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;  
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor 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 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 receive, over a network, at least one of data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions and 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 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 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 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 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: 
 displaying 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 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;    displaying the one of the plurality of product descriptions in a display area; and    displaying 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.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions and data to display the plurality of selectors is received over a network.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 displaying 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.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 automatically displaying a search string entry box.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 receive a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 displaying information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising: 
 displaying, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the user selection of the one of the plurality of product descriptions is received by: 
 displaying 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.    
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of a plurality of product descriptions of a company's product line;    operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor 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 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.    
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive, over a network, at least one of data to display the one of the plurality of product descriptions and data to display the plurality of selectors.    
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor 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.    
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to automatically display a search string entry box.    
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a user selection of one of the plurality of selectors.    
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22  further comprising: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to display information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.    
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 22  further comprising: 
 operational instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to display, at a same time as the plurality of selectors, information associated with the one of the plurality of selectors.    
     
     
         25 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the user selection of the one of the plurality of product descriptions is received by: 
 displaying 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.