Electronic book reader

A data processing system, comprising:

• a plurality of electronic book reader devices, each of the electronic book reader devices comprising:
• a location detector configured to detect a physical location of the electronic book reader device;
• a data receiver configured to receive first reading position data of an electronic book sent by another electronic book reader device of the plurality of electronic book reader devices and first location data of said another electronic book reader device sent by said another electronic book reader device, the first reading position data including a first current book data file being displayed by said another electronic book reader device and a corresponding first current display position within the first current book data file;
• a data transmitter configured to connect to said another electronic book reader device, send second location data of said detected physical location of the electronic book reader device to said another electronic book reader device, and send second reading position data to said another electronic book reader device when said another electronic book reader device is within a predetermined distance of the electronic book reader device based on said first and second location data, the second reading position data including a second current book data file being displayed by that electronic book reader device and a corresponding second current display position within the second current book data file;
• and
• a display controller configured to display an indication of the received first current book data file and the received first current display position from said another electronic book reader device when said another electronic book reader device is within said predetermined distance of the electronic book reader device and the received first reading position data represents (a) the same electronic book as the second reading position data, or (b) an electronic book in which a user of the electronic book reader device has expressed an interest.

A method of operation of an electronic book reader device, the method comprising:

• detecting a physical location of the electronic book reader device;
• connecting to another electronic book reader device;
• receiving, from said another electronic book reader device, first reading position data sent by said another electronic book reader device and first location data of said another electronic book reader device, the first reading position data including a first current book data file being displayed by said another electronic book reader device and a corresponding first current display position within the first current book data file;
• sending, to said another electronic book reader device, second location data of the electronic book reader device, the second location data indicating the physical location of the electronic book reader device;
• sending, to said another electronic book reader device, second reading position data when said another electronic book reader device is within a predetermined distance of the electronic book reader device based on the first and second location data, the second reading position data including a second current book data file being displayed by the electronic book reader device and a corresponding second current display position within the second current book data file;
• and
• displaying an indication of the received first current book data file and the received first current display position from said another electronic book reader device when said another electronic book reader device is within said predetermined distance of the electronic book reader device and the received first reading position data represents (a) the same electronic book as the second reading position data, or (b) an electronic book in which a user of the electronic book reader device has expressed an interest.

A data processing method of a system comprising a plurality of electronic book reader devices, the method comprising:

• detecting, by a first electronic book reader device of the plurality of electronic book reader devices, a physical location of the first electronic book reader device;
• connecting, by the first electronic book reader device, to a second electronic book reader device of the plurality of electronic book reader devices;
• sending, by the first electronic book reader device, to the second electronic book reader device, first location data of the first electronic book reader device, the first location data indicating the physical location of the first electronic book reader device;
• receiving, by the first electronic book reader device from the second electronic book reader device, second location data of the second electronic book reader device;
• sending, by the first electronic book reader device to the second electronic book reader device when the second electronic book reader device is within a predetermined distance of the first electronic book reader device based on said first and second location data, first reading position data to the second book reader device, the first reading position data including a first current book data file being displayed by the first electronic book reader device and a corresponding current display position within the first current book data file;
• receiving, by the first electronic book reader device from the second electronic book reader device, second reading position data of an electronic book sent by the second electronic book reader device, the second reading position data including a second current book data file being displayed by the second electronic book reader device and a corresponding second current display position within the second current book data file;
• and
• displaying, by the first electronic book reader device, an indication of the received second current book data file and the received second current display position from the second electronic book reader device when the second electronic book reader device is within said predetermined distance of the first electronic book reader device and the received second reading position data represents (a) the same electronic book as the first reading position data, or (b) an electronic book in which a user of the first electronic book reader device has expressed an interest.

An electronic book reader device, comprising:

• a location detector configured to detect a physical location of the electronic book reader device;
• a data receiver configured to receive first reading position data sent by another electronic book reader device and first location data of said another electronic book reader device sent by said another electronic book reader device, the first reading position data including a first current book data file being displayed by said another electronic book reader device and a corresponding first current display position within the first current book data file;
• a data transmitter configured to connect directly to said another electronic book reader device, transmit second location data to said another electronic book reader device, and transmit second reading position data to said another electronic book reader device when said another electronic book reader device is within a predetermined distance of the electronic book reader device based on said first and second location data, the second reading position data including a second current book data file being displayed by the electronic book reader device and a corresponding second current display position within the current book data file and the second location data indicating the physical location of the electronic book reader device;
• and
• a display controller configured to display an indication of the received first current book data file and the received first current display position directly from said another electronic book reader device when said another electronic book reader device is within said predetermined distance of the electronic book reader device and the received first reading position data represents (a) the same electronic book as the second reading position data, or (b) an electronic book in which a user of the electronic book reader device has expressed an interest.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by an electronic book reader device, cause the electronic book reader device to:

• detect a physical location of the electronic book reader device;
• connect to another electronic book reader device;
• receive, from said another electronic book reader device, first reading position data sent by said another electronic book reader device and first location data of said another electronic book reader device, the first reading position data including a first current book data file being displayed by said another electronic book reader device and a corresponding first current display position within the first current book data file;
• send, to said another electronic book reader device, second location data of the electronic book reader device, the second location data indicating the physical location of the electronic book reader device;
• send, to said another electronic book reader device, second reading position data to said another electronic book reader device when said another electronic book reader device is within a predetermined distance of the electronic book reader device based on the first and second location data, the second reading position data including a second current book data file being displayed by the electronic book reader device and a corresponding second current display position within the second current book data file;
• and
• display an indication of the received first current book data file and the received first current display position from said another electronic book reader device when said another electronic book reader device is within said predetermined distance of the electronic book reader device and the received first reading position data represents (a) the same electronic book as the second reading position data, or (b) an electronic book in which a user of the electronic book reader device has expressed an interest.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by an electronic book reader device, cause the electronic book reader device to:

• detect a physical location of the electronic book reader device;
• connect directly to another electronic book reader device;
• receive, from said another electronic book reader device, first reading position data sent by said another electronic book reader device and first location data of said another electronic book reader device, the first reading position data including a first current book data file being displayed by said another electronic book reader device and a corresponding first current display position within the first current book data file;
• transmit, to said another electronic book reader device, second location data of the electronic book reader device, the second location data indicating the physical location of the electronic book reader device;
• transmit second reading position data to said another electronic book reader device when said another electronic book reader device is within a predetermined distance of the electronic book reader device based on the first and second location data, the second reading position data including a second current book data file being displayed by the electronic book reader device and a corresponding second current display position within the second current book data file;
• and
• display an indication of the received first current book data file and the received first current display position directly from said another electronic book reader device when said another electronic book reader device is within said predetermined distance of the electronic book reader device and the received first reading position data represents (a) the same electronic book as the second reading position data, or (b) an electronic book in which a user of the electronic book reader device has expressed an interest.