Structured document browser

• US 20080071644A1
• 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:
  US11/710,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071644A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• 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 allowing a user to browse product descriptions for a company'"'"'s product line, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of a plurality of product descriptions of a company'"'"'s product line for display;

sending data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions in a display area; and

sending 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 method of claim 1, wherein 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 is sent over a network.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending 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.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending data to automatically display a search string entry box.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

sending data to display information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

sending data to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selection of the 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.

9. A method for allowing a user to browse product descriptions for a company'"'"'s product line, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of a plurality of product descriptions of a company'"'"'s product line for display;

sending data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions in a display area; and

sending 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.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein 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 is sent over a network.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

sending 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.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

sending data to automatically display a search string entry box.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

sending data to display information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

sending data to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.

16. The method of claim 9, 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.

17. A method for allowing a user to browse product descriptions for a company'"'"'s product line, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of a plurality of product descriptions of a company'"'"'s product line for display;

sending data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions in a display area; and

sending 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.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein 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 is sent over a network.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

sending 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.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

sending data to automatically display a search string entry box.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

sending data to display information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

sending data to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.

24. The method of claim 17, 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.

25. A method for allowing a user to browse web data, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of a plurality of web data for display;

sending data to display the one of the plurality of web data in a display area; and

sending 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.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein 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 is sent over a network.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

sending 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.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

sending data to automatically display a search string entry box.

29. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

sending data to display information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

sending data to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.

32. The method of claim 25, 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.

33. A method for allowing a user to browse product descriptions for a company'"'"'s product line, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of a plurality of product descriptions of a company'"'"'s product line for display;

sending data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions in a display area; and

sending 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 to retrieve graphics from a location external to the data comprising the markup language codes 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.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein 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 is sent over a network.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

sending 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.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

sending data to automatically display a search string entry box.

37. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising:

sending data to display information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.

39. The method of claim 37 further comprising:

sending data to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.

40. The method of claim 33, 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.