Analytic network engine and spreadsheet interface system

• US 6,199,078 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1998
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sphere Software Engineering Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sphere Software Engineering Incorporated
• Inventors: Brittan, Philip, Rose, Frank Leon, Franco, Louis, Baskin, Mat
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kindred, Alford W.
• Application Number:
  US09/153,114
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 707/503, 707/500, 707/504, 707/515, 707/526, 707/530, 707/538, 345/326, 345/333, 345/55, 345/352, 345/332
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method and system for calculating values for fields interrelated by circular formulas in a data network is described. The system contains a first calculator for which a first field serves as an input value and a second field serves as an output and a second calculator for which the second field serves as an input value and the first field serves as an output. A conflict checker determines whether a circular conflict exists after input of the input value into the first field or the second field, and a conflict resolver resolves the conflict by suppressing the input value in the first field or second field upon determination of the circular conflict.

Claims

1. A data processing system for calculating values for fields interrelated by circular formulas in a data network, comprising:

a first calculator for calculating a first output value, wherein a first field provides an input value and a second field presents the first output value;

a second calculator for calculating a second output value, wherein the second field provides an input value and the first field presents the second output value;

a conflict checker for determining, after input of a value into at least one of the first field and the second field and calculation of the first output value and the second output value, whether the first output value and the second output value are computationally inconsistent values; and

a conflict resolver for suppressing one of the first output value and the second output value upon a determination of the computationally inconsistent values.

2. The data processing system of claim 1, comprising means for entering a formula for defining a field interrelationship into the first calculator.

3. The data processing system of claim 2, comprising means for entering a formula for defining a field interrelationship into the second calculator.

4. The data processing system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of calculators defining circular interrelationships between a plurality of fields in the data network.

5. The data processing system of claim 4, comprising input means for inputting a value into one of the plurality of fields in the data network.

31. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the conflict resolver includes means for suppressing one of the first output value and the second output value based on a predefined priority between the first calculator and the second calculator.

32. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the conflict resolver includes means for suppressing one of the first output value and the second output value based a dependency of one of the first calculator and the second calculator on input values from other fields.

33. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the conflict resolver includes means for suppressing one of the first output value and the second output value based a source of the input values to the first calculator and the second calculator.

34. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the conflict resolver includes means for suppressing one of the first output value and the second output value based and a sequence wherein the oldest entered input value and its corresponding calculator are suppressed.

6. A method of calculating values for fields interrelated by circular formulas in a data network, the method comprising:

allowing input of a value into a first field or a second field wherein the first field serves as an input value for a first calculator and the second field serves as an output value for the first calculator, and wherein the second field serves as an input value for a second calculator and the first field serves as an output value for the second calculator;

determining after input into the first field or the second field, whether the output value for the first calculator and the output value for the second calculator are computationally inconsistent values; and

upon a determination of computationally inconsistent values, resolving an inconsistency by suppressing the input value in the first field or second field.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising entering a formula for defining a field interrelationship into the first calculator.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising entering a formula for defining a field interrelationship into the second calculator.

9. The method of claim 6, comprising inputting a value into one of a plurality of fields interrelated by the plurality of calculators defining circular interrelationships in the data network.

10. A method for resolving circular conflicts in values in fields in a data network, comprising:

allowing input of a value in at least a first field which calculably depends from the value in at least a second field;

checking the value in at least the second field to determine whether the value is calculably consistent with the value in at least the first field;

upon a determination of a calculably inconsistent value, calculably resetting the value in at least the second field so that the value in the second field is calculably consistent with the value in the first field;

allowing input of a value in at least the second field which calculably depends from the value in at least the first field;

checking the value in at least the first field to determine whether the value is calculably consistent with the value in at least the second field; and

upon a determination of a calculably inconsistent value, calculably resetting the value in at least the first field so that the value in the first field is calculably consistent with the value in the second field.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising allowing input of a first value which calculably depends from the values in a plurality fields in the data network.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising recursively checking the plurality of fields to determine whether the values of the fields are calculably consistent with the value in the first field.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising recursively resetting the calculably inconsistent values in the plurality of fields until the inconsistent values are resolved.

14. For use in connection with a spreadsheet application program having a plurality of fields capable of storing a plurality of values, a method comprising:

storing a first formula which receives as input a value from each of one or more first fields in the spreadsheet program and produces an output value to be presented in a second field in the spreadsheet program;

storing a second formula which receives as input a value from each of one or more third fields in the spreadsheet program and produces an output to be presented in the second field;

when input values are available in the one or more first fields or one or more third fields, evaluating both of the first formula and second formula to determine whether their inputs are available and selecting one of the first formula and second formula that has the available input; and

using the selected formula to produce an output value for the second field.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of selecting one of the formulas comprises selecting the first formula when input values are available in the one or more first fields only.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of selecting one of the formulas comprises selecting one of the formulas in accordance with a predetermined priority between the formulas when input values are available in both the one or more first fields and the one or more third fields.

19. The method of claim 14, comprising storing a third formula which receives as input a value from the second field and produces an output value to be presented in one of the one or more third fields.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising when the first formula is selected and used to produce an output in the second field, using the third formula to produce the output value in the one third field.

35. The method of claim 16, wherein the input values in the one or more first fields and one or more third fields become available at different times, and wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting the formula based on the time at which the input values become available.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting the first formula when the one or more first fields have values which become available later than the values in the one or more third fields.

37. The method of claim 19, comprising allowing a user to input a constant value into the second field, and using the third formula to produce an output value in one of the one or more third fields.

38. The method of claim 37, comprising allowing the user to delete the constant value from the second field, and, upon deletion of the constant value, selecting one of the first formula and second formula and using the selected formula to produce an output value for the second field.

17. For use in connection with a spreadsheet application program having a plurality of fields capable of storing a plurality of values, a method comprising:

storing a first formula which receives as input a value from each of one or more first fields in the spreadsheet program and produces an output value to be presented in a second field in the spreadsheet program;

storing a second formula which receives as input a value from each of one or more third fields in the spreadsheet program and produces an output to be presented in the second field;

when input values are available in both the one or more first fields and one or more third fields and wherein the input values in the one or more first fields and one or more third fields become available at different times, selecting one of the first formula and second formula based on the time at which the input values become available; and

using the selected formula to produce an output value for the second field.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting the first formula when the one or more first fields have values which become available later than the values in the one or more third fields.

21. For use in connection with a spreadsheet application program having a plurality of fields capable of storing a plurality of values, a method comprising:

storing a first formula which receives as input a value from each of one or more first fields in the spreadsheet program and produces an output value to be presented in a second field in the spreadsheet program;

storing a second formula which receives as input a value from each of one or more third fields in the spreadsheet program and produces an output to be presented in the second field;

storing a third formula which receives as input a value from the second field and produces an output value to be presented in one of the one or more third fields;

when input values are available in the one or more first fields or the one or more third fields, selecting one of the first formula and second formula;

using the selected formula to produce an output value for the second field; and

allowing a user to input a constant value into the second field, and using the third formula to produce an output value in one of the one or more third fields.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising allowing the user to delete the constant value from the second field, and, upon deletion of the constant value, selecting one of the first formula and second formula and using the selected formula to produce an output value for the second field.

23. For use in connection with a spreadsheet application program having a plurality of fields capable of storing a plurality of values, a method comprising:

storing a first formula which receives as input a value from each of one or more first fields in the spreadsheet program and produces an output value to be presented in a second field in the spreadsheet program;

allowing a user to input a constant value in the second field;

when values are available in the one or more first fields, using the first formula to produce an output value for the second field; and

in accordance with a predetermined criteria, selecting one of the output value or constant value for display and use in the second field.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of allowing the user to input the constant value comprises allowing the user to set a default constant value for the second field.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the predetermined criteria comprises selecting the default constant value when a value is not available in one of the one or more first fields.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the predetermined criteria comprises selecting the constant value when the constant value is input by the user after values become available in the one or more first fields and selecting the output value when the values become available in the one or more first fields after the constant value is input by the user.

27. The method of claim 23, comprising storing the constant value input by the user in the second field when the output value is displayed in the second field, and retrieving the constant value for display in the second field when values become unavailable in the one or more first fields.

28. For use in connection with a spreadsheet application program having a plurality of fields capable of storing a plurality of values, a method comprising:

allowing a first user having a first user identifier to input a plurality of formulas for receiving input values from one or more first fields in the spreadsheet and producing output values in one or more second fields in the spreadsheet;

wherein the plurality of formulas include a set of formulas that are computational inversions such that the one or more first fields and the one or more second fields are computationally consistent values;

storing the formulas in association with the first user identifier;

allowing a second user to input values in the one or more first fields to thereby invoke the formulas to produce output values; and

preventing the second user from modifying the formulas.

29. The method of claim 28, comprising allowing the second user to input second formulas for receiving input values from one or more first fields in the spreadsheet and producing output values in one or more second fields in the spreadsheet.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising allowing the first user to input a default value for a third field in the spreadsheet to be displayed in the third field in the absence of any other value for the third field, and preventing the second user from modifying the default value.