Notifications for rich data types

• US 10,642,930 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Campbell, John, Otero, Carlos Augusto, Rampson, Benjamin Edward, Rutherford, Allison, Canton, Christian, Becker, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Kells, Asher D
• Application Number:
  US15/340,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20170124054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/412 Layout analysis of documents structured with printed lines or input boxes, e.g. business forms or tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/414 Extracting the geometrical structure, e.g. layout tree; Block segmentation, e.g. bounding boxes for graphics or text
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/033 : Voice editing, e.g. manipulating the voice of the synthesiser
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 : Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/00 : Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for implementing notifications for rich data types in a spreadsheet application. Generally, a value being of a rich data type is as a type of value that has context and established relationships with other types of data. In particular, a rich data type is a data value having associated context, which may be units (e.g., inches, miles, meters, kilograms, seconds, joules, hertz, Fahrenheit, etc.) or other information about the data'"'"'s type (e.g., city, stock, NCAA football team, car, restaurant, school, etc.). Additionally, a value being of a rich data type further includes established relationships with other types of data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for populating parameters of a formula of a spreadsheet with consistent values, comprising:

receiving a formula, wherein the formula causes an operation to be performed on a first parameter and a second parameter;

determining that the first parameter is associated with a first data type having a first context, wherein the first context comprises information about a category associated with the first data type;

determining that the second parameter is associated with a second data type having a second context, wherein the second context comprises information about a category associated with the second data type;

based on the first context, determining that a first cell contains a first data value of the first data type;

displaying a visual indicator on the first cell indicating that the first data value is valid for populating the first parameter of the formula;

based on the second context, determining that a second cell contains a second data value of the second data type;

displaying a visual indicator on the second cell indicating that the second data value is valid for populating the second parameter of the formula.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a relationship exists between the first data type and the second data type.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

when it is determined that the relationship does not exist providing a notification that the operation cannot be performed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection to convert one of the first data value and the second data value into a third data value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically converting the first data value into a third data value in response to determining that the operation cannot be performed, wherein the third data value is associated with the second data type.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically converting the second data value into a third data value in response to determining that the operation cannot be performed, wherein the third data value is associated with the first data type.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

converting one of the first data value and the second data value into a third data value comprising;

identifying a conversion factor between the first data unit and the second data unit; and

applying the conversion factor to one of the first data value and the second data value.

8. A system comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the system to;

receive a formula, wherein the formula causes an operation to be performed on a first parameter and a second parameter;

determine that the first parameter is associated with a first data type having a first context, wherein the first context comprises information about a category associated with the first data type;

determine that the second parameter is associated with a second data type having a second context, wherein the second context comprises information about a category associated with the second data type;

based on the first context, determine that a first cell contains a first data value of the first data type;

display a visual indicator on the first cell indicating that the first data value is valid for populating the first parameter of the formula;

based on the second context, determining that a second cell contains a second data value of the second data type; and

display a visual indicator on the second cell indicating that the second data value is valid for populating the second parameter of the formula.

9. The system of claim 8, when executed by the at least one processing unit, further causing the system to:

determine whether a relationship exists between the first data type and the second data type.

10. The system of claim 9, when it is determined that the relationship does not exist, the computer-executable instructions further causing the system to:

provide a notification that the operation cannot be performed.

11. The system of claim 8, the computer-executable instructions further causing the system to:

receive a selection to convert one of the first data value and the second data value into a third data value.

12. The system of claim 8, the computer-executable instructions further causing the system to:

automatically convert the first data value into a third data value in response to determining that the operation cannot be performed, wherein the third data value is associated with the second data type.

13. The system of claim 8, the computer-executable instructions further causing the system to:

automatically convert the second data value into a third data value in response to determining that the operation cannot be performed, wherein the third data value is associated with the first data type.

14. The system of claim 8, the computer-executable instructions further causing the system to:

automatically convert one of the first data value and the second data value into a third data value comprising;

identifying a conversion factor between the first data unit and the second data unit; and

applying the conversion factor to one of the first data value and the second data value.

15. A computer storage media device comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processing unit, cause the processing unit to:

receive a formula, wherein the formula causes an operation to be performed on a first parameter and a second parameter;

determine that the first parameter is associated with a first data having a first context, wherein the first context comprises information about a category associated with the first data type;

determine that the second parameter is associated with a second data type having a second context, wherein the second context comprises information about a category associated with the second data type;

based on the first context, determine that a first cell contains a first data value of the first data type;

display a visual indicatory on the first cell indicating that the first data value is valid for populating the first parameter of the formula;

based on the second context, determine that a second cell contains a second data value of the second data type; and

display a visual indicator on the second cell indicating that the second data value is valid for populating the second parameter of the formula.

16. The computer storage media device of claim 15, the computer-executable instructions further causing the processing unit to:

determine whether a relationship exists between the first data type and the second data type.

17. The computer storage media device of claim 16, when it is determined that the relationship does not exist, the computer-executable instructions further causing the processing unit to:

provide a notification that the operation cannot be performed.

18. The computer storage media device of claim 15, the computer-executable instructions further causing the processing unit to:

receive a selection to convert one of the first data value and the second data value into a third data value.

19. The computer storage media device of claim 15, the computer-executable instructions further causing the processing unit to:

automatically convert the first data value into a third data value in response to determining that the operation cannot be performed, wherein the third data value is associated with the second data type.

20. The computer storage media device of claim 15, the computer-executable instructions further causing the processing unit to:

automatically convert the second data value into a third data value in response to determining that the operation cannot be performed, wherein the third data value is associated with the first data type.

21. The computer storage media device of claim 15, the computer-executable instructions further causing the processing unit to:

automatically convert one of the first data value and the second data value into a third data value comprising;

identifying a conversion factor between the first data unit and the second data unit; and

applying the conversion factor to one of the first data value and the second data value.