Method and apparatus for formula evaluation in spreadsheets on small devices

• US 20020143829A1
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Rank, Paul J., Pampuch, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,793,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/538
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for enabling a spreadsheet program with formula support on small devices (like PDAs) while minimizing the amount of memory space used by not only the program, but also by the accompanying compiled code during transfer of files from the desktop to the small devices. The present invention allows the user to download a spreadsheet file from the desktop to the small device via a conduit. A conduit is any 2-way communication device which connects a desktop to a small device and allows the transfer of data. Since the operating system of the desktop and small device, like a PDA, are different, the present invention allows the conduit software to convert the data to be transferred in a format understandable by the respective programs of both the desktop and PDA. The present invention also allows the conduit software to evaluate and parse the formulas and functions needed by the current file before the transfer. The present invention also allows the conduit software to generate compiled code for the fimctions needed by the current file before transfer. By letting the conduit software perform the tasks of evaluating and parsing the formulas, and generating compiled code, the present invention optimizes the limited amount of memory space that is so critical to a small device'"'"'s operating speed and performance.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating a spreadsheet file comprising:

obtaining said spreadsheet file in a first format on a first device;

converting said spreadsheet file to a second format; and

transferring said spreadsheet file to a second device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first device is a computer.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said second device is a small device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said small device is a PDA.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said converting is performed by a conduit.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said converting further comprises:

gathering one or more formulas by said conduit.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said converting further comprises:

evaluating said formulas by said conduit.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said evaluating firther comprises:

compiling code that is readable by said s mall device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said compiling further comprises:

parsing said formulas.

10. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to evaluate a spreadsheet file, said computer program product comprising;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to obtain said spreadsheet file in a first format;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to convert said spreadsheet file to a second format; and

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to transfer said spreadsheet file to a second device.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said first device is a computer.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein said second device is a small device.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein said small device is a PDA.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to convert said spreadsheet file is executed by a conduit.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to convert said spreadsheet file further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to gather one or more formulas by said conduit.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to convert said spreadsheet file further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to evaluate said formulas by said conduit.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to evaluate said spreadsheet file further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to compile code that is readable by said small device.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to compile code further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to parse the said formulas.