E-book Collection Management via Remote Synchronization

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current e-book management systems do not effectively allow users to organize and access their e-book collections across multiple devices, lacking seamless archiving and synchronization of user-defined lists.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for managing e-book collections on computing devices that enables users to create and synchronize user-defined lists, allowing e-books to be archived and accessed across multiple devices, with graphic representations indicating archive status and enabling instant download of archived e-books.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If e-books are stored locally on each device, then accessibility and viewing speed are improved, but device storage capacity is consumed and management across multiple devices becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility of e-booksVSAvoidmanagement of e-book collection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a remote server as an intermediary to store and manage the e-book collection. The server acts as a central repository that synchronizes with multiple client devices, allowing users to access their library across devices without manually managing transfers or duplications. The server mediates between the user's multiple devices and the actual e-book storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides universal access to the e-book collection across multiple device types and platforms. The same library is made available on different devices through network connectivity, allowing a single e-book collection to serve multiple functions and access points simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Quantity of substance

If e-books are archived to free up local storage, then device storage capacity is preserved, but access to archived e-books requires additional steps and time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveavailable storage capacityVSAvoidtime to access archived e-books
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-synchronizing the complete e-book collection to the remote server before archiving occurs on local devices. This ensures that when e-books are archived locally, they are already available on the server, eliminating the need for post-archiving retrieval operations and reducing access time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the client device continuously monitors and synchronizes with the remote server to maintain awareness of the archived e-book collection. This feedback loop ensures that archived e-books remain accessible through the network connection without requiring manual intervention or lengthy retrieval processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If user-defined lists are synchronized across multiple devices, then organizational flexibility is improved, but network bandwidth and synchronization time are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveorganization of e-book collectionVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the e-book collection into user-defined lists or categories that can be independently synchronized. Instead of synchronizing the entire library, only the metadata and organizational structure of specific lists are transmitted across the network, reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining organizational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9229620B2System and method for managing user e-book collections
Publication Date: 2016.01.05 RAKUTEN KOBO

AI summary

Examples described herein enable a user to organize and manage e-books on a computing device that utilizes a network-based e-book service. According to some examples, a user e-book collection can be organized so that it can be displayed when archived, as well as in accordance with user-defined lists.