Structured decument browser
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 method for displaying data, the method comprising:
displaying a plurality of display regions; wherein each of the plurality of display regions is automatically configured to correspond to respective data and not to a generic next section or previous section; wherein at least one of the plurality of display regions does not comprise a first page button, a last page button, a first section button, a last section button, a next page button, or a previous page button; wherein the data comprises Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML); and wherein the plurality of display regions are displayed in a toolbar; and
after selection of a selected one of the plurality of display regions:
retrieving data that corresponds to the selected one of the plurality of display regions from a storage medium via a network, wherein the network comprises the Internet;
displaying the retrieved data; and
displaying the plurality of display regions.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of display regions are not part of a user interface of an operating system.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of display regions comprise at least three display regions.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data comprises a section of a document.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the retrieved data while continuing to display the plurality of display regions.
6 . A method comprising:
displaying a plurality of display regions, each of the plurality of display regions corresponding to respective data and not to a generic next section or previous section, wherein at least one display region does not correspond to a first or last section of a document, and wherein the plurality of display regions are displayed in a toolbar; and
after selection of a selected one of the plurality of display regions:
displaying data that corresponds to the selected one of the plurality of display regions; and
displaying the plurality of display regions.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of display regions are not part of a user interface of an operating system.
8 . The method of claim 6 further comprising retrieving the data corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of display regions from a storage medium via a network.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the network comprises the Internet.
10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of display regions are automatically displayed without prompting by a user.
11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the first plurality of display regions is automatically configured to correspond to the respective data.
12 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of display regions comprise buttons.
13 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of display regions comprise text.
14 . The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the plurality of display regions does not comprise a first page button, a last page button, a first section button, a last section button, a next page button, or a previous page button.
15 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of display regions comprise at least three display regions.
16 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the data comprises Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML).
17 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the data comprises Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML).
18 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the data comprises a section of a document.
19 . The method of claim 6 further comprising:
after selection of the selected one of the first plurality of display regions, without additional user input, displaying a second plurality of display regions, each of the second plurality of display regions corresponding to respective data.
20 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of display regions are never obscured by the displayed data.
21 . The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying the data that corresponds to the selected one of the plurality of display regions while continuing to display the plurality of display regions.
22 . An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing program code executable by the processor, the program code operative to:
display a plurality of display regions, each of the plurality of display regions corresponding to respective data and not to a generic next section or previous section, wherein at least one display region does not correspond to a first or last section of a document, and wherein the plurality of display regions are displayed in a toolbar; and
after selection of a selected one of the plurality of display regions:
display data that corresponds to the selected one of the plurality of display regions; and
display the plurality of display regions.
23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of display regions are not part of a user interface of an operating system.
24 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the data corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of display regions is stored in a storage medium coupled with the processor over a network.
25 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the network comprises the Internet.
26 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of display regions are automatically displayed without prompting by a user.
27 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein each of the first plurality of display regions is automatically configured to correspond to the respective data.
28 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of display regions comprise buttons.
29 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of display regions comprise text.
30 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein at least one of the plurality of display regions does not comprise a first page button, a last page button, a first section button, a last section button, a next page button, or a previous page button.
31 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of display regions comprise at least three display regions.
32 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the data comprises Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML).
33 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the data comprises Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML).
34 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the data comprises a section of a document.
35 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the program code is further operative to, after selection of the selected one of the first plurality of display regions, without additional user input, display a second plurality of display regions, each of the second plurality of display regions corresponding to respective data.
36 . The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a display device in communication with the processor.
37 . The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising an input device in communication with the processor.
38 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of display regions are never obscured by the displayed data.
39 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the program code is further operative to display the data that corresponds to the selected one of the plurality of display regions while continuing to display the plurality of display regions.
40 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable program code stored therein, the computer-readable program code operative to:
display a plurality of display regions, each of the plurality of display regions corresponding to respective data and not to a generic next section or previous section, wherein at least one display region does not correspond to a first or last section of a document, and wherein the plurality of display regions are displayed in a toolbar; and
after selection of a selected one of the plurality of display regions:
display data that corresponds to the selected one of the plurality of display regions; and
display the plurality of display regions.
41 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the plurality of display regions are not part of a user interface of an operating system.
42 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the data corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of display regions is stored in a storage medium accessible via a network.
43 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 42 , wherein the network comprises the Internet.
44 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the plurality of display regions are automatically displayed without prompting by a user.
45 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein each of the first plurality of display regions is automatically configured to correspond to the respective data.
46 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the plurality of display regions comprise buttons.
47 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the plurality of display regions comprise text.
48 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein at least one of the plurality of display regions does not comprise a first page button, a last page button, a first section button, a last section button, a next page button, or a previous page button.
49 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the plurality of display regions comprise at least three display regions.
50 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the data comprises Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML).
51 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the data comprises Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML).
52 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the data comprises a section of a document.
53 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the computer-readable program code is further operative to, after selection of the first display region, without additional user input, display a second plurality of display regions, each of the second plurality of display regions corresponding to a second respective plurality of data.
54 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the plurality of display regions are never obscured by the displayed data.
55 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 40 , wherein the computer-readable program code is further operative to display the data that corresponds to the selected one of the plurality of display regions while continuing to display the plurality of display regions.