COMPOUND DATA OBJECTS

• US 20170124050A1
• Filed: 11/01/2016
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Campbell, John, Otero, Carlos Augusto, Rampson, Benjamin Edward, Canton, Christian, Radakovitz, Samuel C., Becker, Andrew, Rutherford, Allison, Kraynak, Steven, Peyton Jones, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 11,630,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/40 Document-oriented image-based pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/412 Layout analysis of documents structured with printed lines or input boxes, e.g. business forms or tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/414 Extracting the geometrical structure, e.g. layout tree; Block segmentation, e.g. bounding boxes for graphics or text
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/033 : Voice editing, e.g. manipulating the voice of the synthesiser
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 : Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/00 : Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a value referred to as a compound object that stores multiple values in a single cell, wherein those multiple values are organized according to a defined structure. The compound object may store multiple values according to a known defined data structure such as, for example, a record, vector, matrix, table, or array. In other embodiments, the compound object may store multiple values as any nested combination of any one of the known or user-defined data structures. Each of the values stored in the compound object are individually referenceable and can fully participate with spreadsheet functionality including calculations, referencing, and formatting.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for creating an object associated with a cell of a spreadsheet, comprising:

receive a selection of a cell of a spreadsheet;

receive a selection of an object type;

create an object of the selected object type, the object including a plurality of fields;

receive one or more values into one or more of the plurality of fields; and

associate the object with the cell of the spreadsheet.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a user interface comprising a plurality of object types for selection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the selection of the object type comprises receiving a partial entry corresponding to the selected object type.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting a user input, displaying a plurality of object types for selection.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user input is one of:

a cursor input;

a keyboard input; and

a touch input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more values comprise:

a string;

a number;

a graph;

a chart; and

an error.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the one or more values into one of:

a formula bar; and

a user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more values are received in a user interface, wherein the user interface includes a guide display that that prompts the user to provide values according to a structure defined by a schema of the selected object type.

9. A system comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

at least one memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving a selection of a cell of a spreadsheet;

receiving a selection of an object type;

creating an object of the selected object type, the object including a plurality of fields;

receiving a value into one of the plurality of fields;

determining that the value is a nested value;

associating the object with the cell of the spreadsheet.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that the value is a nested value based at least in part on a schema defining the value.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the schema has a syntax indicating that the value is a nested value.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that the nested value comprises a second nested value.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the nested value and the second nested value are organized in a structure.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the structure is one of predefined and user defined.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the object is created based on a schema definition of the selected object type.

16. A computer-implemented method for editing an object associated with a cell of a spreadsheet, comprising:

receive a selection of a cell of a spreadsheet, wherein the cell is associated with an object;

launch a card view of the object, the card view displaying one or more fields and one or more corresponding values;

receive a change to at least one of the one or more corresponding values displayed in the card view; and

store the changed corresponding value in the object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the card view is launched in response to receiving the selection of the cell.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein in response to receiving the change, changes a formula definition of the object corresponding to the change.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a new field and a new value corresponding to the new field; and

storing the new field and the new value in the object.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the new field and the new value changes a formula definition of the object.