Data calculator performing automatic recalculation based on data structure network

• US 6,327,592 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1998
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Masazumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, UYEN T
• Application Number:
  US09/109,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 707/101, 707/102, 707/503, 707/504, 707/505, 707/506, 707/507, 707/509, 707/103, 707/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A data calculator for calculating a data structure. The calculator has a data structure network storage section in which already generated data structures are stored and a calculation section used for generating each data structure based on other data structures. The other data structures are stored in a format by which dependence relationships between the stored data are detectable. A managing section is further provided. When revision of an existing data structure (or revision of a cell value or a frame), or of an existing calculation method is input, the managing section revises a target data and also revises data structures which depend on revised data with reference to the data structure network storage section.

Claims

1. A data calculator comprising:

a data structure network storage section containing one or more already generated data structures, a program for a calculation method used for generating each data structure based on one or more other data structures, and said one or more other data structures in a format by which dependence relationships between the data structures and the calculation method are detectable; and

a managing section,

wherein when a calculation method is input which indicates the generation of a new data structure based on one or more already generated data structures, the managing section generates a new data structure based on the above calculation method and one or more already generated data structures stored in the data structure network storage section, and stores the generated new data structure and the above-mentioned calculation method into the data structure network storage section in a format in which dependence relationships between the newly stored data structure and calculation method, and the already-stored data structures and calculation method are detectable, at least one of said dependence relationships being other than a corresponding positional relationship between the newly stored data structure and the already stored data structure wherein said newly and already stored data structures comprise a table, list or graph;

when revision of the calculation method is directed, the managing section revises the calculation method which is stored in the data structure network storage section and for which revision was directed, and the managing section also revises all data structures, which depend on the calculation method for which revision was directed, based on the data structures and calculation method stored in the data structure network storage section; and

when revision of a cell value or a frame of the already generated data structure is directed, the managing section revises the data structure which is stored in the data structure network storage section and for which revision was directed, and the managing section also revises all data structures, which depend on the data structure for which revision was directed, based on the data structures and calculation method stored in the data structure network storage section.

2. A data calculator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a calculating section, and

wherein when a new data structure is generated or an already generated data structure is revised, if values of one or more cells on the data structure are necessary, then the managing section makes the calculation section calculate the values of the cells on the data structure.

3. A data calculator comprising:

a data structure cell network storage section containing one or more already generated data structures, a program for a calculation method used for generating each data structure based on one or more other data structures, said one or more other data structures, a cell pattern indicating each cell which was set using a value of another cell in the same data structure, and a program for a calculation method used for calculating a value of the cell indicated by the cell pattern in a format by which dependence relationships between the data structures and the calculation method and the cell pattern are detectable; and

a managing section,

wherein when a calculation method is input which indicates the generation of a new data structure based on one or more already generated data structures, the managing section generates a new data structure based on the above calculation method and one or more already generated data structures stored in the data structure cell network storage section, and stores the generated new data structure and the above calculation method into the data structure cell network storage section in a format in which dependence relationships between the newly stored data structure and calculation method, and the already-stored data structures and calculation method are detectable, at least one of said dependence relationships being other than a corresponding positional relationship between the newly stored data structure and the already stored data structure wherein said newly and already stored data structures comprise a table, list or graph;

when revision of the calculation method is directed, the managing section revises the calculation method which is stored in the data structure cell network storage section and for which revision was directed, and the managing section also revises all data structures, which depend on the calculation method for which revision was directed, based on the data structures and calculation method stored in the data structure cell network storage section;

when revision of a value of a cell or a frame of the already generated data structure is directed, the managing section revises the data structure which is stored in the data structure cell network storage section and for which revision was directed, and the managing section also revises all data structures, which depend on the data structure for which revision was directed, based on the data structures and calculation method stored in the data structure cell network storage section;

when a cell pattern indicating a cell of a data structure and a calculation method for calculating a value of the cell indicated by the cell pattern are input, the managing section performs the calculation of the value of the cell indicated by the cell pattern according to the above calculation method, and sets the relevant cell in the data structure to the calculated value, and the managing section stores the cell pattern and the calculation method in a format in which dependence relationships between the newly stored cell pattern and calculation method, and the already-stored data structures, cell pattern, and calculation method are detectable; and

when revision of a value of a cell in the already generated data structure is directed, the managing section revises the value of the cell which is stored in the data structure cell network storage section and for which revision was directed, and the managing section also revises the value of each cell indicated by each cell pattern which depends on a calculation method relating to the above direction of revision.

4. A storage medium storing a computer program for making a computer function as a managing section, the computer comprising a data structure network storage section containing one or more already generated data structures, a calculation method used for generating each data structure based on one or more other data structures, and said one or more other data structures are stored in a format by which dependence relationships between these stored data are detectable, and the managing section having the following functions:

when a calculation method is input which indicates the generation of a new data structure based on one or more already generated data structures, the managing section generates a new data structure based on the above calculation method and one or more already generated data structures stored in the data structure network storage section, and stores the generated new data structure and the above calculation method into the data structure network storage section in a format in which dependence relationships between the newly stored data structure and calculation method, and the already-stored data structures and calculation method are detectable, at least one of said dependence relationships being other than a corresponding positional relationship between the newly stored data structure and the already stored data structure wherein said newly and already stored data structures comprise a table, list or graph;

when revision of the calculation method is directed, the managing section revises the calculation method which is stored in the data structure network storage section and for which revision was directed, and the managing section also revises all data structures, which depend on the calculation method for which revision was directed, based on the data structures and calculation method stored in the data structure network storage section; and

when revision of a value of a cell or a frame of the already generated data structure is directed, the managing section revises the data structure which is stored in the data structure network storage section and for which revision was directed, and the managing section also revises all data structures, which depend on the data structure for which revision was directed, based on the data structures and calculation method stored in the data structure network storage section.

5. A storage medium storing a computer program for making a computer function as a managing section, the computer comprising a data structure cell network storage section containing one or more already generated data structures, a calculation method used for generating each data structure based on one or more other data structures, said one or more other data structures, a cell pattern indicating each cell which was set using a value of another cell in the same data structure, a calculation method used for calculating a value of the cell indicated by the cell pattern are stored in a format by which dependence relationships between these stored data are detectable, and the managing section having the following functions:

when a calculation method is input which indicates the generation of a new data structure based on one or more already generated data structures, the managing section generates a new data structure based on the above calculation method and one or more already generated data structures stored in the data structure cell network storage section, and stores the generated new data structure and the above calculation method into the data structure cell network storage section in a format in which dependence relationships between the newly stored data structure and calculation method, and the already-stored data structures and calculation method are detectable, at least one of said dependence relationships being other than a corresponding positional relationship between the newly stored data structure and the already stored data structure wherein said newly and already stored data structures comprise a table, list or graph;

when revision of the calculation method is directed, the managing section revises the calculation method which is stored in the data structure cell network storage section and for which revision was directed, and the managing section also revises all data structures, which depend on the calculation method for which revision was directed, based on the data structures and calculation method stored in the data structure cell network storage section;

when revision of a value of a cell or a frame of the already generated data structure is directed, the managing section revises the data structure which is stored in the data structure cell network storage section and for which revision was directed, and the managing section also revises all data structures, which depend on the data structure for which revision was directed, based on the data structures and calculation method stored in the data structure cell network storage section;

when a cell pattern indicating a cell of a data structure and a calculation method for calculating a value of the cell indicated by the cell pattern are input, the managing section performs calculation of the value of the cell indicated by the cell pattern according to the above calculation method, and sets the relevant cell in the data structure to the calculated value, and the managing section stores the cell pattern and the calculation method in a format in which dependence relationships between the newly stored cell pattern and calculation method, and the already-stored data structures, cell pattern, and calculation method are detectable; and

when revision of a value of a cell in the already generated data structure is directed, the managing section revises the value of the cell which is stored in the data structure cell network storage section and for which revision was directed, and the managing section also revises the value of each cell indicated by each cell pattern which depends on a calculation method relating to the above direction of revision.