Auto-completion of names

• US 20090044094A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rapp, Peter William
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

Automatically completing a remainder portion of a name as it is being entered is disclosed. In some embodiments, in response to receiving at least a prescribed number of starting characters of a name being entered into a first cell as a reference name to refer to one or more other cells, a set of one or more valid reference names that begin with the received starting characters is determined and provided as auto-completion options. In such cases, a valid reference name is one that identifies using a supported syntax a spreadsheet document or a portion of a spreadsheet document.

Claims

1. A method for automatically completing a remainder portion of a name as it is being entered, comprising:

receiving at least a prescribed number of starting characters of a name being entered into a first cell as a reference name to refer to one or more other cells;

determining a set of one or more valid reference names that begin with the received starting characters; and

providing the set of valid reference names as auto-completion options;

wherein a valid reference name is one that identifies using a supported syntax a spreadsheet document or a portion of a spreadsheet document.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the name being entered comprises one or more of a row name, column name, table name, sheet name, and document name.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein a row name or a column name comprises an associated header cell value.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the valid reference names includes one or more of a row name, column name, table name, sheet name, and document name.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the name is being entered into a formula being entered into the first cell.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the prescribed number of starting characters comprises the first two characters of the name.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the auto-completion options are provided automatically.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the auto-completion options are provided in response to receiving an indication by a user to provide auto-completion options.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the indication comprises one or more arrow keystrokes by the user.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the auto-completion options are available starting with a third character of the name.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein an auto-completion option includes one or more prepended identifiers.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more prepended identifiers comprise one or more of a document name, sheet name, and table name.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising completing the remainder portion of the name being entered in response to an indication of a selection of a provided auto-completion option.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a provided auto-completion option that is a most likely match is by default selected and provided inline.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing an option to turn an associated auto-completion feature on or off.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first cell comprises a header cell, body cell, or footer cell.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first cell and the one or more other cells are associated with at least standard spreadsheet functionality.

18. A system for automatically completing a remainder portion of a name as it is being entered, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive at least a prescribed number of starting characters of a name being entered into a first cell as a reference name to refer to one or more other cells;

determine a set of one or more valid reference names that begin with the received starting characters; and

provide the set of valid reference names as auto-completion options; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide instructions to the processor;

wherein a valid reference name is one that identifies using a supported syntax a spreadsheet document or a portion of a spreadsheet document.

21. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein the name is being entered into a formula being entered into the first cell.

22. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein an auto-completion option includes one or more prepended identifiers.

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

23. A computer program product for automatically completing a remainder portion of a name as it is being entered, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving at least a prescribed number of starting characters of a name being entered into a first cell as a reference name to refer to one or more other cells;

determining a set of one or more valid reference names that begin with the received starting characters; and

providing the set of valid reference names as auto-completion options;

wherein a valid reference name is one that identifies using a supported syntax a spreadsheet document or a portion of a spreadsheet document.

24. A computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the name being entered comprises one or more of a row name, column name, table name, sheet name, and document name.

25. A computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein each of the valid reference names includes one or more of a row name, column name, table name, sheet name, and document name.

26. A computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein the name is being entered into a formula being entered into the first cell.

27. A computer program product as recited in claim 23, wherein an auto-completion option includes one or more prepended identifiers.

28. (canceled)