System and method for optimizing information display in spreadsheets and tables
First Claim
1. A method for minimizing the height of a tabular display, comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining the initial height of a tabular display;
(b) selecting a first column and a second column of the tabular display and increasing the width of at least the first column by an amount and decreasing the width of at least the second column by a like amount;
(c) determining the new height of the tabular display and if the height has decreased, accepting the new set of column widths, or if the height has not decreased, accepting the new set of column widths according to a transition probability function; and
(d) iteratively repeating the steps (b) and (c) until an end state is reached.
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Abstract
Disclosed is a system and method for reducing the size of a tabular display, such as a spreadsheet or dynamically formatted table. Global optimization techniques, for example, simulated annealing, are used to identify an optimal or near-optimal set of column widths whereby the width of columns having cells containing greater amounts of text are increased while the width of columns having cells containing smaller amounts of text are correspondingly decreased, thus reducing overall table height without changing net table width. Use of global optimization avoids converging upon local minimum solutions in favor of solutions which are optimal or near-optimal. By reducing table height, readability is enhanced, and efficiencies are realized which result in reduced costs and reduced consumption of resources. Reductions in table width, as well as conformance of table size to a target aspect ratio are also disclosed.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for minimizing the height of a tabular display, comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining the initial height of a tabular display; (b) selecting a first column and a second column of the tabular display and increasing the width of at least the first column by an amount and decreasing the width of at least the second column by a like amount; (c) determining the new height of the tabular display and if the height has decreased, accepting the new set of column widths, or if the height has not decreased, accepting the new set of column widths according to a transition probability function; and (d) iteratively repeating the steps (b) and (c) until an end state is reached. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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- 6. The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein an end state is indicated after a fixed number of iterations have been performed.
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10. A method for minimizing the height of a tabular display, comprising
arranging the widths of the columns of the tabular display in accordance with an optimization function, wherein the optimization function further comprises evaluating a cost function for a set of column widths; -
determining an optimum set of columns widths by selecting an arrangement having a minimum cost from a group of possible sets of column widths; and rendering the tabular display in accordance with the optimum set of column widths. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A system for minimizing the height of a tabular display, comprising:
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at least one processor; software for rendering the tabular display; and an optimization module for minimizing the height of the tabular display by optimizing the widths of the columns of the tabular display. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable medium storing a set of programmable instructions configured for being executed by at least one processor for performing a method for minimizing the height of a tabular display, comprising:
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arranging the widths of the columns of the tabular display in accordance with an optimization function, wherein the method further comprises evaluating a cost function for a set of column widths; determining an optimum set of columns widths by selecting an arrangement having a minimum cost from a group of possible sets of column widths; and rendering the tabular display in accordance with the optimum set of column widths. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification