Book

Abstract

A book (1) is described. The book has front and back covers (2, 3) and a plurality of pages (5) bound between the covers. The book includes capacitive touch elements (9) disposed on the inside (10, 14) of the back cover and/or the front cover. The book also includes at least one output device (7), such as a speaker, and a controller (18). The controller is configured to cause the or at least one of the output devices to output a signal in dependence upon position of a user's digit (31: FIG. 6) on a page overlying the cover.

1 . A book comprising:
 front and back covers;   a plurality of pages between the covers;   an array of m×n capacitive touch elements disposed on the inside of a cover configured to provide a touchpad;   at least one output device; and   a controller operatively connected to the capacitive touch elements and configured to determine an x,y position of a digit of a user on a page overlaying the cover in dependence upon which capacitive touch elements are actuated and to cause the or at least one of the output devices to output a signal in dependence upon the x,y position.   
     
     
         2 . A book according to  claim 1  comprising:
 a first set of capacitive touch elements disposed on the inside of the back cover for detecting manipulation of a front side of a page; and 
 a second set of capacitive touch elements disposed on the inside of the front cover for detecting manipulation of a back side of a page. 
 
     
     
         3 . A book according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one output device includes a speaker. 
     
     
         4 . A book according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one output device includes an interface for outputting an audio signal. 
     
     
         5 . A book according to  claim 4 , wherein the interface is a wireless interface, such as Bluetooth transmitter or transceiver. 
     
     
         6 . A book according to  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the output device to output audio signal. 
     
     
         7 . A book according to  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured, in response to determining that a user digit rests at given position, to output a first audio signal of relatively short duration. 
     
     
         8 . A book according to  claim 7 , wherein the first audio signal carries a word. 
     
     
         9 . A book according to  claim 7 , wherein the first audio signal carries a non-verbal sound. 
     
     
         10 . A book according to  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured, in response to the user continuing to rest at the given position, to repeat the first audio signal of relatively short duration. 
     
     
         11 . A book according to any one of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured, in response to determining that a user's digit traces a path, to output a second audio signal of relatively long duration. 
     
     
         12 . A book according to  claim 11 , wherein the audio signal carries a sentence. 
     
     
         13 . A method to be performed by a controller of a book according to  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 receiving signals from the m×n array of capacitive touch elements disposed on the cover of the book and arranged as a touchpad of the book; and   causing at least one output device to output a signal in dependence upon the x,y position.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , comprising:
 identifying the page.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein identifying the page comprises measuring signal strength. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a playback device comprising an output device, performs a method according to  claim 13 .