Excel spreadsheet parsing to share cells, formulas, tables or entire spreadsheets across an enterprise with other users
First Claim
1. A client process to store a spreadsheet and its objects generated on a client computer in a master library on a server to which said client computer is coupled so as to enable sharing of said spreadsheet or one or more of its objects for viewing or insertion in one or more spreadsheets on any client computer coupled to said server, comprising the steps:
- A) parsing a spreadsheet to identify all objects that make up said spreadsheet;
B) converting each object to a representation that can be transmitted over a data network to a server; and
C) sending said representation to said master library on said server.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Discloses a method and apparatus and user interface for parsing individual objects of a spreadsheet created on a client computer and sending the entire workbook, its binary and the objects for storage on a server computer in a master library. The master library can be opened, searched and objects downloaded. The downloaded object can have their metadata displayed, and the level of detail about each object that is downloaded can be controlled by the user. The user can designate objects for sharing in the master library with other spreadsheet users. Downloaded objects can be modified with the native tools of the spreadsheet application, typically Excel, and re-stored in the master library under a different name and with the person who changed the object listed in the metadata as the owner. Searches can controlled by user interface tools to designate object type to search, and search type can be by owner or functional area of the company. Users can enter their own metadata. Automatic naming of objects decouples objects from their original locations in the workbooks upon which they were created.
106 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A client process to store a spreadsheet and its objects generated on a client computer in a master library on a server to which said client computer is coupled so as to enable sharing of said spreadsheet or one or more of its objects for viewing or insertion in one or more spreadsheets on any client computer coupled to said server, comprising the steps:
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A) parsing a spreadsheet to identify all objects that make up said spreadsheet; B) converting each object to a representation that can be transmitted over a data network to a server; and C) sending said representation to said master library on said server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. One or more computer readable mediums having stored thereon computer instructions which, when executed by one or more computers control said computers to allow individual objects on a first spreadsheet existing on one of said computers to be imported into a second spreadsheet existing on one of said computers.
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8. A client computer coupled to a server via any data path, said client computer programmed with an operating system, software to communicate over said data path, and a spreadsheet application and programmed to perform the following functions:
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provide a user interface mechanism added onto said spreadsheet application'"'"'s native user interface which allows a user to issue a command to save a spreadsheet to a master library on said server computer; receive a user command to save a spreadsheet and respond thereto by; parsing individual objects of said spreadsheet and assigning each object a name; creating descriptions of each object and transmitting said descriptions to said server over any data path for decoding and recreation of the original object in a master library application running on said server.
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9. A server computer coupled to a client computer by any data path, said server computer programmed with an operating system, software to communicate over said data path, said server computer:
further programmed with an application program to implement a master library application which controls said server computer to perform the following functions; receive descriptions of objects parsed from a spreadsheet running on a client computer; decode said description of each object and recreate said object in an emulation of a spreadsheet implemented by said master library application; store said recreated object and all its metadata. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A process carried out in an environment comprised of a client computer which is coupled via any data path to a server computer running a master library process, comprising:
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receiving a command to save a spreadsheet created on a client computer in a master library; parsing objects from said spreadsheet; converting said parsed object into descriptions in a language that can be transmitted over any data path to a master library process running on said server computer; sending said descriptions to said master library process; converting said descriptions of said objects into spreadsheet objects and storing said spreadsheet objects in a master library. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A process carried out on a client computer which is coupled via any data path to a server computer running a master library process, comprising:
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receiving a request from a user to open a master library; displaying one or more user interface mechanisms to allow a user to select the type of spreadsheet object to search for and the manner of search; displaying spreadsheet objects returned as a result of said search.
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20. One or more computer readable mediums having stored thereon computer instructions which, when executed by one or more computers control said computers to allow individual objects on a first spreadsheet existing on one of said computers to be stored in a master library application running on a second computer and downloaded from said master library to a spreadsheet application running on another computer.
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21. A spreadsheet object sharing process comprising the steps:
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A) upon receiving a command, parsing individual objects on a first spreadsheet existing a first computer which are to be stored in a master library application running on a second computer; B) converting said parsed objects to a description that can be transported to a second computer and sending said descriptions to said second computer; C) converting said descriptions to spreadsheet objects on said second computer and storing said descriptions in a master library as shared object\ts; D) receiving a request to download an object stored on said second computer and converting the requested object to a description that can be sent over a data path to the computer which requested download of said object and transmitting said description; E) at a computer which requested download of said object from said master library, converting the received description of the object into a spreadsheet object and storing said object in a spreadsheet. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions which can control a computer to perform the following process:
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A) parsing a spreadsheet to identify all objects that make up said spreadsheet, and automatically assigning a name to each object; B) converting each object to a representation that can be transmitted over a data network to a server; and C) sending said representation to said master library on said server. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A server process to receive information defining objects that make up a spreadsheet on a client computer and store said information in a master library, comprising the steps:
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receiving in a server coupled to one or more client computers by a network a description of each object that comprises a spreadsheet; parsing each received description of an object and converting each description into an object of a spreadsheet and storing said object in a master library on said server, and storing an automatically generated name for said object which provides a basis to map said object back to the original object on a spreadsheet of a client computer. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification