Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Steven Ka Cheung Moy

Edwin Joseph Selker

Kenneth Mark Karakotsios

Isaac Scott Noble

John T Kim

Laurent An Minh Nguyen

Volodymyr V Ivanchenko

Robert Wai-Chi Chu

Gunnar Hovden

Kah Kuen Fu

James R Retzlaff, Ii

Some embodiments enable a user of an electronic device to selectively secure applications and/or content of the electronic device. For instance, certain embodiments enable a user to password protect applications (e.g., email, calendar, contacts, photos) within a single environment. In some embodiments, a user can selectively secure specific content (e.g., work-related email messages, personal emails, work-related calendar entries, corporate contacts) within an application. Further, some embodiments enable a user to specify which applications and/or types of content the user would like to password protect. For instance, a user that has sensitive work-related information stored on or accessible through the user's device may choose to password protect work-related applications (e.g., work email account) and content (e.g., work documents, work-related calendar entries). By allowing the user to selectively secure certain applications and/or content on the electronic device, the user's interaction with the device is improved and made more convenient.

Content protection on an electronic device

A low distraction interface can be provided for an electronic device by monitoring information such as a gaze direction of a user. A device can be configured to only display information to a user when the user is looking substantially toward the device, and can be configured to present that information in a way that is of minimal distraction to others nearby. The user can control aspects of the display by looking away from the device, continuing to look at the device for a period of time, or otherwise providing input without physically interacting with the device. Such an approach can be beneficial for settings such as business meetings where a user might want to obtain information from the device but does not want to appear inconsiderate by picking up and checking information on the device.

Low distraction interfaces

Some embodiments enable a first electronic device (e.g., a notebook computer) to obtain state information directly from another electronic device (e.g., a smartphone) so that the first electronic device may replicate a state of content of the other computing device. This is useful when a user of an electronic device desires to switch between one device and another device such that the user may continue an activity (e.g., playing a video game) on another device without having to restart the activity. This is also useful when a user of a first electronic device attempts to replicate the state of the activity on a second device from another user such that both users may participate in the same activity. In some embodiments, a user of a device may obtain content from a server and state information from another device to replicate the state of content on the other device.

Transferring state information between electronic devices

Power savings is provided to users of various electronic devices by monitoring the times and locations at which those users activate, deactivate, or otherwise change an operational state of one or more functional elements of a device. Other contextual or environmental information can be captured as well when the user performs such an action. One or more statistical analysis or prediction algorithms can be used to determine when and/or where the user is likely to repeat the one or more actions, where a confidence level of the prediction can be impacted at least in part by the environmental and contextual factors. When a prediction has a minimum level of confidence, a corresponding action can be performed automatically by the device when the relevant factors are met. Changes in behavior can be monitored such that the predictions can be refined over time.

Statistical approach to power management for electronic devices

An electronic device automatically reverses a left-right orientation of content displayed by the device when detecting that a user is viewing content of the device via a mirror. Some embodiments reverse the content upon detecting a trigger such as a reflection of an image displayed by the device, indicating that the device is displaying content against a mirror. In some embodiments, the device reverses the content upon detecting that blinking markers displayed by the device are inverted or upon detecting a blinking marker flashing in a particular pattern consistent to that emitted by the device. Some embodiments reverse the content upon detecting both the reflection of the image and a reflection of the user. Further, some embodiments reverse the content upon determining that the user is facing a mirror and switches back to its normal orientation when the user is viewing the content by directly looking at the device.

Mirror detection-based device functionality

A method is disclosed for specifying textual input for a computing device using a multi-directional input device. Each character of a textual group is associated with a different angle. Each character of the textual group is displayed on a display screen at the associated angle. A swipe angle of a directional swipe received at a multi-directional pointing device is determined. The associated angle closest to the swipe angle is identified. The character of the textual group corresponding to the identified angle on the display screen is highlighted.

Systems and methods for textual input using multi-directional input devices

A method for providing digital works based on user preferences is described. Data associated with a plurality of digital works is analyzed. The plurality of digital works are classified based on the data analysis and on a first list and on a second list. The first list includes preferred words, and the second list includes non-preferred words. One or more digital works from the plurality of digital works are transmitted. The one or more digital works transmitted were classified as works to be transmitted using the first list.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Steven Ka Cheung Moy