Selectively deteriorate ebook for secondary market

Abstract

A method, an eBook, and an apparatus are provided. The method includes calculating, by a processor, a usage metric describing a timing at which an eBook has been displayed for viewing by a user. The method further includes selectively deteriorating, by the processor, a look of the eBook for a secondary market based on the usage metric of the eBook.

1 . A method, comprising:
 calculating, by a processor, a usage metric describing a timing at which an eBook has been displayed for viewing by a user, the usage metric including a duration during which portions of the eBook have been displayed; and   selectively deteriorating, by the processor, a displayed look of the eBook based on the usage metric of the eBook.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the timing corresponds to a duration during which the eBook has been displayed for viewing. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the timing corresponds to a number of times the eBook has been displayed for viewing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the timing corresponds to a time of day when the eBook is viewed by the user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the usage metric is further based on how many bookmarks have been used for the eBook. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the usage metric is further based on an amount of light exposure to which the eBook was subjected. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the usage metric is further based on whether or how many times the eBook has been resold. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said deteriorating step comprises selecting a subset of deterioration filters to apply to the eBook from a set of deterioration filters that provide different types of deterioration. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the look of the eBook is selectively deteriorated in different ways based on the usage metric. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the method is further applied to another copy of the eBook such that the eBook and the other copy of the eBook differ in deterioration based on the usage metric respectively corresponding thereto. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the look of the eBook is selectively deteriorated using a deterioration selected from the group consisting of a food stain, an age-based mark, a partially inoperable page, a page with a removed image, a ripped page, a damaged page with a repair showing, an inability to page flip using a one or more page flipping motions, an inability to zoom, and an inability to use a bookmark. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the deteriorating is based on the usage metric such that a resultant deterioration of the eBook increases with an increasing usage metric. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an extent of a resultant deterioration of the eBook is based on how often the eBook has been resold. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said deteriorating step comprises an action selected from the group consisting of:
 generating a look of a page having a food stain;   generating a look of an aged page;   generating a look of a partially broken page;   generating a look of a page with at least one image removed from the page;   generating a look of a ripped page;   generating a look of a ripped page with a repair showing; and   generating a look with at least one disabled navigation element.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one disabled navigation element is selected from the group consisting of a disabled page turn, a disabled zoom element, and a disabled bookmarking element. 
     
     
         16 . An article of manufacture tangibly embodying a computer readable program which when executed by the processor causes a computer to perform the steps of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . An eBook, comprising:
 a processor, a memory, and a display, wherein the processor is configured to:   calculate a usage metric describing a timing at which the eBook has been displayed for viewing by a user, the usage metric including a duration during which portions of the eBook have been displayed; and   selectively deteriorate a look of the eBook based on the usage metric of the eBook.   
     
     
         18 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a communication device configured to communicate with an eBook; and   a processor, configured to:
 calculate a usage metric describing a timing at which the eBook has been displayed for viewing by a user, the usage metric including a duration during which portions of the eBook have been displayed; and 
 selectively deteriorate a look of the eBook based on the usage metric of the eBook. 
   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is implemented using a cloud configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is selectively attachable and detachable to and from the eBook to deteriorate the eBook on a selective basis.