Methods and apparatuses for display and traversing of links in page character array

Abstract

A method for processing a page character array finds links and creates link groups containing adjacent link characters. Adjacency of link characters is preferably defined as characters which are separated by any combination of no characters, blank space characters, line feed characters, or separator characters, such as vertical or horizontal separator bars or other separator characters. Once link groups have been defined, the method lays out each link group for display in an optimized form. Links are displayed as buttons. An optimized form of display includes centering all the buttons in a vertical list. Another optimized form of display includes laying out the link group as a rectangular matrix of buttons. According to another aspect, each of the links in a link group are logically mapped to a distinct user input, such as a key or voice command. The logical mapping aspect and optimized display aspect are optionally combined for certain types of hardware. For example, if keys are physically adjacent to any part of the display, the links are displayed near the keys, or in horizontal and/or vertical alignment with the keys, so that the key to which a link is mapped is apparent from its position on the display screen. As another example, the name of key or command to which a link is mapped is displayed within or beside the button containing the name of the link.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of displaying a page character array, the method comprising the steps of: 
 finding links within the page character array; and    creating one or more link groups each having a plurality of links.    
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 laying out each link group for display in an optimized form.    
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 logically mapping each of the links in a link group to a distinct user input.    
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 laying out each link group for display in an optimized form; and    logically mapping each of the links in a link group to a distinct user input.    
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the creating step comprises the steps of: 
 assigning links in a first plurality of adjacent link characters to a first link group.    
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 5 , further comprising the step of: 
 assigning links in a second plurality of adjacent link characters to a second link group.    
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 5 , wherein adjacent link characters comprise link characters separated in the page character array by any combination of: no other characters, blank space characters, line feed characters, and link separator characters.  
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 laying out links in predetermined screen locations based upon hardware.    
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 laying out links as buttons.    
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 centering links in a vertical lists.    
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 laying out links in a rectangular matrix.    
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 3 , wherein the logically mapping step comprises the step of: 
 creating a correspondence between links in the link group and keystrokes or voice commands.    
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 4 , 
 wherein the logically mapping step comprises the step of creating a correspondence between links in the link group and keystrokes or voice commands; and    wherein the laying out step comprises the step of laying out an indication of a corresponding mapped keystroke along with each link name for each link in the link group.,    
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 12 , further comprising the step of: 
 if the link group is currently displayed on the display screen, interpreting a keystroke or a voice command as a command to traverse a corresponding link.    
     
     
         15 . A device readable storage medium, comprising: 
 device readable program code embodied on said device readable storage medium, said device readable program code for programming a device to perform a method of displaying a page character array, the method comprising the steps of: 
 finding links within the page character array; and  
 creating one or more link groups each having a plurality of links.  
   
     
     
         16 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 15 , the method further comprising the step of: 
 laying out each link group for display in an optimized form.    
     
     
         17 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 15 , the method further comprising the step of: 
 logically mapping each of the links in a link group to a distinct user input.    
     
     
         18 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 15 , the method further comprising the steps of: 
 laying out each link group for display in an optimized form; and    logically mapping each of the links in a link group to a distinct user input.    
     
     
         19 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 15 , wherein the creating step comprises the steps of: 
 assigning links in a first plurality of adjacent link characters to a first link group.    
     
     
         20 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 19 , the method further comprising the step of: 
 assigning links in a second plurality of adjacent link characters to a second link group.    
     
     
         21 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 19 , wherein adjacent link characters comprise link characters separated in the page character array by any combination of: no other characters, blank space characters, line feed characters, and link separator characters.  
     
     
         22 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 16 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 laying out links in predetermined screen locations based upon hardware.    
     
     
         23 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 16 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 laying out links as buttons.    
     
     
         24 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 16 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 centering links in a vertical lists.    
     
     
         25 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 16 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 laying out links in a rectangular matrix.    
     
     
         26 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 17 , wherein the logically mapping step comprises the step of: 
 creating a correspondence between links in the link group and keystrokes or voice commands.    
     
     
         27 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 18 , 
 wherein the logically mapping step comprises the step of creating a correspondence between links in the link group and keystrokes or voice commands; and    wherein the laying out step comprises the step of laying out an indication of a corresponding mapped keystroke along with each link name for each link in the link group.    
     
     
         28 . A device readable storage medium as in  claim 26 , the method further comprising the step of: 
 if the link group is currently displayed on the display screen, interpreting a keystroke or a voice command as a command to traverse a corresponding link.    
     
     
         29 . A device, comprising: 
 a processor; and    a processor readable storage medium having processor readable program code embodied on said processor readable storage medium, said processor readable program code for programming a device to perform a method of displaying a page character array, the method comprising the steps of: 
 finding links within the page character array; and  
 creating one or more link groups each having a plurality of links.  
   
     
     
         30 . A device as in  claim 29 , the method further comprising the step of: 
 laying out each link group for display in an optimized form.    
     
     
         31 . A device as in  claim 29 , the method further comprising the step of: 
 logically mapping each of the links in a link group to a distinct user input.    
     
     
         32 . A device as in  claim 29 , the method further comprising the steps of: 
 laying out each link group for display in an optimized form; and    logically mapping each of the links in a link group to a distinct user input.    
     
     
         33 . A device as in  claim 29 , wherein the creating step comprises the steps of: 
 assigning links in a first plurality of adjacent link characters to a first link group.    
     
     
         34 . A device as in  claim 33 , the method further comprising the step of: 
 assigning links in a second plurality of adjacent link characters to a second link group.    
     
     
         35 . A device as in  claim 33 , wherein adjacent link characters comprise link characters separated in the page character array by any combination of: no other characters, blank space characters, line feed characters, and link separator characters.  
     
     
         36 . A device as in  claim 30 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 laying out links in predetermined screen locations based upon hardware.    
     
     
         37 . A device as in  claim 30 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 laying out links as buttons.    
     
     
         38 . A device as in  claim 30 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 centering links in a vertical lists.    
     
     
         39 . A device as in  claim 30 , wherein the laying out step comprises the step of: 
 laying out links in a rectangular matrix.    
     
     
         40 . A device as in  claim 31 , wherein the logically mapping step comprises the step of: 
 creating a correspondence between links in the link group and keystrokes or voice commands.    
     
     
         41 . A device as in  claim 32 , 
 wherein the logically mapping step comprises the step of creating a correspondence between links in the link group and keystrokes or voice commands; and    wherein the laying out step comprises the step of laying out an indication of a corresponding mapped keystroke along with each link name for each link in the link group.    
     
     
         42 . A device as in  claim 40 , further comprising the step of: 
 if the link group is currently displayed on the display screen, interpreting a keystroke or a voice command as a command to traverse a corresponding link.