom level of the user interface elements are modified based on the user input, and the displayed set of event attributes is based on the spatial zoom level.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for lighting displays such as those associated with electrophoretic display (EPD) devices such as e-readers or any other display technologies or applications. In an embodiment, an EPD device is provided with a number of internal LEDs or other suitable light source generally disposed along at least a portion of the display perimeter. The light can be activated in situations where the available ambient light is inadequate for viewing the display. Light from the light source is distributed across the display, and in some embodiments, can be adjusted to provide a desired degree of brightness. The light can be turned on or off via an existing single press-button or otherwise tactile, physical user interface that serves multiple functions. This user interface can be readily found and engaged by the user without the benefit of sight.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for lighting displays such as those associated with electrophoretic display (EPD) devices such as e-readers or any other display technologies or applications. In an embodiment, an EPD device is provided with a number of internal LEDs or other suitable light source generally disposed along at least a portion of the display perimeter. The light can be activated in situations where the available ambient light is inadequate for viewing the display. Light from the light source is distributed across the display, and in some embodiments, can be adjusted to provide a desired degree of brightness. The light can be turned on or off via an existing single press-button or otherwise tactile, physical user interface that serves multiple functions. This user interface can be readily found and engaged by the user without the benefit of sight.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a scrapbooking function in electronic computing devices. The user can engage the scrapbooking function with a content sampling command that engages a scrapbook creation mode which virtually rips a digital content sample from a content source. The digital content sample may be displayed to the user with a torn edge, as if it had been physically torn from a magazine or catalogue. The content sampling command may be, for example, a swipe gesture, an S-gesture, or selecting a scrapbook UI control feature. The user may save the sampled content into a new scrapbook or save it to an existing scrapbook. The user may also engage the scrapbooking function by entering a scrapbook viewing mode which allows the user to view and edit existing scrapbooks. The content sample may include all encrypted data present in the digital content from which it is sampled.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a scrapbooking function in electronic computing devices. The user can engage the scrapbooking function with a content sampling command that engages a scrapbook creation mode which virtually rips a digital content sample from a content source. The digital content sample may be displayed to the user with a torn edge, as if it had been physically torn from a magazine or catalogue. The content sampling command may be, for example, a swipe gesture, an S-gesture, or selecting a scrapbook UI control feature. The user may save the sampled content into a new scrapbook or save it to an existing scrapbook. The user may also engage the scrapbooking function by entering a scrapbook viewing mode which allows the user to view and edit existing scrapbooks. The content sample may include all encrypted data present in the digital content from which it is sampled.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for lighting displays such as those associated with electrophoretic display (EPD) devices such as e-readers or any other display technologies or applications. In an embodiment, an EPD device is provided with a number of internal LEDs or other suitable light source generally disposed along at least a portion of the display perimeter. The light can be activated in situations where the available ambient light is inadequate for viewing the display. Light from the light source is distributed across the display, and in some embodiments can be adjusted to provide a desired degree of brightness. The light can be turned on or off via an existing single press-button or otherwise tactile, physical user interface that serves multiple functions. This user interface can be readily found and engaged by the user without the benefit of sight.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a page flipping mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. The user can engage the page flipping mode by performing an activation gesture, which causes the device to display a magazine page flipping mode or a fast page flipping mode. The page flipping modes may show paginated content such as an opened book or magazine in a single stack or side-by-side layout. The fast page flipping modes may show a single page lying relatively flat or somewhat curled with the edges of subsequent pages visible at the right edge of the page. A page flipping gesture may prompt an animation showing one or more pages folding up to display subsequent pages to the user. In some cases, the number of pages being flipped and/or the speed at which the pages are flipped, is dependent upon the speed and/or length and/or duration of the page flipping gesture.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a page flipping mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. The user can engage the page flipping mode by performing an activation gesture, which causes the device to display a magazine page flipping mode or a fast page flipping mode. The page flipping modes may show paginated content such as an opened book or magazine in a single stack or side-by-side layout. The fast page flipping modes may show a single page lying relatively flat or somewhat curled with the edges of subsequent pages visible at the right edge of the page. A page flipping gesture may prompt an animation showing one or more pages folding up to display subsequent pages to the user. In some cases, the number of pages being flipped and/or the speed at which the pages are flipped, is dependent upon the speed and/or length and/or duration of the page flipping gesture.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a drag and drop discovery mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. In response to a user dragging and dropping a content icon into a search box, the content discovery mode may perform a search for content similar to that deposited into the search box. The search box may increase in size or change appearance while receiving the content icon. The results of such a search may be displayed to the user with a content discovery animation that shows similar content icons emerging from the search box and populating the device screen. The animation may be accompanied by sound effects. The newly discovered content may be randomly scattered over a portion of the screen, or they may be bundled into groups based on similar characteristics, and each group may be accompanied by a header notifying the user of the characteristics of the group.

Abstract: A touch system user interface displays a plurality of user interface elements in a timeline, wherein each of the user interface elements is associated with a respective event having a number of event attributes, including a date attribute. Each user interface element includes a visual representation of a displayed set of the event attributes and is positioned within the timeline based on the date event attribute. The position and/or spatial zoom level of the user interface elements are modified based on the user input, and the displayed set of event attributes is based on the spatial zoom level.

Abstract: An embodiment of a user interface of an electronic device is configured to display user interface elements along a timeline. Each displayed user interface element is associated with an event that is characterized by one or more event attributes. The event attributes include a temporal attribute (e.g., a date and/or time). Each user interface element is relatively positioned along the timeline based on its temporal attribute, and each user interface element is displayed with a visual representation of a set of its associated event attributes. The displayed set of event attributes for a particular user interface element is determined based on a position of the user interface element along the timeline and/or a spatial zoom level at the time. The spatial zoom level and/or position along the timeline of each user interface element may be modified based on user inputs.

Abstract: In-store promotion techniques for alerting an electronic device user of local in-store promotional events are disclosed. The in-store promotion mode may determine the user's taste profile based on the user's shopping cart, wish list, search history, purchase history, content ratings, favorite authors, and/or event preferences. A promotion notification relating to promotions matching the user's taste profile may be displayed to the user, for example, with a pop-up window, a message on the user's welcome screen or home page, or other notification displayed to the user on the device screen. The promotion notifications may be limited to promotional events taking place at the user's local retail store, and the user may designate the local retail store. The promotion notification may be a generic message notifying the user of the existence of a promotion, and upon visiting the retail store a welcome message including the promotion details may be displayed on the device.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a drag and drop discovery mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. In response to a user dragging and dropping a content icon into a search box, the content discovery mode may perform a search for content similar to that deposited into the search box. The search box may increase in size or change appearance while receiving the content icon. The results of such a search may be displayed to the user with a content discovery animation that shows similar content icons emerging from the search box and populating the device screen. The animation may be accompanied by sound effects. The newly discovered content may be randomly scattered over a portion of the screen, or they may be bundled into groups based on similar characteristics, and each group may be accompanied by a header notifying the user of the characteristics of the group.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a page flipping mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. The user can engage the page flipping mode by performing an activation gesture, which causes the device to display a magazine page flipping mode or a fast page flipping mode. The page flipping modes may show paginated content such as an opened book or magazine in a single stack or side-by-side layout. The fast page flipping modes may show a single page lying relatively flat or somewhat curled with the edges of subsequent pages visible at the right edge of the page. A page flipping gesture may prompt an animation showing one or more pages folding up to display subsequent pages to the user. In some cases, the number of pages being flipped and/or the speed at which the pages are flipped, is dependent upon the speed and/or length and/or duration of the page flipping gesture.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for engaging and displaying a visual table of contents in electronic touch sensitive devices. The user can engage the visual table of contents by, for example, performing an activation gesture, such as an inward two-contact pinch gesture. The visual table of contents may display the paginated content to the user as a grid of image tiles, each image corresponding to a page or spread of pages. Each page of content may be accompanied by its appropriate page number. The visual table of contents may display the paginated content as page spreads, wherein each page is paired with its opposite facing page. The user may scroll through the visual table of contents if the device screen is not large enough to display all of the pages on a single screen. Selecting a page from the table of contents may display the selected page to the user.

Abstract: In-store sampling techniques using short-range wireless communication are disclosed. An NFC-enabled device may transmit an NFC signal that can automatically power an NFC tag located on an item in a store and read information stored on the tag. The information may be associated with digital content relating to the item containing the tag, and the NFC-enabled device may receive in-store access to that digital content. The item in the store may be a book and the digital content may be an electronic copy of the book, for example. The digital content may be added to the device's shopping bag or wish list and the content may be downloaded or streamed to the device through a store's local network. The in-store sampling techniques may allow consumption of the digital content while connected to the store's network, and upon leaving the store access to the digital content is removed from the device.