Apple Inc.

Aplle Inc.

Casey Maureen Dougherty

Guillermo Ortiz

Collin D Ruffenach

Melissa Breglio Hajj

Martin James Murrett

Alan Cannistraro

Jean Sebastiaen Metz

Feng Yi

Christopher S Schepman

Balaji Ramachandran

Ravi Chandra Jammalamadaka

Ian J Elseth

Donald Rozinak Beaver

David Makower

Dominic J Hughes

Steve E Marmon

Gregory S Robbin

Jason A Novak

Gregory C Langmead

Mark A Gingrich

Georgios Sofianatos

Amogh Mahapatra

Kang Tu

Justin W Sung

Ryan S Lynch

Martin J Murret

Charles J Migos

Michael M Lee

Jeffery Theodore Lee

Justin Lawrence Gregg

Raymond James Walsh

Craig Milito

Brett A Rampata

Donald R Beaver

In some implementations, a server device can generate configuration data for an application based on user engagement segments associated with a user of the application. For example, a server device can receive information identifying user engagement segments associated with a particular user. When the server device receives a request for configuration data for the application that identifies the particular user, the server device can obtain the engagement segment identifiers associated with the particular user. The server device can use the engagement segment identifiers to obtain segment configuration data for each engagement segment identifier, combine the segment configuration data into a combined configuration, and send the combined configuration to the application on the user device. The application can then determine what content to present and how to present the content on the user device based on the combined configuration data.

Generating application configurations based on user engagement segments

In some implementations, a user device can generate configuration data for an application on the user device using multilevel configuration data. For example, an application on the user device can obtain application level configuration data from a server device. The application level configuration data can be generated based on user engagement segments associated with the user of the user device, for example. The application can obtain publisher level configuration data generated by a content publisher. In response to requesting a content item, the application can receive content level configuration data. The application can combine the application level configuration data, the publisher level configuration data, and/or the content level configuration data to generate dynamic configuration data. The dynamic configuration data can be used by the application to determine, among other things, what content to present to the user of the application on the user device.

Configuring applications using multilevel configuration

In some implementations, a server device can segment users based on user engagement with an application on a user device. For example, server device can receive user event data from many user devices indicating user activities with respect to the application and/or content presented by the application. The server device can generate user engagement segments based on the received user event data. The server device can generate predictive models for each user engagement segment based on the received user event data. The server device can determine which particular user engagement segments a particular user is associated with based on user event data associated with the particular user and/or the predictions generated by the predictive models. The application on the user device associated with the particular user can then be configured according to the user engagement segments associated with the particular user.

Segmenting users based on user engagement

Techniques are provided for creating a mapping that maps locations in audio data (e.g., an audio book) to corresponding locations in text data (e.g., an e-book). Techniques are provided for using a mapping between audio data and text data, whether the mapping is created automatically or manually. A mapping may be used for bookmark switching where a bookmark established in one version of a digital work (e.g., e-book) is used to identify a corresponding location with another version of the digital work (e.g., an audio book). Alternatively, the mapping may be used to play audio that corresponds to text selected by a user. Alternatively, the mapping may be used to automatically highlight text in response to audio that corresponds to the text being played. Alternatively, the mapping may be used to determine where an annotation created in one media context (e.g., audio) will be consumed in another media context.

Switching between text data and audio data based on a mapping

A system and method of providing sequential media content. The system of some embodiments provides a library that displays representations of media items stored on a device. The library displays representations of a series object. Activating the series object displays purchased media items in a series of media items. After a threshold amount of a media item in the series has been consumed, the series object displays a representation of a next media item in the series along with a control for purchasing the next media item in the series.

System and method for providing sequential media items

Aspects of the present disclosure involve a mobile or computer reader application that obtains articles or other computer files from a central database and displays the articles to a user of the device. The reader application may be customizable around one or more characteristics of the user of the device. In one embodiment, the type and number of articles provided to the device and displayed in the reader application may be based on the determination of a category or type of usage of the application is performed by the user. Further, the determination of the use of the reader application on the device is performed by and contained within the device such that usage information is not shared with overall article providing system. In another embodiment, the article providing system and/or device may determine recommendations to provide to a user of the reading application. These recommendations may be based on one or more selected interests or topics of the user of the reading application.

Reader application with a personalized feed and method of providing recommendations while maintaining user privacy

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for gifting and personalizing a digital media item, particularly an electronic book. A system is described that includes personalizing a digital media item that is to be gifted from a first person to one or more people. The digital media item can be personalized using a segment of the digital media item that the first person associated with the second person. Depending on the second person's response, the gift can be accepted, rejected, or re-gifted. News of the second person's response can be automatically transmitted to a plurality of social networking services.

Personalizing digital gifts

Generic media covers can be generated for digital media items submitted by publishers without a personalized media cover. A generic media cover can be generated for a media item by hashing a unique identifier of the media item that remains consistent throughout the life cycle of the media item. Bytes of the hashed value can be translated into graphic parameters which are used to generate the generic graphic. The graphic parameters can be attached to the generic graphic, thus allowing a user to regenerate the generic graphic at a desired resolution at a later point in time. Also disclosed are techniques for ensuring that generic media covers for a bundle of media items appear substantially similar.

Generic media covers

According to some embodiments, techniques are described herein to assist a publisher to create fixed layout pages of an electronic publication. The techniques are useful for creating cookbooks, travel books, photography books, children's books, other 'illustrated books', or any other electronic publication where a fixed layout for at least some of the pages of the electronic publication is desirable. With the techniques, the publisher may embed fonts, select particular fonts and font sizes, assign visual content to fixed layout pages, and precisely position visual content at fixed positions on fixed layout pages. A scaling mechanism for an electronic reader device is also disclosed for scaling fixed layout pages to fit the size of a display screen of the reader device while maintaining the aspect ratio and assignment of visual content to fixed layout pages specified by the publisher.

Fixed layout electronic publications

A user can proof (e.g., view, review) an electronic publication on a portable device. When the user finds errors in the electronic publication on the portable device, the user can edit the electronic publication on the editing device. The changes can be automatically synchronized with the portable device and displayed so that the user can review the changes and continue proofing the electronic publication on the portable device. In some implementations, an editing device can monitor files associated with an electronic publication for changes to the files and, when changes are detected, the files can be automatically synchronized to a portable device coupled to the editing device.

Proofing electronic publications on portable devices

A narration session between a plurality of participants can be set up to allow participants to collaboratively narrate an electronic book. Information can be transmitted to each participant so that the views of the participants remain in sync. Visual cues can also be transmitted to notify a participant of text that is to read aloud and audio snippets of read text are collected to form a narration file. Participants without access rights to the electronic book can be granted temporary rights.

Systems and methods for narrating electronic books

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for embedding an autograph into digital media, particularly an electronic book. A system is described that includes an author's device running a signing application and at least one reader's device storing a copy of the electronic book. Depending on the proximity of the reader's device to the author's device, the author's device automatically performs different autographing tasks.

Embedding an autograph in an electronic book

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Casey Maureen Dougherty