METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING, FORMATTING, AND DISPLAYING CURRENCY VALUES

• US 20030097318A1
• Filed: 03/08/1999
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: YU, CHRISTOPHER C., VIOT, STEPHANE J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A conversion function for converting between the euro and other currencies is provided that converts a value in one type of currency to a value in another type of currency according to EU-specified conversion rules and rounding rules. The conversion function may utilize full-precision computation or may convert the value utilizing a user-supplied number of significant digits. A method and apparatus for formatting the results of a conversion in a user-modifiable euro style is also provided. A formatting toolbar button is supplied that when selected applies a euro style to a selected currency value or range of values. A conversion wizard for converting a group of values or functions between the euro and other currencies is also provided. The wizard permits user-selected formula handling options to be selected at the time of conversion. A toolbar for viewing the results of the conversion is also provided. The toolbar provides a floating window that indicates the value of a current location in a user-specified type of currency. The window is updated each time a new location or range of locations is selected, a refresh command is issued, or a new type of currency is selected.

Claims

1. A method for converting a value represented in a source currency to a value represented in a destination currency, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request to convert a value in a source currency to a value in a destination currency;

(b) retrieving the value in the source currency from a first location in response to the request;

(c) applying a set of predefined conversion rules to convert the value in the source currency to a value in the destination currency;

(d) determining whether the value in the destination currency should be returned as a full precision result;

(e) in response to determining that a full precision result should be returned, saving the value in the destination currency in a second location as a full precision result.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(f) determining whether the value in the source currency should be converted using triangulation precision;

(g) in response to determining that triangulation precision should be utilized during the conversion, truncating an intermediate value of the conversion to a predefined number of significant digits.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

(h) in response to determining that a full-precision result should not be returned, rounding the value in the destination currency according to predefined rounding rules associated with the destination currency and saving the value in a second location.

4. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 2.

5. A method for applying a euro style format to a currency value, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a request to format a currency value in a euro style format;

(b) in response to the request to format the currency value, obtaining a current currency style, including a location of a default currency symbol;

(c) appending a euro currency symbol to the currency value in the same location as the location of the default currency symbol;

(d) adjusting the location of a decimal separator symbol in the currency value so that the currency value has two decimal digits;

(e) determining if the currency value is a negative number;

(f) in response to determining that the currency value is a negative number, adjusting the location of a negative sign associated with the currency value; and

(g) saving the location of the euro currency symbol, the location of the decimal separator symbol, and the location of the negative sign as a euro style.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving a decimal separator symbol and a thousands separator symbol from a common location; and

inserting the decimal separator symbol into the decimal position of the currency value, and

inserting the thousands separator symbol into the thousands position of the currency value.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (g) further comprises:

(g) saving the decimal separator glyph and the thousands separator glyph as a part of the euro style.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 6.

9. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of applying a euro style format to a currency value, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a euro style formatting button;

(b) receiving user input selecting the euro style formatting button;

(c) in response to the selection of the euro style formatting button, applying a euro style format to a selected currency value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of applying a euro style format comprises the steps of:

obtaining a current currency style, including a location of a default currency symbol;

placing a euro currency symbol adjacent to the currency value in the same location as the location of the default currency symbol;

adjusting the location of a decimal separator symbol in the currency value so that the currency value has two decimal digits;

retrieving a decimal separator symbol and a thousands separator symbol from a common location;

inserting the decimal separator symbol into the decimal position of the currency value,

and inserting the thousands separator symbol into the thousands position of the currency value; and

saving the location of the euro currency symbol, the decimal separator symbol, and the thousands separator symbol as a euro style.

11. A method for converting values contained in a range of source locations and represented in a source currency to a destination currency using a conversion wizard, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving values identifying a range of source locations, the identity of a source type of currency, the identity of a destination type of currency, and values identifying a range of destination locations;

(b) determining whether the contents of one of the source locations contains a value or a function;

(c) in response to determining that the contents of one of the source locations contains a value, applying a predefined set of conversion rules to convert the value from a source type of currency to a destination type of currency, and

saving the value in one of the destination locations;

(d) in response to determining that the contents of one of the source locations contains a function, applying a user-specified formula handling rule to convert the formula from a source type of currency to a destination type of currency, and

saving the value in one of the destination locations; and

(e) repeating steps (b) through (d) for each of the source locations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving a euro style format, and wherein the steps of saving the value further comprise applying the euro style format to the value in the destination location.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the user-specified formula handling rule comprises converting the formula from a value in the source type of currency to a value in the destination type of currency,

and saving the value in the destination location.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the user-specified formula handling rule comprises converting the formula from a source type of currency to a destination type of currency and saving the converted formula in the destination location.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the user-specified formula handling rule comprises prompting a user for formula-handling instructions in response to determining that the contents of a source location is a formula.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 11.

17. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of converting the contents of a range of source locations represented in a source currency to a destination currency using a conversion wizard, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a conversion wizard dialog box on the display;

(b) receiving user input identifying a range of source locations, the identity of a source type of currency, the identity of a destination type of currency, values identifying a range of destination locations;

(c) determining whether the contents of one of the source locations contains a value or a function;

(d) in response to determining that the contents of one of the source locations contains a value, applying a predefined set of conversion rules to convert the value from a source type of currency to a destination type of currency, and

saving the value in one of the destination locations;

(e) in response to determining that the contents of one of the source locations contains a function, applying a user-specified formula handling rule to convert the formula from a source type of currency to a destination type of currency, and

saving the value in one of the destination locations; and

(f) repeating steps (c) through (e) for each of the source locations.

18. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of displaying the results of a currency conversion, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a dialog box on the display having a drop-down menu comprising available currency conversion factors;

(b) in response to receiving user input selecting one of the available currency conversion factors, converting a currently selected value from a source type of currency to a destination type of currency according to the selected currency conversion factor; and

(c) displaying the results of the currency conversion in the dialog box.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein step (b) comprises:

(b) in response to receiving user input selecting a source location, converting a value in the source location from a source type of currency to a destination type of currency according to a selected currency conversion factor.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein step (b) comprises:

(b) in response to receiving user input selecting a recalculate function, converting a value in a source location from a source type of currency to a destination type of currency according to a selected currency conversion factor.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein step (b) comprises:

(b) in response to receiving user input selecting a range of source locations, adding the values contained in each of the source locations to obtain a sum of the source locations, and

converting the sum of the source locations from a source type of currency to a destination type of currency according to a selected currency conversion factor.