System and Method for Accessing Rich Objects Via Spreadsheets

• US 20130036346A1
• Filed: 08/02/2011
• Published: 02/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palantir Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Palantir Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: CICERONE, Derek Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,280,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for providing access to a data object from within a spreadsheet included in a spreadsheet application. The method includes associating the data object with a first cell of the spreadsheet, wherein the data object is related to a parameter, and the first cell is identified by a cell reference, receiving an input that is related to a second cell of the spreadsheet and includes an expression that specifies the parameter and the first cell reference, and replacing the first cell reference specified by the expression with the data object, wherein a value for the second cell may be determined by applying the parameter to the data object specified in the expression.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a data object from within a spreadsheet included in a spreadsheet application, the method comprising:

associating the data object with a first cell of the spreadsheet, wherein the data object is related to a parameter, and the first cell is identified by a cell reference;

receiving an input that is related to a second cell of the spreadsheet and includes an expression that specifies the parameter and the first cell reference; and

replacing the first cell reference specified by the expression with the data object, wherein a value for the second cell may be determined by applying the parameter to the data object specified in the expression.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving second input that includes at least a portion of the expression that is incomplete and specifies the first cell reference, and, in response, providing one or more suggestions for completing the portion of the expression.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, prior to providing the one or more suggestions, establishing that the first cell reference specified by the portion of the expression identifies the first cell, the first cell is associated with the data object, and that the data object is related to the parameter, wherein at least one of the one or more suggestions comprises the parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to replacing the first cell reference, performing a collision check to confirm that the expression, in fact, specifies the first cell reference as opposed to a different type of reference having the same text as the first cell reference.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein performing the collision check comprises determining that the expression is not associated with metadata indicating that the expression specifies a different type of expression having the same text as the first cell reference.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the data object with the first cell comprises storing a first object reference corresponding to the data object in the first cell.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, once the value for the second cell is determined, each time the parameter related to the data object is updated, the value for the second cell is also updated.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, once the value for the second cell is determined, each time the first cell is updated, the value for the second cell is also updated.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data object represents a type of financial instrument associated with an entity traded in a financial market.

10. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the process to provide access to a data object from within a spreadsheet included in a spreadsheet application, by performing the steps of:

associating the data object with a first cell of the spreadsheet, wherein the data object is related to a parameter, and the first cell is identified by a cell reference;

receiving an input that is related to a second cell of the spreadsheet and includes an expression that specifies the parameter and the first cell reference; and

replacing the first cell reference specified by the expression with the data object, wherein a value for the second cell may be determined by applying the parameter to the data object specified in the expression.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising receiving second input that includes at least a portion of the expression that is incomplete and specifies the first cell reference, and, in response, providing one or more suggestions for completing the portion of the expression.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein, prior to providing the one or more suggestions, establishing that the first cell reference specified by the portion of the expression identifies the first cell, the first cell is associated with the data object, and that the data object is related to the parameter, wherein at least one of the one or more suggestions comprises the parameter.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising, prior to replacing the first cell reference, performing a collision check to confirm that the expression, in fact, specifies the first cell reference as opposed to a different type of reference having the same text as the first cell reference.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein performing the collision check comprises determining that the expression is not associated with metadata indicating that the expression specifies a different type of expression having the same text as the first cell reference.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein associating the data object with the first cell comprises storing a first object reference corresponding to the data object in the first cell.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein, once the value for the second cell is determined, each time the parameter related to the data object is updated, the value for the second cell is also updated.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein, once the value for the second cell is determined, each time the first cell is updated, the value for the second cell is also updated.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the data object represents a type of financial instrument associated with an entity traded in a financial market.

19. A computer system, comprising:

a first computing device that includes a memory and a processor configured to;

associate the data object with a first cell of the spreadsheet, wherein the data object is related to a parameter, and the first cell is identified by a cell reference;

receive an input that is related to a second cell of the spreadsheet and includes an expression that specifies the parameter and the first cell reference; and

replace the first cell reference specified by the expression with the data object, wherein a value for the second cell may be determined by applying the parameter to the data object specified in the expression.

20. The computer system of claim 19, further comprising a second computing device that includes a memory and a processor configured to apply the parameter to the data object specified in the expression to determine the value for the second cell.