SYSTEM, DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FORMULA MANAGEMENT

• US 20140379512A1
• Filed: 06/20/2013
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bigmachines Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bigmachines Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: VALLIER, ZAKIYA S., JONES, RICHARD L., GUPTA, FAZAL
• Application Number:
  US13/923,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20140379512A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

A system, device and method involve the management of formulas. In one embodiment, the formulas are buildable through the selection of mathematical components. A formula list facilitates formula management.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a data storage device configured to store data associated with;

(a) a plurality of different mathematical components;

(b) a component identifier associated with each one of the mathematical components;

(c) a plurality of different mathematical operators;

(d) an operator identifier associated with each one of the mathematical operators; and

(e) a plurality of different formula identifiers, the data storage device being accessible by a processor over a network; and

a plurality of instructions stored within the data storage device, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

(a) cause one of the formula identifiers to be displayed, the formula identifier being associated with a formula;

(b) cause a plurality of the component identifiers to be displayed;

(c) receive a sequence of selections for a user'"'"'s building of the formula, the selections including a plurality of the component identifiers and at least one of the operator identifiers;

(d) cause the formula to be displayed according to the sequence, the formula displaying the selected component identifiers and the at least one operator identifier;

(e) repeat steps (a) through (d) for the user'"'"'s building of another formula; and

(f) display a list of the formula identifiers.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mathematical components are selected from the group consisting of a variable, a constant, a value, a function, an argument, and a condition.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each one of the component identifiers includes at least one letter of a word which is at least partially descriptive of the mathematical component associated with the component identifier.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the mathematical components includes one of the formulas.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of instructions are executable by the processor to:

(a) receive a build formula input from the user;

(b) cause a component data field to be displayed in response to the build formula input;

(c) receive at least one letter entered into the component data field by the user;

(d) in response to the entered letter, cause at least part of a component identifier list to be displayed in alphabetical order, the displayed part including a plurality of the component identifiers which begin with the letter; and

(e) receive a selection signal based on the user'"'"'s pointing to one of the component identifiers in the component identifier list.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a plurality of instructions are executable by the processor to:

(a) cause an operator identifier list to be displayed after at least one of the component identifiers has been selected, the operator identifier list displaying a list of a plurality of the operator identifiers in alphabetical order;

(b) receive another selection signal based on the user'"'"'s pointing to one of the operator identifiers in the operator identifier list.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of instructions are executable by the processor to:

(a) generate a template, the template having a plurality of different template data fields, the template data fields being associated with different ones of the formulas;

(b) mathematically apply the formulas to generate a plurality of data results; and

(c) fill the template data fields with the data results.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a plurality of instructions are executable by the processor to:

(a) edit one of the formulas in response to an edit input received from the user;

(b) mathematically apply the edited formula to generate a data result; and

(c) fill one of the template data fields with the data result.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the template includes a quote building template.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the template data fields include a quantity data field, a cost data field, a price data field, a discount data field and a total data field.

11. A system comprising:

a data storage device configured to store data associated with;

(a) a plurality of different mathematical components;

(b) a component identifier associated with each one of the mathematical components;

(c) a plurality of different mathematical operators;

(d) an operator identifier associated with each one of the mathematical operators;

(e) a plurality of different formula identifiers; and

(f) cost of a plurality of different offerings, the data storage device being accessible, over a network, by a processor; and

a formula management instruction set stored within the data storage device, the formula management instruction set including a plurality of instructions which are executable by the processor to;

(a) cause one of the formula identifiers to be displayed, the formula identifier being associated with a formula;

(b) cause a plurality of the component identifiers to be displayed;

(c) receive a sequence of selections for a user'"'"'s building of the formula, the selections including a plurality of the component identifiers and at least one of the operator identifiers;

(d) cause the formula to be displayed according to the sequence, the formula displaying the selected component identifiers and the at least one operator identifier;

(e) repeat steps (a) through (d) for the user'"'"'s building of another formula; and

(f) display a formula list, each item in the formula list including one of the formula identifiers and one of the formulas;

a quote building instruction set stored within the data storage device, the quote building instruction set including a plurality of instructions which are executable by the processor to;

(a) cause a quote building template to be displayed, the quote building template having a plurality of different quote data fields, the quote data fields being associated with different ones of the formulas;

(b) mathematically apply the formulas to generate a plurality of data results related to at least one of the offerings;

(c) fill the quote data fields with the data results; and

(d) generate a quote based on the template.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the offerings are selected from the group consisting of a product and a service.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein a plurality of instructions are executable by the processor to:

(a) edit one of the formulas in response to an edit input received;

(b) mathematically apply the edited formula to generate a data result; and

(c) fill one of the quote data fields with the data result.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the mathematical components include components selected from the group consisting of a variable, a constant, a value, a function, an argument, and a condition.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein each one of the component identifiers includes at least one letter of a word which is at least partially descriptive of the mathematical component associated with the component identifier.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein a plurality of instructions are executable by the processor to:

(a) receive a build formula input from the user;

(b) cause a component data field to be displayed in response to the build formula input;

(c) receive at least one letter entered into the component data field by the user;

(d) in response to the entered letter, cause at least part of a component identifier list to be displayed in alphabetical order, the displayed part including a plurality of the component identifiers which begin with the letter; and

(e) receive a selection signal based on the user'"'"'s pointing to one of the component identifiers in the component identifier list.

18. The method of claim 16, which includes electronically storing the mathematical components, the stored mathematical components selected from the group consisting of a variable, a constant, a value, a function, an argument, and a condition, wherein each one of the component identifiers includes at least one letter of a word which is at least partially descriptive of the mathematical component associated with the component identifier.

19. The method of claim 16, which includes electronically executing the computer readable instructions to:

(a) receive a build formula input from the user;

(b) cause a component data field to be displayed in response to the build formula input;

(c) receive at least one letter entered into the component data field by the user;

(d) in response to the entered letter, cause at least part of a component identifier list to be displayed in alphabetical order, the displayed part including a plurality of the component identifiers which begin with the letter; and

(e) receive a selection signal based on the user'"'"'s pointing to one of the component identifiers in the component identifier list.

20. The method of claim 19, which includes electronically executing the computer readable instructions to:

(a) cause an operator identifier list to be displayed after at least one of the component identifiers has been selected, the operator identifier list displaying a list of a plurality of the operator identifiers in alphabetical order;

(b) receive another selection signal based on the user'"'"'s pointing to one of the operator identifiers in the operator identifier list.

17. A method comprising:

electronically storing a plurality of computer-readable instructions; and

electronically executing the computer-readable instructions to;

(a) cause one of the formula identifiers to be displayed, the formula identifier being associated with a formula;

(b) cause a plurality of mathematical component identifiers to be displayed, the mathematical component identifiers being associated with a plurality of mathematical components;

(c) receive a sequence of selections for a user'"'"'s building of the formula, the selections including a plurality of the component identifiers and at least one of a plurality of formula operator identifiers;

(d) cause the formula to be displayed according to the sequence, the formula displaying the selected component identifiers and the at least one operator identifier;

(e) repeat steps (a) through (d) for the user'"'"'s building of another formula; and

(f) display a list of the formula identifiers.