Structured document browser

• US 20080071615A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Inventors: Schumacher, Robert, Matthews, James
• Application Number:
  US11/710,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071615A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

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.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating display of a plurality of product descriptions of a company'"'"'s product line, the method comprising:

sending data to display a plurality of selectors in a selector area, the plurality of selectors automatically configured to correspond to a respective plurality of sections of a plurality of product descriptions regardless of what section of the plurality of product descriptions is being displayed;

sending data to display a search string entry box;

sending data to display a fly-by-help message indicating a function of a selector of the plurality of selectors after a screen pointer is positioned over the selector of the plurality of selectors;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of selectors; and

sending data to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors but outside of the selector area, a section of the plurality of product descriptions that corresponds to the one of the plurality of selectors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises 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.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises two 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.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises an ordering information selector.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises a product support information selector.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending data to display at least one additional selector in response to receiving the selection of the one of the plurality of selectors.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

sending data to display a second at least one additional selector in response to receiving a selection of the at least one additional selector.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one additional selector is associated with a sub-section of the plurality of product descriptions, and wherein the second at least one additional selector is associated with a sub-section of the sub-section of the plurality of product descriptions.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending data to display a menu selector, wherein selection of the menu selector results in a display of a menu of selection choices.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

sending data to display the menu selector in a same row as the plurality of selectors.

11. A method for facilitating display of web data, the method comprising:

sending data to display a plurality of selectors in a selector area, the plurality of selectors automatically configured to correspond to a respective plurality of web data regardless of what web data is being displayed;

sending data to display a search string entry box;

sending data to display a fly-by-help message indicating a function of a selector of the plurality of selectors after a screen pointer is positioned over the selector of the plurality of selectors;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of selectors; and

sending data to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors but outside of the selector area, web data that corresponds to the one of the plurality of selectors.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises 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.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises two 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.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises an ordering information selector.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises a product support information selector.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

sending data to display at least one additional selector in response to receiving the selection of the one of the plurality of selectors.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

sending data to display a second at least one additional selector in response to receiving a selection of the at least one additional selector.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one additional selector is associated with a sub-section of the web data, and wherein the second at least one additional selector is associated with a sub-section of the web data.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

sending data to display a menu selector, wherein selection of the menu selector results in a display of a menu of selection choices.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

sending data to display the menu selector in a same row as the plurality of selectors.

21. A method for facilitating display of a plurality of product descriptions of a company'"'"'s product line, the method comprising:

sending data to display a section of a plurality of product descriptions;

sending data to display a plurality of selectors in a selector area by sending data comprising markup language codes that are configured to cause a browser to retrieve graphics from a location external to the data comprising the markup language codes and external to the browser, the plurality of selectors automatically configured to correspond to a respective plurality of sections of the plurality of product descriptions regardless of what section of the plurality of product descriptions is being displayed;

sending data to display a search string entry box;

sending data to display a fly-by-help message indicating a function of a selector of the plurality of selectors after a screen pointer is positioned over the selector of the plurality of selectors;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of selectors; and

sending data to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors but outside of the selector area, a section of the plurality of product descriptions that corresponds to the one of the plurality of selectors.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises 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.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises two 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.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises an ordering information selector.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of selectors comprises a product support information selector.

26. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

sending data to display at least one additional selector in response to receiving the selection of the one of the plurality of selectors.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

sending data to display a second at least one additional selector in response to receiving a selection of the at least one additional selector.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one additional selector is associated with a sub-section of the plurality of product descriptions, and wherein the second at least one additional selector is associated with a sub-section of the sub-section of the plurality of product descriptions.

29. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

sending data to display a menu selector, wherein selection of the menu selector results in a display of a menu of selection choices.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

sending data to display the menu selector in a same row as the plurality of selectors.