Method, system, and apparatus for providing access to asynchronous data in a spreadsheet application program
First Claim
1. A method for providing access to asynchronous data in a spreadsheet application program, comprising:
- receiving a request at said spreadsheet application program to access an asynchronous data element available from an asynchronous data source;
exposing an interface at said spreadsheet application program for receiving a notification that a changed value for said data element is available;
notifying an asynchronous data server that said spreadsheet application program should be notified at said interface in the event that a changed value for said data element is available;
determining whether a notification has been received at said interface indicating that a changed value for said data element is available;
in response to determining that the notification has been received at said interface, said interface at said spreadsheet application program configured to receive said notification when said spreadsheet application program cannot receive the changed value because it is busy recalculating a spreadsheet, contacting said asynchronous data server and requesting said changed value for said data element; and
receiving said changed value for said data element from said asynchronous data server at said spreadsheet application program.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, and apparatus for providing access to asynchronous data in a spreadsheet application program is provided. When a request is received to utilize an asynchronous data element in a spreadsheet, the spreadsheet application program instructs an asynchronous data server to provide updated values for the asynchronous data element. When the asynchronous data server program receives an updated value, it notifies the spreadsheet application program that a changed value for the data element is available. The next time the spreadsheet application program has idle processing time following a notification that an update is available, the spreadsheet application program determines whether a notification has been received from the asynchronous data server program. If an update is available, the spreadsheet application program contacts the asynchronous data server and requests the update. In response, the asynchronous data server program transmits the update to the spreadsheet application program.
93 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for providing access to asynchronous data in a spreadsheet application program, comprising:
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receiving a request at said spreadsheet application program to access an asynchronous data element available from an asynchronous data source; exposing an interface at said spreadsheet application program for receiving a notification that a changed value for said data element is available; notifying an asynchronous data server that said spreadsheet application program should be notified at said interface in the event that a changed value for said data element is available; determining whether a notification has been received at said interface indicating that a changed value for said data element is available; in response to determining that the notification has been received at said interface, said interface at said spreadsheet application program configured to receive said notification when said spreadsheet application program cannot receive the changed value because it is busy recalculating a spreadsheet, contacting said asynchronous data server and requesting said changed value for said data element; and receiving said changed value for said data element from said asynchronous data server at said spreadsheet application program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer system for providing access to asynchronous data in a spreadsheet application program, comprising:
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a spreadsheet application program operative to receive a request to access an asynchronous data element, to expose an interface at said spreadsheet application program for communicating with an asynchronous data server, and to notify said asynchronous data server that notifications should be provided at said interface in the event that a changed value for said data element is received, said interface at said spreadsheet application program configured to receive said notifications when said spreadsheet application program cannot receive the changed value because it is busy recalculating a spreadsheet; and an asynchronous data server operative to receive said data element from an asynchronous data source, to receive said notification request from said spreadsheet application program, to determine whether a value for said data element has changed, and to asynchronously notify said spreadsheet application program at said interface in response to determining that said data value has changed. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:
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maintain an interface for use by a spreadsheet application program through which a notification is received indicating that an asynchronous data server has an asynchronous data value available for said spreadsheet application program, said interface at the spreadsheet application program configured to receive said notification when said spreadsheet application program cannot receive the changed value because it is busy recalculating a spreadsheet; and
tomaintain an interface at said asynchronous data server for communicating with said spreadsheet application program, said interface maintained at said asynchronous data server supporting a refresh data method which, when called by said spreadsheet application program, causes the asynchronous data server to transmit said asynchronous data value to said spreadsheet application program. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification