Method, system, and apparatus for providing access to workbook models through remote function cells
First Claim
1. A method for accessing at least one workbook model through at least one remote function call, the method comprising:
- providing a facility for defining a first workbook model;
providing a plurality of input fields for receiving metadata associated with the workbook function;
associating the metadata with a workbook function, the metadata comprising a description of the workbook function received from a first input field of the plurality of input fields and a location for publishing the workbook function received from a second input field of the plurality of input fields;
providing a first list box identifying each input to the workbook function, the first list box being enabled to associate a first set of workbook cells with each input identified by the first list box;
providing a second list box identifying each output to the workbook function, the second list box being enabled to associate a second set of workbook cells with each output identified by the second list box;
receiving a request to make the first workbook model available through a first remote function call, the request including data defining the workbook function;
publishing the first workbook model, the associated metadata, and the data defining the workbook function to a server computer operative to receive and respond to remote calls for the workbook function; and
providing a list of published functions comprising the workbook function and the associated metadata in response to a discovery request.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, and apparatus are provided for exposing and calling workbook models via remote function calls. According to the system, a client computer executes a spreadsheet program for creating a workbook model. The workbook model may be published to a server computer along with data defining a function name and the cells that should be used as inputs and outputs to the model. The system also includes a server computer that receives and responds to remote function calls directed toward workbook functions. When a function call is received at the server computer for a workbook function, the server computer populates the cells in the workbook identified as inputs with input parameters received with the function call and recalculates the workbook. The data contained in the output cells is then returned as a reply to the remote function call.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for accessing at least one workbook model through at least one remote function call, the method comprising:
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providing a facility for defining a first workbook model; providing a plurality of input fields for receiving metadata associated with the workbook function; associating the metadata with a workbook function, the metadata comprising a description of the workbook function received from a first input field of the plurality of input fields and a location for publishing the workbook function received from a second input field of the plurality of input fields; providing a first list box identifying each input to the workbook function, the first list box being enabled to associate a first set of workbook cells with each input identified by the first list box; providing a second list box identifying each output to the workbook function, the second list box being enabled to associate a second set of workbook cells with each output identified by the second list box; receiving a request to make the first workbook model available through a first remote function call, the request including data defining the workbook function; publishing the first workbook model, the associated metadata, and the data defining the workbook function to a server computer operative to receive and respond to remote calls for the workbook function; and providing a list of published functions comprising the workbook function and the associated metadata in response to a discovery request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for providing access to a workbook function through a remote function call, the method comprising:
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receiving a workbook, a function definition for the workbook, and metadata describing the workbook function and a location for publishing the workbook function, wherein receiving the workbook, the function definition for the workbook, and the metadata comprises; receiving the description of the workbook function from a first user input field; receiving the location for publishing the workbook function from a second user input field; receiving a name of the workbook function from a third user input field; receiving, from a first list box, a description of a first set of cells in the workbook that are to be used as inputs for the workbook function, and receiving, from a second list box, a description of a second set of cells in the workbook that are to be used as outputs for the function; receiving the remote function call directed toward the workbook function, the remote function call including at least one input parameter; loading the workbook; populating at least one of a first set of cells in the workbook that are to be used as inputs for the workbook function with the at least one input parameter; calculating the workbook; retrieving the contents of the second set of cells in the workbook that are to be used as outputs for the function; and returning the contents as a reply to the remote function call. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for accessing a workbook model through a remote function call, the system comprising:
a client computer operative to; provide a facility for defining the workbook model comprising a workbook function, the facility comprising; a plurality of input fields for receiving metadata associated with the workbook function, and a plurality of list boxes for receiving a function definition associated with the workbook function, the plurality of list boxes comprising; a first list box identifying each input to the workbook function, wherein a first set of workbook cells are associated with each input identified by the first list box; a second list box identifying each output to the workbook function, wherein a second set of workbook cells are associated with each output identified by the second list box; receive a request to make the workbook model available through the remote function call, the request including the function definition and the metadata associated with the workbook function and publish the workbook model, the metadata associated with the function definition, and the function definition to a server computer; and the server computer being operative to; receive the workbook model, the function definition, and the metadata from the client computer; provide a list of published functions comprising the function and the associated metadata in response to a discovery request; receive the remote function call including at least one input parameter; load the workbook; populate cells specified in the function definition with the at least one input parameter; calculate the workbook; retrieve contents of a first set of cells specified by the function definition that are to be used as inputs for the function; and return the contents of a second set of cells as a reply to the remote function call. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
Specification