Dynamically selecting example passages

摘要

Techniques for dynamically selecting example passages to output on an electronic device in response to a user selecting a word or other portion of a content item are described herein. In one example, a user selects a word from a rendered electronic book. In response, the device outputs an entry for the word from a reference work (e.g., a definition from a dictionary, etc.). In addition, the device outputs passages that include the word from other electronic books stored on the device. These passages are more likely to be recognized and appreciated by the user than generic passages, since the dynamically-selected passages are found in electronic books that the user has previously acquired and potentially previously read.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
under control of one or more computer systems configured with specific executable instructions, receiving a selection of a word found within an electronic book being displayed by an electronic book reader, the electronic book reader having access to the electronic book, a dictionary, and multiple other electronic books; and at least partly in response to the receiving of the selection:
retrieving a definition of the word from the dictionary;identifying a first passage and a second passage that include the word from within one of the multiple other electronic books;ranking the first passage and the second passage based at least in part on a first weight assigned to the first passage and a second weight assigned to the second passage;selecting the first passage based at least in part on the ranking, and further based at least in part on a determination that the first weight assigned to the first passage exceeds a threshold; anddisplaying the definition of the word and the first passage on the electronic book reader.