Patent landscapes › Electronics & gadgets
Is a e-reader patented?
Short answer: specific designs of a e-reader have been patented many times, but "a e-reader" as a general idea is not what is protected. What matters is the exact combination of features in your version.
What our index shows
- 10,530 US and WO patent publications since 2000 have a title matching “electronicereaderbook reader” or a close variant (our index of 9.7 million patent families; one publication per family).
- Among the 296 best keyword matches we examined, 38 were published in 2020 or later, and the earliest was published in 2000.
- Most frequent assignees in those matches: AMAZON TECH INC (7), MICROSOFT CORP (6), SYMBOL TECHNOLOGIES INC (6), FUJITSU LTD (5).
- Most common patent classes (CPC subclasses): G06F (127), G06K (61), G06Q (40), H04N (31).
Counts come from keyword matching on titles and abstracts, so they are indicative, not a legal count. Some matches are different products that share a word.
14 real patent publications related to a e-reader
- Computer-implemented methods and computer program products for integrating and synchronizing multimedia content, including content displayed via interactive televisions, smartphones, electronic book readers, holographic imagery projectors, and other computerized devices US-RE47059-E 2018 · NEVINS JOEL
Computer-implemented methods and computer program products wherein a user's reviewing of select text in a synchronized news story, article, or electronic book generates a changed presentation of associated multimedia content, …
View on Google Patents - Electronic Book Reader with Supplemental Marginal Display US-2018060743-A1 2018 · GOOGLE INC
Digital content is received and supplemental content metadata is produced. The supplemental content metadata indicates a location of a feature in the digital content that is predicted to be of interest to a user. A digital content…
View on Google Patents - Electronic-book reader device and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a display control program US-2017277343-A1 2017 · FUJITSU LTD
An electronic-book reader device includes a screen that displays a page image of an electronic book; a first sensor disposed on a side face of the electronic-book reader device; a second sensor disposed on a reverse face of the sc…
View on Google Patents - Electronic book reader with closely juxtaposed display screens US-9851747-B2 2017 · WINSKY PETER G
A portable electronic book reading machine has two display screens juxtaposed in close proximity to allow for automatic cross referencing between primary textual material displayed on the leftmost display screen and related second…
View on Google Patents - Force-based contextualizing of multiple pages for electronic book reader US-8966391-B2 2015 · HAMILTON II RICK A
A system and associated method for contextualizing a page turn in an electronic book pursuant to a maximum amount of force applied by a user in a snap gesture triggering the page turn as performed by an e-reader program running in…
View on Google Patents - Handheld electronic book reader device having dual displays US-8950682-B1 2015 · AMAZON TECH INC
A handheld electronic book device is configured with dual displays. The device includes a first display for presenting visible representations of textual or graphic content related to the electronic book. The device also includes …
View on Google Patents - Electronic book reader and displaying method US-2012212502-A1 2012 · LIN TAY-YANG
An electronic book reader includes a display, a back panel, and a touch panel. The display displays an electronic book. The touch panel is connected between the display and the back panel. An obtuse angle is defined between the di…
View on Google Patents - Method and apparatus for turning pages in e-book reader US-2012098836-A1 2012 · KIM CHEON-SHIK
A method turns pages in an electronic book (e-book) reader. The method includes displaying an e-book as left/right pages and, if a page turn signal is generated, turning a left page or a right page while displaying an action of tu…
View on Google Patents - Page turner for handheld electronic book reader device US-8018431-B1 2011 · AMAZON TECH INC
A page turner is provided for a handheld electronic book reader device. The page turner is configured to detect a human gesture to turn a page in an electronic book that is being displayed by the device. In one implementation, the…
View on Google Patents - Electronic book reader and displaying method of electronic book reader US-2011307823-A1 2011 · WU CHIA-CHEN
An electronic book includes a display, a first area displaying module, a second area displaying module, a processing module, and a browsing module. The display includes a first displaying area and a second displaying area. The fir…
View on Google Patents - Electronic reader with two displays and method of turning pages therefof US-2011248967-A1 2011 · HON HAI PREC IND CO LTD
An electronic reader includes a first display, a second display, a hinge, a comparing unit, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a swipe page unit unit. The hinge is rotatably connected to the first display and the second display.…
View on Google Patents - Dual-screen electronic reader with tilt detection for page navigation US-2011102314-A1 2011 · XEROX CORP
A dual screen electronic reader and method for navigating a document are disclosed. The electronic reader includes two display screens which can be angled to each other, like an open book, for viewing by a person reading the docum…
View on Google Patents - Electronic reader and displaying method thereof US-2011314406-A1 2011 · WANG TZU-MING
An electronic reader and a displaying method thereof are respectively provided in the present invention. The electronic reader includes a recognition unit recognizing an identity input; and a displaying unit displaying a screen co…
View on Google Patents - Method for utilizing electronic book readers to access multiple-ending electronic books US-2004003344-A1 2004 · INVENTEC APPLIANCES CORP
The invention is to provide a method for utilizing electronic book readers to access multiple-ending electronic books, the said method consisting of disposing a plurality of endings and a minimum of one selectable page in the said…
View on Google Patents
What this means for your idea
Because patents cover specific combinations of features, the useful question is not “has a e-reader been patented?” but “has my combination of features been described before?” Consumer electronics are among the most heavily patented areas; the specific circuit, mounting, or interaction is what distinguishes a design.
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Guides that help with this
First-look landscape. Not exhaustive. Not legal advice. This page lists keyword-matched publications from a limited database; it does not say whether any product is or isn't covered by a patent, whether a patent is still in force, or whether your idea is patentable. Consult a registered patent attorney or agent.