Attending book signing events is popular amongst book lovers. Such events are generally organized at a bookstore or library where an author sits and sign books for a period and may also add a short message for the reader and it increases the value of books for book lovers.

Apple, in their recent patent application published on September 26, 2013, is trying to patent a system where an autograph done by author can be embedded in electronic book  carried by the reader at a signing event.

The system requires an author’s device running a signing application and at least one reader’s device storing a copy of the electronic book. Depending on the proximity of the reader’s device (connected with hot spot) to the author’s device, the author’s device automatically performs different autographing tasks. This includes tasks such as instructing the reader’s device to generate an autograph page when the eBook does not contain an autograph page, creating the autograph and authenticating the autograph.

The invention may help authors autograph so many books in a relatively small amount of time but will the happiness and charm of having a real autographed signed book vs. the embedded autographed eBook be same? True book lovers and time can best answer this question.