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.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for displaying a section of a document, the method comprising: 
 (a) displaying a user interface of a document viewer;    (b) displaying a document with the document viewer, wherein the user interface of the document viewer displays a plurality of selectors automatically configured to correspond to a respective plurality of sections of the document regardless of what section of the document is being displayed;    (c) receiving a selection of one of the plurality of selectors;    (d) continuing to display the plurality of selectors after receiving the selection in (c); and    (e) displaying a section of the document that corresponds to the selector selected in (c).    
     
     
         2 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the document viewer comprises a browser.  
     
     
         3 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of selectors are automatically displayed.  
     
     
         4 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the respective plurality of sections of the document comprises a plurality of subsections, and wherein the user interface further displays a second plurality of selectors configured to correspond to the respective plurality of subsections.  
     
     
         5 . The invention of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the respective plurality of subsections of the document comprises a second plurality of subsections, and wherein the user interface further displays a third plurality of selectors configured to correspond to the respective second plurality of subsections.  
     
     
         6 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface further displays a next section selector, and wherein the method further comprises displaying a next section in the document in response to the selection of the next section selector.  
     
     
         7 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface further displays a previous section selector, and wherein the method further comprises displaying a previous section in the document in response to the selection of the next section selector.  
     
     
         8 . A method for displaying a section of a document, the method comprising: 
 (a) displaying a user interface of a document viewer;    (b) displaying a document with the document viewer, wherein the user interface of the document viewer automatically displays a plurality of selectors automatically configured to correspond to a respective plurality of sections of the document regardless of what section of the document is being displayed;    (c) receiving a selection of one of the plurality of selectors; and    (d) displaying a section of the document that corresponds to the selected selector.    
     
     
         9 . The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the document viewer comprises a browser.  
     
     
         10 . The invention of  claim 8  further comprising continuing to display the plurality of selectors after receiving the selection in (c).  
     
     
         11 . The invention of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the respective plurality of sections of the document comprises a plurality of subsections, and wherein the user interface further displays a second plurality of selectors configured to correspond to the respective plurality of subsections.  
     
     
         12 . The invention of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the respective plurality of subsections of the document comprises a second plurality of subsections, and wherein the user interface further displays a third plurality of selectors configured to correspond to the respective second plurality of subsections.  
     
     
         13 . The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the user interface further displays a next section selector, and wherein the method further comprises displaying a next section in the document in response to the selection of the next section selector.  
     
     
         14 . The invention of  claim 8 , wherein the user interface further displays a previous section selector, and wherein the method further comprises displaying a previous section in the document in response to the selection of the next section selector.  
     
     
         15 . A document viewer comprising: 
 a display region; and    a user interface displaying a plurality of selectors automatically configured to correspond to a respective plurality of sections of a document displayed in the display region regardless of what section of the document is being displayed in the display region;    wherein the plurality of selectors are not part of the document displayed in the display region of the document viewer and continue to be displayed after one of the plurality of selectors is selected.    
     
     
         16 . The invention of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the respective plurality of sections of the document comprises a plurality of subsections, and wherein the user interface further displays a second plurality of selectors configured to correspond to the respective plurality of subsections.  
     
     
         17 . The invention of  claim 15 , wherein the user interface further displays a next section selector that has been predefined to display a next section in the document when the next section selector is selected.  
     
     
         18 . The invention of  claim 15 , wherein the user interface further displays a previous section selector that has been predefined to display a previous section in the document when the previous section selector is selected.  
     
     
         19 . The invention of  claim 15 , wherein the document viewer comprises a browser.