Non-collaborative filters in a collaborative document

• US 8,943,142 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2013
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lloyd, Zachary Erik, Simon, Benjamin Wolfe, Tragut, Manuel, Danziger, Joshua Ari, Gundrum, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Strange, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US13/900,265
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 709/229, 715/218, 715/751
• US Class Current: 709/205
• 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: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing filters for collaborative spreadsheets include storing a spreadsheet on a server, where the spreadsheet comprises a plurality of sheets, granting a plurality of client computers concurrent access to the spreadsheet, and receiving from the plurality of client computers a plurality of filters to be applied to a first sheet in the plurality of sheets. The plurality of filters are stored on the server, and the plurality of filters is associated with the first sheet. The plurality of filters are provided to each client computer. When a user on a first client computer in the plurality of client computers applies a first filter in the plurality of filters to the first sheet, the display of the first sheet on a second client computer in the plurality of client computers is independent of the filter application on the first client computer.

Claims

1. A method for providing filters for collaborative spreadsheets stored on a cloud computing service, the method comprising:

storing a spreadsheet on a server, wherein the spreadsheet comprises a plurality of sheets;

granting a plurality of client computers concurrent access to the spreadsheet, wherein the server provides each client computer with a user interface for displaying the spreadsheet;

receiving from the plurality of client computers a plurality of filters to be applied to a first sheet in the plurality of sheets, wherein a first filter in the plurality of filters is created by a first user on a first client computer;

storing the plurality of filters on the server, wherein the plurality of filters is associated with the first sheet and each of the plurality of filters is concurrently selectable by each of the plurality of client computers; and

providing the plurality of filters to each client computer in the plurality of client computers, wherein the user interface displays the plurality of filters and when a second user on a second client computer in the plurality of client computers applies the first filter to the first sheet, the display of the first sheet on the remaining plurality of client computers is independent of the filter application on the second client computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein granting the plurality of client computers access to the spreadsheet includes loading on each client computer a copy of the first sheet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first filter includes a command to sort one or more cells of the first sheet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first filter includes a command to hide one or more cells of the first sheet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a second filter in the plurality of filters is designated as a default filter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the spreadsheet has an access control list that determines which users may edit the plurality of filters.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is displayed on a web browser executing on each client computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface allows the user to apply a filter command, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of an edit command, a duplicate command, a no filter command, a rename command, a create command, a set default command, and a delete command.

9. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising receiving a message from the second client computer that the first filter is applied to the first sheet.

10. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising sending the message to a third client computer in the plurality of client computers so that the third client computer applies the first filter to the first sheet.

11. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving from the first client computer an edited first filter;

saving the edited first filter; and

providing the edited first filter to each client computer.

12. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving from the first client computer a command to delete the first filter;

deleting the first filter on the server; and

sending the command to delete the first filter to each client computer.

13. A system for providing filters for collaborative spreadsheets stored on a cloud computing service, the system comprising:

a server configured to;

communicate with a plurality of client computers through a network connection;

store a spreadsheet, wherein the spreadsheet comprises a plurality of sheets;

grant the plurality of client computers concurrent access to the spreadsheet, wherein the server provides each client computer with a user interface for displaying the spreadsheet;

receive from the plurality of client computers a plurality of filters to be applied to a first sheet in the plurality of sheets, wherein a first filter in the plurality of filters is created by a first user on a first client computer;

store the plurality of filters on the server, wherein the plurality of filters is associated with the first sheet and each of the plurality of filters is concurrently selectable by each of the plurality of client computers; and

provide the plurality of filters to each client computer in the plurality of client computers, wherein the user interface displays the plurality of filters and when a second user on a second client computer in the plurality of client computers applies the first filter to the first sheet, the display of the first sheet on the remaining plurality of client computers is independent of the filter application on the second client computer.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the server is further configured to load on each client computer a copy of the first sheet when granting the plurality of client computers access to the spreadsheet.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first filter includes a command to sort one or more cells of the first sheet.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first filter includes a command to hide one or more cells of the first sheet.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface is displayed on a web browser executing on each client computer.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface allows the user to apply a filter command, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of an edit command, a duplicate command, a no filter command, a rename command, a create command, a set default command, and a delete command.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive from the first client computer an edited first filter;

save the edited first filter; and

provide the edited first filter to each client computer.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive from the first client computer a command to delete the first filter;

delete the first filter on the server; and

send the command to delete the first filter to each client computer.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to carry out a method for providing filters for collaborative spreadsheets stored on a cloud computing service, wherein the instructions comprise:

instructions to store a spreadsheet on a server, wherein the spreadsheet comprises a plurality of sheets;

instructions to grant a plurality of client computers concurrent access to the spreadsheet, wherein the server provides each client computer with a user interface for displaying the spreadsheet;

instructions to receive from the plurality of client computers a plurality of filters to be applied to a first sheet in the plurality of sheets, wherein a first filter in the plurality of filters is created by a first user on a first client computer;

instructions to store the plurality of filters on the server, wherein the plurality of filters is associated with the first sheet and each of the plurality of filters is concurrently selectable by each of the plurality of client computers; and

instructions to provide the plurality of filters to each client computer in the plurality of client computers, wherein the user interface displays the plurality of filters and when a second user on a second client computer in the plurality of client computers applies the first filter to the first sheet, the display of the first sheet on the remaining plurality of client computers is independent of the filter application on the second client computer.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions granting the plurality of client computers access to the spreadsheet includes instructions to load on each client computer a copy of the first sheet.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first filter includes a command to sort one or more cells of the first sheet.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first filter includes a command to hide one or more cells of the first sheet.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the user interface allows the user to apply a filter command, wherein the command is selected from the group consisting of an edit command, a duplicate command, a no filter command, a rename command, a create command, a set default command, and a delete command.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, the instructions further comprising:

instructions to receive from the first client computer an edited first filter;

instructions to save the edited first filter; and

instructions to provide the edited first filter to each client computer.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, the instructions further comprising:

instructions to receive from the first client computer a command to delete the first filter;

instructions to delete the first filter on the server; and

instructions to send the command to delete the first filter to each client computer.