# US 11,029,826 B2 · Digital flash cards including links to digital content

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- Number: US 11,029,826 B2
- Document ID: US11029826B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/935,834
- Filed: 2018-03-26
- Published: 2018-07-26
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-07-17
- Assignees: Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC
- Applicants: Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC
- Inventors: Michael Wilson; Dale J. Brewer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029826B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence)
- G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
- G06F 3/0483: Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
- G06F 3/0488: using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
- G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
- G06F 40/169: Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
- G06Q 10/101: Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
- G06Q 30/0203: Market surveys; Market polls
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic device comprising:
one or more processors; and
a user interface including a flash card mode at least one of executable or controllable by the one or more processors, wherein a previously created flash card is accessible via the flash card mode, the previously created flash card including at least (i) a first virtual side displaying a question, and (ii) a second virtual side, the previously created flash card storing a canonical fragment identifier that identifies a beginning location and an end location of a section of digital content that includes an answer to the question, the digital content stored separately different from the flash card, and wherein the flash card mode is configured to
determine if the user is authorized to access at least the section of the digital content that is identified by the canonical fragment identifier,
in response to the user being authorized to access the digital content, (i) retrieve the answer to the question from the section of digital content using the canonical fragment identifier, and (ii) cause display of, on the second virtual side, the retrieved answer to the question, and,
in response to the user not being authorized to access the digital content, cause display of, on the second virtual side, an option to rent or buy the digital content that includes the answer to the question.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the answer on the second virtual side of the previously created flash card is accessible via the flash card mode by purchasing the previously created flash card.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flash card mode is further configured to allow the user to preview at least a portion of the previously created flash card, and wherein the preview is limited in time and/or quantity of consumable content.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein gaining authorized access to the digital content includes an option to rent the digital content for a limited time.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein gaining authorized access to the digital content includes an option to purchase the digital content.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the digital content is from an electronic book.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the digital content includes protection from copying.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flash card mode is further configured to allow the user to share the previously created flash card with another user.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flash card mode is further configured to:
in response to the user being authorized to access the digital content, refrain from displaying the canonical fragment identifier on the second virtual side, and
in response to the user not being authorized to access the digital content, cause display of, on the second virtual side, (i) the option to rent or buy the digital content and (ii) the canonical fragment identifier identifying the beginning location and the end location of the section of digital content that includes the answer to the question.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the location information is associated with only the second virtual side of the previously created flash card.

### Claim 11

A computer program product including one or more non-transitory machine readable mediums encoded with instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause a process to be carried out for controlling access to flash cards, the process comprising:
provide a flash card that includes at least (i) a first virtual side displaying a question and (ii) a second virtual side,
wherein an answer to the question is included in a section of digital content that is stored separately from the flash card,
wherein the flash card stores a canonical fragment identifier that identifies a beginning location and an end location of the section of the digital content;
in response to a user attempting to gain access to the flash card, determine if the user is authorized to access at least the section of the digital content that is identified by the canonical fragment identifier;
in response to the user being authorized to access at least the section of the digital content, (i) retrieve the answer from the section of digital content using the canonical fragment identifier, and (ii) cause display of, on the second virtual side of the flash card, the retrieved answer to the question.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the answer to the question on the second virtual side of the flash card is accessible by purchasing the flash card.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, the process further comprising:
allow the user to preview at least a portion of the flash card, wherein the preview is limited in time and/or quantity of consumable content.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, wherein gaining authorized access to the digital content includes the option to rent the digital content for a limited time, or to purchase the digital content.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the digital content is from an electronic book and includes protection from copying.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, the process further comprising:
allow the user to share the flash card with another user.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the user is a first user, and wherein the process further comprises:
in response to a second user not being authorized to access at least the section of the digital content, cause display of, on the second virtual side of the flash card, (i) an option to rent or buy at least the section of the digital content that includes the answer to the question, and (ii) the canonical fragment identifier, without displaying the answer to the question.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the canonical fragment identifier is associated with only the second virtual side of the flash card.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, the process further comprising:
in response to the user being authorized to access at least the section of the digital content, refrain from displaying, on the second virtual side of the flash card, the canonical fragment identifier.