Structured document browser

Abstract

A structured document browser includes a constant user interface for displaying and viewing sections of a document that is organized according to a pre-defined structure. The structured document browser displays documents that have been marked with embedded codes that specify the structure of the document. The tags are mapped to correspond to a set of icons. When the icon is selected while browsing a document, the browser will display the section of the structure corresponding to the icon selected, while preserving the constant user interface.

1 . A system for allowing a user to browse product descriptions for a company's product line, the system comprising: 
 a processor; and    memory, in communication with the processor, that stores: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of a plurality of product descriptions of a company's product line for display;  
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions in a display area; and  
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display a plurality of selectors in a selector area outside of the display area regardless of the user selection of the one of the plurality of product descriptions, the plurality of selectors comprising one or more of the following selectors: overview information selector, sales information selector, product availability information selector, ordering information selector, billing information selector, troubleshooting information selector, and product support information selector.  
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is part of a computing environment that includes communication over a network, and wherein the processor is in communication with the network.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send, over a network, at least one of the data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions and the data to display the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display a fly-by help message indicating a function of one of the plurality of selectors after a screen pointer is positioned over the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to automatically display a search string entry box.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data, to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user selection of the one of the plurality of product descriptions is received by: 
 sending data to display a second plurality of selectors, each selector of the second plurality of selectors being associated with a respective one of the plurality of product descriptions; and    receiving a user selection of one of the second plurality of selectors.    
     
     
         10 . A system for allowing a user to browse product descriptions for a company's product line, the system comprising: 
 a processor; and    memory, in communication with the processor, that stores: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of a plurality of product descriptions of a company's product line for display;  
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions in a display area; and  
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display a plurality of selectors in a selector area outside of the display area regardless of the user selection of the one of the plurality of product descriptions, the plurality of selectors comprising an ordering information selector.  
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the system is part of a computing environment that includes communication over a network, and wherein the processor is in communication with the network.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send, over a network, at least one of the data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions and the data to display the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display a fly-by help message indicating a function of one of the plurality of selectors after a screen pointer is positioned over the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to automatically display a search string entry box.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data, to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the user selection of the one of the plurality of product descriptions is received by: 
 sending data to display a second plurality of selectors, each selector of the second plurality of selectors being associated with a respective one of the plurality of product descriptions; and    receiving a user selection of one of the second plurality of selectors.    
     
     
         19 . A system for allowing a user to browse product descriptions for a company's product line, the system comprising: 
 a processor; and    memory, in communication with the processor, that stores: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of a plurality of product descriptions of a company's product line for display;  
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions in a display area; and  
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display a plurality of selectors in a selector area outside of the display area regardless of the user selection of the one of the plurality of product descriptions, the plurality of selectors comprising a product support information selector.  
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the system is part of a computing environment that includes communication over a network, and wherein the processor is in communication with the network.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send, over a network, at least one of the data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions and the data to display the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display a fly-by help message indicating a function of one of the plurality of selectors after a screen pointer is positioned over the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to automatically display a search string entry box.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data, to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the user selection of the one of the plurality of product descriptions is received by: 
 sending data to display a second plurality of selectors, each selector of the second plurality of selectors being associated with a respective one of the plurality of product descriptions; and    receiving a user selection of one of the second plurality of selectors.    
     
     
         28 . A system for allowing a user to browse web data, the system comprising: 
 a processor; and    memory, in communication with the processor, that stores: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of a plurality of web data for display;  
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display the one of the plurality of web data in a display area; and  
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display a plurality of selectors in a selector area outside of the display area regardless of the user selection of the one of the plurality of web data, the plurality of selectors comprising one or more of the following selectors: overview information selector, sales information selector, product availability information selector, ordering information selector, billing information selector, troubleshooting information selector, and product support information selector.  
   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the system is part of a computing environment that includes communication over a network, and wherein the processor is in communication with the network.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send, over a network, at least one of the data to display the one of the plurality of web data and the data to display the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display a fly-by help message indicating a function of one of the plurality of selectors after a screen pointer is positioned over the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to automatically display a search string entry box.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data, to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the user selection of the one of the plurality of web data is received by: 
 sending data to display a second plurality of selectors, each selector of the second plurality of selectors being associated with a respective one of the plurality of web data; and    receiving a user selection of one of the second plurality of selectors.    
     
     
         37 . A system for allowing a user to browse product descriptions for a company's product line, the system comprising: 
 a processor; and    memory, in communication with the processor, that stores: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of a plurality of product descriptions of a company's product line for display;  
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions in a display area; and  
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display a plurality of selectors in a selector area outside of the display area regardless of the user selection of the one of the plurality of product descriptions by sending data comprising markup language codes that are configured to cause a browser in communication with the processor to retrieve graphics from a location external to the data comprising the markup language and external to the browser, the plurality of selectors comprising one or more of the following selectors: overview information selector, sales information selector, product availability information selector, ordering information selector, billing information selector, troubleshooting information selector, and product support information selector.  
   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the system is part of a computing environment that includes communication over a network, and wherein the processor is in communication with the network.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send, over a network, at least one of the data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions and the data to display the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display a fly-by help message indicating a function of one of the plurality of selectors after a screen pointer is positioned over the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to automatically display a search string entry box.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data to display information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the memory further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send data, to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the user selection of the one of the plurality of product descriptions is received by: 
 sending data to display a second plurality of selectors, each selector of the second plurality of selectors being associated with a respective one of the plurality of product descriptions; and    receiving a user selection of one of the second plurality of selectors.