Synchronized consumption modes for e-books

Abstract

An e-book system receives and stores different versions of an e-book supporting different consumption modes. Additionally, the e-book system stores signposts for the e-book. The signposts include corresponding locations in different versions of the e-book. When a user switches from a first version to a second version, the e-book system determines based on the signposts a location in the second version of the e-book that corresponds to the current location in the first version. The e-book system then presents the content in the second version from the determined location.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 converting, by a computing system using speech recognition, an audio version of an e-book to into a converted text version of the e-book, the converted text version of the e-book including a plurality of text snippets;   identifying, based on a current location in the audio version of the e-book being consumed by a user, one text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book, the current location in the audio version of the e-book corresponding to a location of the audio version of the e-book at which the user is currently consuming or most recently ceased consuming the audio version of the e-book;   identifying, based on the one text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book, a particular text snippet from a plurality of snippets of a text version of the e-book by at least comparing the one snippet to one or more snippets from the plurality of snippets of the text version of the e-book;   identifying, based on the particular text snippet of the text version of the e-book, a location within the text version of the e-book corresponding to the current location in the converted text version of the e-book; and   transmitting the location within the text version of the e-book.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computing system, a respective likelihood that each text snippet from the plurality of text snippets was correctly converted from a corresponding portion of the audio version of the e-book,   wherein the respective likelihoods for the one or more snippets from the plurality of snippets each satisfy a threshold likelihood indicating that the one or more snippets were correctly converted.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 storing, by the computing system, the respective likelihoods for each of the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book; and   storing, by the computing system, respective timing information for each of the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book, the respective timing information indicating a respective location of each of the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book in the audio version of the e-book.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book is a first text snippet from the converted text version of the e-book, and wherein the particular text snippet from the plurality of snippets of the text version of the e-book is a first snippet from the text version of the e-book, the method further comprising:
 receiving, by the computing system, a current location in the text version of the e-book being consumed by the user, the current location of the text version of the e-book corresponding to a location of the text version of the e-book at which the user is currently consuming or most recently ceased consuming the text version of the e-book;   identifying, based on the current location in the text version of the e-book, a second text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the text version of the e-book;   identifying, based on the current text snippet of the text version of the e-book, a second text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book;   identifying, based on the second text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book, a location within the audio version of the e-book; and   transmitting the location within the audio version of the e-book.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the location within the audio version of the e-book includes timing information specifying the location within the audio version of the e-book corresponding to the second text snippet of the converted text version of the e-book. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 storing, by the computing system and in a match index, an indication of the location within the text version of the e-book that corresponds to the current location within the audio version of the e-book, the match index including information about a plurality of matched locations in the text and audio versions of the e-book.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computing system, a respective likelihood that each text snippet from the plurality of text snippets was correctly converted from a corresponding portion of the audio version of the e-book;   selecting, by the computing system, one or more text snippets from the plurality of text snippets having respective likelihoods greater than a threshold likelihood; and   generating, by the computing system and based on the match index and the one or more text snippets having respective likelihoods greater than a threshold likelihood, one or more signposts that include information for facilitating determination of corresponding locations in different version of the e-book.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising;
 transmitting, by the computing system and to a remote computing device, the one or more signpost for review;   receiving, by the computing system and from the remote computing device, feedback indicating whether the one or more signposts where correctly generated; and   updating, based on the feedback, the one or more signposts.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein identifying the particular snippet from the plurality of snippets of the text version of the e-book further comprises applying fuzzing matching to the one text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book and the one or more snippets from the plurality of snippets of a text version of the e-book. 
     
     
         30 . A computing system comprising:
 one or more processors;   a network adapter; and   a non-transitory storage device storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 convert, using speech recognition, an audio version of an e-book to into a converted text version of the e-book, the converted text version of the e-book including a plurality of text snippets; 
 identify, based on a current location in the audio version of the e-book being consumed by a user, one text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book, the current location in the audio version of the e-book corresponding to a location of the audio version of the e-book at which the user is currently consuming or most recently ceased consuming the audio version of the e-book; 
 identify, based on the one text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book, a particular text snippet from a plurality of snippets of a text version of the e-book by at least comparing the one snippet to one or more snippets from the plurality of snippets of the text version of the e-book; 
 identify, based on the particular text snippet of the text version of the e-book, a location within the text version of the e-book corresponding to the current location in the converted text version of the e-book; and 
 transmit, via the network adapter, the location within the text version of the e-book. 
   
     
     
         31 . The computing system of  claim 30 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 determine a respective likelihood that each text snippet from the plurality of text snippets was correctly converted from a corresponding portion of the audio version of the e-book, wherein the respective likelihoods for the one or more snippets from the plurality of snippets each satisfy a threshold likelihood indicating that the one or more snippets were correctly converted.   
     
     
         32 . The computing system of  claim 30 , wherein:
 the one text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book is a first text snippet from the converted text version of the e-book,   the particular text snippet from the plurality of snippets of the text version of the e-book is a first snippet from the text version of the e-book, and   the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, via the network adapter, a current location in the text version of the e-book being consumed by the user, the current location of the text version of the e-book corresponding to a location of the text version of the e-book at which the user is currently consuming or most recently ceased consuming the text version of the e-book; 
 identify, based on the current location in the text version of the e-book, a second text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the text version of the e-book; 
 identify, based on the current text snippet of the text version of the e-book, a second text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book; 
 identify, based on the second text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book, a location within the audio version of the e-book; and 
 transmit, via the network adapter, the location within the audio version of the e-book. 
   
     
     
         33 . The computing system of  claim 32 , wherein the location within the audio version of the e-book includes timing information specifying the location within the audio version of the e-book corresponding to the second text snippet of the converted text version of the e-book. 
     
     
         34 . The computing system of  claim 30 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 store, in the non-transitory storage device, an indication of the location within the text version of the e-book that corresponds to the current location within the audio version of the e-book as a match index, the match index including information about a plurality of matched locations in the text and audio versions of the e-book;   determine a respective likelihood that each text snippet from the plurality of text snippets was correctly converted from a corresponding portion of the audio version of the e-book;   select one or more text snippets from the plurality of text snippets having respective likelihoods greater than a threshold likelihood; and   generate, based on the match index and the one or more text snippets having respective likelihoods greater than a threshold likelihood, one or more signposts that include information for facilitating determination of corresponding locations in different version of the e-book.   
     
     
         35 . The computing system of  claim 34 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 transmit, via the network adapter and to a remote computing device, the one or more signpost for review;   receive, via the network adapter and from the remote computing device, feedback indicating whether the one or more signposts where correctly generated; and   update, based on the feedback, the one or more signposts.   
     
     
         36 . A non-transitory storage device storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors of a computing system, cause the one or more processors to:
 convert, using speech recognition, an audio version of an e-book to into a converted text version of the e-book, the converted text version of the e-book including a plurality of text snippets;   identify, based on a current location in the audio version of the e-book being consumed by a user, one text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book, the current location in the audio version of the e-book corresponding to a location of the audio version of the e-book at which the user is currently consuming or most recently ceased consuming the audio version of the e-book;   identify, based on the one text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book, a particular text snippet from a plurality of snippets of a text version of the e-book by at least comparing the one snippet to one or more snippets from the plurality of snippets of the text version of the e-book;   identify, based on the particular text snippet of the text version of the e-book, a location within the text version of the e-book corresponding to the current location in the converted text version of the e-book; and   transmit the location within the text version of the e-book.   
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 36 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 determine a respective likelihood that each text snippet from the plurality of text snippets was correctly converted from a corresponding portion of the audio version of the e-book, wherein the respective likelihoods for the one or more snippets from the plurality of snippets each satisfy a threshold likelihood indicating that the one or more snippets were correctly converted.   
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 36 , wherein:
 the one text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book is a first text snippet from the converted text version of the e-book,   the particular text snippet from the plurality of snippets of the text version of the e-book is a first snippet from the text version of the e-book, and   the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 receive a current location in the text version of the e-book being consumed by the user, the current location of the text version of the e-book corresponding to a location of the text version of the e-book at which the user is currently consuming or most recently ceased consuming the text version of the e-book; 
 identify, based on the current location in the text version of the e-book, a second text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the text version of the e-book; 
 identify, based on the current text snippet of the text version of the e-book, a second text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book; 
 identify, based on the second text snippet from the plurality of text snippets of the converted text version of the e-book, a location within the audio version of the e-book; and 
 transmit the location within the audio version of the e-book. 
   
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 36 , wherein the location within the audio version of the e-book includes timing information specifying the location within the audio version of the e-book corresponding to the second text snippet of the converted text version of the e-book. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 36 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 store, in the non-transitory storage device, an indication of the location within the text version of the e-book that corresponds to the current location within the audio version of the e-book as a match index, the match index including information about a plurality of matched locations in the text and audio versions of the e-book;   determine a respective likelihood that each text snippet from the plurality of text snippets was correctly converted from a corresponding portion of the audio version of the e-book;   select one or more text snippets from the plurality of text snippets having respective likelihoods greater than a threshold likelihood; and   generate, based on the match index and the one or more text snippets having respective likelihoods greater than a threshold likelihood, one or more signposts that include information for facilitating determination of corresponding locations in different version of the e-book;   transmit, to a remote computing device, the one or more signpost for review;   receive, from the remote computing device, feedback indicating whether the one or more signposts where correctly generated; and   update, based on the feedback, the one or more signposts.